Dapper Scout – A lifestyle web magazine for men

As televisions have gotten progressively slimmer, it shouldn’t be surprising that of all things, aquariums would quickly follow suit.  The AquaVista Panoramic Aquarium (available at AquaVista starting from $995) is a widescreen wall aquarium that provides a low maintenance, yet upscale means for appreciating fresh water tropical fish from the comfortable vantage point of your living room couch (or wherever you want).  This self-contained aquarium comes equipped with with an automatic feeder as well as a heating/lighting/filtration system that keeps maintenance to a minimum while a carbon dioxide generator promotes the growth of live underwater plants.  A touchscreen panel gives you a customizable level of environmental control and with everything pre-assembled, simply find the space on your wall where the AquaVista belongs, hang it and fill it up with water and your choice of tropical fish.  Available in black or silver and with up to a 10′ width (with just a 6″ depth), the AquaVista Panoramic will have your walls nicely (not to mention aquatically) covered.

Related Item:
Fishcondo by Teddy Luong

Loft

There are those individuals willing to put in the time and effort to build that perfect media center, meticulously researching the ideal configuration of receiver, speakers, and cabinetry at just the right price points.  Now, for those who are simply willing and able to spend the money for white glove service (and believe in one-stop shopping), there’s the Geneva Home Theater (available at Design Within Reach for $4,000).  It’s a striking synthesis of furniture and audio that comes in a hand-lacquered wood frame that’s well equipped with seven speakers, a 12″ subwoofer, an iPod universal dock, a CD player and an AM/FM radio.  Digital surround sound pours out of the Geneva Home Theater and while an LED light lets you know what’s on tap, the frame also includes room for your other media components.  Available in a piano-lacquered black or white, the Geneva Home Theater is the ideal all-in-one media and home theater center when you’re willing to put in zero effort, but demand maximum audio output.

Electronics, Loft, Music System

After a long day (or week) at the office, sometimes all you need is to crack open a cold beer or sip on something neat (and single malt) to unwind.  Still, there are times when your whole body and mind require something a little more holistic than a simple beverage to undo the damage that only your day to day grind can inflict with such utter relentlessness and lack of mercy.  The editors at DS recommend doing something outside the normal scope of your daily ablutions by immersing yourself in the cradle of aqueous comfort that only the AVEO Bathtub by Villeroy & Boch (available at Ira Wood & Sons for $7,056) can provide.  This freestanding tub is exceptionally designed from both a visual as well as tactile point of view (as it’s meant to conform to your body as opposed to say, a rectangular block of wood) and we can’t imagine a better way to decompress than in the warm embrace of the AVEO Bathtub.

Bathroom, Loft

O Canada, you’ve given us so much: poutine, the development of the modern sport of ice hockey, and Evangeline Lilly (a hat-trick indeed).  The Chateau Laguiole Mammoth Ivory Corkscrew (available at Custom Curling for $490) also takes what the icy Canadian ground has given up (i.e. 10,000 year old mammoth ivory and provided it with new life (in the form of a corkscrew handle.  The brushed stainless steel body on this Chateau Laguiole corkscrew is well complemented by the smooth tan and brown of the mammoth ivory, which is then further accented by its black stainless steel components.  Whether an avid collector or just a highly selective oenophile, the Chateau Laguiole Mammoth Ivory Corkscrew is a unique addition to your barware set and ample reason to invest in a corkscrew if you don’t have one already.

Related Item:
Chateau Laguiole Galuchat Corkscrew

Accessories, Bar, Loft

Sometimes bigger is simply better.  The Isis by Big Ass Fans (available at Big Ass Fans starting from $2,800) is unquestionably a large ceiling fan, but its size is about function (and not bragging rights).  Made of aircraft grade aluminum and laser cut steel, the Isis has a modern design based on the aerodynamic principles of a commercial jet aircraft’s wing.  Its patented airfoil and winglets increase the efficiency of airflow by reducing drag and maximizing the downward thrust of air, thereby moving more air than your traditional ceiling fan.  And with an arresting design presence that’s fully customizable in your choice of color, the Isis is a formidable way to keep things cool as the weather starts to warm up.

Loft

Inexorably inevitable from Monday through Friday (for most of us), the morning alarm is one of the most unwelcome sounds known to mankind.  Soothe the abruptness of the morning routine (i.e. waking up in a groggy panic) with the dulcet tones of the Vers 1.5R Clock Radio (available at Vers starting from $200).  This AM/FM clock radio is handcrafted with a real wood cabinet and features a 15 watt full range speaker and iPod compatibility.  The adjustable back lit LCD displays the time clearly, and as an iPod dock, the Vers 1.5R functions as an ideal compact sound system and dual alarm (wake up either to the radio or your iPod).  Available in six finishes (editor’s choice: bamboo), the Vers 1.5R is an impressively designed clock radio that even has us looking to upgrade what’s been sitting on our nightstand for the past decade or so (yeah we know, it’s time).

Clocks, Gear, iPod Accessories, Loft

It’s a rough and tumble world out there and it’s all the more challenging when your home is put together with nothing more than a bunch of twigs and leaves.  Let the early bird in your backyard get that worm in style with the Eva Solo Bird Box (available at Scandinavian Grace for $89).  Made of white-glazed terracotta, this birdhouse keeps your fine feathered friends protected from the elements, especially in the summer as it reflects sunlight and prevents overheating.  You can alternate between four entrance sizes (depending on the type of bird you’d like to have nesting), and the Eva Solo Bird Box even comes equipped with an internal ladder so that chicks can make their way to the entrance once ready.  And in the event this modern birdhouse gets the attention of the neighborhood felines, the slick sides and special closing lid prevents even the most inquisitive and tenacious of predators from interfering too significantly (and we’re sure any potential tenants of the Eva Solo Bird Box will appreciate that).

Loft, Outdoors

While we don’t drink soda these days (see: high fructose corn syrup), we can”t deny there are times when something refreshingly carbonated just does the trick.  With the SodaStream Penguin (available at SodaStream starting from $200), our carbonated urges can be completely satisfied without as much guilt over the health implications and environmental impact as well.  The starter kit includes two 60 liter carbonators and two glass carafes, and with just a few seconds of pushing the carbonation button, you can transform regular tap water (filtered we hope) into either sparkling water as well as soda (using SodaStream’s 30 sodamix flavors or your own personal syrups).  Not only will the SodaStream Penguin save you money in the long run, but it will also give you a little more control over what you’re drinking and help reduce unnecessary waste in the form of soda cans and bottles (and we just dig the overall “penguin” aesthetic).

Eat & Drink, Kitchen, Loft

Ah, the American dream: to be the proud owner of a home (and the mortgage that comes with it).  But for those of us that aren’t quite ready to make such a serious commitment, there’s a way to upgrade the home (without having to involve a loan officer) with the Fishcondo by Teddy Luong (advance orders now available at Unicahome).  This glass fishbowl comes in a white ABS shell (ABS being a thermoplastic that’s used to make things like LEGO bricks) and is not surprisingly, quite stackable, letting you unleash your inner Donald Trump as you set up condos as you see fit, albeit just on a smaller scale (and for fish).

Loft

Having housed munitions in a former life (as its casing is sourced from an actual ammo box), the thodio A-BOX (available at thodio starting from $339) is undeniably the most battle-ready iPod dock we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.  However, with a 1mm thick steel plating that’s reinforced with another 6mm of vibration dampening material, the thodio A-BOX isn’t meant to stop bullets as much as play your music with clarity and a decidedly bellicose attitude (at least on the surface).  The A-BOX has an integrated rechargeable battery and comes in two different models: a “light” version with a 2 x 25 watt RMS amplifier and woven glass fiber speakers in a carbon color, and a “heavy” version (editor’s choice) with a 2 x 70 watt amplifier and woven Kevlar speakers in a yellow color.  And whether you choose to connect your iPod to the A-BOX from the outside or keep it safely hooked up from the inside, you’ll have the flexibility of taking your music with you just about anywhere you go, even if it means going behind enemy lines (or in your case, just outside of the apartment).

Electronics, Gear, iPod Accessories, Loft, Music System