My favorite part of being in fancy restaurants and small European countries—you know, places where rich people hang out—is checking out the bathrooms. There's always some decadent touch that makes them cooler than the same-old I'm used to using back home. But with this LED faucet, available for $65 at ShopKami, you can bring a touch of that luxury to any old sink.

The easy-to-install, single-handle faucet uses a glass panel lit by a colored LED to convey water, allowing it to cascade gently into your sink while you massage a passion fruit clean or wash your hands with an organic mint soap. See? Your life's already improving. [Coolest Gadgets]

When a child begins washing their hands, the sink calmly advises them to, "HURRY UP YOU LITTLE FUCKER OR I WILL BITE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF AND CHEW YOUR BONES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! YOUR LITTLE ARMS WILL BLEED ALL OVER THE PLACE, SPILLING OUT MY MOUTH AND ONTO THE FLOOR. YOUR DEATH WILL COME SLOWLY AS YOUR PERCEPTION PAINFULLY FADES TO GREY AND THEN BLACK—BY THE WAY, YOU WON'T BE GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE THERE'S NO GOD, SO YOUR BODY WILL JUST ROT IN THE GROUND AS EXISTENCE AS YOU KNOW IT CEASES FOR AN ETERNITY YOU'LL NEVER SEE. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WHAT DAD WILL SAY WHEN HE SEES THE MESS YOU MADE! WHAT A FUCK UP! NO WONDER YOUR PARENTS ARE GETTING A DIVORCE! WHAT? THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU? WELL STOP YOUR GODDAMN CRYING ABOUT IT, TEARS ARE A WASTE OF PRECIOUS WATER!"

(Or the sink uses an IR sensor, like you find in public rest rooms.) [Design Boom via inhabitots via inhabitat]

"There are only two things you care about besides the appearance," he explains. "The amount of water coming out and the temperature." This seemingly simple balance between image and duty is one that Norman understands implicitly. As an engineer his priority is making sure things operate properly, but as a psychologist he argues that there's more to functionality than, well, functioning. "Emotions are really the most important part of life. Things have to work well, but they also should excite you."

(Indeed—emotions and faucets go hand in hand. My faucet makes me cry...but how can I stay mad at it?)

To be honest, the reviews of these faucets are disappointing, but the point here is that these simple everyday fixtures are being thought about in a very intellectual way. I mean, Norman talks about the "aesthetic and kinesthetic pleasure" of the water stream for God's sake. I get it though. With a background in art and design I can appreciate the massive amount of engineering that can sometimes be employed on items we take for granted. In fact, some of the most cutting edge designers are working on sinks and faucets these days. Coffee makers are getting this treatment as well. It's just pouring water over a bean but there are some crazy elaborate concepts out there. And why not? These are gadgets we use every single day. [Dwell via BBG]

If you are less about waterparks and more about peaceful zen gardens, the Abisko also evokes the feeling of a gently flowing stream—complete with waterfalls. So far, there is no word on pricing—but it is safe to say that this will set you back some serious cash. Hopefully, they will make a matching urinal version. Now THAT would be something (truly horrible). [Eumar via Trendir via DVICE]

Thanks for the tip, Blakeley!

The trick comes from the bit of velcro at the end, which when you spin the snake around, picks up hair and other particles from inside your drain. Pull it out, vomit at the disgustingness, and you're good to go. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Flexisnake via Strange New Products]