No matter how much we strive to humanize our home, there is one thing that often poses a problem – a universally dreaded file cabinet. And in spite of abundance of consumer products, the pickings of new ideas are slim. For the most part when it comes to file storage, we are reduced to three choices: heavy and bulky, ugly and office-like or seemingly practical and plastic. Jill Allyn Peterson, a young New York designer, created something different. This piece is called Flat File and represents an elegant alternative to a traditional file cabinet. Light-weight hanging files made from birch plywood and organic upholstery fabric are shipped flat and assembled without glue or screws. Easy on the eye, laser-cut, low-impact and biodegradable, Flat File is as modern and efficient as a file cabinet can be. Before the digital age eliminated the very idea…
This candy-colored beauty is a collaborative effort of designers Igor Solovyov and Dzmitry Samal. A chair and a chaise lounge in one – a chair longe. The transformation occurs as the ‘lounge’ part slides under the seat via two railing mechanisms located on its sides. The gap in the middle is not only an eye-pleasing accent, it accommodates the steel handle that locks the chair in its position. Fun and robust, this piece fits perfectly in today’s rapidly changing environment. It can be displayed and used in its full lounging glory or ‘tucked in’ for low key gatherings or simply to clear some space.
This is not your average bed with his and her sides, headboard, drawers and things… No. This one is for the brave! Designed by the young Italian Federico Bergese of Light Bulb Lab, Bside bed abandons all traditional attributes. It has no frame, no mattress, and no legs. The business part consists of covered in leather polymeric gel and rests on a single wooden structure. The inside part of the wooden support contains LED lighting strong enough for reading. And because the light envelopes the main part from all sides – it creates the effect of the bed floating in the air… So there you have it – a few elements can create a huge impact. All it took to produce this inspired pice of design were leather, wood, polymer, LED, and a bit of madness.
Since we are on the subject of letters, here is another typographical treat for you, delivered all the way from Helsinki. This funky bookcase is called AAKKOSET, and is suitable for children of all ages. Created by the young Uganda born designer Lincoln Kayiwa, this piece not only makes a strong visual statement, it also provides a versatile storage for your books, CDs, magazines at cetra. Because the letter openings have different shapes, they make for an interesting and dynamic shelving. The letter-free space in the middle can be used as a bulletin board. Neat freaks, who dislike open storage, can even leave the bookcase empty and use it as a room divider. Made from durable fiberboard, AAKKOSET comes in a variety of colors.
Surely, using typography in interior design was done before. But attempting it on such a literate level deserves a ‘high five’ just for sheer boldness. German designer Marc Lauckhardt created a furniture collection that not only resembles type, it seems to be constructed out of big three-dimensional letters. Surprisingly, this made for fairly believable and functional pieces, which proved once again that a well-balanced typeface can do and be anything…
People living in a megapolis love their bikes. The problem is – ‘big city’ often means ‘small apartment.’ That is why our beloved two-wheeled companions either sit in a storage room gathering dast or get in the way of any basic motion. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could put your bike on the shelf, like a book, and take it from it only when you need it? Well, this exact idea inspired Bike Shelf, created by the San-Francisco based designer Chris Brigham (aka Knife and Saw). The piece is made from walnut or ash and can be attached to the wall via a steel rod mount. The flat surface on top can serve as an actual book shelf or provide storage for bike accessories and other small items.
Source: Designboom
When space is limited each item has to add something valuable to the equation. It can be done by amplifying the function or, in this case, the visual impact. The Bushel Table, designed by the New Yorker Devin Rutz, was not meant for blending with the wall color. It demands the room to itself. The name came from the idea of a bushel of sticks in your hand. ‘If you were to take that bushel of sticks and cut them down on one side a surface would be created,’ – Rutz explains. The other side of the sticks became legs. The holes in the surface add to the random beauty of the piece. They can be used for greenery or simply left alone.
Its name is Mons. It was created by the Spanish designer Romualdo Faura as an alternative sink for kids. Aside from its cool design, the piece boasts many child friendly features. The shape of the sink is ergonomically correct and allows a child to reach water and the soap dispenser more easily. The base is enclosed to prevent splashes; the absence of sharp edges makes Mons safe; motion sensors control (and therefore save) water. The piece is made out of Duralmond (biodegradable and recyclable crushed almond husks), an environmentally friendly and sustainable material. Duralmond also allows for any color. Hence, Mons can be tailored to your child’s taste, no matter how capricious. And who knows, maybe it fulfills the ultimate task and makes washing hands fun.
