Surf's Up!

Atoms Regulator.

Inspired by Alfred Dunhill's lighters and cigarette cases from the 1930s, Jaeger-LeCoultre has designed this Most Excellent Atoms Regulator Clock for Dunhill. The 242 piece caliber 582 movement is powered simply by small changes in temperature in which a change of one degree will give the clock enough power to keep ticking for 48 hours. At around $71,000.00, this Art Deco gem does not come cheap.

Bring Me A Fan.

No air conditioning? No problem.

I am quite fond of this lovely, old-fashioned fan from Hunter. For around $100.00 the "Rockefeller" fan provides a whisper-quiet Airmax motor. The fan offers three-speeds, has tilt adjustability and comes in great colors like blue and red.

Flou.

Classic with a contemporary twist is how I would describe the new Flou collection vanity and double wash basin from Lacava. The double-bowl free-standing wood base is available in any standard wood finish, (shown above in ebony macassar finish). The vanity is crowned with a stone countertop. The wood base feature five drawers with silver drawer pulls. This is an example of strong sophistication for the bathroom. I even like the punch of color the red colored rug brings to the room.

Three-Way.

According to Ted Boerner, you can "arrange, rearrange and rearrange again" with the Three-way Nesting Table Set. These clever tables may be used as the perfect end tables or as a Most Excellent coffee table grouping. In order to create these pieces, acrylic and veneered planes are joined at the top. The set here is shown in ash, however, these fun tables are also available in cherry, white oak, vertical grain fir, walnut or mahogany.

Ice Crystal Sconces.

These Ice Crystal Sconces were designed by William Haines for the May house in 1953, using faceted pieces of acrylic material. The sconces reflect and sparkle beautifully as they play homage to Old Hollywood. They are a brilliant accessory, offered as a limited edition exact opposing pair, that would look Most Excellent in a traditional or contemporary home.

May House, 1953

Protea.

Protea blossoms are the unofficial flower of the Maui, Hawaii Upcountry. With summer right around the corner an arrangement of Proteas or any other tropical flowers make a beautiful statement. It is actually possible to have a bouquet of Hawaii's finest blooms sent directly to the U.S.A. mainland from Maui Floral. The arrangement above is made with materials from the coconut tree, this basket is filled with proteas, tropicals and foliage. The basket, which is the perfect size for magazines, fresh fruits and bath items may be used long after the arrangement is gone.

Garden Tools.

Perfect for the gardener who has everything. These sophisticated garden tools from Hermes features a spade, trowel and weeding fork all made with cherry tree handles. The set, which retails for $345.00, comes in a signature Hermes orange textile bag.

Scented Tassels.

These beaded Vetiver tassels from Vivaterra are a great way to add subtle fragrance to any room. The long loops hang easily from a hook, door knob or mirror. Colorful fiber is wrapped around soothing vetiver roots to create the multi-colored balls, to collect in a basket or place as decor. Both the vetiver tassles and aromatherapy balls are a fun and tasteful way of adding a clean grassy scent to any interior.

Sealight.

This is a reproduction of a 19th-century British marine light used to transmit Morse code. This Most Excellent floor lamp evokes grand ocean liners and Old Hollywood. Available from Restoration Hardware, this solid cast aluminum lamp features a machine-turned gear mechanism that acts as a crank to smoothly position the light head up or down. Louvers on the lamp adjust to any angle, while a telescopic tripod base moves to the desired height. This lamp is sure to make a strong statement in any home.

Happy Mother's Day.

16th Century

Dinner Party Chandelier.

This unique Dinner Party Chandelier from Moth Design, features cast resin figures in an ivory casein finish set on a brushed bronze base with drop beads.

The figures include Gertrude Stein, Sigmund Freud, Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Amelia Earhart and President Obama.

The chandelier measures 35" OAH x 35" OAD. It takes eight, 25 watt bulbs.

Stark Speakers.

These "Zikmu" wireless speakers, designed by Philippe Stark for Parrot are Most Excellent. They are the perfect complement to any iPod or iPhone, since they feature a docking station and other Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies. The two speakers communicate with each other using Bluetooth technology in order to position both speakers wherever in the room. Using the docking station built into one of the columns, users can enjoy their favorite music while recharging their iPod or iPhone and the speakers and the device can be controlled from anywhere in the room using a remote control. The Parrot by Starck speakers promise a 360° surround sound experience. The Parrot by Starck wireless speakers will be available this Spring 2009 at a suggested retail price of around $1,500.

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Artisan.

The Artisan fragrance from fashion designer, John Varvatos, is not only a wonderful summer fragrance, but the bottle design is Most Excellent. According to the John Varvatos Fragrance website:

"John Varvatos Artisan embodies the lost art of craftsmanship while exuding a modern edge. An invigorating citrus explosion is woven with modern woody notes to reveal an authentically crafted fragrance. The distinctly masculine flask is housed in a hand-woven rattan, enabling every bottle to have signature intricacies, making each a one-of-a kind creation."

Below are the fragrance notes of Artisan. It is available here.

May Day.