Home Décor: The Versace name has long been synonymous with lavishness and luxury. From the opulent designs and shapes to the decadent fabrics, who knew that famous philosophy had been extended into a home collection?

Begun in 1992, the Versace Home Collection was originally textiles and linens and has since been expanded to encompass all aspects of luxurious home living, from tabletop finery to bedroom sets. Each collection is an expression and expansion of a classic design theme, often of Greek origin, which are now known as signature Versace.

If you’ve ever seen Donatella’s fabulous digs on television or seen its Versailles-like magnificence and wanted your own surroundings to resemble a modern take on luxurious, near-royal living, then you must check out their home collection found at www.versace.com. Even the Web site is a testament to Versace’s signature gild, with its flash-player design and ability to maneuver different on the tiniest details of their offerings.

At first glance, much of the current furniture collection seems deceptively simply designed, not at all like the lavish signature Versace we are used to. But when you play with the fabrics and accessories, the clean lines become the perfect setting for myriad fabrics the collections offer. Even the tables compliment the modern opulence presented, with their sharply cornered curlicues. But when you top it all off with Versace signature patterned dishware, the seemingly simple designs become practically regal. Even the sleek platform beds take on a special air when completed with Versace’s patterned bed linens and pillows.

For a taste of Italy, check out Versace’s Home Collection and dwell in luxurious designs.

Technorati Tags: Versace Home. Versace, Lavishness, Textiles, Versace Collection

Considering the fact that you spend a good portion of your life in bed, it should be as good and comfy as you can afford. Few days back, we were here with our list of Top 10 high-tech luxury beds for geeks and every now and then, we are talking about ultra-expensive beds. Remember the David Beckham’s $50,000 Monarch Vi-spring bed? Now, the luxury bed maker, Vi-Spring, has introduced bamboo fibre into its top of the series bed, the Monarch. Bamboo fibre is not only acknowledged for its soft and silk like features, but it’s also is also one of the most eco-friendly materials available. Bamboo fibre has been woven into an elite fabric design for the Monarch mattress ticking and has been mixed up well for the mattress filling with other luxury materials, including cashmere, lambswool and mohair. They say that theonly material in a Vi-Spring mattress not made by Mother Nature is in the springs themselves. Anyway, the Monarch sells for £24,275 for a six-foot double divan set and is available through Harrods only.

Technorati Tags: David Beckham, Monarch Vi-spring bed, Bamboo fibre, Lifestyle

Home Décor:
To enjoy all the comforts of home, many of the well-traveled are now
staying home. The trend in luxury lifestyle is for increasing numbers
of home owners to opt to beef up amenities in their own residences,
thus embarking on a life-long vacation. Custom homes, some priced in
the millions — are being designed around home buyers’ personalities
and lifestyles. From the kitchen to the pool area to the current
must-have technology in and outside these luxury dwellings, all are
busting at the seams with options galore.

I noticed a spike in consumers’ demands for bonus rooms. A popular
design is a bonus room which includes a home theater, media center,
billiards area complete with a wet bar and a game area. The media
center features not one, but three flat screen TVs that transform with
the simple push of a button in to a home theater, viewable from
anywhere in the room.

Technology is turning homes into life-like systems that are easily
programmable and controlled from just about anywhere. Certain systems
include integrated wiring that join the home’s electrical components to
control lighting, a whole-house audio system, security system, pool
lighting, the ability to close the garage door, or even to draw a bath
– all done from any control panel placed throughout the home. These
high-tech modern marvels can even communicate with home owners via
e-mail or text messaging. Some with digital audio packages enable a
homeowner to upload their i-Pod play list — what will they think of
next?

Entertaining at home is extremely popular in these luxury homes that
also feature large outdoor spaces for days and evenings dining al
fresco or enjoying cocktails poolside. Large verandas with fully
appointed outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces are what continues to
blur the line between indoor and outdoors.

In fact, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Survey
for the first quarter of 2006 showed an increasing trend in emphasis on
outdoor living space, upscale landscaping and outdoor amenities. Kermit
Baker, AIA chief economist, says about two-thirds of architects
reported an increase in demand for outdoor kitchens, patios and decks.

Media rooms, game rooms and wine cellars are standard interior
amenities. Outside, fireplaces, private gardens, fountains and summer
kitchens are quickly becoming the must-haves as people rediscover the
luxury of staying at home.

Technorati Tags: Leisure, Landscaping, Staying Home, well-traveled, luxury lifestyle

At first glance, Sony’s new Bravia E4000 TV left us confused. Yes, ‘cuz we just couldn’t make out the Bravia Flat TV amongst the different paintings that adorned the wall. If not for the little Sony insignia below the LCD panel, we certainly wouldn’t have found out which amongst the paintings was the Bravia E4000. Yes, that is how flat the Bravia E4000 really is not to mention how crisp and realistic it’s picture quality is. And to further confound matters for us, the Sony Bravia 4000 even comes with six pre-installed images from famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh to name one. The high definition TV has the usual 1080p resolution and comes in screen sizes ranging from 26 to 40 inches.

Trick Sony technology for it’s legendary clarity lies in the Bravia
Engine 2 processing and an X.V colour on a ten bit panel. The Bravia
4000 series also features 3xHDMI connect and you can even plug your USB
pen drive to watch a movie. Now, who would care to buy a DVD player
with such TV technology growing by such leaps and bounds. Digital
camera enthusiasts relax, your cybershot too can be connected to the
Bravia 4000 series TVs. Scheduled to hit European shores in a few
weeks, there is no word still about the digiframe, er, TV’s pricing.

Technorati Tags: Sony Bravia E4000 TV, Wall art, TV technology, HDTV, HDMI, USB connect, home decor, cybershot, Lifestyle

Who discovered Zero? Most of you will answer that an ancient Indian astronomer named ARYABHATT discovered zero for his complex astronomical calculation. Hats off for your GK (general knowledge) dear but I am referring to the ZERO Discreet Home Media Center. Designed by Chris Kujawski, it is a holistic integration of the media center PC into our living environment. Unlike today’s most other media centers, this one is barely visible. Without a glitch it delivers content using current and near future technologies accessed through intuitive and innovative user touchpoints. Every part of its electronic components is hidden from view behind a thin wood veneer that shrouds either a small, restrained coffee table or floating shelf. And don’t mistake the remote for a smooth, river-worn rock that is pleasing to the eye as well as the touch.

Technorati Tags: Zero, Discreet Home Media Center, Chris Kujawski, Lifestyle

The ubiquitous kitchen cutting board has now got a new lease of life with Nardo Design’s new high-tech Digital Cutting Board. This board comes with a flexible, yes you heard right, flexible LCD display that displays cooking instructions on it so that you can conjure up that meal, perfectly. And, while doing so, you can also read up downloaded recipes that you might want to try out. All this, right at the place where all the cooking happens, your kitchen. The brainchild of design student, Marc Nardangeli, this cooking board has a very chic design that will make cooking look and even feel, very high tech. The cutting board sits on grippy rubber feet which support an acrylic board. the acrylic board contains the circuitry to run the flexible LCD panel which sits on top of it. All this is packaged neatly on on top of the other and is sealed with a safety tempered glass panel which allows finger based, touchscreen operation. You can even connect this cutting board to download the cooking recipes.

The unit is topped off with stylish chromium handles on both ends. Now, for the environment friendly bit, all the components use environmentally friendly components that include the lead and bromide free circuit board and the non toxic chromium handle. Though it is still a concept, looking at it’s terrific functionality, we think it will make waves soon in the commercial kitchenware market.

Technorati Tags: LYX, Jonas Wannfors

If you are on the market looking for a new showerhead for your bathroom then this Lounge shower head by Newform has everything that you need and even more. The stainless steel ceiling head shower might look like just another shower head but it's anything but ordinary. The luxury shower head comes complete with raining jet, chromotherapy, radio, acoustics cases and, digital keyboard with pressure control. No word on the price can be had from the site. So, just-in-case you need other options then we have earlier also told you about some fine shower heads including Luxury Rain Shower by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba and the ultra-slim shower head from Signorini Design which sprays colored shower for a soothing experience.

We have seen some fascinating grills in the past including the Dragon BBQ Grill, BBQ Train and recently the giant pistol-shaped BBQ. Another astounding grill could be this Hanging Grill concept from NotCot team. The Pendent style grill could be shaped in six possible designs marked by rough sketches in the picture, above. And, the grill will be powered by wireless inductive smart jacks controlled through touch sensitive interface. Though, the grill will be made of high-temperature vitro-ceramic for great cooking still safety remains my biggest concern! Loved the design overall. Only, if some designer or a grill company could take this design further!!

The Austonian, based in you guessed it, Austin, Texas is first big tower I've seen in this city. The 55-story luxury condo tower was recently profiled in the Austin American Statesman for having a dog toilet. The 10th floor of the building is home to an urban garden that includes a lap pool, billiards room, outdoor movie screen and a dog park that has a self-cleaning dog toilet. The dog toilet is built flush with the floor, it has a chemical aroma that atttracts dogs and a pushbutton device scrapes the dog waste away. There are 195 condo units and the 53rd level features a skylounge. The building is being designed by Ziegler Cooper Architects of Houston and units cost betweeen $550,000 to $3.8 million.

Via Luxist