Boca do Lobo has gone by the dictum of ‘We strive to encourage sensational experience’, and their attempt at the Versailles sofa proves it pretty much strongly. For those who are addicted to the décor and style of the 17th century French Courts, which were also the centers for Pagan art and grandeur of that age, the sofa is indeed what they would call sensational. The ornamentation and detailing is virtually a live demonstration of the time back then, much of which included societal restrictions and oppression to a large degree. Though the exact fabrication isn’t known, but marble would be most feasible as it looks. However, the carving of such a hard fabric can indeed demand a lot of tenacious craftsmanship, which is on ample display here. Some of the design neat the corners are a favorite, but the back of the sofa is what gets all the attention. The welcome contrast comes in the form of the blue velvet cushion and seating, which indeed lends a royal touch as well.

Boca do Lobo Limited Edition Versailles Sofa is inspired by 17th century French furniture [BornRich]

BornRich: Though Nokia may not have made much news of recent except for the new Windows smart phones, their luxury division, Vertu continues to make waves in the lifestyle division by creating precious hand crafted mobile handsets, thus giving it the leader’s advantage in the segment. They start of this year with the Signature Year of the Dragon handset, available in 3 customizable options: stainless & emerald, black stainless steel and ruby, and the yellow gold and diamond model. This was done to cash in on the ‘Year of the Dragon’ celebrations which are supposed to begin in less than 3 weeks from now.

Limited edition Vertu Signature Dragon phones mark Year of the Dragon [BornRich]

Popgadget: First, everyone had a web site. Now, everyone has an app. Even your diamond has an app, that is, if it’s the Forevermark, the diamond brand from the De Beers Group of Companies.(“Forevermark: the Promise” is available for download in the Lifestyle section of the Apple App Store.)

The app can be used to learn more about different colours, sizes, cuts and quality standards of diamonds, commonly assessed by the ‘4 C’s’ criteria. Interactive elements allow users to see the different sizes on a 1:1 scale gaining a realistic idea of the type of diamond that will suit them.

Diamond App [Popgadget]

The Mirrorcube is designed to be “the epitome of sustainable luxury.” Crafted by Scandinavian architects Tham & Videgard Arkitekter these contemporary dwellings disappear into their surroundings. The mirrored surface reflects the surroundings, making the cube nearly invisible, especially from afar. The Mirrorcube appears to be floating in space but it is seamlessly mounted to an anchor tree and secured on the ground by cables. The glass has an infrared film installed. This layer, although invisible to humans, can be seen by birds so that they will safely avoid the cube.

The interior boasts natural wood décor, a drastic contrast from the ultra modern exterior. A queen sized bed and carefully selected/custom furniture finish the stark interior. Flooded with natural light, this house in the trees is the perfect retreat. Inhabitants can even climb a ladder to sit on the roof of her or his cube, lounging among the treetops.

Mirrorcubes are available for purchase directly from Treehotel, the manufacturer. The time from ordering to installation is about four months. Treehotel does every single step of the delivery, building and installation process.

Idea Submitted By:
Danielle, an author at suitsandladders.co.uk, is a commercial real estate interior designer who is always looking for cutting edge products to include in her next office space project.

BornRich: This time, Sabbia, a well known company for crafting elegant bath tubs, has launched an exclusive collection of Swarovski studded bath tubs.

The limited edition collection is adorned with 4030 hand applied Swarovski crystals. The bathtub is made of Sandstone technology, which applies mineral material to create the masterpieces. The environment-friendly technique renders a near to nature feel to the user. The collection is exclusively targeted at the females with a taste for the finer things in life. The blinged bathtubs feature dazzling crystals on the white finish base. The masterpiece is exhibited in House Shopping Park in Brasilia for the period of November 17th to 28th, followed by the exhibitions in Rio and Sao Paulo. The price of this crystal bath tub is still to be announced, but we will keep you updated as the new developments take place.

Sabbia creates bathtubs studded with Swarovski crystals [BornRich]

CalypsoCase is a premium protective case for the iPhone. Hand crafted from real silver, titanium and premium Italian leather. Each CalypsoCase reflects fashionable leather, colours and glowing shades of silver.

BornRich: This Swarovski-studded screwdriver won’t do anything else but screws. Bosch made this limited edition Swarovski-studded IXO cordless screwdriver lately to celebrate the IXO becoming the world’s best-selling power tool, with 10 million units being sold since 2003. Only 2,000 of this special edition screwdriver have been made, and each comes festooned with 470 Swarovski crystals.

Who needs a Swarovski-studded screwdriver? [BornRich]

Designed to take floatation into the 21st Century the i-sopod flotation tank is the result of many years meticulous planning and testing. It is constructed from the finest quality GRP double-skinned mouldings and is hand finished and insulated throughout. The internal floatation area of the i-sopod is 50% larger than most tanks on the market making the in-tank experience much more comfortable. The unit is fully ventilated through natural convection and guaranteed draught free. Clever design allows the door to be positioned partially open or closed as required.

Uncrate.com: Show off your business’ materials acumen with Carbon Fiber Business Cards. These cards are made from thin, lightweight real carbon fiber that provides a depth not seen with traditional card stock, and imbed your graphics under a layer of epoxy coating, keeping them from scratching or wearing off, and thus extending the lifetime of your promotional investment. As a bonus, they might also match your high-end “corporate” vehicle.

Carbon Fiber Business Cards [Uncrate.com]

Luxist: For 2011 Rado – the original brand of the ceramic watch – releases the thinnest ceramic watch ever with the True Thinline collection. Based on the True collection, the Thinline comes in a very thin round case in either black or white ceramic. Basically this is a high-end thin Swatch Skin, in ceramic.

Technically unisex, these are more or less women’s watches. They come with or without diamonds in the hour indicators and are on while or black rubber straps with a ceramic buckle. The crystal is sapphire and inside the watch is a Swiss ETA quartz movement.

Rado True Thinline Is Thinnest Ceramic Watch [Luxist]

Luxist: Maison Martin Margiela never fails to surprise us. The always risk-taking fashion house keeps us guessing with what they’ll produce next by creating unique and unconventional pieces.

As part of their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection, a set of Wooden Wallets ($425) caught our attention. Made from solid wood with a lacquer finish, the grains are emphasized beautifully. The interior is leather with three credit card slots, three compartments and an elastic to secure your cash. Available in dark and light wood.

Maison Martin Margiela Wooden Wallets [Luxist]