Five Hot Design Finds and an iPhone App

Let this statement-making Nest Chair cradle you

These cutting edge items will surely bring a little colour, comfort and fun to your home

Arctic Inspiration

Molecular geometry or snowflake? Both. When designer Philippe Bestenheider named the Nanook chair, he took inspiration from the 1922 documentary Nanook of the North, about an Inuit man living in the Arctic. The chair, produced by Moroso, is a mix of wood, rubber, metal and fabric. The fabric and shape recall an animal hide, and the modern materials give the piece a contemporary spin inspired by the rich Inuit culture. This fun and fascinating design was recognized with the Italian National Award for Innovation. $658, Inform Interiors

Sophisticated Soda


Imagine the soda aisle sitting on your countertop in the form of a do-it-yourself machine, adorned with bubbling colours and shapes created by an award-winning designer. With no bottles to throw or stash away, the limited edition Karim Rashid Geness Soda Maker by SodaStream is enviro-friendly and lets you concoct your own designer sodas. Go classic with a cola, mix up a cocktail, or enjoy a custom Karim flavour, included with the soda-maker, like Elderberry-Blueberry. $239, Gourmet Warehouse


Nest Chair

The term “feathering the nest” has surely been brought home, thanks to the bird cage-like Nest chair, an intriguing new piece conceived by Turkish design company Autoban and built by De La Espada. Crane your head at an angle to look at Nest’s curved back and wooden slats (they’re painted in an eggshell finish, no less) and you can’t help but notice the telltale shape of a baby’s bassinet. So feel free to sit back and let this statement-making seat cradle you. Soon you’ll be off to slumber while tucked in its cosy confines. Nest is available in black, white or beige, with leather or fabric seat cushions. $4,995, Inform Interiors

Swedish to Spanish
 Slipcovers

Go from Sweden to sunny Spain just by sitting in an easy chair. Bemz is warming up a range of Ikea’s chairs, sofas and accent pillows with slipcovers in three Spanish-inspired designs: Barcelona, Sagrada, and Castellar. Breathe new life into a room with these fabrics and add a bright punch of colour and a bold shot of pattern to your space. Easy to maintain, slipcovers are an affordable and effortless way to create a fresh look for your home. Cushion slipcover, $59; Stockholm chair slipcover, $219, Bemz; Stockholm chair, $349, Ikea.

Dual-function Kitchen Essentials


A straightforward idea, turned on its head, can add style and practicality to kitchen essentials. At first glance, the A Tempo wire collection by Alessi is simple, but definitely not simplistic. Use one piece, like the eye-catching dish drainer, as an elegant edition to your kitchen counter. Add the fruit bowl (it’s topped with a thermoplastic resin plate), in silver or gold, for an even stronger statement of fresh style. $71-$161, Motiv Design


Ethical App

You painstakingly pondered that espresso machine purchase, and now apply that same consideration to your daily brew. Ethical Bean’s free iPhone app lets you scan the bag’s high-tech barcode, so you can pinpoint the beans’ pedigree from producer to purveyor.

Originally published in BC Home magazine. For monthly updates, subscribe to the free BC Home e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the bi-monthly magazine.