Style Tuesday: Sofa, Bed or Cocoon?

At a first glance, you might not notice anything out of the ordinary with that sofa, created by Stephanie Horning. The Camp Daybed, however, is the materialisation of two trends that are proving to be very strong to the near future and will certainly be part of our lives in a couple of years: solutions for small apartments (because the spaces are shrinking as the prices rise) and the cocoons (hibernating inside comfy closed spaces give us a feeling of protection).

The Camp Daybed work in the following way: during the day it's just like a regular couch. At night, however, the great idea comes to life. Instead of unfolding like a regular couch, it opens a zipper and you can sleep inside the mattress. The solution is ideal for people who regularly have guests over, for those who live in tiny places or even if you have those days when you just want to disappear...

Other posts from Style Tuesday:

Design news

Eco Monday: Cykno Bike - Electric and Vintage

The electric bike is already a reality in the big cities. Ideal for those looking for a more eco friendly transportation, who wishes to arrive prim and polished to their next appointments, it's popularity has been growing at a fast pace. Until now, all the models available resembled a ordinary bike. The big innovation came during the last Design Salon in Milan.

The Cykno Bike was created by the engineer Bruno Greppi and the designer Luca Scopel. It's structure is entirely made of carbon finer and it takes four hours for the batteries to be completely charged, giving the rider an autonomy of 60 km. The differential is in it's vintage design, that resembles and old motorbike. All the orders are custom made and the owner has to wait a few weeks to get their hands on the new toy.

Other posts from Eco Monday:

Organic accessories

Coffee Gardens

Best ideas of the week

Another Friday upon us: let's take a look at the best ideas of the week?

It might not be big enough to accommodate Santa Claus but now everyone can have their own fireplace.

Let's be honest here: those string from the tea bags are not very attractive. The little butterfly resting in the cup's rim gives it some charm.

It's already depressing to look at your empty plate. The message only adds to that feeling.

A true adventurer won't have the time or the space to carry to much stuff. This jacket/backpack eliminate two problems at once.

Hello people from the natural food's craze. We all know how annoying it is to slice a banana. Thankfully, here comes an easier solution.

The truth of the matter is that we all own way more empty wine bottles than chandeliers at home. That's why this cork made of wax is a genius solution.

Let's take a moment to envy the babies: they're the only ones with the possibility of laying down on economy class.

If you live in a rock'n roll house, you deserve a rock'n roll table.

From the "dark humour" series: funny gadgets we wish we had at home.

Last week's best ideas

Fashion Thursday: Bikini battle

The beach habitués know perfectly well: there is such thing as beach fashion, it changes all the time and poor of those girls that do not keep up. We also know that Rio de Janeiro is the biggest trendsetter in that market (although other Brazilian cities are quickly catching up), which makes Fashion Rio the place to look for the next hits.

The problem lies exactly there: since fashion is becoming more and more democratic and the brands are  experimenting with a more conceptual work, the collections end up being dramatically different from each other. Will it be the end of the summer crazes? Or the arrival of the individual style on the sands? Take a look at the collections that hit the catwalk during this Fashion Week's last edition and find out what style suits you best.

Blue Man

Blue Man mixed together the style of the late Yes, Brazil! and some patterns from their vintage collections. The result was an elaborate beachwear, almost verging on the baroque. It's ideal for a pool party or for any occasion when you need to look glamorous in a two-pieces. The one pieces will be perfect for doubling as a statement blouse for an after party. 

Lenny

Lenny's style is the complete opposite of Blue Man's. Here, the word of the day was simplicity. Few prints, a more forgiving silhouette, there was even space to fit in the voluminous trend. If the little black dress is your fashion staple during the day and you understand the value of a well cut piece, this collection is for you. 

Salinas

Do you hit the sands in Leblon but your heart lies in Capri? Well, know that is now possible to make that trip, even if it's only in style. Salinas came up with a collection filled with vintage references, wrapped together by some classic Italian songs. Yet, the silhouettes were updated (who wants to hit the sands looking like their grandmas?) and the result was fun and chic. If you're a vintage treasure hunter and Lana Del Rey is your style icon, this collection is for you. 

Triya 

Triya's show was meant to cause an impact. Perfect bodies clad inside ultra colourful, tiny bikinis, we felt like time travelling to Ipanema during the 80's. The colour combinations, mostly reds and purples, created a bold and impacting look. Jewel and makeup were far from discreet. If you're the kind of woman that can rock a Hervé Léger at night and your own fitness program during the day, this collection is for you. 

Travel Wednesday: Amsterdam's Nine Streets

Until recently, every time someone told you they were visiting Amsterdam you would give a sly smile and say something like "hummmmmmm, Amsterdam"... Well, the recurring joke must have infuriated the local authorities so much that it is now forbidden to sell pot to the tourists inside the cafes. Now, only respectable citizens interested in the canals and the museums are welcome to visit.





Nevertheless, if you're interested in fashion, you still have several reasons to take that trip. In the heart of the city, near the three biggest canals, there is a block of nine streets known as, well, the Nine Streets. There, you'll be able to find something to please every type of costumer. There are cuting edge stores such as Lock, Stock and Barrel, cheese places, restaurants and even stores for kids. You ertnaily won't leave with empty hands.





If you prefer to do most of your shopping on line or if you like to browse the products beforehand, the Nine Streets created an e-commerce with a link to all the store. Take a look!

To read more about travelling:

Crimea

Cape Town

St Barts

Style Tuesday: Little White Lies

Cast the first stone who never said "I'm already in the car" while stepping out of the shower! Graphic designer Justin Barber, born and raised in Japan but currently living in Savannah, USA, created a series of posters with our most thick faced lies. Ideal for a not so subtle message on the social networks or just for hanging on your wall to be reminded that we've all be lying a bit...

Other Style Tuesday posts: 

Trends for the home

Eco Monday: Fashion Rio and the "organic" materials.

When we talk about accessories, we immediately think of the two most common materials available around - leather and plastic. However, we've already chatted about the sustainability trend and how it's gaining ground in several industries, fashion being one of them.

During this edition of Fashion Rio, I followed the presence of raw materials in the accessories of several brands proving that, definitely, that is a trend that is going to survive the long run. If you think that the end result of that process is a hippie look, suitable for a walk at the beach, at most, take a look at the images that the blog has put together for you. You'll see that is, indeed possible, to be elegant and eco friendly at the same time.

Alessa

Salinas

O Estúdio

Nica Kessler

Fashion Rio Special: Nica Kessler and Salinas

The fourth day of Fashion Rio was finally worthy of my daily 13 dollars parking fee and the long lines and waiting before the shows. Nica Kessler and Salinas' presentations, each in it's own way, reminded me of why Rio de Janeiro is the capital city of summer.

About Nica's show, I have to say that I adore young designers. They still have fresh ideas and loads of enthusiasm. The collection was based on the ocean, which you could guess by the decor, the gorgeous prints, the colours and the jewels imitating shells and coral reefs. If you're thinking that what we have here is a Chanel "inspired", think again: the two shows couldn't be more different. Let's say that Chanel's ocean was from a glacial fairy tale, while Nica occupies the tropical bottoms of, let's say, Angra dos Reis. 

For those who prefer to stay in the sand, Salinas brought a very vintage beachwear, something that reminded me of images of Brigitte Bardot strolling around St Tropez in the late 50's. High waists, turbans, polka dots and checkers. I felt like riding home in a scooter. If you're sick and tired of the tiny bikinis, that might be a solution for you. Let's hope that the collection stays unaltered when it hits the store. 

Take a look at the video from the catwalk's final sequence: