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Chips off the new block Laptop-operated stoves, voice-activated coffeemakers, calorie-counting scales, remote-controlled ovens, cooking range that turns into a refrigerator, the kitchen is in for a serious digital makeover Shobita Shivshankar It's a pot, pan, stove, and dining table. One of the world's leading producers of 
appliances and cleaning equipment is all set to change the very concept of the
kitchen. The design laboratory of Swedish giant AB Electolux paints a future
where this kitchen appliance will inspire everything from dinner to the
conversation that goes with it. The exciting new kitchen concept was unveiled
recently at the Swedish Museum of Architecture in Stockholm.The new-age smart 'kitchen' has many gadgets that derease dependence on pots and pans Thinkstock Through the looking glass
lightly PACESETTERS
Anand & ABHINAV
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Chips off the new block It's
a pot, pan, stove, and dining table. One of the world's leading producers of appliances and cleaning equipment is all set to change the very concept of the kitchen. The design laboratory of Swedish giant AB Electolux paints a future where this kitchen appliance will inspire everything from dinner to the conversation that goes with it. The exciting new kitchen concept was unveiled recently at the Swedish Museum of Architecture in Stockholm. Called the Heart of the Home this is truly the kitchen of the future. Though designed like a tabletop, it is actually an amorphous, interchangeable cooking surface that adapts to the householder's needs. The user simply places the food to be cooked on the surface. The appliance recognises the foods, analyses the ingredients and presents a list of suitable recipes.
Cooker-cum-dining table After deciding on a recipe, the user simply presses down on the surface and creates a hole which is then used as a pot or a frying pan. Ingredients are placed right into the hole and then, it is a just a matter of setting temperature and time with a simple touch. The cooked dish can be served on plates and the surface will automatically even out and become flat once again which can now be used as a tabletop. Though the Heart of the Home may yet be in the concept stage, there are many other devices and gadgets that are giving kitchens a serious digital makeover. Another glimpse of the future kitchen could be had at a design exhibition in London last month which showcased how technology would be all-pervasive. Some of the fascinating things showcased included 3D scanners to measure an individual's nutritional needs, blast-chillers to cool piping hot food in seconds, hand-held food smokers, iGrill wireless meat thermometers and sous-vide packers that allow you to vacuum seal and package anything, including liquids and liquid-rich foods, by a mere touch.
Magical gizmos These and many other magical gadgets have already started making their way to the modern kitchen. Take for example the 12-cup voice-activated coffee maker by American company Hamilton Beach which costs a little over Rs 3,000. All you have to do is to talk to the machine to set the time and the kind of coffee you want — dark or light — and it will take over from there. The air fryer by companies like Philips and Bajaj costing around Rs 15,000 needs little or no oil to ensure perfect texture and delicious results for foods ranging from potato wedges and donuts to shammi kebabs, spring rolls and a variety of eggs preparations. The Philips Airfryer uses Rapid Air Technology to let you 'fry' with air to make food that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Today gadgets like a mixer, grinder, cooking range, toaster, electric oven and a microwave. are taken for granted. The hi-tech world is moving to contraptions that multi-task like a refrigerator with a built-in television and a music system, a stove with a grill and a convection oven, a water purifier that shuts off automatically when the vessel or bottle is full. Manufacturers are cashing in on the trend. American home essentials giant Whirlpool Corporation has come up with the Sixth Sense Live Technology that that enables you to manage your kitchen appliances from your laptop, or smartphone even while sitting in office.
Two-in-one gadgets For those who enjoy their whiskey, Samsung has designed a refrigerator that can convert water into soda with the help of carbon dioxide cylinders The soda squirts out of a high pressure dispenser on the door much like an ice maker. Whirlpool has come out with a $1,900 (around Rs 1.14 lakh) revolutionary cooking range called Polara with a built-in refrigerator. You put cold food inside it in the morning and an hour before dinner time, the refrigerator having artificial intelligence, becomes an oven, heats up and cooks the food. Scientists are working on a concept in which the fridge would take the inventory of different foodstuff and suggest recipes on your mobile. All you have to do is to cut and mix up the ingredients and put them in the oven. Once the dish is ready you will get an alert on your smart phone.
Laptop stove There are many more gizmos already out in the market or in various stages of development that promise to banish the drudgery and add fun to cooking. Electrolux is working on a touch-screen laptop that has a stove instead of a keyboard so that you can literally have a working meal. You can buy a USB Gas Stove for around Rs 1,200 that can be plugged into the side of your computer or laptop and will make you a steaming cup of coffee or tea and then adjust its temperature to keep the beverage warm. Most of these are fancy devices that not just make your work simpler but also take care of your health as well. The EatSmart Digital Nutrition Scale is invaluable for the health conscious. It can count calories and nutritional values from over 1,000 foods at the touch of a button. In fact, it can also tell you the carbohydrates, fibre, sodium, fats, vitamins and other nutrients in a given food item. So, whether you are counting calories or want to have a balanced diet, this kitchen scale is just what the doctor ordered.
Healthy breads Another health-oriented device is the modern hi-tech bread-maker that bakes some of the healthiest breads you can imagine. The Panasonic SD RD 250 model costs around Rs 25,000 in India. You just have to tell the kind of bread you want to get baked. Just provide the raw ingredients and the machine mixes, kneads, raises and bakes a bread made of whole wheat or oats or any other healthy grain with a crisp or soft crust in medium or extra-large sizes. Industrial scientists say that in the limited available space of future mega cities, homes will need to be flexible and able to adjust according to circumstances. The kitchen appliances of the future will need to be integrated and adjustable. There won't be enough space for one-purpose appliances. Space saving and energy efficient products will be the need of the future. Though technology is important today, but it will be a matter of survival in the future. Technological advances are a prerequisite for the world to have a sustainable development, environmentally as well as socially. That is the main reason why design labs the world over are working overtime to make futuristic products that will save space, time and energy without compromising on flavour and taste.
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Through the looking glass lightly In many modern homes, a mirror is not just a…well…mirror. It can be a great decorative and instantly add more light, double the reflection of a beautiful piece, or create a bright, sparkling object to life. Whether as furniture, as an accent, or as an accessory, mirror can brighten up any design in the house and become the star piece of a room. Time was when the mirror was considered a miracle of nature and craftsmen who knew how to make it were elevated to the status of royalty. Believe it or not, wars were won and lost for mirrors. The future was seen through mirrors and people fell in love with themselves looking at their own reflection in a mirror. Fictional allusions Perhaps the best fictional allusion to the mirror comes in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs when the wicked queen keeps asking the persistent question to her magic mirror ….Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who's the fairest of them all? In another reference to ancient Greece, Narcissus is said to have fallen in love with himself when he saw his image in the mirror. So much so that now the words 'Narcissist' and 'Narcissism' are now a part of the English dictionary. Lewis Caroll's book Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There is diametrically opposite to his classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The first book is set in the peak of summers and second set during the coldest months of winter and it has time running backwards exactly opposite of the original timeless story - a kind of a reflection seen in a mirror. Apart from books, mirrors have featured in a number of movies like Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, Matrix trilogy, Black Swan, and many others have had mirrors as their dominant theme. But this is not a new phenomenon. Mirrors played an important role in a number of dramas and stage plays of the 17th and 18th centuries. Discovery of glass Though the discovery of glass is said to have been made in ancient Syria, the truth is that natural glass has existed since times immemorial. It is formed when certain rocks melt as a result of high-temperature and then cool and solidify rapidly. Once glass started being available abundantly, the Romans began using it to make mirrors by splaying the back of the glass with a metal layer like lead, copper or brass and sealed with red shellac - a process that is still in use in some handmade mirror units. The big development came in the 14th century with the discovery of glassblowing and mirrors started getting made of glass bulbs. The glassblower blew a glass bulb that while still hot, was filled with a mixture of metals like antimony, tin and lead and then shaped into small convex mirrors. Two centuries later came the most significant development in the history of mirrors - the amalgam of tin and mercury. A coat of the mixture was applied to one side of the glass to give it a reflective quality and make a perfect mirror. In those days, Venice and Belgium became the two centres where mirrors were being made with this method and supplied worldwide. The process of production was so secretive that the medieval Venetian mirror-makers were strictly confined to the factories and any attempt to escape was punishable by death. Forbidding prices Mirrors were a luxury in those days and only the rich and affluent could afford these. A measure of the forbidding prices of mirrors can be gauged from an auction in France in 1683 when a Venetian mirror measuring 115 x 65 cm, mounted on a silver frame was sold at three times the price of a painting by Rubens, one of the greatest artists of history. With the introduction of mercury in mirror-making in the Middle Ages, the production process became a very hazardous activity. Vapours from mercury are so toxic that these can cause a plethora of health problems, and even death. It took almost two centuries for a German chemist by the name of Justus Von Liebig to discover the safer method of coating the glass surface - with metallic silver. The technique was mastered in the 19th century and was solely responsible for making mirrors cheaper and putting these in the reach of many more people. Refined technique In the modern times, the technique has been further refined and mirrors are made by spraying molten aluminum on one side of the glass. Though the mirror may be a very common object found in every home, the ones used for decoration with embroidered frames made of gold and silver are still very exclusive and can fetch a king's ransom. More than a looking glass, the mirror has also found other extensive and varied uses. Without mirrors, there would not have existed telescopes and periscopes. It is an important appendage to vehicles as a rear-view or side-view mirror. It is used by surgeons and dentists to probe the inner parts of the body and the nooks and crannies of dentures. Indeed the application of mirrors is all-embracing. These have impacted religion, science, psychology, business, medicine, fiction and the arts. Little wonder then that Leonardo da Vinci called the mirror the "master of painters." He wrote, "Painters often times despair of their power to imitate nature, on perceiving how their pictures are lacking in the power of relief and vividness which objects possess when seen in a mirror." Add a touch of the exotic with this wall mirror made by leading American home decor company Arteriors. The lively and energetic feather and clamshell motif is cast in resin and then finished with metallic leaf and is unique to the region of Yuctan in Mexico. This mirror will add a new dimension to your living room. Chippendale mahogany & giltwood mirror This Chippendale carved mahogany and giltwood mirror is a part of the Stanley Weiss Collection of American and English furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries. The mahogany is of top quality with strong ribbon grain and the carving and the cartouche on top are both very dramatic. Price:
Rs 2.52 lakh ($4,200) Anna Tilson floral wall mirror Price:
Rs 40,000 (£400) Celine wall mirror Price:
Rs 22,500 ($375) Italian inlaid & carved cheval mirror This is a true vintage by 1stdibs, one of the premier online luxury marketplaces. The stunning 19th century neoclassic inlaid and carved walnut cheval mirror is firmly supported by a base with carved dolphin sides, four curved drawers and four legs joined by a stretcher that also serves as a lower shelf. Price:
Rs 33 lakh ($55,000) Uttermost perching birds The Perching Birds, set of three mirrors, is by US-based company Uttermost, which specialises in mirrors, metal wall art, lamps, accessories, clocks and lighting fixtures. The mirrors feature a heavily antiqued silver leaf finish with a charcoal gray wash. The artistic mirrors showcase birds perched on branches. Price:
Rs 78,900 ($1315) Tallon hall mirror The Tallon hall mirror being sold on the online home decor store Classymirrors.com has a frame of gold with antique specking. It will be a great addition to your home and will add character to a big hall when it is hung on a wall. The simple yet elegant design will be the centrepiece of any setting. Price:
Rs 9,600 ($160) The Parsons wall mirror by American home decor company West Elm comes in a solid wood and bone inlay frame painted with a cool gray herringbone pattern. It reinterprets the original iconic Parsons design with a simple yet substantial frame that brings dimension and texture to a room. Price:
Rs 21,665 Etched gold floor mirror Add opulence to your decor with this highly decorative floor mirror by Interiors Online. For a more understated, classic look co-ordinate the mirror with less embellished furniture but for a salon-style look, choose furnishings and pieces that are rich in colour and flamboyance and contrast with the mirror. Price:
Rs 1.665 lakh ($2,775) Constellation wall mirror Price:
Rs 15,000 ($250) Amroni mirror Decorated with delicate, laser-cut wildflowers, this mirror by UK-based company Amroni is a seriously pretty buy and can hang like a wall painting. Since it manages to be both minimal and romantic, it will look lovely in a bedroom and can make a powerful conversation piece in the drawing room. Price:
Rs 30,000 (£300) Basset Valmonte mirror Brighten the appearance of any room in your house with the installation of this stunning Valmonte wall mirror by the Basset Mirror Company. In a rustic antique silver frame, this mirror’s highly reflective surface will surely add the illusion of additional space making it a refreshing inclusion to the home. Price:
Rs 30,600 ($510) Cypress bone inlay mirror Antique white bone tiles give the Cypress Bone Inlay Mirror by American home decor company Serena & Lily a rich polished texture. Handcrafted following the ancient artistry of bone inlay, the tiles are detailed with decorative nailheads and the mirror is guaranteed to transform a drab hallway into a bright walkway. Price:
Rs 16,500 ($275)
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PACESETTERS Anand & ABHINAV Anand Rathi is a computer engineer from IIT Hyderabad and worked in the stock market for a while, engaged in day trading. He went on to pursue his MBA in finance from the Simon School of Business. He returned to India and worked as a currency trader and portfolio hedger for an energy company. Anand’s tryst with a camera was entirely by chance while he was in the US. He sent pictures to his family and friends from there and his photography style started gaining recognition at social media platforms — Facebook and Flickr. The appreciation soon got translated to many commercial photography assignments, which were completed under the company name, PhotoSutra. Abhinav Saha had a creative inclination since his childhood and visual effects excited him. He left a paying IT job to join an animation studio as intern. He worked for Disney in Bangalore and used his camera. Creating aesthetic visuals became an integral part of life. As a computer science graduate, the mix of tech and art is what drove him to become the youngest VFX supervisor in films in India. He has 12 years of experience in film visual effects for both Bollywood and Hollywood movies. Anand met Abhinav when he was looking for a wedding photographer for his wedding. This eventually changed their lives for good as it was over a cup of coffee once that they came up with the idea of merging their respective small photography arcades to form a bigger venture. KnotInFocus was born with the objective of being a one-stop shop for top- notch wedding memories. Though KnotInFocus is still in its early stage of evolution, it has come from the amalgamation of two companies which have enjoyed a fair bit of recognition so technically it is at stage 2 of lift off. size, KnotInFocus has many hired photographers, cinematographers, editors and production assistants. “As an on-location team we can be as thin as six people covering an entire wedding to as thick as 15-16 people for bigger weddings.” With an operating cycle spanning even six months sometimes, they are selective about assignments. “We like to give personalised attention and involvement in each wedding”, says Anand. Having left the comfort of high-paying corporate jobs, Anand and Abhinav are in this profession for the sheer love of image and filmmaking. For them, every day brings in new learning opportunities. “The day we stop improvising ourselves is the day we will stop being 'creative' in the truest sense of things”, is their belief. Accolades have come their way — from being covered in the national media to winning the “Kodak Wedding Photographer of The Year Award”, in 2010. With the wedding photography field fast becoming a crowded service industry, Anand and Abhinav believe that originality and dedication are the key differentiating factors which give them a unique edge over other competitors. They dream big and would like to put wedding photography of Indian weddings at the global level. They believe in following one's passion, and want to break the mindset that our society continues to have regarding many such parallel careers. Two individuals, happy chasing their dreams have one thing to share, “Shoot your heart out!! There is much love out there to be documented. it is beautiful. Go out, be honest to your work and nothing can come in your way. Success is yours for the asking.”
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Bling it on A CRUISE TO THE FROZEN CONTINENT Price: Starting price for the trip:
Rs 7.80 lakh ($13,000) GIVE ME RED VINTAGE SOUND In the era of iPhones and iPads we sure have come a long way from Thomas Edison's original phonograph. Or have we? American luxury brand Restoration Hardware has launched the iPhone and iPad Gramophone that does not use any wires, batteries or buttons but works naturally like the gramophone of yore. The music travels through the speaker and amplifies the sound. Just slide your iPhone or iPad into the solid walnut dock and the giant iron and brass horn speaker will amplify its volume by four times in a unique blend of old and new. Price:
Rs 9,600 ($160) ONE FOR THE TALL DRINK? Price:
Rs 1.65 crore ($275,000) ‘HIGH’ NOTES That music gives you a high is a well known fact. But New York-based Grado Labs, considered to be one of the world's best makers of headphones, is taking listening pleasure to a whole new level with a unique line of headphones made of wood and leather. Created by actor Elijah Wood and DJ Zach Cowie, the limited edition bespoke headphones have been created from barrels used to age Bushmills Irish Whiskey. Designed to offer amazing clarity and deep bass, these one-of-a-kind headphones are refined like fine whiskey and have be heard to be believed. Price:
Rs 24,000 ($400) PING-PONG BY STEALTH RAISE A TOAST TO THIS TRAILER For those who like their drink, this is the ultimate bar. American online retailing giant Alexander & James is offering a stunning bespoke trailer full of premium American whiskeys Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye. The trailer has sleek leather furnishings and a rich wood finishing made from recycled whiskey casks. It is stacked with elegant glassware and a top-quality entertainment system which includes a flat-screen TV, Blu-ray disc player and a state-of-the-art sound system. And to top it all, the buyer of the trailer will get a one-year supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye free of cost. Price:
Rs 95 lakh ($150,000) GOLDEN STRINGS Price:
Rs 12 crore each ($2 million) RINGING FINGER Advance booking price:
Rs 10,500 WATER OF LIFE Price:
Rs 1,500 per bottle ($25) EXTREME SURVIVAL Price:
Rs 22,500 ($375) LOUNGING THE LOUIS VUITTON WAY Price:
Rs 4.80 lakh ($8,000)
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Arteriors quetzal mirror
Price:
Rs 72,000 ($1,200)
This vintage-looking crockery mirror by London-based designer Anna Tilson will add a touch of contemporary nostalgia to your house. The wall mirror is decorated with carefully cut crockery like discarded teacups, saucers and plates. The crown of pink, yellow and red roses is complimented by a floral border.
The Celine wall mirror looks as delicate as a flower and has a durable design that won’t wilt. The sparkling mirror centre features a twisted metal frame of silver petals. Chrome ball accents provide the perfect accents to give this modern accessory a touch of retro that adds a cheerful look to your home.
Parsons wall mirror
With its intricate designed profile, this gorgeous constellation wall mirror makes a stylish addition to any living space. Its lightweight construction makes this piece easy to assemble and it has been finished with a flocked backing. The contemporary accent mirror has been hand-finished adding to its beauty.
Junk the usual touris destinations on your next vacation and go where very few have gone before. American cruise company Seabourn is offering an amazing adrenalin-pumping cruise to the icy Antarctica. Embark on a 21 to 56-day itinerary that will take you to Antarctica, Patagonia and South Georgia Island. What awaits you are majestic, unspoilt natural splendours snow-capped volcanoes reflected in crystalline lakes, massive glaciers and the sweeping landscapes of the frozen continent. Spend time with penguins, view the Chilean fjords, all the while cruising along the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in an adventure of a lifetime. 
They are being called the ultimate digital designer duo. Jony Ive and Marc Newson’s one-off designs are stuff of legend and sell for millions in charities. It would help to know the Ive is a senior vice president of design at Apple Inc. and Newson is a renowned Australian-born British designer whose creations are sought-after the world over. The two usually collaborate for charity as they recently did when they designed the Red Mac Pro which was auctioned by Southeby’s on November 23. The proceeds from the auction--attended among others by the likes of Harrison Ford, John McEnroe and singer Bono—were to go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria. With such an august gathering it was little wonder that the Red Pro Mac which was expected to auction for around $40,000 (around Rs. 24 lakhs) fetched a fortune leaving everyone stunned.
Auctioned for
Rs 5.86 crore ($9,77,000)
Celebrations sometimes can last a long time and a single standard bottle of champagne just won't do. Keeping that in mind French vineyard Armand de Brignac, reputed to be the world's most expensive Champagne, is releasing the world's largest bottle of Rosé Champagne. Equivalent to 40 regular-sized 750ml bottles, this 30-litre colossal bottle weighs 45kilograms and measures over four feet high. Called, Rosé Midas a very limited number of the bottles will be released due to the complicated production methods and the design element. As with any great booze, the price isn't exactly cheap but then, what's a 'few big bucks' for high rollers if they ensure an unlimited supply of the bubbly!
The last thing you would associate with the Nighthawk Stealth Bomber is a leisurely sport. Yet, the Stealth Premier Ping-Pong Table by US sports company Eleven Ravens is inspired by the powerful twin-engine ground attack aircraft. Made from aircraft grade aluminium and fibre accents, the ping-pong table in a limited edition of five will be personally numbered and signed by famed American sports goods designer Bernard Semerdjian. Game for it? Break a bank!
Price:
Rs 42 lakh ($70,000)
If music is golden then electric violin duo Lindzi and Ben Lee of the electric violin band Fuse are turning it into real precious metal with 24-carat gold-plated violins. The two musicians have collaborated with British jewellery designer Theo Fennell and bespoke violin manufacturer Bridge to craft the world's first gold-plated violins. Made from carbon and kevlar, the two stunning instruments are adorned with rubies, sapphires and diamond-encrusted skulls, and took over nine months to be created. It is not surprising that now music fans not just come to see Lindzi and Ben Lee perform but to also have a ringside view of the violins.
Trust an Indian to come up with one of the smartest devices after the iPhone. Smarty Ring by Chennai-based engineer Ashok Kumar allows a user to remotely control the smartphone via Bluetooth using a dedicated app. Besides showing the time, the LED screen lights up every time the wearer receives an Email, SMS, Tweet or a Facebook notification. In short, it frees you from frantically searching your bag or pocket whenever your mobile rings...A great way to control your phone without even touching it. And best of all an alarm sounds if the mobile is more than 30 feet away thus preventing theft. Though deliveries start in April 2014, there is already an advance booking for the Smarty Ring 
Great, you'd say but where would you get How about a sip of water straight from a mountain streams uch pure water unless you plan to climb a mountain? Voila. Now you can magically convert tap water into the purest form of mountain stream quality water thanks to the NKD Aqua Pod bottle. The special filtration system in the bottle is made from activated coconut carbon, volcanic materials and an anti-bacterial filter which the company claims "supercharges the water with natural minerals and electrolytes as found in nature." Each filter can process 175 litres of water - approximately 300 refills guaranteeing both health and nutrition.
It is the ultimate survival kit for those with an adventurous streak. The Bear Grylls company named after British adventurer Edward Michael 'Bear' Grylls has teamed up with outdoor gear manufacturer Gerber to come up with a mountain pack that has everything you need to survive the toughest spots. It includes a hand saw, signalling mirror, survival blanket, fire starter, powerful torch, waterproof matches, snare wire, cotton-ball fire tinder, and emergency cord. It also incorporates needle-nose pliers, wire cutters and both fine-edge and serrated knives. When you have a backpack full of these implements, the mountains won't be as daunting as they seem to an 'unarmed' adventurer!
Here's a chase lounge on which you can sit back and relax in style. Italian premium furniture manufacturer Cassina has partnered with Louis Vuitton to create a limited edition Chaise Lounge that will instantly become the standout furniture of a room. Inspired by one of the most influential furniture designers of the early modern movement, Charlotte Perriand who created the world's first chaise lounge, it uses Louis Vuitton's expertise in saddlery craftsmanship. Both the light pink and contrasting dark brown leather have been supplied by Louis Vuitton tannery in south of France. Little wonder then that it is being defined as the 'ultimate relaxing machine.'