If you’re anything like me, you probably love modern style but hate the fact that so much of it is uncomfortable when it’s translated into furniture.  For a long time, this was such a problem that I swore off modern furniture entirely.  Lately, though, there’s been a rise in manufacturers who know how to make furniture that looks good and still manages to be comfortable.

As I was browsing for some kind of a modern leather office chair, I found this selection - all of which look like they’d be both comfortable and cute (though the Muse may not be for anyone who sits for LONG periods of time).  What do you think?  Click here to view the entire selection.

Also, on an unrelated note (ignore this if you don’t know what I’m talking about) - The throat sighs!

Hmm….Nero Wall Mounted Chrome Hair Dryer Caddy.   That’s a mouthful.  It’s also an incredibly useful item that I could really use right about now.  I usually tuck my hair dryer into a towel rack that’s next to the sink.  That’s okay except for the fact that I’ve already broken one very nice hair dryer and one cheap hair dryer because it’s always getting knocked out of place.  A lesson - towel racks are not hair dryer holders.

I like this particular hair dryer holder because  it’s simple and understated.   The chrome gives it a nice look that doesn’t scream “As Seen on TV!”.  You can get it for $32 by clicking here.  That may seem a little high, but given the great neutral look and the insurance against future hair dryer loss, it might be worth it :)

Have you ever seen a piece of furniture and immediately imagined exactly how it would change your life?  That’s how I feel about this gorgeous white italian leather sofa from Chiasso.

When I see this sofa, I think of a gorgeously-appointed living space where my nights are spent entertaining fascinating guests and handsome men.  I think of designer shoes and expensive olives and stiff drinks.  I think of being the kind of person who jets off to Rio at a moment’s notice.  And I am in love.

The Soho Contemporary White Leather Sofa can be purchased at Chiasso by clicking the image above.

I absolutely love these Super Mario Wall Decals.  When I was younger, my parents used to paint murals on my walls and I thought those were cool - but these Mario Brothers stickers are much more realistic than anything they would have painted.  What I wouldn’t have given to have these as a kid, back around 1987 when there was nothing cooler than Super Mario Brothers and knowing where all the secret mushrooms and warp zones were located.

What do you think?  Would you put the Super Mario Wall Stickers up in your house?  Not necessarily the master bedroom, of course, but they’d be awfully cute in a den/video game room or maybe even an office or garage.

I’ve never thought of coat racks as being sexy. In fact, I always thought of them as decidedly unsexy, what with them standing around all covered in coats that definitely don’t match the decor.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by these modern coat racks and coat hooks over at Chiasso. Take a look and leave a comment to let me know which is your favorite if you get a chance. Mine is the Jaxx Coat Rack.

Jaxx Coat Rack - All of these are gorgeous, contemporary coat racks, but I love the Jaxx coat rack because it reminds me of being a little kid and playing jacks.

The Metro Modern Coat Rack is a cute alternative to the Jaxx coat rack, and I love the umbrella holder.

The Lakota Coat Rack - I’m not sure why this isn’t called the “Teepee Coat Rack”, but regardless of what they call it, it’s kind of cool. One of my biggest pet peeves about coat racks is that they fall over easily if you don’t balance the weight (or if you have kids around), so this looks like a much sturdier alternative to some of the others.

And finally,if you’re more of a coat hook person than a coat rack person, either of these would be awesome:

The Flip Coat Hook - Simple, understated, and super cute.

The J Flex Coat Hooks - Incredibly simple, understated, and easy to forget. Use it for bulky enough coats and I bet they’ll look like they’re floating independently on the wall.

Coming from a small and traditional town, I always thought of fireplaces as these enormous, built into the wall features that have to either be constructed along with the house or added at a cost of many thousands of dollars.

Apparently, that’s no longer the case.  In fact, you don’t even need a chimney anymore.  These modern wall “ambient fireplaces” give you the ambience and warmth of a traditional fireplace without the need for smoke ventilation, gas lines, chimneys, or dirty logs.  They run on bio-ethanol fuel, so it’s safe for use indoors.

My personal favorite is probably the “Wave Ambient Fireplace“, but I like them all.  Which one would you buy?  Note: you can click the pictures to go the original retailer and view more images.

Wave Ambient Fireplace (Above)

Moda Ambient Fireplace

Flame Ambient Fireplace

I’ve seen a lot of tiny, cheap versions of British Phone Booth Cabinets, but this one is actually very nice.  At $750, it’s a little pricy, but it would look really neat in a lot of different rooms.

The interior shelves are adjustable, and it’s also lit from the inside so you can highlight the contents if you so desire.   You can get it here at SkyMall if you like it.

British Phone Booth Cabinet
Price: $750
British Phone Booth Media Cabinet

I’m a huge fan of modern furniture and decor pieces that aren’t completely over the top. I won’t sacrifice *too* much comfort and practicality for style. That’s why I thought this Lakota Modern Coat Rack was so amazing - not only is it clean and modern in style, but it’s practical.

Why so practical, you ask? Well, have you ever put a heavy purse and coat on one side of a coat rack, only to have the whole thing start to fall over? This coat rack has a teepee design that makes it much, much easier to balance. If you have little kids or big dogs running around, you won’t have to worry nearly as much about them knocking over the coat rack and getting hurt, either. What’s not to love?

Nerd confession: I own three different Rubik’s Cubes.  I have two classic cubes (one of which I should pitch, since someone decided to peel the stickers), and one of the new Rubik’s Revolution cubes.  They’re both great toys, and I’ve spent many hours fidgeting with them as I watch movies.

I was especially delighted, though, to see this Rubik’s Cube Flashing Speaker.  Actually, it’s not technically a Rubik’s Cube Speaker, as it wasn’t made by the same people - but it’s obviously paying tribute to the original in a creative and fun way.

I’m not sure that I’d put a Rubik’s Cube Lamp in my living room, but it would definitely be fun in an office or kid’s room.  You can get a Rubik’s Cube Speaker - excuse me, “Retro Cube Stereo Speaker & Mood Light” for $49.99 (at the time of writing, anyway).

When I was in junior high, I knew a girl who lived in an incredibly strange house with shag carpeting (I should note that I went to junior high in the 1990s, not the 1970s).  It was actually a really nice place, just a little odd - and I loved it.  I immediately went home and told my parents that we should get tall shag carpeting throughout the house, much to their horror.

I still love shag carpeting, but for now I’m content to buy a Black Fleece Shag Area Rug.  I doubt my landlord would appreciate it if I remodeled.  I have a black one that’s very similar to the one below, and it looks great in the theater room.  Of course, they also have a lot of happier colors, and they’re all just $30 (which means you won’t feel bad tossing it when you move/redecorate/get married to someone who hates it).

RENUE RUG 40X60″: Black

Just click the pictures to check out the  blue, multi-color, pink, green, or purple rugs: