If you are on a market for a new bulletin board (and if you are like me, you constantly are) – check out this piece by Portland based studio iLoveHandles. Smorgas is an organizational tool that is as useful as it is aesthetically pleasing. All magnets are hidden inside the wooden surface to create a really smooth streamlined finish. The kit includes several different attachments – pegs for your pictures and notes, hook for your keys, box for your pens, and shelf for your phone and wallet. You can buy them separately and use on your fridge, front door or any other metal surface.
This innovative piece, called Mirror 2.0, has been created by designer Robert Grynkofki. The smart piece uses voice command, face and gesture recognition technology. Two LCD displays are placed behind a one-way mirror with a camera for face recognition, sensors for motion control and a microphone for voice control. It informs you of the weather, news, it can display your e-books and play your music. Getting ready in the morning sounds much more entertaining with this clever thing. The project is Reece 2013 Bathroom Innovation Award entry.
(via yanko design)
London based designer James Tattersall creates simple and elegant designs, one of which I’ve featured in this blog. His other creation, Hook Shelf, is a clever way to add storage to the entryway without adding the clutter. The piece is a combination of a bookshelf, clothing hooks and a drawer. The elements coexist harmoniously in this beautifully crafted object. The shelf is only 27” wide, which makes it a great contender for a small apartment.
(via themag)
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Donald M. Rattner.
STACT is a modular design that stores wine in both a useful and attractive way. The product consists of individual panels with cut-outs for inserting an aluminum mount that cradles the bottles with minimal material support. Panels are mounted directly on walls, and by being butted together can be extended to any desired length and height. The play of panels, supports and bottles make a striking decorative effect, transforming the need for storage into a visual enhancement.
Panels measure 11 1/2 x 15, and come in a variety of colors and finishes, including Electric Orange, Piano Black, Pure White, Walnut and Zebrano. A single panel holds nine standard sized or champagne bottles, while a pair of adjacent panels can hold up to twelve. All hardware needed for installation comes in the package. STACT originated as a Kickstarter project, and was designed by award-winning San Francisco creative Eric Pfeiffer. Purchase here.
These decorative hooks have been designed by my fellow New Yorkers Luez Design and Play, and they are adorable. Made from powder coated steel, they can provide a sturdy and attractive home for your belongings. The hooks come in blue, coral pink and mint. Available for purchase through designers’ website.
If you hate cable clutter as much as I do – I will love this product! CableBin by Bluelounge is a smart and elegant way to manage unruly cordage. The piece resembles a slick dust bin, only instead of paper trash it holds all your bulky surge protectors. It uses adhesive components inside so you can latch hubs to the sidewalls of the bin and let the cables drop down the middle. The lid provides an opening for chargers and connectors to be at the ready when you need them. Brilliant! Watch the video after the break to see CableBin in action.
This cool desk organizer by famed design studio Lexon, called Minitotem, is a brilliant personal and/or office gift. Slick and attractive, the item can add class and square inches to a busy workspace. Minitotem stacks a USB hub, LCD display clock, stationery kit, storage container and tape dispenser. You can keep the components in a tidy tower when you need your desk to look neat, or spread them around when the coast is clear. The piece is made of strong ABS plastic, it comes in black, lime green, red and white. Available for purchase here.
When the space is tight, even such an innocent thing like an umbrella stand can ruin the flow of the entryway. Italian designer Carlo Contin and furniture manufacturer Mogg came up with the clever solution. This minimalist floating umbrella stand, called Piove (“it rains” in Italian), only stands out a couple of inches off the wall. Made from aluminum with a mirror finish, the piece can be used both inside and outside. It features a small hole in its base, through which the moisture from a wet umbrella evaporates. Beautiful.
With the holiday season coming up it’s time to cultivate some gift ideas. This cute minimalist desktop organizer just went into my list. Called Desktructure (nice!), the collection has been created by famed designer Héctor Serrano for Italian brand Seletti. It consists of porcelain containers shaped to look like a post-industrial urban neighborhood of warehouses and factories, along with a high-rise condo or two. You can line them up for a neat streetscape, or scatter them around as need dictates. Available for purchase here.
French designer Paul Menand, whose impressive work I featured in some of my previous posts, created this beautiful collection of mirrors called Parker. The line consists of three mirrors of different size and shape, which can adapt to any type of support. Thanks to the adjustable mount, you can attach them to different objects. The mirrors look particularly lovely as a grouping, but you can use them separately just as well. Love the nomadic versatility of this design. Wishlisted.
