The invention of the umbrella can be traced back thousands of years, but never to one absolute source. It’s use has been depicted in historical texts, images and carvings dating back millennia– to ancient Rome, Egypt, China and the Middle East. Today, we may take this handy tool for granted. On the rainiest of days, what would you do if this tool was never created? To celebrate the value of the umbrella in modern life, here is TheCoolist’s list of 20 amazing, creative and futuristic umbrellas that have taken this classic invention into wild new frontiers....

View in gallery Bacchanalia Atlanta – If you feel the way we do, every city is only as good as its cuisine. Whether that cuisine is the street food of the local color or fine dining as entertainment, food is the true metric of a city’s greatness. Want to get a sense for just how good the food can get in Atlanta? We suggest Bacchanalia , a fine dining mecca serving up contemporary American cuisine as prepared by chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison....

View in gallery A far cry from our eight-bit history, the future gaming technology of the next generation is technologically profound. In just a few short decades, we’ve gone from arcade cabinets to in-home consoles, eight-bit graphics to hyper-realism; chiptunes to orchestral scores and a world of advanced AI. In short, the video games of today are a world apart from the games of yesterday. These past two years have been a renaissance of sorts for gaming; with virtual reality on the verge of coming into its own....

Having a beard is serious business. So, avoid choosing the wrong style for your face with our list of 15 beard styles for men. For many men, the apex of manhood is a healthy beard. And although there’s nothing wrong with a clean shaven face, growing a beard is a right of passage for many. Sure, your girlfriend might complain about them, they tend to itch, and good luck eating anything without getting it in your facial hair is an impossible task....

View in gallery This multi-level, multi-material marvel of architecture is home to a family just outside of the busy streets of Paris. Colboc Franzen & Associes designed the House in Sevres, a three-story structure with a varied cross style layout where one rectangular section sits across the top of the section below. Each section is adorned with its own distinct material, with the top section covered with what looks like reclaimed wood, the middle section a slatted metal with floor-t0 ceiling windows, and a bottom section with aged, rusted metal and climbing ivy....

Those of us in the male persuasion tend to have a blind spot when it comes to picking out artwork for our residence. We can usually decorate our homes simply enough, but adding in things of beauty is a mysterious notion that often leads to a lot of negative space. Many of us have resorted to hanging multiple televisions around, or animal heads, simply to have something to look at instead of a blank wall....

The rise of Pinterest in the social media landscape has been staggering. From a little labor of love to one of the largest social websites online, Pinterest’s growth has been met with behind-the-scenes challenges along the way. How does a small company make space for new employees as it grows from a handful of founders to hundreds of employees? Pinterest answered this question with the help of three firms, All of the Above , First Office and Schwartz and Architecture ....

View in gallery Heading to Greece any time soon? If you’re Athens-bound, do not miss Scala Vinoteca, an exquisite new entry into the world of fine Mediterranean cuisine. Scala Vinoteca is a Spanish-style wine bar with over 100 bottles to choose from, paired with fresh food from recipes across the Mediterranean sea. This fashionable restaurant was designed by architects Andreas Kurkulas and Maria Kokkinou, with a focus on minimal sensibility but plenty of culture and attitude....

View in gallery There is no greater reward in business than success from self-reliance, from flying solo and building a winner with your own bare hands. At the end of the day, you have only yourself to thank– and only yourself to blame if things fall apart. What are the pitfalls of working independently? What are the keys to success from self-reliance? These seven points can help you succeed on your own when building a business in the 21st century....

View in gallery The Secret Garden of Zaha Hadid and Paola Navone is a collaboartive effort by Barovier & Toso and Citco located in Milan, Italy. This enchanting interactive garden contains installations of woven hazelnut branches, glowing lights, and multiple other fixtures which create this unique garden experience. Ornamental decorations fill the inside of the woven domes and massive hanging lights. This hidden landscape artistry resembles a scene from a fairy tale and causes visitors to explore each area of the garden in hopes of finding something more....

View in gallery Have you ever seen anything so comfortable? The Snug Lounge Chair by Alvin Tjitrowirjo is as much “bed” as it is “chair”, a leather-bound half shell for the modern living room. The Snug Lounge rests on its natural curve and a foot piece that can be removed to turn the Snug into a rocking chair. We likely would do a lot more sleeping than rocking in this one, but it’s nice to know that’s available....

View in gallery One of the world’s fashion capitals isn’t far from our office here at TheCoolist. Miami is a fashion haven for designers, models, celebrities and other fashionables that wear their wardrobes on the streets and sands of South Beach. From Lincoln Road to Ocean Drive, the next season’s lines are debuted on the catwalks of the streets. To explore the looks and lifestyles of Miami, we reached out to veteran street style photographer Phil Oh of StreetPeeper....

View in gallery The old Hürlimann Brewery in Zurich, Switzerland has undergone an unlikely transformation, now re-opened as the Thermalbad and Spa Zurich . The blueprint of the brewery has been largely overhauled, with a collection of pools, relaxation rooms and massage spas. It’s roof features a large infinity-edge pool with sweeping views of the Zurich landscape. These steamy thermal baths stretch into three digit temperatures, some of which top off at 106 degrees fahrenheit....

Feeling… excited? This new haute couture dress becomes transparent when its wearer experiences arousal. It’s called INTIMACY 2.0, and it’s probably one of the most unique articles of clothing I’ve ever seen. I’m still trying to work out whether or not that’s a good thing. The project comes from Studio Roosegaarde , which bills itself as a “social design lab for interactive art, fashion, and architecture,” is based out of China and the Netherlands....

Did you know it’s possible to build your own dream mini casa in just two to three days? We’ve found you the best tiny house kits for any style, space, and budget. View in gallery Remember that time when tiny houses are all the rage? You’ve probably seen those cute little home photos online or watched TV series like Tiny House, Big Living by HGTV, or Netflix’s Tiny House Nation ....

View in gallery No matter how hard you try, it’s not easy to find land for a golf course in downtown London. The Urban Golf London club by Squire and Partners brings golf indoors, with the familiar London-style furnishings of times sophisticated. This modern, man-centric environment is designed around the game of golf, with practice greens just feet meters away from the bar and video golf terminals throughout. While the smell of fresh air and a stroll through nature aren’t served in Urban Golf London, this club promises the most luxurious and laid-back indoor golf experience in The City....

View in gallery It’s a bicycle inspired by stealth. Ride it in the streets, however, and everyone will turn to look. The BME Design B-9 NH Black is a fixed-gear bike that was inspired by the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft. The Nighthawk was famously known as the Stealth Fighter, a craft that was designed to be undetectable by enemy radar. Like the F-117, the BME Design B-9 NH is sharp, angular and intimidating....

View in gallery Architecture Books | Fans of architecture are a truly vibrant and insatiable people. The buildings of the world, from homes to skyscrapers, churches to sheds, are met with a delightful appreciation for complicated craftsmanship. To learn and grow as a fan of architecture, no matter how casual, these 10 architecture books will provide a base of understanding to explore the world of architecture armed with knowledge. Read on, fellow archophile, to discover a new book or two that will help you round out the way you experience your love of architecture....

About town, on the go, and hitting the road , every modern metropolitan needs a class act messenger bag. Messenger bags are high flying and still rising favorites in the modern era. They are the universal carrying case, swiftly supplanting the backpack, the briefcase, the purse, and the diaper bag, they are social chameleons, equally at home at a business meeting, study group get-together, on a plane, or on a date....

Motorcycles were once a binary operation with dirt bikes holding down one end of the spectrum and sportbikes the other. You could trust a dirt bike to take you off the road more traveled and get down and dirty. Sportbikes , contrarily, would let you get low and fast on pavement. This split in the industry was great, so long as you were only going on one kind of surface, but it failed miserably for anyone who wanted to switch it up, riding the trails for awhile and then taking a speed run home on that sweet blacktop....