Sure, this is art. And a lot more

Elevator Gallery may look like an art gallery, but it doesn’t act like one. The 2-month-old store a block from Venice Beach is quite the hyphenate: a gallery-clothing emporium-flower shop-jewelry store owned by Kevin and Marisa Kelly and Zen Nishimura, who share a background in design and manufacturing. There is art -- and more: Prints from photographer Bunni Lezak’s series “The Playground” establish a theme that is reinforced by wall-mounted 1950s bicycles ($750) and expanded upon by a collection of vintage metal furniture that includes 1930s pieces -- two bunnies and a whale -- that children may have ridden ($900), a set of French rocking chairs ($2,800) and a jungle gym from the Bronx ($4,400). There are also well-priced cut flowers -- sunflowers and China mums ($2 each) and birds of paradise ($3) -- displayed on an antique iron planter ($2,400), with jewelry in the background. A carefully culled selection of clothing focuses on Elevator’s own line of T-shirts and knits. The art and furniture exhibits will change every three or four months, with fashion and jewelry shows interspersed throughout the year.

Elevator Gallery, 55 N. Venice Blvd., (310) 306-7020.

Andrew Myers

A patriotic lift for the garage door

Olympic fever meets garage access in new patriotic garage door openers from the Chamberlain Group. The devices -- no larger than a remote car entry control -- come in three styles to appeal to North Americans who want to wave the U.S., Mexican or Canadian flag and open their garage doors at the same time. The remotes, which work only with LiftMaster door openers, are water-resistant and small enough to tuck into your sun visor or clip to your key ring. They are so easy to activate -- just point in the right direction and press a couple of buttons -- you’ll feel like an Olympic contender in speed programming.

About $40 from the Chamberlain Group, (800) 323-2276, www.chamberlain .com.

Tim Sanchez

Forget obey--try zap

Train your pet in a way you couldn’t, even if you were in the room. Powered by a 9-volt battery, the clear plastic Scat Mat has a series of small cords running through it that create mini electrical paths. When two parts of an animal touch adjacent paths, or the pet’s body lies across any two, the mat registers the movement, and an attached box emits pulses similar to static electricity that immediately (but gently) shock the animal. It takes only two or three jolts, manufacturers say, before the animal understands that it has crossed into a human-only space.

The mat can be placed on furniture, across the hoods of cars, on kitchen counters, in doorways -- anywhere you want to be pet free. Although it may sound a little harsh, the mat may help preserve your relationship with your pet while you are house-training it. All negative vibes should be projected onto the mat, not you.

About $89 and $99, Contech, (800) 767-8658, www.scatmat.com.

-- Tim Sanchez