Skygarden by Marcel Wanders

I recently moved into an apartment in an old Brownstone in Brooklyn. One of the main reasons my girlfriend and I loved this place was the old architectural details. The ornate moldings, built-in folding shutters, and plaster ceiling ornaments really give the space an old-world feel.

The Skygarden, a light by Marcel Wanders, was inspired by the same architectural character found in older homes.

Here's how Marcel describes it:

In my former house I had a fabulous antique decorated plaster ceiling. I called it my Skygarden, it always looked good even without me having green finders or taking care of it very well. It didn't need water or sun but would live only on the warm rays of the electrical light under it.

I loved it so much that by the time I moved houses I could not leave it. I had to find a way to take it to my new home. I took my tools and stole it from the ceiling. This fabulous piece of history is now secretly hidden in a minimalist architectural sphere in the heart of my new home where I can enjoy it with friends.

"If you tell no-one, I can share it with you".

It measures nearly 3 feet across.

Learn more here at FLOS.

BookArc by Twelve South

If you use a Mac laptop on the go but plug it into a display when you're home or at the office, here's a great product for you.

It's called the BookArc and it comes to us from Twelve South.

The BookArc is simple. It's a stand designed specifically to cradle your MacBook, MacBookPro, or MacBook Air while it's plugged into a nearby display. The carved steel stand elevates the laptop and allows for increased airflow to the back vents.

It's available here for $49 or if you want to outfit a company that runs on Macs, they have a special deal - $249 for a 6-pack.

DIY Industrial Photo Frames

As an avid photographer, I'm always on the lookout for interesting, economical ways to display my work in the apartment. I came across an interesting tutorial over at Instructables for creating an industrial-style frame with parts from Home Depot.

Total cost: About $13 to frame three 8" X 10" photographs.

Check out the tutorial here.

Window Farming in NYC

In NYC, the idea of having a place to grow your own foods is typically reserved for those lucky few with private gardens. I've opted for the classic fire escape garden but that only works during warmer months.

I came across an interesting article about the concept and practice of Window Farming in existing apartments here in NYC . Here's a quick overview:

A "Window farm" craze is sweeping New York City. To grow herbs and vegetable plants year-round, New Yorkers are building hydroponic drip systems which they suspend like photosynthesizing curtains in their apartment windows.

They've got some great, downloadable how-tos and online resources to help you build your own system like the full window system one on the left. What's great is that you can learn from normal people that have tried it themselves.

Aside from the obvious benefits, what I really love is how they focus on empowering people to build their own systems.

With topics like green technology and sustainable living are all the rage these days (which is a good thing), it's great to see people focusing on actually developing real solutions that are available / affordable (an even better thing).

For more information on the project, the people behind it, or how to get started, stop by this site.