Every renter knows that IKEA’s ubiquitous nature cannot be fought. It’s that convenient shortcut most of us take at one point or another. Fortunately, there are entrepreneurial souls out there, who can help us to embrace Swedish fast food of furniture in a new and exciting way. This particular IKEA hack belongs to Andreas Bhend and allows us to built three original items from a humble Frosta chair. The redesigns include a wall-mounted shelving unit, coffee table and a coat rack. Called Frosta X, Frosta Y and Frosta Z respectively, the items do require some power tool action. But the result is well-worth the elbow grease. I also love the humorously drawn instructions. Watch the stop motion video to follow the process.
This storage system by Sebastian Schönheit reminds me of a Growing Cabinet by Yi-Cong Lu, I featured earlier this year. Here too – the shelves slide sideways to free more storing space. Schönheit’s piece, called Shift, consists of four elements which can easily be stacked on top of each other and moved horizontally. There is no need for screws, brackets or props. Shift can be arranged according to its content (the sliding shelves provide the room for bulky items) or your space requirements. The metal back of the item doubles as a bulletin board, so Shift can be used as a free-standing item.
– What are the most interesting buildings in the world? Quora.
– You don’t see that every day – London double-decker bus does push-ups.
– How social media revolutionized home decorating.
– Another clever iPhone hack for multitaskers – ThingSling.
– If you are a crazy Breaking Bad fan, like I am, you’ll love this – meth-resembling candy.
– Meanwhile in Japan… Hands free toilet paper dispenser.
– Daytime fireworks?..
– Astounding gravity-defying art by Cornelia Konrads.
– Pop-out tea shop – what a fun concept!
– A stunning celestial time lapse video, made out of shots taken from the International Space Station.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
I am very pleased to beat the drum for a fellow countryman today. Russian designer Lesha Galkin created this modular shelving system, beautifully adaptable to any space, big or small. The structures are composed of plywood and solid pine boards. Thin plywood pieces are nested inside each other, creating various configurations. These small structures are easily assembled without glue or screws, which makes for flexible, lightweight storage.
This retractable hanging rack by San-Diego-based designer Curtis Micklish, called Pin-Up, is a fine idea for a small entry area. The item folds flat when not in use and allows to extend individual pegs or peg groupings, depending on your storage needs. It does require some elbow grease during the installation, but the result this neat is worth a little power tool action. Here is how Curtis describes the construction of the Pin-Up: “To briefly explain how it works, there are a group of free moving dowels that have a stop at the backside. The outside center dowel on each end is attached to a backboard that moves freely forward and backward and allows you to easily push all dowels out to full extension. Then it just depends on the object you hang to push the pins in where its needed.” Some drywall cutting is involved in the mounting process, however, for those of us who rent their shoeboxes the designer is willing to create a surface mounted piece, wrapped in walnut.
Hydroponic herb gardens are a perfect solution for cramped apartment living. There’s one problem – they are not always compact and often take too much of the valuable counter real estate. This design concept by François-Xavier Martouzet combines all pleasures of indoor gardening in a smart tiny package. The system includes a C-shaped frame with LED lamp and three containers for herbs. Looking a lot like an appliance, BB Little Garden won’t be out of place in the kitchen. And the fresh herbs it produces can be grown year round. Clever.
Here is another clever work/dining table hybrid. Created by Mathias Hahn for Danish brand Arco, the piece is an attempt to combine work and play on the same surface. The deed is possible thanks to a sizable sliding storage compartment that allows to put away all work-related paraphernalia during dinner time. Here is how the designer describes the concept: “The frame underneath the table top is rather slim, so there is less restriction from a thick top section that comprises a drawer unit or similar. This allowes the desk to be used more flexible when it comes to different living and work situations, however still offering the functionality of storrage within the desk.”
(via stilsucht)
This minimalist shelf by Carme Pinós studio caught my eye. Made out of 2mm thick piece of steel, the Moni shelf is folded and attached to the wall, creating multiple configurations. The piece reminds me of Umbra’s famous Conceal shelf. Here too – the storage becomes visually overtaken by the stored items. “Moni’s receptacle form facilitates easy storage of books and objects, and takes on a weightless appearance as the number of books grows.” – designers explain. The piece is available in three depths – 20cm-25cm-30cm, and two finishes – vanished and coated.
– Flygrip – a handy (literally) little gizmo lets safely multitask with an iPhone.
– Here is something everyone can use at one point or another – Japanese Shouting Vase.
– Language nerds, this is your chance to shine. Collins Dictionary seeks new word submissions from the public.
– Peel Wall Light – what a cool concept.
– Smart Dot, a nice tool for making really smooth presentations (and more).
– How English sounds for non-English speakers (I actually remember the feeling).
– Probably the most amazing cancer awareness shopping bag I’ve seen.
– The current popularity of adapting the Keep Calm posters from the Second World War gets the full animated treatment.
Enjoy your weekend, folks!
This small vacation house in Sweden (75 square meters) started with the chair. The owners, Marie Wåhlin and Kenth Kembe, derived the aesthetic of the place from an old Eames moulded chair, bought during couple’s trip to Gothenburg. Another source of inspiration came from the traditional architecture of Gotland – the homeland of the house. Architect Torbjörn Hoeg managed to create a tailored modern solution, based on these classic ideas. The center of a house is a living room, which, thanks to the shape of the roof, has a cathedral feel. Three small bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom enframe the central area (see the floorplan below). There are several green touches, that make the house truly self-sufficient. The steep metal roof houses three solar panels, creating enough electricity to cover the heating and hot water from April to October. 37-centimeter-thick masonry walls hold the heat well, and the limestone floor keeps the house cool during hot months.
(via wave avenue)
