Cool Hunting

In Vitro Orchid
Flowers die and potted plants need maintenance, but the In Vitro Orchid is a nearly burden-free gift. In fact, this is a pretty clever idea: A nutrient-rich gel supplies all the flower needs to grow inside a sterilized test-tube, tube, which requires—unlike your partner—zero maintenance. When the flower outgrows the five-inch tube, simply transplant. It's surprisingly affordable ($30) and a surefire conversation starter....

The Architect's Bird Feeder
Designed by architect Doug Patt (he's also one half of bi-coastal firm Rootphi), the Architect's Birdfeeder is made of eight interlocking polycarbonate (think bulletproof glass) pieces. Like Rootphi's Flat Pack housing, the structural elements ship flat and require no tools or fasteners for assembly. The upshot is product that's fun to put together, easy to refill and clean and eco-friendly. It also looks like a...

Alessi Spring/Summer 2008
Alessi's upcoming Spring/Summer 2008 product line builds on their reputation for smartly-designed kitchenware. This season, the Italian company employed the talents of a handful of celebrated designers to create some interesting twists on standard fare. One example is the sleekly egg-shaped “Pop-Up” bottle cap opener, which is work of Milanese designer Giovanni Alessi Anghini. The pressure-operated mechanism removes the bottle cap in one downward...

P.A.M. x Undercover Shade Lamp
Using macabre imagery to form an eerily symbolic sculptural piece, Jun Takahashi of Undercover joined forces with P.A.M. to create the Shade Lamp. The scene depicts a tree growing out of (or through?) a skull in a cemetery somewhere with the branches (fittingly) holding the shade. For mood lighting, I like the green and gold eyes, but my favorite part of the lamp has...

Bagjack x Beinghunted Messenger Bag 1-B
Bagjack, well-known for their utility bags in Europe and Japan, collaborated with our friends at Beinghunted to create the 1-B Messenger bag back in 2005. This year, they reissued it for the holidays, but bigger! In fact, it fits a shoe box plus some. The innovative three-point strap system enables one pull tightening of the shoulder strap, perfect for when you're on your bike....

Dog Food Scoop 'n Lid
by Passa Chattra Bamboo pet company developed the dog food "Scoop 'n Lid" with its all-in-one design that both seals cans of food and helps serve the food. This handy device keeps open cans of dog food sealed in the refrigerator, along with a built in spatula to scoop wet food out of the can. Not having to use household spoons in the dog...