Copper Sinks Fight Germs

Germaphobes will be especially interested in a growing design trend that spreads cleanliness: There is now scientific evidence to show that copper kills 99 percent of bacteria, including super bugs like MRSA, within two hours of contact. Research also has shown that H1N1, commonly referred to as the swine flu virus, likewise does not survive on copper. Based on a review of the studies and its own independent lab tests, the United States Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year announced that copper has antimicrobial properties, capable of killing bacteria as well as viruses. And we thought they just looked good.

A copper sink has become a popular design choice for the home. Few customers were aware, though, of its germ fighting status as they chose one for its uniqueness, unusual color or handwrought texture. “The anti-microbial characteristic has come as a pleasant surprise benefit to consumers and designers alike,” says Naomi Howard, president of Native Trails, the country’s largest producer of hand-hammered sinks and tubs. “A copper sink is not a substitute for good hygienic practices, but it’s nice to know that the copper surface actually has a role in disinfecting your sink.”

Copper’s germ-fighting properties aren’t a new discovery, but rather a very old one that is being put to modern scientific tests and applications. In many ancient cultures, healers used copper and copper powder to remedy a variety of maladies. For example, ancient Egyptians used copper to sterilize drinking water and disinfect chest wounds. The Aztecs used it to cure sore throats, and Persians used it to treat infections.

Three US hospitals, including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, are looking into the practical applications of copper’s antimicrobial qualities. A study is underway to determine whether the rates of hospital-acquired infections might be reduced by replacing high-contact surfaces in ICUs with items made from copper and copper alloys.

Flowers in the Kitchen

As if having a Snaidero kitchen wasn't wonderful enough, now you can dress it up with punchy floral designs -- thanks to Ken Scott's imagination and creativity!

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-- allie

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Kitchen Remodeling Made Easy

Award-winning designer Tineke Triggs knows that for most people remodeling a kitchen can be a total workout! However, Tineke has created her own personal formula that will provide homeowners with the solid design aesthetic they covet without breaking a sweat. Tineke's BUFF kitchen formula (Budget, Usage, Function and Features) is an easy way to get any kitchen into great shape...

Check out T's Tips.

Fly Fly this fall

Foscarini is unveiling Fly Fly to the US this fall.  Designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba, Fly was the result of a long research process and was eventually created with a polycarbonate injection molding technique that guarantees 360° illumination and creates the soft, rounded appearance of beach glass. The body of the fixture recalls high fashion millinery and organic forms like a manta ray or butterfly, with wings invoke a sensation of weightlessness. Comes in white or orange. 

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Bath Trends

What's steaming up baths this season?

Wood: Oak. Ash. Brazilian Cherry. Walnut. For centuries, these and other hardwoods have been preferred for fine furniture -- and now they are making their way into the bathroom.

Marble: Wealthy Roman citizens bathed frequently in ornately decorated bathing rooms, in which marble was used for the bathtubs. Why not you?

Cast Polymer: This less common material creates a thermo-insulated vessel, which requires less energy to heat, and that will retain hot water longer than any cast iron or acrylic bathtub.

Granite: Long valued for its strength and longevity, granite is a beautiful natural resource.

Check out more from Stone Forest.

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-- allie

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Portable Herb Garden

Pure Contemporary recently featured great ways to bring the outdoors in -- and our friend Anne Robert provided this gem by French firm Les Ateliers Ouvert. Made of eco-friendly material (aside from the herbs), la table-potagère (the kitchen garden table) -- is by all accounts "Green Design": A portable herb garden, that allows modern cooks the joy and essence of fresh herbs. Importing from France will be about $1600 with duty and shipping, so it is not an impulse buy. We're waiting word from the company to see if plans for distribution in the US is imminent.

--diane

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Modern Indoor Pots and Planters

That image isn't upside down, this inverted pot is the real thing. With benefits beyond shock value, the Boskke Sky Planter series locks in soil to keep rooms clean, and the ingenious design contributes to the health of root systems by cutting down on watering. $30 at Sprout Home.

Check out more Modern Pots for Indoor Planting and a slew of Vintage Modern Pots, too.

PlusT = Drama

Followers of Jane Hamley Wells' brand of high-style classic modern furniture are already familiar with the impressively sized, uniquely shaped planters from Euro3Plast's PlusT Collection. Imagine those stunning objects in lights. Designers have, and the result is illuminating...

Available for both indoor and outdoor use, PlusT Lights are sleek and white during the day. As the sun sets, turn them on for a beautiful, soft glow. Made with lightweight, durable polyethylene, these styles are available as lights or in a variety of colors and finishes.

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Barbie & Jonathan

Say goodbye to Barbie and Ken, the new It couple is Barbie and Jonathan...Adler.  The pottery prince has taken inspiration form the doll's iconic Malibu Dream House to create a line of home decor.   We fully expect the debut, happening Sept 30 at JA's Greene St store, to live up to the invite's boast of being totally "pinktastic." 

It  all started when Adler designed a real life Malibu dream house to celebrate Barbie's 50th anniversary. He dove in, and came up with a Jonathan Adler Barbie Doll, his own dream girl, who, of course, comes complete with a collection of stylish home goods - miniature versions of some of Adler's best loved designs. This time, in pink.

See the collection.

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