Hanger Shelf is a bright storage idea from the Latvian design studio MAJO. It is intended for the small items that, instead of occupying space in your room, can now be stored away in the closet. Made from powder coated aluminum, the piece comes in three colors – black, white and light green. Smart stuff!
The Watson desk from UK based manufacturer Made.com is small in size and generous on impact and practicality. Made from oak veneer with glossy contrasting details, the piece includes several space-saving solutions. The storage compartment with holes for cables takes care of clutter. The shelf with integrated LED lighting (optional) allows to store and display books and other small items while illuminating the working surface. The manufacturing process itself is an exercise in efficiency. The items are produced in small batches only when backed up by high web approval ratings. The deadline for placing orders is given to the voters, after which all orders are processed together, ensuring that there is no waste of storage space for unsold products. This clever and eco-friendly strategy reminds me of the StyleFactory here, in New York.
Here is another beautiful example of urban adaptability, this time from France. Jérémie Buchholtz wanted an affordable apartment in Bordeaux (he’s a photographer who splits his time between Paris and Bordeaux so his budget was limited). He bought an abandoned garage and, with the help of his friend and architect Matthieu de Marien, transformed it into a 441 square foot living space. This tiny house has every basic component in place – living room, office, gourmet kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and lots of storage. All this was made possible by inventing a clever furniture piece that incorporates most of the components. With this clever organization, the architect was even able to allocate 129 square feet for a patio! So, again, we see that small space doesn’t have to come with lifestyle sacrifices. Watch the video above for a full house tour!
Sprout is a modular tool-less furniture collection some of you might remember by this lovely Kickstarter video. This line is designed to be simple: simple to make and simple to use. It’s easy to assemble and disassemble, making moving and storage easy. No tools or hardware are required, components are interchangeable, allowing you to change the color, style, or even functionality. And with the eco-friendly and virtually waste-less manufacturing process, this furniture is kind to the environment too. As the company’s creator Clark Davis tells me, Sprout has recently rebranded and went in production. Now, that’s a success story I’m really happy to hear!
There is not a reason in the world why should we have boring storage. This modular system by Julia Quancard is anything but. It imitates the houndstooth (or Pied-de-Poule) woven pattern, which makes for a fun and beautiful shelving display. The units come in two colors made of laminated composite wood. Each piece is hung using only two screws. So you can create configurations of any size with the space you have at your disposal. Sweet.
There is a lot to love about the 10 Unit System by Japanese architect and designer Shigeru Ban – it is modular, eco-friendly, good-looking and can be easily assembled by one person. And most importantly – it is ideal for limited spaces, because it allows us to built and customize our furniture according to our immediate needs. The series of L-shaped units can be combined to make different kinds of seating, from individual chairs to multi-seat configurations. You can also build table bases for tops of varying sizes with this same system. All configurations are held in place by a simple method of connecting rods, which makes them a child’s play to assemble. The 10 Unit System is made from UPM ProFi, an innovative composite, comprised of recycled paper and plastic. So, it is easy on the environment too. The product is available at Module R.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzO1-tfwG2E
Viper is a series of LED lamps, created by Danish designer Philip Bro Ludvigsen for Danish lamp manufacturer Le Klint. The piece comes in three sizes – small, base-less version (that can be converted into a wall lamp), a medium table lamp, and a large floor model. Viper is made of leather or wool felt and fitted with flex wiring, which is why it can be bent into any shape imaginable. With these highly adaptable lightpieces you can direct your illumination in any way you please. The lamps were recently unveiled at the Copenhagen Design Week 2011.
Stoov is a cool futuristic concept for Electrolux designed by Methieu Baele. It is a cooking unit, which you can stick on to your cooking pots. Thanks to the electromagnet, it can be attached to any side of the dish. The cooking method Stoov provides is very simple – set the temperature on to the touch screen and the piece does the rest. The heating elements inside allow for an even heat distribution. The internal battery and small size make it possible to take your Stoov anywhere you want. The adapter is used to power up six of these devices at the same time. Brilliant! Watch the video below to see how it all works.
Abbracio is a beautiful upholstered bed designed by Fausto Boscariol for Italian manufacturer Europeo. The most telling feature of this piece is a bending headboard that embraces you (hence the name) while illuminating your reading. Two lights, incorporated into the corners of the bed, can be turned in any direction, giving you the choice of direct or ambient lighting. The bed comes in a variety of colors. Watch the videos to see Abbracio in action.
Among many delights of this year’s Maison et Objet Fair I would like to mention this unusual inflatable planter by ArtTerre. The piece is called Green Pillow and acts as a flexible houseplant container, equally suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Once inflated, it becomes a plant cushion. You can put it on the sofa or the floor, it is waterproof and can even float. So, you can freely scatter these planter pillows around any surfaces. The item can hold pots of up to 13cm in diameter.
