This is delightful. Designer Adrian Candela was overwhelmed by the packing waste stacked in his living room after a recent move and decided to turn the old boxes into new furniture. As someone with the pronounced cardboard fetish, I did feature his Nit nightstand before. And what a pleasure it was to find this video, shot by Kirsten Dirksen of Fair Companies, showcasing his other DIY ideas. Do enjoy! Also check out Adrian’s website for actual downloadable instructions.
Japanese architects are versed in complying with space limitations. Especially while building in Tokyo, one of the most overcrowded places on the planet. This unusual home, recently completed by architect studio ondesign, is literally utilizing the gap between two houses. The plot is only 9 square meters big (around 97 square feet). Which is why building vertically was the only option. The three-story house includes all that is necessary for comfortable living – kitchen, bath, sleeping and lounging areas, even purely recreational outdoor space. Check out architects’ blog to see all stages of this amazing project.
(via spoon & tamago)
The cool, democratic and versatile Crates Storage System has been created by Atlanta based designer Jenny Drinkard and made in the USA. The flexibility of these smart boxes needs to be tried to be believed. They can store books, office supplies, kitchenware, bathroom paraphernalia, clothes, bedroom linnens, toys… you name it. And thanks to the agreeable looks, Crates can be incorporated into any room in your home. The units are stackable, so you can create various configurations, as big or small as you need. The system includes a number of useful add-ons. You can attach a cork bulletin board or a dry erase board to the side, put a cushion onto the top for extra seating, add a cord clip for wire management, a hook for hanging stuff… Quite brilliant! Available for purchase here.
– Secrets of sleep. Truly fascinating.
– This folding car could probably cure New York parking misery.
– Incredibly gorgeous murals by David de la Mano and Pablo S. Herrero.
– The best view of any house is seen through the eyes of a cat. Toblerone House by Studio MK27.
– A titanium mouse… what will they think of next?
– Trolling in London subway – a collection of hilarious signs.
– Cool bubble wrap ad!
– And one more for the senses – rescued ducks take their first swim.
Have a wonderful weekend, everybody!
This beautiful side table by German designer Philipp Beisheim is versatile as it is elegant. Comprised of three parts, it can be easily assembled and disassembled, and, thanks to its construction, it can take various shapes. Here is how designer describes it: “TOAD side table is an exploration in creating new forms by adding stability to an object. A single table segment cannot stand independently; it has to be connected with at least two other segments to create a stable playful configuration. This was one of the most important factors in determining the form of the table.” The piece is made from solid ash and features lacquered top in two colors.
Whenever I see a good hybrid of a desk and a dining table – I always feel grateful. Work and entertaining are the two activities that are especially tricky to combine. and the Piano table, created by Bernotat & Co Design Studio for German brand Magazin, pulls it off very well. The table has two surfaces – the lower one is for work and storage of the work-related clutter, the upper surface is for dining. The transition between the two modes is seamless, just close the piano-like lid (hence the name) – and you’re done with work and ready for a party. The storage compartments with holes for media cords and cables are an especially nice touch.
Indoor gardeners – rejoice! Someone had been thinking long and hard about your situation and came up with something rather delightful. The two Italian designers, Francesca Bonfrate and Alessandra Bove, that make up Bubble Design created an at-home gardening collection called Green Kit. The line is comprised of four different but equally useful items (see photos after the break): Invaso – a climbing plant support object, placed directly into the pot; Serravaso – a miniature greenhouse (in two sizes) that will create a perfect environment for plants to grow; Travaso – a clever and useful loose soil collecting surface, allowing your to easily poor the excess potting soil back into the pot; and Trifoglio – a modular climbing support wall that can also be used as a hanging divider (and you know how much I love hanging dividers). So there you have it – a perfect gardening quartet that will keep your green thumb occupied during all those long winter evenings.
(via design-milk)
The Takka table by Agnieszka Mazur reminds me of a piano stool I had when I was little. The principle here is the same – a humble butterfly screw locks the table at an adjustable height. This simple and smart construction makes the piece an ideal contender for a small urban apartment. Takka can serve as a side table or a dining table for two. The tripod-like base provides enough leg room, and the tabletop is just big enough for an intimate table setting. A great little item to have in a confined studio or dorm.
(via gblog)
This lovely loft renovation has caught my eye. A smallish space, only 624 square feet, was made to appear spacious, thanks to the continuous neutral color scheme (aside from the bold splashes of orange) and clever zoning. The apartment includes all that is necessary for comfortable existence – living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom with a shower and a small sleeping area upstairs. The spiral staircase is an especially nice touch, for it suggests a much bigger space than there is in reality and makes a beautiful visual statement. The wall art and lighting fixtures take full advantage of the ceiling height. Carefully selected furniture pieces are scaled perfectly for each zone. What a clever and well thought-out use of space.
This flexible bookcase, called Squaring, has been created by Korean designer Lee Sehoon. The piece is comprised of nine square units that are hinged together in a circle. Thanks to this unusual contraction, Squaring can expand from the initial neat grid mode to a number of dynamic shapes, thus increasing its storing capacity. It is also interesting to observe how unequal wight distribution changes the appearance of the bookcase, making it an interactive object, capable of unexpected transformation. Check out the video after the break to see Squaring in action.
