This elegant, glue- and tool-free storage system made me look. Tokio born and Danmark based designer Yukari Hotta created these simple shelves, called Kile, that can be assembled without any tools or toxic adhesives. Just interlock the components and secure them with wooden wedges. Made from an eco labeled wood board material, the piece is sleek and minimalist. A variety of soft colors allows you to play with different combinations while customizing the unit. And because the furniture can be disassembled in seconds, it can be easily stored. All components are shipped flat, which adds to the eco-friendly pedigree of the product.
We, deprived of nature urban dwellers, love our house plants. But we also kill them. In our crazy heads it always feels that we have just watered them last night, when in fact it’s been weeks… If this sounds familiar – you will appreciate this clever concept by Belgian designer Kenneth Van Steenberge, conceived in collaboration with Brecht Van Kerrebroeck, Michèle Feys and Camille Houyet. Potz is a flowerpot with an internal water tank that visually shows when the plant needs water. It consists of two parts. The internal component floats inside the external component and a wick transports water from the reservoir to the plant. The contrasting color detail makes the hydration state of the plant even clearer (it also looks very refreshing). Another exciting concept I would love to see produced.
I can’t think of a tiny apartment that wouldn’t benefit from a folding dining table. And here is a light and elegant one, designed by Åke Axelson for Gärsnäs. The piece, called Ballerina, has been presented on this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair. When folded, it is only 53 mm (about 2 inches) thick, which is a really good news for those with limited storage capacity. Several Ballerina tables can be linked together, – a beautiful detail, which makes for multiple useful configurations. The piece comes in two sizes – 1250 x 625mm or 1250 x500mm. The table top is available in lightweight laminate with a surface of birch veneer, laminate or linoleum.
Mobile is the name of the storage system, designed by Raumplus. This multifunctional product is based on a well-known sliding door principle. Only unlike traditional sliding door closets, which can take some considerable space in your room, this piece has no frame and no ceiling rails. Just doors, storage boxes and/or clothes racks and thin air. Thanks to this open approach, Mobile can fit virtually anywhere in the room, even in the middle of it, creating a stylish and functional divider. You can also hide a home office behind these sliding doors, instantly putting working paraphernalia away when the work is done. And of course, since Mobile is essentially a sliding door closet, there are many customization perks – you can run wild with colors and finishes and select the precise configuration of storing components you need.
Two Belgian designers James Van Vossel and Tom De Vrieze, together Fox & Freeze, created this ultra light and rather gorgeous lounge chair. The product, called FF1, is made from a single sheet of synthetic felt. There is no waste of material (except from the drilled holes), the structure of the piece is not supported by wood or metal. It all rests on the clever fold that makes FF1 durable as well as comfortable. “Starting from a square surface, the felt is twisted and twisted again, just like a scarf, ending in an symmetric but also assymetric object, this is literally form follows function,” – designers explain. The beauty of it for us, small space connoisseurs, is obvious – the chair is easy to put together, disassemble, move and store. FF1 comes in grey, white, grey with white back, and pink. There are even limited edition orange ones (god help me!). You can see the strength-testing video here.
London based Swedish designers Helena Jonasson and Veronica Dagnert of Studio Vit had a very good idea. They have created a modular storage system, comprised of 11 boxes. All pieces are interchangeable and finished from all sides, so you can place them in the middle of the room or against the wall. Designers use the word “typography” while describing the product on their website. “Like characters in an alphabet, the boxes can be used on their own or grouped together, in the same way that single letters make words.” What a clever concept!
Enjoy the interview with Helena and Veronica, filmed during the Dezeen Platform exhibition, in which they demonstrate the product in action.
The Soft Fold Cabane is a temporary space, complete with several quilted duvets, a reading table, a low bench and a lamp. Designed by Marie Dessuant and Margaux Keller, this system can create an instant guest iceland or become a temporary solution for a newly rented apartment. Folding wooden screens create privacy.
According to the designers, the piece has its origins in a found object with very particular properties:
“It is a foldable wooden structure, found in the darkest corner of an antique market in the north of Scotland.” the duo say.
“The origin of this structure is unknown, but we are guessing that it had a previous life as fishing tent. Perhaps it was set up on a riverbank and, with the addition of a canvas, it would shelter fisherman from the elements. Whether this speculation is true or not, we know it is now out of use.”
Soft Fold Cabane is currently being exhibited in the Next Cabane exhibition; a Fabrica group show at MUDAM Luxembourg which runs until the 10th of June.
(via M.E. Design Magazine)
As you have probably noticed, I am fascinated by trash cans. And my quest for finding the best possible one never ends. This next item is approaching an ideal. A clever eco-friendly trash can, called Urbano, allows you to store and reuse all those plastic bags that you collect from shopping in a neat and organized way. Simply loop trash bags around the cut-out sides and push them all the way down, creating a visual of stacked handles all along the side. When ready to use one – just move it up and hook the handles so it doesn’t fall on itself. Simple and brilliant! Will make you feel less eco guilty at the shops too… Available at Uncommon Goods.
This multifuncional minimalist piece, aptly called Within, has been created by a young Swedish designer and founder of Studio Vision, Mattias Stenberg. This unadorned white box, which can serve as a seat or a side table, comes apart to reveal sculturesque structure inside. What a beautiful way to double the seating!.. Designer elaborates: “‘Within’ is a two piece side table/seat. The pieces fit together completely and when closed that create the shape of a simple white box. As you gradually open the pieces you reveal the organically shaped ash structure. I have strived to create a very “engineered” or constructed look of the ash structure by using few straight lines and arranging the grain direction of the wood to increase the perception of depth.’ The piece has been recently presented at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2012.
This project reminds me of the Underfull Tablecloth I featured some time ago. Here too the pattern is activated by elements, which is always fun. This unusual flooring, called Hide-and-seek, has been created by Paris born surface designer Solenne Morigeaud. The monochromatic pattern is transformed into a colorful one in the presence of sunlight. Beautiful floral ornaments are nothing other than photochromic screen-print compositions on a wooden-floor. But when the sun comes out – they come to live and reveal vivid colors. “‘Hide-and-seek with the missing’ is a flooring design aiming at bringing awareness and inform the population on the importance of the management and the preservation of nature,’ – says the designer.
