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Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Work Chair Review

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets, Architecture & Design

Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Work Chair Review
This is my third Herman Miller chair and I am beginning to notice a trend - Herman Miller makes pretty darn good chairs. I am not exactly the don of places to sit, but I have sampled an awful lot of chairs in my life. So why is it that I put chairs like those that Herman Miller offers on a pedestal? Well the reasons are pretty simple actually. They want their chairs to be well-made, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing. Does that sound like a simple formula? It is, but at the same time chairs are one of the most complex pieces of furniture to make - especially an ergonomic desk/work chair. As I spend more time learning about good chairs and how they are designed, I am impressed by the ingenuity and details that is taken into consideration when designing something new. This is despite the fact that chair designers have so much to look to for inspiration. There are also a lot of really bad chairs out there, so that is something to think about when planning where to plant your rear.

This is the Sayl, and it is Herman Miller's newest family of work chairs. I say family because in addition to being available in various colors and trims, the chair itself is literally available in a lot of different styles with various options, etc... What each of the Sayl chairs share is the "suspension" style chair back with the "Y" frame design. This design is based loosely on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco where chair designer Yves Behar lives. I too live in San Francisco, and wouldn't have seen the design connection unless you explained it to me - but now I see it, and smirk at the similarity between the back of the chair and the curve of the cables from the bridge's suspension towers.

1810 English Globe Writing Desk Offered By Rau Antiques

Filed under: Decor

1810 English Globe Writing Desk Offered By Rau Antiques
As long as we have had organized society we have had trendy stuff. At points in the 18th and 19th century, globes were hot. Map making was a bit of a romantic thing at the time, intrinsically mixed with exploring the world and conquering new places. Having a map of a region meant you knew and understood that far off place - instantly making you pretty darn cool. Everyone wanted in on the "worldly" action, and people with wealth all wanted world map globes. These globes had to be hand-made and done with pretty extreme precision - although they weren't exactly as accurate as they are too. Ahh, the virtues of modern cartography.

In addition to globes themselves being hot - globe-like objects were equally hot. This for instance is a very rare writing desk that was meant to fold closed and look like a globe. How cool is that? I think that Ikea should carry these. This one was made around 1810 during the Regency Period in England by Morgan & Sanders. It is referred to as "metamorphic furniture." Meaning that it changed in someway. Today we would probably call it "transformer-orphic furniture!"

The $100,000 Monte Carlo Desk from Viscount Linley

Filed under: Decor, Architecture & Design

monte carlo desk from viscount linley
Viscount David Linley, the bespoke cabinetmaker who's a nephew of the Queen of England, has created an incredible one-of-a-kind $100,000 writing desk in homage to one of Monaco's most notable landmarks – the Monte Carlo Casino. Featuring the famed Beaux-Arts building as its central gallery, with stylized archways on either side, it bears marquetry detailing in various veneers representing the windows, columns, galleries and balusters of the casino, which was used as a location for the James Bond films Never Say Never Again, GoldenEye, and of course Casino Royale. The main body of the desk is constructed in American walnut with inlays of Santos rosewood and sycamore, while the writing surface is covered in rich dark red leather. On the underside of the domed lid of the architectural box is a marquetry depiction of Monaco's flag in red sycamore and holly. Six hand-carved figurines surmount the rooftop, and six secret drawers are each opened by a different mechanism.



[via JustLuxe]

Herman Miller Setu Review: The Easy Ergonomic Chair

Filed under: Gadgets, Lux Tips


What are you doing right now? Are you sitting down? What do you think about the chair you are in? Is it stylish, supportive? Have you ever really thought about it before? I didn't until a couple of years ago when I realized I was doing myself a disservice by sitting in the chair equivalent of a backache. "Ergonomic stuff is for the weak and elderly," being the type of perception I used to have. I eventually realized that sitting in a "nice" chair helped comfort and productivity a lot, but it wasn't easy finding the right seat. Most "ergonomic" items these days are gimmicks, and finding something specially designed for your comfort and health is hard. Well here is one item you don't have to stress-out about.

Here is my personal review of the new Herman Miller Setu task and desk chair. The brand well know for the universally popular Aeron desk chair has a few other products you should know about. One of them is right for you. In short, in the Herman Miller line of chairs, the Setu is made for simplicity and ease of use. No complex or frustrating levers and micro adjustments. The chair is designed to naturally fit to you, without having to adjust it. An added bonus is that multiple people can enjoy the same seat (no, not at the same time), without having to disturb your unique ergonomic settings.

To continue reading, click on the link below.

T. Anthony Alligator Desk Set

Filed under: Men's Style


In the electronic age the elegant executive's desk set is something of a throwback to a more Mad Men-ish era. In December we wrote about Bottega Veneta's luxe sterling silver version. Now Manhattan luxury luggage and leather goods company T. Anthony has come out with an even more luxurious set in genuine Louisiana alligator skin (above). Available by special order only with a production time of up to three months, the price depends on the market for the exotic leather, but was recently quoted at $13,000. Available in brown with polished gold fittings or black with polished nickel fittings, the set consists of a document tray, blotter, letter opener, scissors, memo pad holder and pencil cup. T. Anthony, founded in 1946, has a rich history of making custom luggage and travel items for the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Onassis.

Lux Tip: Pen Intervention

Filed under: Decor, Writing Instruments, Lux Tips

I hate all these pens.Look at the pens on your desk. Maybe you have an especially nice one, one that means something sentimental to you, and another one you especially like. What on earth are the rest of them doing there? You don't even like those pens! Why do you make yourself use them every day when it would be so easy to have something you like?

Pen Intervention Steps:

1. Throw out all pens with names of prescription drugs on them. Seriously.
2. Try to give away away the pens you don't like. Does your yoga studio want pens? Your local school?
3. Give up and throw out the pens you don't like.
4. Look at the pens you have left. Why do you have each pen? "I have to have a red one" is not good enough. You will be getting a red pen you like.
4. Decide how many pens you need and what kind you like. Ballpoint? Felt tip?
5. Go shopping. A good pen lasts a long time. Get good pens. Broke? Start stealing them from hotels. A pen with a story is better than a Bic.

It's just another easy way to make life more lux for cheap or free.

The Ultimate Minimalist Desk

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

I'd totally call it
Heckler Design calls it "The Last Desk You'll Ever Own."

This minimalist desk, the OneLessDesk, is simple, chic, and clearly designed with Mac in mind.

It looks so beautiful, but could you really run your life with no hard copies of anything? Maybe it should be called OneLessDesk-OneMoreNearbyFileCabinet.

It comes in white or silver, and when you nestle the lower part in? It's about one foot deep. Just a foot! That's probably less space than your side table!

And, there's more that you don't see. The top shelf there is hollow, so there's a place for any usb and wifi ports you may need. Very smart design, Heckler. We approve.

$20,000 Office Style: The Bottega Veneta Leather Desk

Filed under: Decor, Men's Style


I spend a lot of my day sitting at a desk so I'm always interested in seeing the latest in unique and interesting desk designs. This leather desk from Bottega Veneta is a little dark for my taste but it's also sleek and masculine, with a minimalist vibe. It's available in five different colors and features leather handles on both the drawers (there are three along the front) and on each side of the desk itself (makes it look a little like Transformer luggage to me), plus all the corners are accented with protective matte metal trim. Very chic. $19,700

Via Bornrich

The Amazing WingDesk

Filed under: Decor, Wings


This amazing desk made of Tasman Oak and Macassar Ebony was designed to resemble the wing of a Dakota DC-3 aircraft. The desk was created by Infinity Fine Furniture an Australian company that specializes in custom furniture design. The desk as fun details like runway and landing lights and an electronic keypad that opens the lid of the desk. The desk is priced at $23,000 Australian.

[Thanks, Neil]

Gallery: Wingdesk

Tom Spina Designs Han Solo Desk

Filed under: Decor


A post on The Stylephile led me to this amazing desk, an absolute dream piece for the Star Wars aficionado, it features the iconic image of Hans Solo trapped in carbonite from The Empire Strikes Back. The desk is made mainly from steel and was created by Tom Spina Designs for for one of the members of Christian rock band, Casting Crowns.

Tom Spina Designs accepts private commissions from a wide range of individuals and companies, they specialize in functional art, pieces that are furniture but also unique pieces of art. They also do custom sculpture including busts and masks, theme props and lifesized characters. There are a few pieces available in their shop including latex masks and mannequins. For $625 plus $75 shipping you can get a Skull throne that is made of fiberglass but looks like carved stone.

Pininfarina Luna Desk

Filed under: Decor


The look of a Pininfaria design is unmistakable, usually red or black, often with shiny metal trim. The company most famous for the Ferrari has a streamlined style that seems to be able to work on anything from hard drives to chairs to hotels. The latest option is the Luna Desk which has a thick glass top and arched asymmetrical legs but the most eye-catching part is the giant red leather inlay (also available in black). The desk sells for $12,885.

[via Autoblog]

The I-Con Desk

Filed under: Decor


This I-Con desk takes the ideas of clean lines and minimalistic approach to the far ends of the spectrum. Designed by Michiel van der Kley, the top is made of white Corian, the drawers black-stained walnut veneer, and it stands on chromed steel legs. And if the you're like me and concerned about having enough storage (as it would probably lose all it's crisp modern appeal if you piled it high with papers) a free-standing drawer unit is also available separately.

The desk is comes in several sizes and starts at £3,850. The drawer unit: £1,995.

The Perfect Summer Desk Accessory: The Propello Desk/Table Fan

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets


The hot days of summer are fast approaching, which means those days where the air in the office is stuffy and sticky and you can't seem to find relief no matter how high you crank the AC are on the way also. But maybe the Propello desk/table fan will help you stay productive on those miserable days? Available in two neutral colors, this light blue and a darker gray, the fan blades are made of soft natural rubber (so they can't hurt you) and it's all but completely silent with the finest "johnson electric" ball-bearing motor inside making things go 'round. Sells for $140.

Eames Mesh Managment Chair

Filed under: Decor

Style and functionality come together easily in the Eames Managment Chair. Designed in 1958, when the word "ergonomic" was young and rarely used outside of research papers, its lightweight and body-hugging form was ahead of its time. The thin mesh backing is self-contouring and flexible, for "even weight distribution and long-term comfort." The mesh-backed chair is available in three colors, but the design is also available with other materials and in other colors at different price points. Price (for mesh): $1,188.

Hedi Slimane Designs Furniture

Filed under: Decor


Photographer turned furniture designer Hedi Slimane's newest endeavor into the world of office furniture is a structured and geographical one. Using ebonized stainless steel, his creations include desks, chairs, and shelves that use a pattern of angles, squares, and thin lines to create a modern minimalist appearance. Although sleek and beautiful to look at, and sure to make a statement as part of a decorating scheme, I can't say they look comfortable at all to actually sit on or use. But then, that's obviously not the point.

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