After splashing out on the 3D TV set/projector and elaborate surround sound system, you may be content to just sit on the sofa to watch movies. BUT - if you are fully committed to recreating a classic cinema in your sitting room/attic/garage you should really invest in something plush, leather-covered and built like a tank to rest your butt on.

Perhaps a Fortress chair. Described as "America's favourite cinema seating brand" (who knew they had one?) the cinema chair brand has just arrived in the UK.

Solid, reclinable and covered in plush red velvet or striped leather, Fortress chairs sound like the sort of thing grumpy old American men would love to sit in while they watch Clint Eastwood films and throw things at the news-reader but anyone who likes a good chair could get into these too. There's a whole range of different chairs, from rows of fold-up chairs to individual throne-like chairs including "motorised recliners and storage arms with drawers". There are some gorgeous shots of the most elaborate baroque set-ups imaginable and then some smart modern designs too.

Built rather more like war machines than standard chairs, Fortress seats are made of: "an extremely strong chassis, capable of being modified as required. This build quality is extended to the connectors, which are metal-to-metal - so, no screws - and attach to a commercial-grade steel mechanism."

No fear of that chair breaking as you rise quickly from your seat to fetch a new packet of crisps.

Even better - they also sell motion chairs that move according to the video being shown: "Chairs can even be specified to include the D-Box Motion System, which provides intelligent and movie-studio-sanctioned movement to match the visuals. D-Box has been used in cinemas throughout the US, and there are now 1000+ Blu-ray and DVD movies coded for motion."

Excellent. The only catch is the price tag: chairs start at £1,550 and adding D-Box adds another few thousand...

Fortress Seating now available in UK, see their website from sellers including Kent Home Cinema

If you thought a chair had four legs and a seat of some sorts, this new invention from high-end German furniture firm Vitra looks like an unlikely sort of sitting aid.

The Chairless is a nylon strap which you slide over you back and knees and makes it easier to sit on the floor, sort of.

It does perform one of a chair's normal functions - letting you lean back without falling over. Chairless however doesn't perform other key functions: things like raising you off the ground and making it easier to eat from tables.

Still. Something for festivals? Hikes up mountains? Apparently this invention by designer Alejandro Aravena was inspired by a picture of an Paraguayan Indian sitting with such a strap and he designates his device as an invention for the modern nomad.

Chairless is from Vitra.com, the first batch has sold out, but a new ones are expected in June.

[via Engadget]

Praise be! some one has made a floppy-disk pillow (or indeed cushion as we call 'em in the United Kingdom).

Geeks have been actively making techie-themed cushions for a while, a phenomenon we covered in Great Geek Cushions. I guess cuddly tech stuff combines the geek's interest in techie paraphrenalia with their innate desire to huddle, crouched in the fetal position their arms wrapped tight around something soft and yielding. Sometimes the cat moves too fast and a pillow shaped like a floppy disk is exactly what you need.

I'd like to see other information storage devices repurposed as pillows:

Memory Sticks:
These would be usefully long and thin and would work well as 'back of the sofa' or other lean against pillows.
lol factor - 3/5; 4/5 if they had removable caps
cuddle factor - 5/5

CDs:
Traditionally disk shaped, these would be nice and useful. I'd suggest some reflective thread woven in to get the shiny effect.
look factor - 4/5

Books:
Yes, these are information storage devices of a sort, they'd also make cool cushions if they had a fold in the middle and you could put your head in the centre and fold it up, burying your head in the cushion with maximum efficiency.
ability to cover your head with pillow factor - 5/5

Buy the Floppy Disk pillow from MyMimi, for $18.99 on Etsy

[floppy disk pillow via trendhunter]

Need a chair? Need a chair with three screen monitors, reclining base, surround sound, air filtering and light therapy? Think about it. You'll realise that you do.

Named the Emperor Workstation, this dark internet-enabled throne is the ultimate geek chair - they've got them in the Google offices, the Prince of Dubai has several and Martha Stewart just bought one for her assistant.

Okay it costs $40,000. Worth every penny.

See Martha Stewart delivering her opinion on it here.

This is fun. The monster isn't under your bed... the monster is your bed. If you are a child who loves dinosaurs and doesn't get terrified by the thought of sleeping in the jaws of a tyrannosaurus rex, this would be the most amazing bed in the world.

In a way, it's just a take on the classic four-poster bed with awnings, except with fangs instead of the four poster bits.

Full marks for creative parenting here.

While we're on home-made beds - honourable mention to this Star Wars creation below as found on click4beds. That's some serious skillz with MDF on display.

[via BoingBoing]

Why not make your sofa more like the icon bar dock on your mac? We've chosen five brilliant geek pillows/cushions that will add some squishy cotton-filled, geek-themed comfort to your sitting room.

Click on the image to start the gallery.

If you're short on last-minute gadget presents for Father's Day, forget the idea of getting him a nice pair of speakers and make up for your tardiness by getting Dad not just one gadget but a giant wall of them. We're talking about the Man Wall from Hybrid Space Furniture.

Not so long ago a house that came with touch sensitive lights was dubbed the epitome of cool by my friends. Look- no switches! A simple touch could dim the light, and provide you with around ten minutes of novelty fun. Well this tech could take s serious backseat to the gesture sensitive lights from Mathmos.

The Dorset designers have done it again, and created a selection of stunning lights to look at, that combine innovation withe design. The Airswitch light works using a special sensor embedded in the device which determines where your hand is in relation to the light, and then will brighten or dim accordingly.

I'm lucky enough that when there are transport issues/ I have an evil hangover I have a job that means I'm able to work from home. There's something uber special about working in your PJ's with your laptop on your knees, but were I to invest in an OfficePOD I might have to don a suit to feel comfortable. The Office POD brings a whole new meaning to the idea of remote working as it comprises a rather sleek workspace in an all inclusive capsule. It's not actually available to buy- these pods are designed to be rented by employers as a cheaper alternative to office space.

Imagine screen pixels. Now imagine those pixels in 3D form. And now imagine taking those 3D pixels to create your own table or desk in a style akin to those plastic cubes you used in primary school to assist with your maths. The concept Pixel table gives a whole new meaning to four sided furniture. Not only does it redefine the world of the bland and boring table, but it requires you to get in touch with your creative side to create your tabletop masterpiece.

You come home from work, throw your coat across the banister and settle down for some Hollyoaks, till your housemate shouts at you that your coat has fallen on the floor. Sigh. This necessitates you getting up, re-hanging your coat and losing your comfortable sofa spot. Why not hang up your stuff geek style with these cute i robot wall hangers? Not only will they add some serious geek chic to your room, but they have flexible arms which means they'll hold even the biggest of bags comfortably.

From $22 at Rompstore [via Gizmo Diva]

See here for more fun furnishings

Twittery type accessories may be all the rage right now, but necklaces come and go whilst a boudoir is forever. I love the decadent detailing on this stylish bird lamp, as it evokes images of the Roaring Twenties with a bit of burlesque glamour thrown in for fun.

£45 from Dutch by Design
[via Hygge Nook]

See here for more home stuff

Some people can't bear to be away from their beloved guitar strumming games for too long, otherwise in comes the withdrawal symptom shakes and the foaming at the mouth. So how do you alleviate this clearly problematic dilemma? You could get the Guitar Hero Carabiner, or purchase the Air Guitar Rocker to help you overcome your fix on the move. You could even make Guitar Hero cupcakes.

But perhaps you're on the lookout for something less about doing and more about appreciating. You can totally do that with the Mini Fender Guitar USB Lamp. Simply plug your novelty lamp into your computer and start appreciating the light in all its guitar shaped glory. And if it's not guitars, surely it's your penchant for tacky novelty lamps that has you contemplating the purchase, right?

[via Chip Chick]

More like this here

With the insane popularity of Stephen Fry on the internet, it's surely time that Jeeves and Wooster saw a revival. These hats are in fact called Jeeves (the bowler hat) and Wooster (the top hat) so perhaps it could start there.

I'm not entirely sold on which room these would be most appropriate for, but that's probably because I never have and in all likelihood will never have a manservant. More's the pity. They're aware of that though, as for £220 per hat, they've priced non-manservant people out of the market.

Hidden Art [via Neotorama]

I like to read. A LOT. Hence my predilection for eBooks and all sorts of reading associated gadgetry. OK, this device is probably not eBook friendly, but how cool is it? A lamp with a handy ledge for keeping the place in your book, with no need to tear out strips from magazines as a makeshift bookmark.

And before you suggest bending a corner as an alternative- the amount of vitriol I'll spill onto someone who does that really isn't worth the hassle. Sadly this is only in concept stage, but please, please can someone create a working model- I mean it can't be that hard surely?

See it at Fulguro [via Gizmo Diva]

See here for more cool home stuff

These are just the most wonderful idea. They're actually oil lamps, so aren't the most high tech of lighting solutions (unless you're looking at it from a Tudor perspective) but they're too pretty to resist. Each lamp has a stainless steel shape fixed to it, and when you light the lamp, the flicker makes the shadow move. And obviously the further you move the lamp from the wall, the larger the shadow.

The lamp will last you 17 hours and is a clean, odourless fuel. And you can get fuel cell refills, which, for $47 a lamp, you're going to want.

Perpetual Kid

Being a Trekkie when growing up was almost akin to being the loser in the class, and telling someone you're a fan of Trek often resulted in mixed responses, ranging from shock to disappointment. So, are you one of those people who went through their entire school career concealing your true Trekkie status? Well, if you're finally over the fear of being ridiculed for being a lover of all things Trek, have a gander at this.

At first glance there's nothing amazingly techy about these lights. They're rather retro looking and I know a couple of people who would love to have them adorning their walls. Then you take a second look and realise these boudoir-licious lights are aimed at children. Quite apart from the choking potential caused by dangly bits dropping off, I'm not sure if this decor would really swing with the Bratz loving tweens of today. It's sweet that they can be used as nightlights though, and for kids with Victorian fancies (and equivalent blue blood bank balances) they'd be perfect.

$718 for black and $338 for the silver from Layla Grace

See here for more furnishings

A few years ago, the photographic industry was in a state of panic because everyone stopped printing their photos out. Then social networking arrived, and everyone calmed down, since everyone started sharing their photos online. But now the panic is back! Because sharing online is not enough! What about the other times? The times you're not on the internet? What then!?

Calm it, photography industry, for digital photo frames will save the day. You can now fit up to 500 images on a Sony S-Frame, and the frames themselves are really nice looking. When you do hand over the gift on Christmas Day, make sure you tell them that a Sony survey revealed that photos of family was the most popular thing to be saved from a burning building. That'll really cheer them up.

Get yours here.

I think there was definitely drugs involved, perhaps some alcohol, fused together because someone thought it'd be a good idea to create a cerazy mind bending cocktail. Whatever narcotics the designer(s) of this timepiece were on, it made them do something crazy. I'm finding it quite difficult to ascertain quite what they were going for. It's basically a vibrantly coloured tube, a glorified pipe on a stand. But apparently it tells the time. I don't know about you, but there's just something about a colour coded clock (each pair of coloured bands relates to hours, minutes and seconds) that doesn't excite me very much.

So if you enjoy a challenge, a bit of a conundrum and you have at least ten minutes to spare every time you want to know the time, then you my friend, are a better person than me.