Quoted from Obama sushi

Even Mt. Everest has to be climbed one step at a time. the trick is not to stop. When it gets hard just make smaller steps and keep going.

Theory

• Forming new habits isn’t hard, nor does it require a lot of willpower. The problem is with our approach to habit-formation
• There are two simple ways to habit-formation that makes it easy to accomplish: 1) Half Habits 2) Timeless Habits
• Half Habits: Rather than aim to form a new habit fully, aim to make progress in the direction of the new habit. You will gradually re-adjust, and the approach is much more natural than expecting to form a new habit with a single leap
• Timeless Habits: There are many, many habits we can develop that require absolutely no time commitment. Replacing coffee with green tea, or soft drinks with water doesn’t take any extra time to do but can bring about great benefits into our lives

Practice

• Half Habits: For all the habits you intend on adopting, instead of focusing on the destination (forming the new habit fully), think of the next step you can take in the direction of these habits and make a slight adjustment to adopting these habits
• Timeless Habits: Come up with ways you can make simple changes to what you eat, how you behave, etc. that can bring about positive results in your life, without needing to free up any time on your schedule to form these new habits

To read more from Haider Al-Mosawi, check out his blog: Personal Growth Map.

Quoted from Two Simple Ways to Form New Habits Without Really Trying

via http://www.stumbleupon.com/refer.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wakeapparel.com%2Fimages%2FBestFriend.jpg

Quoted from BestFriend.jpg (JPEG-Grafik, 500×500 Pixel)

I had an idea of having an industrial design company that makes all its products in basic geometric shapes basic colors, and without any branding on them so it just looks pretty and clean and part of the architecture. I really like the name. I wish there was a company like that. Day dream - start!

via http://lovelypackage.com/basic-shapes/

Quoted from Basic Shapes

I just love the outdoor space bleeding in with the living room. Those sliding window doors are just brilliant. I don’t know why out door space is such a luxury item in our modern life.

the front facade

looking towards the back of the house from the backyard

glass doors open into the backyard

bedroom with a Saarinen Womb Chair

rooftop deck

Photos: Modern House Estate Agents

Quoted from Traditional/Modern Home Renovation

via http://www.hrafngunnars.com/tre.html

Quoted from hrafn gunnarsson

That’s right Ze Frank! lets execute right now! What have I been waiting for? I was hooked on Brain Crack for too long.

“Hi my name is Sung and I am a Brain Crack addict!”

Ze Frank knows steady output, and the iconic video blogger knows why we put off acting on our ideas—we’re saving them as reassuring, addictive “Brain Crack.” (Warning: Bit of swearing in the vid).

In typical Ze Frank style, the clip cuts away to something almost entirely different at about the 1:30 mark, and there’s a chanting chorus of F-bombs—so if you’re watching at work, it’s definitely headphone material. But it’s also pretty encouraging stuff.

“washington, ideas, brain crack” [The Show with Ze Frank via 43 Folders]

Quoted from Ze Frank on Executing Ideas Vs. “Brain Crack” [Clips]

I see some of my blood there around the infamous 4.0 browsers designing websites for them was a nightmare. The new browsers are so much nicer, thank goodness for web standards. We’ve come a long way.

via http://www.pixellabs.com/images/browserwars.png

Quoted from browserwars.png (PNG Image, 1011×1221 pixels)

How many books do you have that are the same size? And how are you going to find your book? Still think it’s pretty cool, maybe because I design icons

Quoted from Look: Book Covers As Bookshelf Design and Art Display

A

Designed by Katharine Webster in the backyard of a Pacific Heights home. The firepit is “framed by two similarly elliptical benches outfitted with radiant heating for additional warmth“.

Photos: Top: Scott Mayoral, Middle: David Duncan Livingston, Bottom:Thuilot Associaties all via California Home + Design

Quoted from 3 Modern Outdoor Fireplaces California Home + Design

Quoted from Teddy coat, belt of belts, jean-sneakers — the designs of Sebastian Errazuriz

I certainly dig the concept, I bet you can make something really cool out of it. I just wonder how much it would cost to buy enough of these to make one of these big structures… Maybe I’ll change  my perspective when I start making high end design products some day, but why do good design have to always cost so much?

Clouds can be shaped into freeform designs that hang from the ceiling, adhere to the wall, or grow from the ground…

Clouds are available in packs of 8 or 24 pieces, in a range of seven color combos. They can be used as sculptural pieces, soundproof wall coverings, or to create “pods” of fabric in a home.

The Bouroullec Brothers explain that the project evolved out of a desire to make modern homes more soft and welcoming. They’re also interested in modular products that can be easily adapted and individualized by consumers.

For more information, check out this special site for Kvadrat Clouds. Kvadrat textiles are distributed in the U.S. through Maharam, although we haven’t yet found a direct U.S. retailer.

Quoted from Clouds by Ronan and Erwin Bouroullec for Kvadrat

Love the look of this counter top.

Its a laboratory countertop or in it’s technical terms, a high density phenolic resin. It is fairly similar to Richlite or Paperstone, which are considered low density phenolic resin countertops, only it is harder and not necessarily green as the paper content is neither recycled or from sustainably harvested forests. The advantage though is the cost.

Quoted from Countertops are in!

[Photo: Heather Leah Kennedy]

The bed is the creation of Ms. Kayla Kromer, who happens to be the fetching young lady laying on her fast food creation up above. And yes, the Hamburger Bed has a Facebook page!

[via Geekologie]

Quoted from The Hamburger Bed Ridiculous…We Know!

Wow, you have to check out the slide show to get a better idea of the space. 344 square feet! ,000 when he bought his home where he grew up, the renovation took a year and cost 8,000. What an obsession. Many cool ideas for small space living for sure.

Nicknamed Domestic Transformer, Architect Gary Chang’s small Hong Kong apartment can be manipulated into 24 different layouts within the 344-square-foot space. The New York Times shows us how an immense collection of sliding wall units, fold-down tables & chairs and a hydraulic Murphy bed made the tiny space into a multi-functional masterpiece…

The large windows are yellow-tinted — washing the apartment in an odd sunny glow, reflected in the shiny black granite floor. By moving different walls and folding furniture, Chang can reveal a massive wall of books and storage, a large Duravit tub, a small kitchen, a steam shower, a video game room, a bedroom, library and even a hammock.

Read all about Chang’s apartment: 24 Rooms Tucked Into One and see all the photos in theslideshow.

Pics: Marcel Lam

Quoted from Domestic Transformer: Accordian Apartment in Hong Kong The New York Times 1.15.09

Quoted from Baby, It’s Cold Outside…and Inside, Too Share Your Strategies for Staying Warm

LightLane is a concept gadget that paints a bike lane around your bicycle with laser-light as you pedal through the night:

Enter LightLane, a safety concept from the clever designers at Altitude, Inc. The system projects a virtual bike lane (using lasers!) on the ground around the cyclists, providing drivers with a recognizable boundary they can easily avoid. The idea is to allow riders to take safety into their own hands, rather than leaving it to the city.

Superb Idea: Bike Lane That Travels With You

(via Dvice)

Quoted from Bike-light that paints a laser-lit bike-lane on the road around you

You may remember reading about David Petersen’s remarkable house in Brooklyn a while back — a Moby Dick of a housing tale. One of the architects, Anshu Bangia, sent in more pictures of the house and directed us to her website, which has even more pics of their other work. The Petersen house is remarkable, but all of these pics deserve a look…

>>Originally reviewed by Maxwell on 7.13.06 (104 Comments)

Quoted from Bangia Agostinho

I’d say this fits the tag “Crazy” just nicely. Wonder if anyone would really buy this or if it’s just a conceptual piece?

We can’t believe that just looking at dishes could make us feel squeamish, but it really has. The Hematolagnia place settings are definitely not for the faint of heart and we can’t really imagine dining off of them, but they do make quite an impact. Jump below to see them if you can face the queasy ick-factor…you’ve been warned!

Available from Spring in a limited edition, the handmade ceramic plates by Nadeige Choplet range in price from . to 135., depending on size.

They are part of a full “Dexter” collection, put together originally for the Met Home Showtime House last fall. It includes these chairs by Amy Lau Design, dismembered flatware and more. See the whole collection at Spring.

Quoted from Dexter for Dinner?

via http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/3143/the-scheisse-pendant-lamp-by-northern-lighting.html

Quoted from the ’scheisse’ pendant lamp by northern lighting