HBL Analysis: 72 hours in Berlin - Kids' lifestyle focus

Image via writingthroughthefog.com

Berlin has long been an essential destination for style aficionados, who are drawn to its progressive, inspirational and creative energy. WGSN's Kids' Lifestyle team visited to report on the best locations for retail and vintage inspiration.

HBL Analysis: TREEKids

Image Copyright: TREE

Hong Kong-based sustainable furniture company, TREE launched a kids range that is designed to grow with children through the years. The bedroom sets include bunk beds, single beds with hidden pull out trundle mattresses, work desk sets and storage solutions.

HBL News: Trump Tower Manila to be furnished by Hermès

Rendering of the library at Trump Tower Manila

Century Properties have announced that Trump Tower Manila, an upcoming condominium project in Manila, Philippines, will be the first project of its kind to feature Hermès home collections in the amenity and common areas.

HBL Blog of the Week: Design China

After spending the past few years working with the Chinese design industry, blogger Zarah Arshad decided to set up Design China. Through this blog she aims to document exactly what is happening in the world of design in China, after she noticed a distinct lack of information on the industry.

After two years preparation, she has just launched the fantastic Design China blog, providing a great platform for China's flourishing design industry: "It has become increasingly apparent that so much is happening in the field of design here, yet there is not one place to access the information for it. Design China aims to fill that gap," she explains.

HBL loves: The recent blogpost on Li Naihan, a designer whose latest collection explores solutions for modern, mobile living.

HBL Tradeshows: Live from Manila FAME International 2011

Hacienda Crafts at Manila FAME International 2011

The WGSN-homebuildlife team reports live from Manila FAME in the Philippines, highlighting three trends to emerge from the show so far:

Indigo: Filipino craftsmen create products in a variety of indigenous and recycled materials that pay homage to spiritualism, tribal ikats and the sea. Bamboo, raffia, abaca, abalone, capiz shell and driftwood are are coloured in a palette of blues and whites.

Graffiti: Inspired by the handicraft movement, products are geared towards self-expression, blending pop culture and cosmopolitan city life.

Naturalist: Targeting today’s environmentally aware consumers, products are inspired by nature and created from raw and indigenous materials from the Philippines.

Subscribers can see our full live report, including the top three exhibitors, here.

HBL Retail: New lighting by Baroncelli

Rex wall light by Baroncelli

Italian lighting brand Baroncelli, specialists in Murano glass techniques, have launched a new lighting series - including Decorex International 2011's Best Contemporary Product, the Rex wall light, which provides an interesting preview into how lighting design will adapt to the phasing out of the incandescent bulb.

HBL Retail: Hobo, Indonesia

WGSN-homebuildlife takes a look at new brand Hobo's first store, which has recently opened in Seminyak, Bali. The store presents a collection of furniture and homeware that celebrates the crafts and skills of local Indonesian artisans.

Curisma, a flash sale site for tech junkies

In the spirit of Gilt Groupe and Fab.com, Curisma is a new flash sale site that concentrates on tech. The name is a hybrid word from curiosity, curates and charisma, and the members-only shop also functions as a tech social media site, with features that allow members to rate items and choose products that go on sale. Products include the coolest, and newest gadgets in technology, including the solar charging tree featured in our recent Wow Me! report.

WGSN-homebuildlife subscribers can read Wow Me!, our latest report on the ten most exciting products that have hit the home market.

HBL Exhibitions: Wild at Home by Robert Stadler

WGSN-homebuildlife takes a look at the pieces designed by Robert Stadler for Wild At Home, held at Triple V gallery in Paris from 9th September - 15th October.

Stadler's aim was to explore how an object can alter the place it is given to live in. As he explains, "With few exceptions, like for example the popularity of open-plan kitchens, the layout of our apartments rarely changes. Objects are always found in the same place and individual experiments remain rare: the electric outlet in the ceiling determines the position of the lamp beneath which a table is placed, around which chairs are positioned, and further on a television opposite a sofa."

HBL News: Monocle launch 24-hour radio channel

Monocle 24 studio

Magazine and retail brand Monocle launched their new radio service last night. Called Monocle 24, the service sees contributors record four live shows each day, 365 days a year, in a purpose-built, state-of-the-art studio located in the London headquarters of the brand.

HBL Events: Carte Blanche at Silencio

Wire Chair by David Lynch

David Lynch's new Parisian night club, Silencio (previewed on WGSN-homebuildlife here), is to host a programme of events called Carte Blanche. The first, week-long edition will take place 21-27 October and will see a limited edition of 25 Lynch-designed Wire Chairs sold exclusively at Colette - as well as curated film and literary programs to be held within the club itself.

HBL Book of the Week: Forty Six Square Metres of Land Doesn't Normally Become a House

Forty Six Square Metres of Land Doesn't Normally Become a House (Thames & Hudson, 2011) by Melbourne-based architect Stuart Harrison focuses on, as the title suggests, tiny houses. Harrison explains that, "Australians have the biggest houses in the world, and these are often both big and pretty bad, so I was keen to show how smaller compact housing could be good, well-designed and part of a more shared idea of the city." Through case studies of 45 small dwellings, Harrison does just that.