Does the thought of indoor hanging plant pots remind you of spider plants and grandma’s house? Perhaps some sort of crochet something or other to make it feel more homey? These new designs will help quash that way of thinking, and perhaps even encourage you to bring some green into your space.

AirGuard™ is a ceiling tile coating that actively removes formaldehyde and other aldehydes in indoor air by converting both man-made and naturally occurring formaldehyde present in interiors into an inert substance that is permanently captured by the ceiling. It is currently used exclusively with Ultima® ceiling tiles.

San Base Studio creates what it calls “dynamic paintings.” Composed of abstract images that perpetually shift and change, the overall idea of the painting remains while the actual image continually morphs in front of your eyes.

Domain Cabinets Direct, Inc. recently introduced the Bamboo Mosaic Vanity. The free-standing vanity is constructed of solid bamboo and also features a bamboo vessel sink.

The Michael Friebe TV is transparent!!

The Brighthandle collection by Emtek combines functionality, design, and fun all in one. The stainless steel interior privacy levers feature an acrylic handle with LED lighting powered by a single AA battery. When the door is locked, the handle illuminates.

With energy savings up to 80%, the Invoke LED puck-light is the way to go for all of your cabinet lighting needs. With only 3W of energy and average life span of 50,000 hours you'll never have to worry about overheating or replacing another bulb again. Available in warm white and cool white, Invoke LED puck-lights also feature a solid aluminum housing and a frosted glass lens for a soft white glow.

There is ongoing debate as to whether or not CFLs (compact flourescent) are indeed superior to the incandescent lights many have been using over the years. While CFLs generally provide the same amount of light as incandescents, they have a longer life span and use less power. Case in point: incandescent bulbs usually burn for 750 to 1,000 hours versus 6,000 to 15,000 hours for CFLs.

UK-based Re-worked, a non-profit design and product manufacturing company, has come up with a practical use for discarded coffee grounds – a sturdy new material that boasts 99% recycled content. Çurface (pronounced “surface”), is approximately 30% recycled coffee and 70% of recycled post-consumer plastic. The small portion of non-recyclable content is fire retardant and natural pigment. (The pigment is used only in cases where there is too much white in the plastic portion of the mix.)

Lolldesigns has come up with some great outdoor furnishings and accessories made out of post-consumer milk jugs. The outdoor picnic-style table alone, for example, is comprised of 952 former bottles.

Looking for something to do with those old jeans that don’t fit but, for some reason, stay in your closet? Tobias Juretzek has a solution: the Rememberme Chair.

Hmmm… useful urban furniture with multiple purposes that make a great design statement to boot? Hard to find, perhaps, but it does exist. Case in point: MIT’s SOFT Rocker doubles as a smart, clean energy charging station. Designed as an alternative to conventional urban design pieces by professor Sheila Kennedy and a team of students for the Festival of Art+Science+Technology (FAST), the dynamic rocker leverages human power to create an interactive 1.5 axis 35 watt solar tracking system. The teardrop-shaped, solar-panel-covered seats also act as charging stations. They rotate on an axis to optimally align with the sun and generate additional energy from the gentle rocking motion created when a person lounges inside. The harvested energy powers three (3) USB ports and illuminates an interior light strip, making it perfect for recharging electronic devices, reading, or simply relaxing and listening to your iPod.

I happen to think that our immune systems need to interact with a healthy amount of bacteria and that there are far too many antibacterial products on the market these days. However, in certain settings, it does make sense to be ultra-sensitive to bad bacteria. Think hospitals and care facilities, food establishments, and the like. It is in those types of settings where I can see antibacterial cabinet and door hardware taking off, so it is not surprising that more and more companies are introducing products that will fill the bill.

Sculptural and sophisticated, surprisingly ‘familiar’ — yet totally innovative — Morphing embodies a blend of tradition and contemporary aesthetics, new materials, and echoes of classic style. Morphing was designed for Kos by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba and represents the metamorphosis of the bathroom-to-be. The line marries classical and antique styles with more contemporary lines and materials to stunning effect!