December 11, 2012

Here is an interesting student dwelling concept from Swedish company AF Bostäder. As an alternative to multi-unit dormitory housing, they have built a small cottage with all the essentials a young scholar may require. The place includes a kitchenette complete with dining area, a shower bathroom and a sleeping loft. A study desk is conveniently located below the sleeping area. There’s even an outside plot for a bit of gardening. The projected rent amount for the cottage is the equivalent of $370 – something any student can afford. Right now the company is petitioning authorities to expand and create more free-standing student houses like this one. And the existing sample cottage is a subject of a steady competition among students for the right to live there.

(via dornob)

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December 10, 2012

November Desk is a beautiful little piece created by Danish designer Louise Campbell for Nikari brand, as part of their 2012 Designs for Nature collection. The desk is made of solid maple and treated with a natural oil mixture. I love the clean and minimalist look of the piece. The asymmetrical outer shelf provides additional paper and book storage while the wide drawer can hold all your writing paraphernalia. I’m also quite moved by the poetic description submitted by designer herself: “November: my cold, dark, wet and windy enemy. How to find something good in you? I think of gentle 
light, maybe just a candle, a soft chair, this little desk, 
its drawer full of pens, its shelf full of paper, 
and I can almost welcome you.”

(via design-milk)

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December 8, 2012

– What a cool idea – biblio-mat, a used book vending machine.

– Minimalist wooden Christmas tree beautifully packaged.

– What words really mean: David Foster Wallace’s dictionary.

– A beautiful short documentary about landmine clearance.

– A bit disturbing and yet stylish – 72 year old man models teen-girl clothes.

– Some interesting insight about Google Glass.

The history of high heels – fun article.

– Incredible unknown oceanian species.

– Hilarious video – which dog is the guiltiest.

– And an eye-candy for book lovers – colorful book stack snapshots.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

December 7, 2012

Cube 6 is a brilliant invention of designer Naho Matsuno. It allows us to solve the most common small space related problem – guest seating. This compact item, which in its folded state can serve as a stool or a side-table, unravels to reveal six stools. A perfect solution for a party situation! Made from birch plywood and maple, Cube 6 is minimal and sleek. And once you’ve mastered the puzzle, it should be effortless to put together.  (more…)

December 6, 2012

London based designer Paul Cocksedge, well known for his bold space installations, came up with an object of a smaller scale, but just as impressive as his other works. Invisible Bookend is a visual illusion, allowing you to display books without any additional support. A slightly tilted stack is all we see. He never reveals the trick, making our curiosity another selling point.  “I wanted to discover if other people would enjoy as much as I do seeing books displayed without any other object to distract attention from them. This is a design which is not about appearance, only function. That’s the beauty of it,” – says the designer. A great gift for all the book lovers on your list…

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December 5, 2012

Wallpockets are clever cardboard storage clusters, designed by Cincinnati based studio Ampersand. Inspired by barnacles and simple geometric shapes, the pieces look like wall decorations. They beautifully occupy any underused wall space and thanks to their ingenious shape store a large variety of items inside. Perfect for worksplaces, Wallpockets can also be used in an entryway, living room, kitchen and other areas of the house. The product ships flat and comes in six reversible colors. It’s currently on sale at Fab.

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December 4, 2012

If you are an avid indoor gardener whose plantation is constantly growing, you might want to consider plant-friendly modular shelving. This system by Melbourne-based designer Alex O’Connell, called Cross-It, can be just the thing. The shelf is comprised of 600h x 600w x 200d boards with circular cut-outs to accept flower pots. You can create different configurations by alternating the pot segments with the pain ones, customizing the unit to the storage needs you have. The assembly process is easy and does not require tools or adhesives. Simply slot in cross-stitch the boards together. The product ships flat.

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December 3, 2012

Holiday season is in full swing, which requires a lot of gift-giving and serving of food. These Pantone trays will help you to execute these two activities in style. Both the 4-piece and the 11-piece sets work well for a variety of foods and occasions. Sushi or tapas, brunch or cocktails, these modular trays can be used in many different combinations. And the neutral design will make them a thoughtful and universally appropriate gift. I especially like the fact that the pieces interlock perfectly for compact storage. The 4-piece set comes in Indian Teal, Tangerine Tango, and Tea colors, and the 11-piece – in elegant Anthracite and Blanc de Blanc. Available for purchase here.

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