Dum Dum Donutterie opens in London

A new doughnut shop will open in London's pop-up mall Boxpark tomorrow morning at 8am, offering baked doughnuts in a range of flavours, all made fresh daily.

Italian design: autarky, austerity and self-production at Triennale Design Museum

Enzo Mari, Proposal for an Auto-design (moulds), 1973 

A new exhibition at Milan's Triennale Design Museum charts the different approaches to self-production across three historical periods: the 1930s, 1970s and year 2000.

Alba Vase by Massimiliano Adami nominated for Designs of the Year 2014

The London Design Museum has announced the nominations for Designs of the Year 2014, which include the Alba Collection of Vases designed by Massimiliano Adami and produced by Italian brand Serralunga. The collection of polyethylene vases are enriched with a soft colour change, giving the object a feeling of lightness.

The Sound of Taste: exploding spices by Schwartz

The Sound of Taste from Grey London on Vimeo.

Media agency Grey has created a video for Schwartz Flavour Shots that represents the product's flavour-packed taste using slow motion photography and a synchronised sonic landscape. Featuring music by MJ Cole, the film shows several tons of spices including black peppercorns, cardamom, ginger and turmeric exploding in sync with the music, with one note equalling one explosion.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read about the growing trend to use spices creatively across design in our materials report, Salt, Sugar & Spice.

Birdbnb: Airbnb's 50 most interesting homes turned into birdhouses

Restored '20s Sheep Wagon, Casper, Wyoming

Holiday rentals website Airbnb commissioned artists to recreate 50 of the most unusual properties on its site as birdhouses for its new campaign, Birdbnb.

WinterWonder: La Rinascente's Christmas lights in Milan

It has become a tradition for La Rinascente to celebrate Christmas by giving the city an artistic installation; and this year, the Milan department store has entrusted its windows to designer Moritz Waldemeyer.

WinterWonder is his interpretation of the classic iconography of Christmas: a vortex of 1,300 laser-cut plastic snowflakes that soar beyond the confines of the windows into the entire portico.

Homebuildlife on Instagram

As well as checking in with us here, on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter, you can now follow Homebuildlife on Instagram! We will be posting inspiring images from events, trade shows, exhibitons, collection launches and interiors shops.

Radiant Orchid: Pantone Colour of the Year 2014

Pantone 18-3224 Radiant Orchid has been named Pantone Colour of the Year for 2014. Following on from Emerald in 2013, Tangerine Tango in 2012 and Honeysuckle in 2011, Radiant Orchid "reaches across the colour wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read our full Colour report on Radiant Orchid here.

Christmas Market at Republic of Fritz Hansen in Milan

It’s already Christmas time in Milan. The Republic of Fritz Hansen store at Corso Garibaldi 77 is presenting its special Christmas Market, an international selection of new brands and young designers with products ready to be this season's must-have gifts.

Lanzavecchia + Wai at Secondome Gallery

Circus

Rock It!, a new exhibition at Rome's Secondome Gallery, is dedicated to design studio Lanzavecchia + Wai. Within the space of the gallery's new headquarters at Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese, the designers present a selection of their most significant projects from recent years, and two new works commissioned by gallerist Claudia Pignatale, called Rocker n°1 & Rocker n°2.

Also making its debut is Circus, a collection of glass pieces that will become part of the catalogue editions of the gallery.

Chocolate Box of Treats by Heston from Waitrose

Heston Blumenthal has expanded his Waitrose range to include confectionery: a new chocolate box created by the chef with the supermarket brand launches in-store next week.

StreetHub: click-and-collect for independent retailers

Launched yesterday, new online retail platform StreetHub was set up with the aim to bring customers back into brick-and-mortar stores.

The platform partners with independent retailers across fashion and homewares, offering customers the convenience of shopping online with the personal touch of collecting goods in-store.

Milano 1909: temporary Members Club by Chivas Regal

Milano 1909 is an exclusive old-fashioned whisky club for modern gentlemen, a temporary members-only circle that Chivas Regal is running in Milan's Via Tortona until December 5th.

Flavour trends for 2014

Sesame Ginger popcorn by Popcorn Palace

US flavour developer Comax has announced the four flavour trends that it believes will impact in 2014, Confectionery News reports.

Fresh flavours that will add a healthy feel to snacks include coconut lime and pineapple cucumber; sultry sweet flavours are led by cola cappuccino nut and ginger sesame caramel; heated flavours to add a touch of spice include honey wasabi and habanero maple; and creative mixology flavours include mojito macaroon and Shiraz truffle.

2014 surface collections by Bisazza

Affresco glass mosaic pattern by Paola Navone

Bisazza has announced two new collections, including designs by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel Interiors and Marcel Wanders, as well as innovative mosaics by Paola Navone.

Saint-Gobain Archinovo Awards 2013: winners announced

Maison L

The Architecture de Collection agency and the Saint-Gobain group have annouced the prize-winners of the second Saint-Gobain Archinovo 2013, a French architecture competition devoted to individual houses.

Milan’s new home for Axor

Axor LampShower by Nendo

Axor has teamed up with Porro to open a new showroom at Via Durini 15 in Milan. Designed by Italian architect Ferruccio Laviani, the Duriniquindici showroom aims to celebrate the bath and the living room.

Marimekko Shanghai

Following a store opening in Beijing in June, Marimekko has opened its first store in Shanghai and its third in Greater China. A wide range of merchandise is carried, including womenswear, accessories and homeware, allowing shoppers to experience the brand's full offerings and familiarise themselves with the label.

Homebuildlife subscribers can read our full Shanghai retail update here.

Window display by Fabio Novembre for Tommy Hilfiger

Italian designer Fabio Novembre has collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger to create an artistic window display for its fall 2013 Tommy Hilfiger Tailored campaign. The unique installation, called I Have a Lifestyle, appears in the windows of department store La Rinascente in both Rome and Milan.

Ace Hotel, London

The first Ace Hotel outside the US has opened its doors in east London. The hotel occupies the building that was once home to the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Shoreditch High Street, connecting Old Street with Hackney and the City.