If Iron Man did Laundry

Ever the reliable and well informed consumer service, Design Trawler presents you with it's guide on the best laundry appliances on the market today. Should you opt for a stand-alone washing machine? or a washer-dryer combination? How about drum size? energy efficiency? or synthetic pre-wash soaking delay cycles with built-in cotton baby quick-wash rinse mode? All very valid and sound considerations.

Or... you could chose an appliance that is POWERED BY IRON MAN! That's right, Tony Starck's very own Arc Reactor sits at the core of Samsung's top of the range washer-dryer. Frankly, the fact that the machine features a near silent digital motor and can dry-clean your vicuña undies, are all added bonuses. That's another machine added to the list that my cleaner is banned from using then.

RIP Amex Centurion - The Hyundaicard Black

It's time to retire your American Express Centurion card. I never thought I'd say it, but the gilded frame has had its day. When you're in the mood to acquire serious design you need an equally seriously payment method [sadly, this is one occasion when Design Trawler favourite Ozwald Boateng is a little low brow]

Hyundaicard have been designing and exhibiting designer plastic metal in Korea since 2003. Each card is designed to perfection but it's the top tier that stands apart. The top offering, 'The Black' is, like the Centurion, made of metal, but eschews decoration in favour of enigmatic iconigraphy.

Such is the strengths of the Hyundaicard design, that Mastercard have been convinced to move their logo to the rear of the card, as not to upset the subtle dimple on the card's bottom right corner. Limited to 2,000 global VIP's [each getting access to a dedicated 'clubhouse' in downton Seoul], our man at Hyundai informs us that Design Hero Tyler Brûlé get's on particularly well with the Korean invitation committee.

Undesign - The Monster in the Closet

From one beast to another. Rather than roaming the plains of Africa, this brightly coloured Korean mask sits hidden away in the utility cupboard. A tongue-in-cheek memento bestowed upon me from our scout in Japan, almost certainly because it is the antithesis of cool, understated design [thanks James!]

So stuffed by the water tank it was, and has been, for years. This is 'undesign'. Not planned, not masterfully considered, but enduring. Sometimes endearing; as in the case of the Korean mask, sometimes practical; keeping the sugar next to the Nespresso machine, but sometimes also, misguided.

Ask yourself, is your living room furniture arranged in the same layout as the previous owner's? If so, the ugly multicoloured head of undesign may have crept out of your own closet without you knowing.

Rules for Living by UnhappyHipsters.com

Another excellent find from Livraria Cultura in Sao Paulo, It's Lonely in the Modern World is the sort of book that anyone that enjoys reading DesignTrawler.com should run out and buy immediately. A manifesto for all Saab driving, house proud modernists [or those aspiring to be such], the book lays out in spectacular detail 'the rules'.

The rules of what exactly? Take for example the extract that advises, when hosting a dinner party "The number of kitchen appliances on display should be inversely proportionate to the number of guests" or for the bathroom "Choose a steel seat and use it to hold a single folded towel". Of course, it's all a bit of fun... apart from of course, when it's all absolutely true, which is all of the time...

"Most people have become attached to the idea of 'comfort' when sitting. With modern furniture, however, it is important to rethink your concept of what is comfortable. In a thickly cushioned chair, your body may be supported - but at what price to your design values? Your intellect? It is better to focus on the pure joy of being close to high design than to slump into an overstuffed chair for a nap" - UnhappyHipsters.com

Degrees of Separation - Black Interior Doors

The one thing that links a £10m London penthouse with a £10 a week London bedsit are interior doors. While the former may have gold handles, it's highly likely that both properties will have interior doors that are white in colour. 

The boutique hotel has long understood the bold effects of a wenge door; usually coupled with swathes of Malmaison style velvet in ghastly shades of plum. Satin black interior doors however, with chrome hardware and white frames dial things down; adding a smart degree of separation between the Mancave and those oh-so common penthouses.

Caverne Pour Homme - by Demeter NY

Design is a discipline that is fundamentally multi sensory. It's not just about what we see. Texture, taste, audio and aroma are scientific factors that contribute to our perception of the environment we inhabit.

The scent of Mancave then, needs to be masculine, single origin and instantly recognisable. Demeter Fragrance Library NY bottles real world scents such as grass, pipe tobacco and 'thunderstorm' that are intensely complex and inexplicably addictive. Cologne for the home with a suitably premium price tag.

A Very Postmodern Reindeer Fur Throw

Already a veritable game reserve with springbok, wolf, cow and pony, any more deceased animals in the Mancave might prompt a visit from unwashed Greenpeace sorts yielding cans of red paint.

This pure new lambswool blanket is made in Norway by Røros-Tweed who have been making blankets and woolen items in the town of Røros since 1936 (They also count the Japanese Emperor and Christian Dior as clients). Purchased in the Apgujeong district of Seoul, it's the perfect postmodern animal fur. No reindeer were harmed in the making of this article.

Keeping it Clean - Winnif Pang's Razor

Designer stubble is all well and good, but sometimes even the well groomed gent needs to clean things up a little. Rising to the occasion is this simple Muji/Apple inspired razor by Hong Kong Based designer (and ex Chairman of the HKDA) Winnif Pang - but it isn't for the face; rather the bathroom mirror.

Yes, this 'razor' is actually for de-misting the looking glass before getting down to business with your Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere. Spotted in the Kosney lifestyle store in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, it's about time somebody brought the concept of designer grooming to the home.