To encourage splurges, many of the conversations in Novato focus on putting the Sharper Image touch on household items -- a battery-operated pill dispenser, for example, or an ultrasonic jewelry cleaners. That often means jazzing up the curves and dimensions. The company might add a slick-looking remote control to a stereo or air purifier; on an alarm clock, it might use blue LED illumination instead of the more conventional red or green.
Article about product design (and general business approach) at Sharper Image in the SF Chronicle