Congratulations Klee.

It was a tough decision … so many sweet rides to choose from. So we deferred to our benefactor: Puma USA. We realize there were a few of you who brought us wooden bikes, but Klee got there first by finding this uniquely intricate and amazing cycle. Our man over at the Puma says, “I would have taken a wood-burning pen and drawn some cool #@&$ on it.” Agreed. Congrats Klee, you’re going to be one bad-ass riding through town on this new bike.

“Sure we’ve never been bears, but that doesn’t mean we’ve never loved one,” says Luke Chueh, the man behind some of today’s more recognizable pop-surrealist paintings. That’s one way that the SF-based artist tries to explain the world’s growing affinity for his toy-inspired work, and it may very well be the most significant. Of course, the fact that our eyes are so readily drawn to these paintings has as much to do with the subject’s masochistically demolished appendages as it’s place in our childhoods, but maybe that’s why we owe Luke so much credit. Yes, the plots are dismal, but it’s the familiar characters that catch our attention — and whether it’s the blood or the bunnies that keep it, the fact remains that the canvases of Chueh might represent a unexpected truth. Read on as we chat with Luke about revelations, evolutions, and all the beheadings in between.

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Good design shouldn’t cost a fortune. The problem is, when homes are custom-designed by architects, instead of pumped out like widgets on an assembly line, they are often too expensive for the average home buyer. In this article on Treehugger, green stock plan designer Greg Lavardera and FreeGreen’s David Wax discuss how to open up the green market to a larger audience and how the cost factor weighs into the issue.

via Treehugger

You’d think the most interacting you could do with a door is to open it. Hey, I’m not venturing into pervy matters here, but Brazil’s No Design had a different idea for their handle-less Max Door. It locks and unlocks with a remote control like the one you use for your ride and takes only a tap to open. But rather than clicking the remote a thousand times to ensure you’re triggered the lock, LEDs on the door will light up to tell you whether you ought to click again. Smart door. The doorbell’s sound is even digital. You’d think the door should come with a portal to the future or something, but alas, it’s part of Max Haus‘ amenities in their new-living apartment buildings in Sao Paulo and a winner of Idea Brasil’s Design Award 2008.

They say that clothes make the man, but we beg to differ. In our estimation, nothing makes a man more manly than a classy, well-manicured mustache. Ditto goes for a distinguished looking deck. It looks as though Lawrence Melilli agrees. He’s chosen to adorn his new gentlemanly line of boards entitled “Mustaches” with a few esteemed looking mustachioed fellas. These decks owe their stately appearance to their fine facial hair as well as their hand-painted detail. If you’re looking to make your time on the half-pipe appear more prestigious, perhaps it’s time you put in an order for your own custom-designed, well-groomed gear.

Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Even mold is beautiful to some people (they’re called biologists). That’s also the belief of Concourse E, an Atlanta-area firm that builds single homes and townhouses that not only incorporate exciting modern design, but also are environmentally-friendly thanks to additions such as hot water heated by solar power, soy-based insulation, and green roofs.

While Singapore is not often considered a streetwear capital, subterranean youth culture brews almost anywhere. Through various product partnerships and creative clothing lines, Flesh Imp is giving Singaporean youth an expressive outlet through style, and in many ways driving a fashion revolution. While the brand is still young (they just celebrated their 7th anniversary this past December with a collabo with Adidas), they are making moves, their most recent project being limited edition Coke Zero gear. Founder Vincent Q has some poignant things to say about the burgeoning Singaporean street culture and hopes to expand Flesh Imp’s influence from the unique mix that is his city.

If you saw twin beds adorned with copious plush dolls, you might think: children’s bedroom. Leave it to wacky Japanese marketing masterminds to break the stereotype with a collaboration between high-end hotelier Royal Park and San-X’s Rilakkuma (Relax Bear). In honor of the character’s fifth anniversary, Royal Park is offering guests a luxury package that includes exclusive Rilakkuma plushes, headbands with ears and pancakes decorated with a Relax Bear imprint. As the rooms are fairly doll-dominated, you might again be compelled to draw an incorrect conclusion. The campaign is not aimed at families, but rather wealthy adults — specifically women. Prices vary throughout the hotel’s six locations, but start at $275 and are expected to fetch much more on auction. Kind of makes that Holiday Inn plush comforter feel a little tired, doesn’t it?

via Trends in Japan