It’s that time of year again when small thoughtful items are in high demand. This little floating shelf can be considered a great gift to someone who is struggling with limited entryway space. Plank by iLoveHandles can hold your phone, wallet, glasses and other essential whatnots. The magnetic underside is perfect for your keys. The installation process is a 3-step breeze (described on the box the shelf comes in). Lovely.
It is always exciting to see innovative extendable dining tables. This piece, called TTabe and created by UK based designer Joshua Browne, is definitely a noteworthy one. The idea of the table is quite brilliant – a sheet of metal simply glides over the existing wooden table, hiding it when extra table top is not needed. No mechanics or elaborate construction elements. A combination of maple and white sheet metal creates a nice visual effect. Here is what the designer says about the piece: “The purpose of the TTable is to enable users, who are living in small flats with little or limited space, to have a dining table that can allow for both one person to dine alone or, with the extension, accommodate for both visitors and extra space.” Amen.
I recently came across this local wood shop, specializing in bike storage. You can imagine my excitement! Father and son operated business, called Urban City Bike Shelves, is located in Queens, NYC. “Originally, this idea of a bike shelf came about by living in NYC and trying to make small apartments comfortable, stylish, and creative,” – designers say. Not only these shelves display your bike as an art piece, they also serve as extra storage for your books and various entryway items. Each piece is handcrafted from either cherry or walnut wood and finished with natural wax. Dimensions are customizable.
I absolutely love these elegant and simple side tables by Stuttgart based designer Simon Busse. Thanks to their clever construction, the pieces fold flat when you need to store them. And when some extra tabletop space is required – you can assemble them in minutes. Here is how designer describes his concept: “Only if all its components interact the table stands firmly. Three flat wooden legs other form the basis and are brought into position by a connective element. A hook on the top side of the connective element holds a coloured elastic band – the marionette’s string. The band runs through the wooden legs towards a tabletop and turns into a carrying handle on the upper side. In order to lock this fragile structure, the tabletop is bevelled downwards, the legs are kept in position and the entire table stands firmly.”
Rudolf bathroom cabinet by Ariane März is a beautiful space-saving piece. It is comprised of a simple frame, hidden behind a mirror, and five storage boxes of different size. The boxes can be attached to the frame in a variety of ways, creating different configurations. I especially love the combination of open and closed storage, where all intimate items can be placed behind the mirror. Thanks to its flexible design, the Rudolf cabinet can accommodate items of any size. Two towel rails complete the piece.
(via stilsucht)
Pet furniture is luxury in a small space – it takes our valuable real estate while being often underused or even ignored by the intended user(s). That’s why I’m always grateful when I see the effort to incorporate pet lounging areas into the pieces we, human beings, can also use. The Hammock coffee table, created by Japanese designer Koichi Futatsumata for E&Y, is a great example of such synergy. Made out of glass and stainless steel, the piece is elegant and contemporary. And the rattan hammock cat bed feature is unobtrusive and beautiful. If your cat adopts it – wonderful! If not – you can still use the coffee table and simply treat the hammock as additional storage.
(via inthralld)
I’m really impressed with ingenuity of this extendable table by French designer Julien Vidame. The tabletop is comprised of small panels. When put together vertically, they create a smaller surface, and in their flat position, they double the table’s capacity. The transition between these two modes are made via a clever metal mechanism, hidden underneath the tabletop. Thanks to this mechanism, the piece grows from 31 to 62 inches. The extendable table is a concept at this point. I do hope to see the piece produced.
Mattoni (“brick” in Italian) is a modular system of cardboard storage, created by designer Giorgio Caporaso. Any fellow cardboard lover will see the value of these highly sustainable, 100% recyclable pieces. The concept should appeal to the urban folk as well, because it allows us to build various configurations of storage for any space, big or small. The combinations are endless – you can create bookshelves, room dividers, credenzas, tables… Various finishes and colors are also available. Studio Caporaso even created a special unit as part of Mattoni system that enables you to cultivate a small green corner inside this storage. A new and dynamic way to bring nature in among the bookcases and display walls…
The Plan Desk by London based designer James Tattersall was inspired by a traditional architect workspace with plan drawers (hence the name). It provides rather generous storage for an item of this size, yet stays streamlined and elegant. The large top drawer is capable of storing A1 prints, architectural plans or your laptop computer and files. And the two drawers underneath it can take care of the usual wor-related clutter. “The desk sits on simple trestles allowing easier transportation and the option of replacement to customise the look or height of your table,” – designer explains. The piece is made to order and comes in two colors – white and turquoise. (more…)
Latvian designer Reinis Salins created this stunner of a bike hanger, called Elk. Made out of solid wood, the piece looks great on the wall with or without a bike. Thanks to its shape, Elk is equally attractive from all viewing angles. It is based on an easy to use mount system that can be installed via 3 standard screws. Elk comes in 4 different finishes – cold black, light graphite, brown, natural.
