It’s been a long time since my cats have had the opportunity to get up high enough to survey their domain. In old apartments and past houses they were able to get up onto cabinets or closet shelves, or in the case of Sage, right up onto the door itself (I need to dig up those pictures).

We’ve considered getting a cat tree that they can hang out in, but we can never seem to find just the right place where one would go, so we put it off.
Today I came across these “cat clouds,” wall-mounted shelves made especially for cats …read more

Yesterday we had a guest post. If you follow this blog, you’ll know that I don’t have many guest posts here. In fact, I think we’ve had just two in the last year and a half, and they were super good blogger pals of mine. I’m picky when it comes to Offbeat.
That said, I was recently offered a guest post from the bloggers over at the newer, but cool ChicTip.com. I like the blog, I like the bloggers, and I like when good new design blogs emerge, hence, a guest post from them. Also, I like their about page, which …read more

Celeste is a “mobile sky” application made for beds, from Crème Fresh. It’s an interesting concept and also just plain slick.

Crème Fresh notes, “Refreshing design” which is certainly what I’d call this. The site suggests it for a loft, which is a great idea. I lived in an open space before, and it would have been nice to have a bed separation.

I’d actually like to see more from the individual who designed this, but honestly, I can’t quite tell what’s up with this designer. Are they website designers, art designers? The …read more

I was looking for a work chair for an office blog I write and I found one at an artist’s site…
Work Chair

So, not exactly what I had in mind (imagine this at your computer desk) but cool, right? Of course I start browsing (habit when I see weird furniture) and this artist, Mark Fejes creates the most wonderful items. Odd Alaskan ironweed, tables, more chairs, mobiles, and more.
However, click on his oldest work and you find a house! Two actually. I’m not sure if he was the designer or builder of these homes but both are neat.
The Round House — …read more

Offbeat has done warped homes and funky wallpaper — but never both together. I suppose there comes a time for everything.
Surrealien makes warped wall coverings that are so weird; it’s hard for me to imagine you’d honestly have them in a home but they might make a great addition to a club, bar, or wacky coffee cafe. The technology behind the wallpaper is interesting. Surrealien factors in all doors, windows, and wall hanging to get the correct warped look around items. The big problem here is that obviously once it’s done, it’s done. You can’t move your paintings or furniture …read more

We haven’t had an offbeat furniture post in a while (which are a fun break) plus I’ve got a backlog of houses; each better than the last and I’m torn over which to show first so… chairs it is. And just in time I might add. With the holidays coming where exactly are you going to seat everyone? In the old lawn chairs (gasp) I think not.
Maybe on your old bike? Bike Furniture makes these primarily from recycled parts! Go recycled chairs.

Or you could always try a Softline chair — I however, am deeply concerned about the my smallish son …read more

Is Offbeat Homes really my favorite blog?
As in blogs I write; not read because that would be a whole other discussion. I think about this a lot because most professional bloggers I know do have more than one blog. I think that there are some pros and cons to playing favorites.
Is it even fair to play favorites? How do you judge one blog over another when content varies so drastically? And what about job stability. How will your other employers like it when you blurt out, “Guess what? My other blog rocks so much more hard core than the …read more