Design

The success of the 1925 Citroën mascot exposed René Lalique’s unique talent to an entirely new audience. During the next seven years, Lalique created a total of 27 mascots, symbolising energy, speed and motion; religion; individuality and form of nature; and human sensuality and sexuality—each expressing the grace and details of human and animal forms.

The other mascots needed to complete this photographic collection include Sirène (small mermaid) and Naïade (large mermaid). Both were originally offered as paperweights in 1920 and had base sizes equaling those of other mascots. Longchamps (#1152B: horse head — single mane, a variation of longchamps #1152A: horse head — double mane) crowns the collection totaling 30 pieces. These comprise the 1932 Lalique catalogue — via RM Auctions

This Grade II-listed and renovated Clegg Hall in Rochdale, Lancashire could be yours for under £500,000. Oh yes, it’s got a ghost too.

Renovated yes, but not quite finished. Inside is something of a shell, so you get to decide just how it will look and how the landscaping around will be finished. The agent’s details give little away about what you get, just a mention of six bedrooms and that all the main services are understood to be available — via WowHaus

Some motorcycles age better than others. Like fine wine, they seem to improve with age, and gain more admirers as the years pass by. The Sunbeam S7 and S8 are two such machines: originally built between 1946 and 1956, they did not sell in huge numbers but today have a growing base of admirers — via Bike EXIF

The Schuhren Gentleman is a classically handsome style. It’s polished case is made of 316 stainless steel with a screwed-on caseback. The back features an observation window, allowing you to see the decorated and rose gold plated skeleton movement (manual wind).

While Schurhen lists a robust collection, those are only a starting point for the watch you’ll end up with. What you’re going to end up doing is starting with your favourite model, and then work with them to customise the watch to your liking. That, of course, makes pricing a bit variable — but you’ll end up with exactly what you want — via Wrist Watch Review

Korean architect Moon Hoon designed the S Mahal house in Yangpyeong-gun, South Korea — via CONTEMPORIST

If you follow Ze Last Chance Garage, you’ll know that Paris-based Sonic Seb has immaculate taste. This gorgeous Yamaha XS650 is his personal ride, beautifully captured by the photographer Dimitri Coste for Sideburn magazine — via Bike EXIF

An imaginative, cavern-style house in Malibu that looks like something out of The Flintstones has come on the market at $3.5 million. What a contrast then that the owners are seemingly ageless television personality Dick Clark and his wife, Kari, according to public records.

The usual architectural retreat sits on a mountaintop within a nearly 23-acre site. Free-form walls punctuated with expanses of glass bring in ocean views — via Trulia Luxe Living

After the experience of the HI hotel in Nice, now Dar HI in Nefta which is the fruit of the collaboration between Matali Crasset, Patrick Elouarghi and Philippe Chapelet with a new concept of eco-retreat. Matali literally rose a citadel, from the sand, dedicated to well being. Protected by surroundings walls you find a composition of elevated houses that constitute the Dar HI as a small village. The overall architectural goal was to give a strong proposition while in harmony with the natural site and the local life. Dar HI’s main colours are ochre and sand with a comprehensive choice of body and spirit care within areas that are private or communal, a pool, a restaurant and a Spa — via ArchDaily

Deus has opened shop in LA, on the corner of Lincoln and Venice Boulevards. And this is the first full-blown custom motorcycle to roll out of its doors: an intricately crafted machine packed with high performance parts and a healthy dose of attitude. It’s called The American, and it began as a personal project for Michael Woolaway, Deus’ Design Director in the US. Woolaway’s goal was to convert the legendary C&J Low Boy dirt-track chassis into a street legal cafe racer, using as many American parts as he could — via Bike EXIF

Jason Michaels is one half of Dime City Cycles, a leading light of the contemporary US cafe racer scene. Being a good son, he planned to do some light custom work on his father’s Honda Shadow VT800 — creating a comfortable cruiser his Dad could pilot around town in a relaxed posture. But after a thirty-day build, the bike delivered to the house of Michaels Snr. on Christmas Day was quite the opposite — via Bike EXIF

Altius Architecture have designed this residence in Clearview, Ontario, Canada — via CONTEMPORIST

A Victorian stately home — and one that’s still in its original condition, just a half hour drive from Manchester and indeed, in a town that’s on a train route to that same city. Apparently it was up with a previous agent for £1.6 million, but now it’s a fraction of that money. Oh yes, it was also designed by the same architect behind Sandringham (AJ Humbert presumably), which has got to be worth a few status points.

Woodlands dates back to 1860, a former mill owner’s pile and one that obviously had some money lavished on it once — check out that original oak staircase, panelling and parquet flooring, not to mention the stained glass. This is opulence from a bygone era — the kind of thing you’d rarely find today, although work would need doing on the place to give it the real wow factor and to make it a liveable home.

Great as a huge home, not to mention impressive as a boutique hotel or wedding venue. The price is amazing value at £450,000 — and with the house being on the market for six months, you could bag it for even less — via WowHaus

This new build from Shaw Speed & Custom had a total cost of just £8,500. Shaw Speed is an offshoot of a major UK Harley-Davidson dealer, so they plucked out a 2006 XL1200R from the fleet of trade-ins and set to work. The bike was lowered front and back, and a bespoke rear fender was fabricated — via Bike EXIF

Back in 1955, a little company called Nippon Gakki unveiled a 125cc 2-stroke motorcycle known as the YA-1. It won a couple of races and started selling at the blistering pace of about 200 units per month. Fast forward 57 years, and the company — better known as Yamaha — has gone back to its roots with the Y125 Moegi concept bike — via Retro Thing

This stunning 1969 Triumph TR6 custom is the work of Raccia Motorcycles, a low-key outfit based in a century-old bottling factory just north of Los Angeles. The lines and stance are simply perfect, and if you’ve ever tried to build a custom bike, you’ll know how difficult that can be. The builder of this machine is Mike LaFountain, and his philosophy is simple: I’m always trying to change proportions and form new lines to create a unique look, which stems from my love of vintage GP race bikes — via Bike EXIF

Located on 12-acres of quiet ranch land and adjacent to the buff-colored stone canyon bluffs directly east of Boulder, the site for this project [Semple Brown Design] was unique in that its orientation was not about distant views, it was about directing energy inward and creating a peaceful intimacy within the site itself — via CONTEMPORIST

Consider the new Tudor Heritage Black Bay (Ref.79220R) 99% official now — though you’ll have to wait until Baselworld 2012 (March) for the official nod. Unlike its big brother Rolex, Tudor has been having some fun in recent years with its Heritage collection and this seems to be a continuation of the same spirit.

41mm steel case, Big Crown, gilt dial, snowflake hands, convex glass, automatic mechanical movement, on bracelet or leather strap with folding clasp, additional fabric strap with buckle — via Perpetuelle.com Watch Blog

When it comes to conversions — particularly ones with sweeping views — it is hard to beat the minimalist approach, letting context and background speak for themselves.

And so it is with this project by Minimal USA, a partial renovation in DUMBO on the waterfront, in the most luxurious residence the area has to offer (valued at 25 million dollars).

The building and tower itself date back to 1915, with the top later converted into a whopping 6500-square-foot loft that looks out in all directions — via Dornob