Tag Archives: home decor

Hottest Fireplace Trends For Fall And Winter Chill

September 23, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

A fireplace that doubles as a modern art piece? Yes! image: theverybesttop10.com — A fireplace that doubles as art. image: theverybesttop10.com

Over the years, fireplaces have been a familiar feature in many homes, however until very recently, they have undergone very little change from the traditional hearth.

Fireplaces are becoming the design focus for many rooms in the house and with new technological advances it’s now possible to do more with the fireplace than ever before.

“We’re seeing some very interesting home designs that incorporate fireplaces in many creative new ways,” said David Coulson, of Napoleon Fireplaces. “While the traditional hearth will be a mainstay for many homes, modern fireplaces with crisp lines and glass frames will continue to rise in popularity with new homes and redesigned rooms. That being said we’re seeing several new trends emerge this season that are really changing the way people are thinking about fireplaces.”

Coulson suggests keeping the following hot trends in mind when looking for a new fireplace this season.

. Modern: The upcoming season will continue the trend of sleek and modern fireplaces. Look for clean, linear lines with less metal and more
glass. People want the full flame and don’t want black or chrome metal frames blocking the view or interfering with the lighting.

. Gas: Gas fireplaces will continue to rise in popularity this season. The convenience of flicking a switch compared to collecting, piling and lighting firewood is quickly winning out. The younger generation of fireplace buyers want a quick lighting fireplace that is cleaner and easier to maintain.

. Outdoors: 2014 will be a big year for the outdoor fireplace as people create or expand on their backyard oasis. The idea of turning a backyard into another room of your house is fueling the outdoor fireplace trend and Napoleon has developed several new models to accommodate this demand.

. Heat rises: Much like HD televisions, consumers are placing their fireplace inserts higher up on the wall. New technology allows for home
owners to insert enclosed gas fireplaces almost anywhere in the house and many people are taking inspiration from designers who are playing with the traditional ideas of where you find a fireplace.

. Unlikely locations: Much like the migration of fireplaces up the wall, more fireplaces are being installed in unlikely rooms. For example,
Napoleon makes several models which are ideally suited for the kitchen or bathroom. These fireplaces however are typically used to decorate the room, not to provide a main source for heating.

In the end, every room is different so it’s important to find the right fireplace that fits.

About Wolf Steel Ltd.:

It all began in 1976 when a small steel fabrication business launched by Wolfgang Schroeter started manufacturing steel railings in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. At that time, no one could imagine the incredible future that lay ahead for Wolf Steel Ltd. and eventually NapoleonR Fireplaces and NapoleonR Gourmet Grills.

Since the first wood stove rolled off the production line over 35 years ago, Wolf Steel’s commitment was to be distinctive and successful in everything they do. Napoleon’s commitment to producing quality products combined with honest, reliable service has proven to be successful framework to ensuring the continued rapid growth of the company. NapoleonR is an ISO9001 – 2008 registered company and now operates with 750,000+ square feet of manufacturing space and employs over 700 associates.

NapoleonR is North America’s largest privately owned manufacturer of quality wood and gas fireplaces (inserts and stoves), gourmet gas and charcoal grills, outdoor living products, waterfalls and a complete line of Heating & Cooling equipment.

Supplemental– http://theverybesttop10.com/2013/05/27/incredible-fireplaces/

What is ISO9001- http://www.iso9001.com/

Fashion

This Fall -Rebecca Myers Nature Inspired Handcrafted Jewelry

September 4, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Fashion

Embrace Your Inner Geek In Style

February 7, 2022 The Silo 1 Comment

This post is dedicated to geeks who want to let their passions shine through their decor.

The graphic below gives cool examples of accessories that you can introduce into your home to give people an idea of the geekier side of your life. Some are subtle, like the equation bookshelf, while others are more in your face, such as the giant rubrics cube coffee tables. What all of these share is how they have incorporated elements considered to be ‘geeky’ into stylish decor. A personal favourite is the wall that has apparently been repaired by Lego bricks. We assume that this isn’t actually the case, but if we were buying a property with that in we’d certainly want a thorough survey done.

Whatever style of decoration you prefer, if you’re looking to add something a little fun and a tad geeky to your home then this piece will help give you some great ideas. Friends of the Silo, Terry’s Fabrics.

Sci-Tech

Technology Brings Exciting Change to Home Improvements

March 15, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

Technology has revolutionized our modern life by leaps and bound. It has radically changed every aspect of our life, especially the home improvement sector. The home improvement industry is adopting advanced technologies to add new features and make them available to mass people.

Techniques that were triumphant a few years back are no longer available now. With the advancement in technology, both working processes and homeowners’ expectations have met a radical change. People can avail themselves of prompt and expert services without breaking their banks.

Using cutting edge technology RF radio frequencies to gauge moisture levels in a home basement. image: pomwaterproffing

Reaching sustainable renovation and development has become more available nowadays. For example, pomwaterproofing.ca ensures cutting-edge technology-backed waterproofing services to their customers at a very affordable rate. No matter if you want exterior waterproofing or need immediate water discharging from weeping tiles, Pom Group is always there to serve you the best.

Technology is Changing Home Improvement Industry

Are you thinking about how the ever-advancing technology has brought about innovative changes in the home improvement sector? Let’s get an in-depth overview of various ways.

Eco-friendly Environment

Ensuring eco-friendliness is the ‘hot cake’ of the modern world. Homeowners now want sustainable and eco-friendly home renovation ways. The evolving and new technologies have allowed them to go for eco-friendly ways to combat global warming and save mother nature. With the help of new technologies, manufacturers are now focusing on producing environment-safe materials.

One surpassing development in this sector is reclaimed wood. It is not only environment friendly but also improves the home decor by offering a rustic look. Reclaimed furniture, green flooring, using solar panels are some of the cost-effective technology-driven innovative ways of renovating your home. They are energy-saving, as well as eco-friendly.

Another renovating gift of advanced technology is a tankless water heater that can cut your energy consumption to almost half, reducing cost dramatically. It is durable, comes with a small form factor, and enables you to use it only when necessary.

Easy Access to Professional Help

That time had passed away when people had to roam around different places and search for experts to take on their home improvement projects. With the blessings of technology, you can find hundreds of professional contractors near you only with a few clicks online! You can now judge their professionalism, get an idea about their services from the reviews and hire the best service at a price within your reach.

Do not worry about reaching information about the service you want to purchase. Go through the website of a specific contractor, and you can know everything you need!

Want to know the best part of this technological feature? You are only shown the services available at your doorstep!

Augmented Reality

The virtual sector of availing of essential stuff is another blessing of modern technology, especially in the home renovation industry. Anything you want to make your home look the way you want is only some clicks away! The benefits of augmented reality and the virtual sector has made tons of things available to people at their doorstep. You can buy whatever you want from there to improve your home decor.

Furthermore, you have tons of handly applications available online that offer you innovative designing features. So, before you decide on anything, you can have a better concept. With these apps, you can visualize how a design, for instance, flooring, windows, etc., would look and pick the best one to blend with your home aesthetic.

Play it Smartly

Different technological inventions have made homeowners go for smarter ways of revolutionizing their life. People now have the command to control home appliances using mobile apps. These excellent features, no doubt, have taken the home improvement industry to the next level! With their internet-regulated mechanism, people can control temperature, security, lighting, etc., seamlessly.

Besides, you can use energy star home appliances to minimize your energy consumption at a high rate. Thanks to their improved and highly-efficient motors, blades, etc., they need less energy to operate these appliances. So you save power and cut your energy cost.

Home Entertainment

The ever-evolving technology has left no sector of modern life untouched. With its innovative inventions, it has made entertainment more available to mass people. Besides, it has revolutionized the entertainment sector also. With the blessings of modern technology, people can enjoy modern and easy ways of entertainment at home. Now, people do not have to wait for weekends to go to cinemas and spend quality time with their loving ones. With the advanced home-theater setup, they can enjoy fun times with their family at home whenever they desire! It does not only save your hard-earned money but also offers a way to mesmerize your visitors. Some of the easily reachable and affordable entertainment facilities modern technology offers are high-definition television, music, playing games, etc.

Remote Technology for Better Safety

Many of the risky home improvement tasks are getting automated nowadays that were handled manually in the past. Thanks to the advanced inventions that have made our lives safer. Moreover, with remote technology, some risky tasks are controlled by a single person staying from a secure distance. Thus the chances of risks have decreased to a great extent.

Sci-Tech

High Tech Houseplants That grow air

January 15, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

Clairy is an astounding handcrafted object that monitors your indoor air quality and when VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds such as cigarettes, solvents, pesticides, copy machine chemicals etc.) levels are bad, eliminates pollution in your home. It makes you and your beloved ones breathe better and live better. It is much more than a pretty houseplant.

How is that possible?

Following an 80s NASA Clean Air Program research project, Clairy uses the power of specific species of plants to trap the air pollutants into their roots. That’s why it doesn’t need filters: the plant is the filter!

Clairy has also tech sensors that communicate with an app, so you can check directly the levels of humidity, temperature, and VOCs of your home with your smartphone.

What makes Clairy so beautiful?

It’s 100% Made in Italy by the artisans of Nove, near Vicenza, where the techniques of working with ceramics have been transmitted from father to son for centuries.

You can choose from four different colors: Corallo, Alabastro, Acquamarina and Blu Mare.

You should also consider our Premium Edition, Nero and Rame, made with the special technique called “Terzo Fuoco”. A masterpiece of Italian design you must have in your home. Holiday time is approaching, and we all want to give a gift that can be beautiful and useful at the same time. Clairy is the answer. For the Silo, Andrea Passador.

Reviews

NFL’er Designed A Sink Tray For Small Bathroom Space

October 11, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Whether you live in a dorm room, small apartment or a family home, counter space around the bathroom sink can be limited. A unique product designed and patented by an NFL Super Bowl Champion solves that problem. The Smart Sink Tray, by Style Pro 31, is a convenient, portable, lightweight foldout tray that fits over most pedestal and traditional sinks that provides additional surface area and counter space (up to 288 square inches). This affordable tray organizes the clutter that surrounds sinks and expands usable space by allowing objects to be placed directly on it—even with running water.

The tray also promotes bathroom safety by keeping electric appliances like blow dryers, curling and flat irons and shavers—and their cords—out of the sink and away from water hazards. The Smart Sink Tray is heat resistant and dishwasher safe.

Similar to a food tray, The Smart Sink Tray allows users to carry their items all together to and from the bathroom, making it easier to store and pack their essentials and make room for others. When not in use the tray’s collapsible design and drawstring bag allows it to be easily stored and transported.

The Smart Sink Tray is designed for use in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, and anywhere space is limited. For those who travel frequently, The Smart Sink Tray is indispensable and easy to pack.

The Smart Sink Tray is the brainchild of Super Bowl champion and veteran Strong Safety, Bernard Pollard. Pollard came up with the concept in 2012 when he realized a problem in need of a solution: more space and organization while getting ready in the bathroom. Like most travelers, Pollard himself suffered hotel sink areas that were often dysfunctional, not proffering nearly enough space to accommodate all of his personal items. In addition, observing his wife and family Pollard recognized the potential hazard to many corded appliances around the sink posed and made his concept a reality by forming Style Pro 31 and patenting his product.

BernardPollardSafetyNFLDesignerofSmartSink

As an NFL player, Bernard Pollard made one of the most critical plays in the Baltimore Ravens amazing 2011 playoff run and led the Tennessee Titans in tackles in 2013. Along with successfully performing on the field and developing his entrepreneur career, Pollard and his family actively help community families and churches. His Helping Hand partners with food banks and other organizations to provide families with groceries or holiday meals. The Smart Sink Tray sells for $24.99USD and is available at Amazon. For more info contact: marketingdirector@thesilo.ca for ordering information.

Sci-Tech

Digital Habits Is Innovation Platform Founded In Milan Italy

April 27, 2020 The Silo Leave a comment

Digital Habits is an extension of the international design studio Habits.

Founded in Milan in 2012, it specializes in connected objects. For example, a few years ago during the 2017 edition of the Superdesign Show by Superstudio, Digital Habits examined in depth the relationship between the user, the context and controls of electronic products.
Since then, they haven’t looked back and their new prototypes go beyond the natural interfaces designed by others in the past. In fact, present multisensory systems now connect gestures, space, attention and feedbacks.

The presented products are control devices designed around humans, their anthropometry, their spaces and their best perceiving or moving abilities; they are not based on technical elements such as the size of the display, the currently available sensors or computational capability. Where need be they engineer and manufacture what does not already exist.

This is cutting edge stuff.

These devices express a new design Humanism where the user has a central role prevailing to the underlying technology sophistication. This is a different approach from the usual ‘technological one’ where the tendency to standardize components brings also the standardization of user experiences.

Instead, Digital Habits has presented three new projects that have colour as a common thread linking the user experience, the object and the environment:

OSOUND XL: a new Air Gesture Control Bluetooth Loudspeaker, covered by colourful fabrics; Its wide size qualifies OSOUND XL as piece of smart furniture rather than just a well-designed electronic device.

COLOR SWING: an ambient light detection system of the color information of an object surface which is returned as a light feedback to the environment XVOID: a new generation of air gesture interfaces, to control light/colour intensity; for the exhibited project, the presented case is the control of white and coloured light.
Digital Habits has already won several international awards (RedDot Design, Core 77, Expo Award) and received a vast press coverage (selected by CNN as best 10 Technology objects for your home, presented on TED Talks ideas worth spreading, The Telegraph, Mashable, Gizmag, etc.). Digital habits products are available in most exclusive retailers. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Fashion

The Royal Ontario Museum Publishes Cloth That Changed The World: The Art And Fashion Of Indian Chintz

October 25, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

New book explores the story of India’s richly coloured textiles ahead of ROM original exhibition

Photography by Tina Weltz

TORONTO — The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is pleased to announce the publication of Cloth that Changed the World: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz on December 2, 2019. The collection of essays explores the far-reaching influence this vividly printed and painted cotton cloth has had on the world, from its origins 5,000 years ago to its place in fashion and home décor today. The volume is the official companion to the ROM-original exhibition The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons, which runs from April 4 to September 27, 2020 in Toronto.

The scholarly and beautifully illustrated publication draws from the Royal Ontario Museum’s own Indian chintz collection, which ranks as one of the best in the world. Featuring extensive new research, this multidisciplinary book traces the story of chintz and the indelible footprint it has left on the world. The publication combines vivid field photography of artisans at work with striking images from the ROM’s world-class collection, as well as images from India’s fashion runways and the work of top designers embracing this heritage textile today.

“The world would be a drab place without India,” says Sarah Fee, editor, Cloth that Changed the World and ROM Senior Curator of Eastern Hemisphere Fashion and Textiles. “Our blue jeans and printed T-shirts trace much of their lineage back to the ingenuity of India’s cotton printers and dyers. This exhibition and companion book celebrate how India ‘clothed the world’ in exuberantly coloured cottons for thousands of years. It explores the art’s resiliency in the face of modern industrial imitation and shares the exciting stories of reviving natural dyes and hand skills in India today.”

Contributing writers include leading experts Ruth Barnes, Rosemary Crill, Steven Cohen, Deepali Dewan, Max Dionisio, Eiluned Edwards, Sarah Fee, Maria João Ferreira, Sylvia Houghteling, Peter Lee, Hanna Martinsen, Deborah A. Metsger, Alexandra Palmer, Divia Patel, Giorgio Riello, Rajarshi Sengupta, Philip Sykas, and João Teles e Cunha, and a preface by Sven Beckert, Harvard University’s Laird Bell Professor of History.

Next spring, the book comes to life in the ROM’s Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costumes, where ROM-original exhibition The Cloth that Changed the World: India’s Painted and Printed Cottons will take visitors on a journey through the ROM’s world-renowned collection of chintz, on public display for the first time in over 50 years.

The striking exhibition will explore thought-provoking themes, including the ingenuity, skill and technique of Indian artisans; the adaptation of chintz for international markets; and the environmental impact of the global textile industry over time. With a focus on attire and home furnishings, the exhibition features 80 objects spanning 10 centuries and four continents. Religious and court banners for India, monumental gilded wall hangings for elite homes in Europe and Thailand, and luxury women’s dress for England showcase the versatility and far-reaching desire for Indian Chintz.

About Sarah Fee (Curator and Editor)

Dr. Sarah Fee is Senior Curator of Eastern Hemisphere fashion and textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology and African studies from Oxford University and the School of Oriental Studies, Paris, and in 2002, guest-curated an exhibition on Madagascar for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art. Today, she continues to focus on Malagasy historic textiles and fashions, in addition to those of Zanzibar and Western India. A research associate at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, and the Indian Ocean World Centre at McGill University, Fee also teaches at the University of Toronto’s Department of Art. Fee is a past Board Member of the Textile Society of America, and currently sits on the editorial board of the Textile Museum Journal (TMJ).

About the Publication

Cloth that Changed the World: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz
Editor: Sarah Fee
Available at the ROM store starting December 2, 2019.
9 x 12, 272 pages, 300 colour illustrations.
$50.00.
Royal Ontario Museum and Yale University Press.

ROM SOCIAL MEDIA

Join the Conversation: @ROMtoronto
Like: ROM Facebook
Watch: ROM YouTube

Sarah Fee
@aTextilesCurator

ABOUT THE ROM

Founded in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, culture and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million art objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. As the country’s preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new and original findings, the ROM plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the artistic, cultural and natural world. Combining its original heritage architecture with the contemporary Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, the ROM serves as a national landmark, and a dynamic cultural destination in the heart of Toronto for all to enjoy.

Vancouver Company Producing Anxiety Fighting Play Tents For Children

May 31, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Vancouver-based maker of play tents for children, Domestic Objects, has made it easier for parents and children to ‘unplug’ from the digital world with their Play Tent Canopy. Designed and manufactured to fit securely over a mattress on the floor, the Play Tent Canopy offer parents a clearly delineated space for family time and imagination-based play, shutting out the digital distractions that can be harmful to early child development and lead to developmental problems such as anxiety.

Launched by Sarah Jagger in 2014, Domestic Objects has built a solid reputation in Canada, the U.S.A. and abroad for handmade, customizable play tents designed to stimulate a child’s natural curiosity and sense of play.

The Play Tent Canopy was initially created at the request of a mother with a very active toddler who was consistently climbing out of their crib. Now Domestic Objects’ best-selling product, it’s now available in four standard mattress sizes in a variety of fabrics, and as a custom order for non-standard mattresses.

“Part of the attraction of the Play Tent Canopy, I think, is practical. You can have a play area that doesn’t take up extra space in a child’s bedroom,” says Jagger. “Plus, being both a restful sleeping space and an imagination-fuelled play space, a canopy helps with the transition from a crib to a “real” bed.”

But, most important to Jagger, is how Domestic Objects play tents can bring parents and children together in play and spark a child’s innate imagination and creativity. A play tent can help a family unplug from the digital world and facilitate more natural and self-driven playtime.

A recent study by the Canadian Paediatric Society states that “[high] exposure to background TV has been found to negatively affect language use and acquisition, attention, cognitive development and executive function in children under 5 years old. It also reduces the amount and quality of parent-child interaction and distracts from play.”

Dr. Shimi Kang agrees. The award-winning, Harvard-trained doctor, researcher, bestselling author and speaker says research shows that children are less creative now than they were before the advent of the parental “helpers” like iPads and online educational games.

“We are living in an era of paradox,” says Dr. Kang. “Our society is technologically advanced, yet our children are becoming increasingly unhealthy with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and addiction. The Play Tent Canopy provides a space where children will receive the brain-boosting benefits of imaginary play, family bonding and precious downtime.”

Domestic Objects Play Tent Canopy (starting at $238 CAD) and its other products are available and ship worldwide through the Domestic Objects website and the company’s Etsy store.

ABOUT DOMESTIC OBJECTS
Domestic Objects offers eight different imaginative play products, including customizable teepees and canopy beds in an array of stylish fabrics, matching floor pillows, whimsical accessories and even and a children’s book, The Play Tent of Imagination, which Jagger wrote in collaboration with illustrator Lenny Wen.

Sci-Tech

First Affordable True 4K UHD HDR Home Cinema Projector Debuts

November 16, 2017 The Silo Leave a comment

CineHome HT2550 Makes Stunning 4K Picture Quality Available to Any Home With Exclusive CinematicColor™ Technology

COSTA MESA, Calif. — November, 2017 — BenQ America Corp., an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions, today announced the launch of the CineHome HT2550 DLP^® projector, offering movie aficionados 4K UHD HDR cinematic quality right at home and at an incredible value. The HT2550 comes fully loaded with true 8.3-megapixel UHD 4K resolution, 96% Rec 709 CinematicColor™ accuracy and projection-optimized HDR for stunning true-to-life image quality.

“Homeowners today want to replicate the magic of the big-screen 4K digital cinema at home,” said Lars Yoder, President, BenQ America Corp. “The HT2550 makes that possible, delivering striking 4K resolution for spectacular movie nights. Engineered with advanced audio and video enhancements and HDR capabilities, it’s an incredible value for the finest home cinema experience.”

Stunning 4K Comes to Life
Producing 8.3 million distinct pixels for true 4K UHD performance, BenQ’s HT2550 projector uses 0.47″ single-DMD-chip DLP technology. This minimizes the projector’s profile for a sleek, compact design that fits modern lifestyles. Its pure, 4K-optimized optical system produces ultimate image precision and color accuracy without artifacts that are known to plague LCD projectors. In addition, it employs exclusive BenQ CinematicColor technology and a RGBRGB color wheel to meet the film industry’s highest standards of color accuracy. With over 96% coverage of Rec. 709 color gamut with precise Delta E<3 performance, it faithfully reproduces exactly what filmmakers intended.

Advanced Technology for Uncompromising Entertainment
The HT2550’s pristine 4K video quality is supercharged by high dynamic range (HDR10) support, offering greater brightness and contrast with auto image optimization to bring out every lifelike detail and breathtaking realism for cinematic enjoyment. Powered by the same durable 2015 Academy Award of Merit Oscar^®-winning DLP technology used in 90% of the world’s digital cinemas, HT2550 delivers long-lasting picture quality with precise colors and razor-sharp clarity without maintenance or degradation. Its performance is further enhanced by motion-adaptive edge pixel enhancement, sophisticated color algorithms, accurate flesh tone rendition and proprietary CinemaMaster Video+ and CinemaMaster Audio+ 2 technologies, giving even modest spaces the likeness of world-class cinemas. With full support for the latest HDCP 2.2 copy protection, it allows users to enjoy all the fast-growing choices for 4K content.

Contemporary Design and Easy Setup to Fit Any Space
Blending beautiful aesthetics with flawless function, HT2550’s lightweight design, sleek profile and compact footprint blend perfectly into any décor. It’s designed to set up fast with auto keystone correction and powerful 1.2X big zoom, overcoming any installation hassles with ease. In addition, the HT2550 quickly becomes a smart projector by simply connecting an HDMI dongle, such as Google Chromecast, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV Stick, to instantly stream TV shows, movies, sports, and even video games to the big screen.

The BenQ HT2550 will be available in North America in Jan. 2018 for under $2,000usd retail. To find out more, please email: contentproducer@thesilo.ca or visit http://www.benq.us/product/projector/HT2550

About BenQ America Corp.
The BenQ digital lifestyle brand stands for “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” fusing lifestyle with technology, ease of use with productivity and aesthetic design with purpose-built engineering. It is this mantra that has made BenQ the No. 1-selling projector brand powered by TI DLP^® technology in The Americas⁽¹⁾. BenQ offers an extensive line of visual display and presentation solutions that incorporate the latest technologies. The company delivers a broad range of CinematicColor™ projectors, ZOWIE eSports gear and monitors, interactive large-format displays, mobile audio products, cloud consumer products and lifestyle lighting for any application and market — education, home, gaming, enterprise, government, house of worship, digital signage, A/V and IT — with cutting-edge models that lead the industry in performance, reliability, environmental sustainability and aesthetics. Whether it’s interactive projectors or digital whiteboards for conference rooms or classrooms, high brightness projectors for auditoriums or houses of worship, short-throw projectors for schools, 4K UHD projectors for home cinema, interactive flat panel displays for collaboration, or digital signage screens for public spaces, BenQ continues to defy the limits of digital displays. The company’s products are available across North America through leading value-added distributors, resellers and retailers. More information is available at www.BenQ.us. ⁽¹⁾ Based upon CY2016 data from the Quarterly Projector Shipment and Forecast Report from PMA Research

About BenQ Corporation
Founded on the corporate vision of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” BenQ Corporation is a world-leading human technology and solutions provider aiming to elevate and enrich every aspect of consumers’ lives. To realize this vision, the company focuses on the aspects that matter most to people today — lifestyle, business, healthcare and education — with the hope of providing people with the means to live better, increase efficiency, feel healthier and enhance learning. Such means include a delightful, broad portfolio of people-driven products and embedded technologies spanning digital projectors, monitors, interactive large-format displays, audio products, cloud consumer products, mobile communications and lifestyle lighting. Because it matters.

Reviews

Toronto Inventor Tackles Awkward Toilet Paper Holders

September 5, 2017 The Silo 3 Comments

Toilet paper … it’s one of life’s necessities. Then why is the roll so difficult to replace? The problem lies in the awkward spring tube holder that always leaves you fumbling. No one wants to deal with it. We all know of that one person that always fails to change out the toilet paper roll. They’ll leave the empty roll on the holder and put a brand new one on top of the toilet or counter. The ZeNa attachment will solve that bad habit. Thanks to Alex Li, a thinker and inventor out of Toronto, Canada, this bathroom conundrum has finally been solved.

You can now change a roll out in a matter of seconds. It’s faster, easier and cleaner than the traditional spring tube method.

The ZeNa Attachment is an incredibly smart solution that fully modernizes your toilet paper holder. Its peel and stick design securely attaches (in seconds) to your existing TP dispenser, so there’s nothing more to install or buy. ZeNa Attachment’s patent pending swing design lets you swap out toilet paper rolls with one hand and it keeps it all in place with zero fuss.

Design

The patent pending design is an easy attachment to add to your existing toilet paper holder. No need to hire a contractor. The heavy duty double-sided foam tape on the underside of the base is super strong. Simply stick this on to your clean existing holder and you’re good to go. Both sides are the same so there’s no getting this wrong.

The arms always fall back into place from a tension mechanism that forces the arms downward. So it doesn’t matter if your ZeNa Attachment is not level as long as you have installed it properly, it will work.

The ZeNa Attachment is super durable, comes in several colors and is the perfect bathroom assistant for the disabled, kids and seniors too. Learn more and support this initiative by visiting the ZeNa Kickstarter page. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Fashion

Fan Art Boosted With Ready To Hang Quality Gallery Wrapped Canvas

March 27, 2017 The Silo Leave a comment

Can’t figure out what to get the film buff in your life? Delight any movie lover with high-quality EntertainArt. Set the scene with exclusive, limited edition, ready-to-hang wall art from some of the hottest movies, classic comics and TV shows like Star Wars, Alice in Wonderland, Batman and many more.

All products are officially licensed by entertainment studios and in-house designers develop this exclusive artwork with customization, accenting, vibrancy and creativity to every piece.

Featuring rich detail, deep color saturation, and exciting embellishments, EntertainArt is a modern way to display artwork on quality canvas with or without a frame. So what are you waiting for? Shine a spotlight on your space with the magic of the movies.
Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi, Disney princesses, or Marvel and DC superheroes, EntertainArt is the place to find the most unique designs and authentic wall decor. Want to class up your home while still representing your favorite flicks? Check out a few examples of EntertainArt’s growing selection of officially licensed artwork:

Batman Blimp: The world’s greatest detective, Batman, protects his beloved city of Gotham from the rooftops. DC Comics created some of the world’s most popular characters such as Superman and Wonder Woman and is the oldest active publishing company. Beautiful comic book covers like this one from Jim Lee will make for beautiful, bold designs to display proudly on your wall.

Alice Looking For Wonderland Tea Fall: Follow us down the rabbit-hole to a curious place filled with mad hatters, white rabbits, and evil queens. Create a world of your own with wall art that will transport you to wonderland with Alice.

Rogue One, A Star Wars Story: Rebel and Imperial forces collide in this legendary collage. Celebrate this inspiring tale with a creative canvas art piece. Decorate your home with the epic saga of a rebellion built on hope.

About our friends at EntertainArt

EntertainArt is created by entertainment enthusiasts who wanted to fill a void of online stores selling high-quality wall décor for movies, comics and alike. EntertainArt is the leading online destination for officially licensed entertainment wall art. We provide quality ready-to-hang wall art from your favorite movies, comics, and TV Series. Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi, princesses, or superheroes, we are the place where you can find the most exclusive designs and authentic wall decor.

Sci-Tech

Getting Social: Living in the Age of Tech and Social Media

March 24, 2015 The Silo 1 Comment

Owner/ CEO at ArtPlusHome.com and VeryVeniceArt.com

When you’re a 20-something, what’s the first and the last thing you do? You check your Facebook or you tweet. When you want to buy a pair of jeans and you want to ask your friends’ opinions, you post a picture on Instagram with a #needyourhelp! And who needs to go to a store when Amazon is only a click away right? Social Media and E-Commerce have permeated your personal and social lives. Nowadays, to keep up with the rest of the world, you have to have a smart phone, a tablet and at least 3 social media accounts. Your thought process can now be summarized into: Click. Like. Share. Repeat. Information in an instant !

The coolest thing about Social Media and online stores is the ease by which you send and receive information. The idea that you can connect to a friend in Asia, check out the latest happenings in Europe, and buy the outfit you’ve been eyeing for on discount via Amazon still fascinates many. Not only does the connection happen in real-time, it is also extremely convenient for the hyperactive, multitasking yuppie. Who would’ve thought that you can talk to someone halfway around the world while riding the train? Or that now, you can buy everything you need online while working out. Literally, the world is at your fingertips.

What about Design my Home?

If social media transformed the way you connect with the world, then mobile technology is revolutionize the way you see and experience it. With its public launch in February 2015, everyone is expected to rock the new Art Plus Home Virtual app and two words are sure to be immensely popular: “Share and Buy” This new breakthrough promises to merge the real, the virtual, and the social. Indeed, the possibilities are endless. Two fields that can definitely benefit from this innovation are art and design, particularly for the home. As more and more young professionals climb the ladders of success, you find yourselves located in a condo or in an apartment at the heart of the city. And in the name of individuality, almost all of you are heavily involved in truly making your homes a place to call your own. “I’m a minimalist guy. I like a lot of black and white pieces,” shared Alex, a young accountant. “I’ve always had a penchant for quirky furniture and eclectic painting, both of which are very hard to find by the way,” explains Jessica, a law graduate.

Here lies the conundrum. In as much as you newly-empowered breed want to go all out to design your homes, you simply don’t have the time. “Designing your own place is a completely different animal. It’s almost a full-time job,” says Ashley. She went on further, “It’s almost like a cat and mouse game. You go to an art gallery to find a good painting. Then you have to go to another store for the drapes. Then you go look for a nice coffee table. They’re a perfect match in your head but after you install them in the living room, they just look horrible.” Dary Rees, an artist and a designer herself, knew exactly what Ashley meant.

It's really about using the latest in augmented reality to "try out" art pieces in your home before you buy. photo: iwearyourecho.com — It’s really about using the latest in augmented reality to “try out” art pieces in your home before you buy. photo: iwearyourecho.com

“Designing your home takes a lot of imagination. All the time, you have to close your eyes and visualize how every art piece, every furniture, and every drape will come together. That’s not easy. But it should be.” Then idea struck! Bringing together a team of people, Dary went to work. After months of development, the Art Plus Home virtual app was born. “With the Art Plus Home app, you can shop, visualize, and buy for your home in your own time and at your own convenience. You get to choose anything you like from the online gallery, superimpose them together in your space, and see how it looks – all in a matter of minutes. You can even share the design to friends! If you like the design, you can buy them right then and there. If not, you can start all over,” explains Dary. This is perfect for the Gen Y who is always on the go. You can design and buy for your home on the way to work, after a Yoga session, or even before you go to bed. The Art Plus Home app is also ideal if you’re on the look out for the latest in art and design. Check-out gallery openings, up and coming artists, or simply browse what’s hot (and not) so you have something to talk to with your date.. The Art Plus Home app is available in Android and in iOS.

Generation Y is a new breed. You’re motivated to succeed, you’re proud of your individuality, you’re always mobile, and you’re extremely connected to the world around you. With such a personality, you’re a perfect match for the Art Plus Home app! www.ArtPlusHome.com and download the free app at any app store.

Culture

How To Start Blogging With Plastic Deerheads And Ironic Moustaches

June 21, 2013 The Silo 1 Comment

The trendy and kitschy Owl. images/photos: Charity Blaine

Blog writers are like Indie music that’s about to become “cool”, or rather, they are the people that enjoy the Indie music before it’s “cool”, in fact, they are most likely part of the reason it eventually becomes popular. Only it’s not just music. It’s everything. Lifestyle bloggers like EVERYTHING before it’s cool. Therefore, I, as a blog reader, know about everything cool before it is cool. I, am a blog world hipster, and I’m only partly ashamed to admit it.

To clarify, it’s not just the blogs themselves that set the trends; it’s also the only shops where bloggers sell their handmade goods, such as etsy.com. Years ago, I remember searching for kitschy little polymer clay earrings shaped like foods at etsy, today, when I no longer want them, they are available for a fraction of the price at popular stores such as Clare’s and Arden’s, although truthfully, they do look cheaper. The handmade versions look more like real food than the store bought versions. You should never believe anything that doesn’t come with proof, so here are three substantial examples of bloggers, not retailers, setting the trends.

1) Owls. I really hate owls. I don’t think they’re cute. I don’t understand the obsession at all, but so many places these days sell things adorned with owls. Don’t get me wrong, I realize that owls were popular years ago, but this is a reference to the current owl obsession. Forever21.com and http://verified.codes/Forever-21 sells more than a dozen owl accessories so does Clare’s. Where did I first see an obsession with owls? In the blog world, for example, blogger Elycia Watson (loveelycia.com) from Hamilton, Ontario posted regularly about owls more than three years ago. All the blogs I initially read as a blogger were full of owls.

2) Geometric Shapes. Bloggers love chevrons, triangles, lines, squares, any simple shape that can be coloured pink or gold. This isn’t the best example, but two years ago, the Sidney Crosby of blogs, A Beautiful Mess, did a ‘do- it –yourself’ project “making a geometric mobile”. It’s a clothes hanger with dangling wire triangles wrapped in yarn, basic and geometric. Most of the bedding at Urban Outfitters these days is adorned with chevrons and triangles. This also points to the ‘do- it- yourself’ trend. These crafty women have been doing it yourself way before pinterest made it popular. To sound even more hipster, I remember when pinterest first started, in those days, there were no weight loss schemes or a surplus of one direction photos, it really was mostly crafts and home décor, and bloggers used it to find inspiration for new blog posts. I love pinterest, so thanks again bloggers for being cool before it was cool.

3) Since I’ve already given four substantial examples I don’t really need a number 3, but just in case you still doubt, take a look at Faux Deer Head for your wall. Flipping through a home décor magazine lately, I found a photo of a plaster deer head, in the style of the mounted, taxidermy deer head that hunters would have on their walls. Currently, even Home Hardware sells them. Bloggers have been doing this for years. They even use old piñata heads. They give the deer head hats and jewelery. The Dainty Squid was one of the first places I really remember seeing this phenomenon. Kayla found a plastic deer head more than 3 years ago, plopped a wig on its head and called it beautiful.

So the conclusion is- if you really want to be ahead of the wave, read blogs, small, crafty, lifestyle blogs. By the time any of that stuff hits the mainstream, you’ll be really sick of it and you can officially embrace your inner hipster and tell everyone, while sporting an ironic moustache, that you liked all those things, including ironic moustaches, before they were cool. For the Silo, Charity Blaine.

Supplemental- Street Trends: How Today’s Alternate Youth Cultures Are Creating Tomorrow’s Mainstream http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0887308759

A 3D printer Photo Booth prints miniature versions of you http://tinyurl.com/mkw924

Fireplaces are becoming the design focus for many rooms in the house and with new technological advances it’s now possible to do more with the fireplace than ever before.

This post is dedicated to geeks who want to let their passions shine through their decor.

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This is cutting edge stuff.

New book explores the story of India’s richly coloured textiles ahead of ROM original exhibition

About Sarah Fee (Curator and Editor)

About the Publication

ABOUT THE ROM

ON NOW

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À L’AFFICHE

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Design

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