A new crop of smart homes are being built for important clientele: wounded veterans. Actor Gary Sinise's foundation, Building for America's Bravest, funds technologically advanced homes for injured troops. Tailored to each individual's challenges, the homes hide their smart functions in plain sight, like mirrors that tilt, stovetops that lower, and cabinets with pocket doors. 

In other news, map the useful stuff people throw out, and a former insane asylum is converted to condos. See the headlines after the jump.

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There are small apartments, and then there are small apartments. Take, for example, these living spaces in Hong Kong, which are so tiny that they could only be photographed from above. More

Google announced yesterday that its RSS feed aggregator, Reader, will be shut down on July 1. A Change.org petition to save the service has over 40,000 signatures as of this writing. Reader has faced threats of shutdown since 2008, with Google pulling people from the team to build their various social platforms.

In other news, MIT builds a "leaf" that gathers solar and hydro energy, and check out a concrete that repairs itself. See the headlines after the jump.

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One of our favorite celeb designers returns to TV: Nate Berkus will produce and host a design competition show on NBC called Renovation Nation. 2 teams will travel the country, and will be evaluated by Berkus and a crew of design experts. The 10-episode season will culminate with a live finale where viewers vote to determine the winner. 

In other news, digitally borrow books from the subway library, and get the scoop behind Rue Magazine's Rue Daily. See the headlines after the jump.

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Boston's Benjamin Mansion at 74 Beacon Street has been for sale for years, though now it has been leased to the tune of $40,000 a month. The 8,450 square foot brownstone overlooking the Public Garden has 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, and an infinity pool. $40,000 is the highest residential rent ever recorded in Boston by MLS.

In other news, here is possibly the smallest ever home for sale, and LinkedIn buys Pulse. See the headlines after the jump.

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Google Art Project, launched in 2011, brought the contents of some of the world's best museums and galleries to a searchable, clickable database. Now, Art Talks will connect you to museum curators, art historians, and educators via Google Hangout. The next Art Talk will be March 20 with the National Gallery in London.

In other news, check out photos of the world's most beautiful abandoned places, and before widespread electricity, cities were lit by moon towers. See the headlines after the jump.

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Pop art on a pouf comes to Fab.com this week. The design flash sale site collaborated with The Andy Warhol Foundation and Quinze & Milan to create a supportive QM foam pouf of the artist's Brillo Box, originally made of wood. The pouf is exclusive to Fab, and will debut officially at MOST in Milan next month.

In other news, check out 6 futuristic visions for New York's payphones, and Zaha Hadid's latest project in China is quite swirly. See the headlines after the jump.

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The ubiquitous wedding blog Style Me Pretty, much loved for its easily searchable site filled with of the moment inspiration, resources, and helpful advice (not that I've been looking) has now launched a blog called Style Me Pretty Living. More

Restoration Hardware (or, RH as they're now branding themselves) opens their new flagship location today on the corner of Newbury Street and Berkeley in Boston. The space, officially called The Gallery at the Historic Museum of Natural History, was a little too packed for last night's debut party. BFD shut down the shindig a little after an hour into the celebration for being several hundred over the 2,000-person capacity.

In other news, radar in your car can help protect cyclists, and even Ferrari now has a hybrid. See the headlines after the jump.

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An update on those European budget hotels from parent company Inter Ikea: Moxy Hotels are a partnership with Marriott, and the first one will open in Milan next year. Moxy Hotels are also coming to Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, The Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway and, of course, Sweden.

In other news, check out a 3D mouse you wear on your finger, and Google plans a competitor for Amazon Prime. See the headlines after the jump.

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