From afar, the Pohutukawa Beach House appears to be a naturally-occurring part of the environment. The design by Herbst Architects is a success in this nature, yielding a fine modern structure that places its inhabitants in direct contact with life on the beach and under the trees. The mid-century furnishings and skylights above provide for a relaxing interior, one with common and private areas kept discretely separate. In total, a success in architecture and one in reverence of the stunning nature of Piha, New Zealand....

Don’t fall behind the curve. Just look below at these 17 wonderful drone images to see how multi-functional, unique, and artistic a simple hex or quadcopter can be. They’ll take your photography game to the next level, literally. In the Desert One doesn’t need to go soaring into the clouds to get an impressive picture. On the sands of the desert, where buildings are scarce and mountains are even moreso, a simple drone allows for a higher look at the desolate expanse....

While the term’ Turbine Blade’ might make one leery at first, the entire outdoor play area is a safe playground that uses five old wind turbine blades which were then cut up and reassembled and welded to create a cost-efficient and fun place for the children. Portions of the park include tunnels for the kids to frolic through, towers that look like spaceships and even benches and seating for parents to eat and rest....

The Sigma DP3 Merrill looks down at most other compacts with a serious sensor, in this case the same Foveon X3 system from their high-end (see: $3,300) DSLR line. It packs a stunning 46 megapixels into a compact body that is mated to a very fine 50mm f 2.8 lens. That’s a professional-grade image sensor and a professional-standard lens in a small, pocket-sized form factor. The point of a camera like the Sigma DP3 Merrill is to give discerning photographers a professional-grade shooting option when they don’t want to lug around a bulky DSLR, a 70-200 zoom lens, a flash and a camera bag....

So what is Sweden known for, and why should you visit? Try innumerable coastline islands, vast archipelagos, pristine lakes, snow-capped mountains. Your mind might also conjure images of the scenery Sweden is perhaps most famous for: the magically dancing Northern Lights. But even beyond this, there’s more: historic castles and palaces, megalithic monuments, medieval buildings, and other cultural artifacts from a bygone era of Vikings, berserkers, and explorers. But Sweden isn’t just a great place to visit–it’s one of the best countries in the world to live in....

Heimplanet Mavericks Inflatable Tent If you’re camping out in your own back yard, chances are you’ll need nothing like this. If your brand of camping is a bit more adventurous, this here is the Rolls-Royce of high-impact tent technology. The Heimplanet Mavericks Inflatable Tent is designed to pitch in a matter of seconds and tolerate winds of up to 100 mph. So if you’re scaling Everest or touring the Antarctic coast, this is the tent for you....

For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure, diffusers are small humidifiers that release tiny puffs of moist air. The humidity in this air can be laden with essential oils that will alter the smell of your home consistently, and provide aromatic relaxation through natural chemicals found in the oils. Warning: Though essential oil diffusers are far healthier than the synthetic sprays, candles, and plug-in air fresheners out there, they are not 100% safe!...

Artist Dan Tobin Smith doesn’t build his works in photoshop– he carefully selects a world of color and creates these chromatically-bisected works of art by hand. You’ve likely seen Smith’s work before, he created the album cover for Jay Z’s The Blueprint 3 (which we talked about moments ago in another post). Long before the Jay Z album cover, Dan Tobin Smith developed a style so unique, so different, that his work is gaining international acclaim by the minute....

“We always felt that hardware was missing this evolutionary factor,” explained Markku Palipea, Binauric’s co-founder. “So in the beginning we asked ourselves ‘what potentially could a speaker be capable of?’” Enter Boom Boom, a polygon-shaped speaker dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur. The geometric gadget comes equipped with all the basic features you’d expect of a speaker: conference call capabilities, audio playback, and the option to sync it up to a twin....

While the lines of the CR House are sharp, the angles are soft by comparison. The front approach of the home features a soft angle at its center with two sections stretching out to either side. Two sets of windows flank the entrance, with slatted wooden accents filling the empty space. Beyond the fascia, the landscape architecture makes an immediate impact. Palms are inset into the concrete steps, growing through square pots that bring the plant life directly into the design....

The community of Old San Juan was founded over 500 years ago, sparked by the discovery of Christopher Columbus and championed by the hard work of locals and foreigners alike. Old San Juan is like no other city in the jurisdiction of the United States. It is native, it is Spanish, it is the result of cultural influences from the Caribbean, Europe and Africa, all of which coincide in a small stretch of land bordered by the sea on all sides....

The ancient gladiator had his sandals and the native American his moccasins for ideal protective footwear. The modern man, on the other hand, primarily wears sneakers for style, rather than combat or survival. Pampered as we are these days, the ideal shoe is plush as a palace carpet. And yet, it’s also rugged enough to pound the daylights out of the city’s mean streets. Aesthetically, it’s got to be distinctly manly, while retaining clean, ergonomic lines....

The good people over at DesignBoom spotted what might be the wildest motorcycle we’ve ever seen. The Tree Motorcycles by Shi Jinsong are a collection of two motorcycles with a tree for their frame and working motorcycle parts within. It’s not clear, however, if Jinsong’s bikes are driveable. The artist himself said of the project: “I just want to know what a big tree – which is four or five meters long – with a speed of more than one hundred km per hour looks like”....

I’d imagine it also sounds kind of incredible too – after all, the vintage components aren’t just for show. Let’s take another moment to admire how this thing looks, as well. The 18.5” by 9.73” hand-made wood enclosure looks positively gorgeous, while the user-controlled LEDs in the vacuum tubes are a very nice touch. It’s definitely a piece of technol0gy you’re going to want to show off – I know I definitely would if I decided to purchase it....

This one is different. The McLaren 540C is an accessible McLaren when compared to the rest. When it is priced for the US market, it will likely be available for less than the $185,000 price tag of the last “entry level” McLaren. It is a genuine supercar like the rest of this marque’s offering, but it’s available for the same price tag as that everyday Lamborghini I mentioned above. And you’ll still have money left over for that McMansion....

Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company – Philadelphia View in gallery The prohibition era made mobsters into moguls, and few were as successful as Max “Boo Boo” Hoff. Hoff ran nearly 10,000 gallons of bootlegged booze per day out of his Philly HQ, operated under the front title of “Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company“. In the 20s, that name represented the largest bootlegging operation in the United States. Today, it has been revived in a Philadelphia speakeasy inspired by the work and product of Boo Boo Hoff....

A good security camera system isn’t about being paranoid, it’s about preparing for the possibility of a problem. It’s about keeping a digital record that can be shown to insurance companies to prove you weren’t to blame for a natural disaster, and to help see that your family is safe at all times, whether you’re in the next room or across the country. The 11 best security cameras out there aren’t about spying, they’re about being vigilant against the dangers of life....

There has never been a better time to be alive for the comfort-loving man. Formal wear, the blue-eyed boy of the sartorial world, is languishing in the closets, while the best hoodies for men are having a field day paired with casual sweatpants and sneakers. Business casual is going to the next level in the WFH (work from home) environment. To this end, it pays to have cozy and stylish loungewear that elevates your mood and productivity....

Would you rather have something fun to do, or sit in silent boredom with your friends? If your answer is to have fun, then you’re in the right place. Out of all the ice breaker party games, ‘would you rather’ is among the easiest to play. All while simultaneously requiring deep thought and consideration. Well, it’s easy to ask the questions. But it can be fairly difficult when you’re the one having to answer the questions....

It’s hard to remember a time that Bluetooth speakers weren’t ubiquitous, but so much the better, we say. With the market for high-fidelity audio solutions both figuratively and literally booming, consumers are spoiled for choice–even when it comes to portable options. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just buy the first speaker you see and expect good results. Not to worry though, as we’ve done the market comparison for you....