The Un-tidy side table by Milan based designer Kostantia Manthou provides a clever and unexpected extra storage for various reading materials. Thanks to its accordeon-like leather pocket, the piece expands, creating a bookshelf between two surfaces. Perfect as a bedside table and a reading chair companion, Un-tidy is flexible and can store as much or as little as you like. The item comes in a variety of finishes and several colors of leather.
(via designboom)
Leading a sustainable life is a noble aspiration, but a tricky one to have if you’re living in a small apartment. Take compost, for example. Aside from being a messy process, it requires space we don’t always have. Luckily, designers do think about these things and come up with ideas. Here is one from London based design student Fanny M.E. Nilsson – a portable waste processor that turns your food leftovers into a liquid fertilizer. The piece, aptly called Re-Feed, is no bigger than a toaster. The idea is to throw the leftover food into the machine, close the lid, push a button and walk away. No fiddling with soil, no sacrificing units of space for bulky containers. “Inspired by lacking food waste recycling infrastructures in flats and high-rise housing in central London, the Re-Feed provides a simple alternative to sending waste to landfill or composting.,” – says Nilsson. When the fertilizer is ready – it can be fed to a plant through the convenient nuzzle. Re-Feed is fitted with the rechargeable battery, so it can be easily moved to any room. The piece is only a concept at this point. Can’t wait to see it produced.
Whenever Keiji Ashizawa comes up with a new item – I’m always excited. For those who don’t remember – I featured some of his works in my previous posts. I love the simplicity, beautiful craftsmanship and mobility of his designs. This piece, called Bon Drawer, is no exception. The object is comprised of five drawers that double as trays (the closest translation of the word Bon). These trays are removable and can be used to carry and display the items inside. The metal frame is equipped with two small wheels and a handle for easy movement. The Bon Drawer can be taken completely apart for storage. I can see it being an ideal companion for a desk. Wishlisted.
Without any reservations – this must be the most innovative hybrid I’ve seen so far. The Random coffee/dining table by Germany based designer Philipp Grundhoefer is converted into either state by pivoting the legs (see the photos after the break). The simple L shape allows for both lengths to be seamlessly interchangeable. Once the legs are pivoted – the table top can be turned upside down, the leg lock into the slots and voilà – the new function is achieved. How simple and clever! The tabletop consists of alternating layers of oak and MDF, the legs are made of oak.
Here is something new and exciting from the world of flat packed design – a lamp that is delivered in an envelope! Created by the French studio Well Well Designers, the Pop-up Lamp is constructed from a sheet of paper, lined with polyphane. The paper is cut and incised, in such a way to produce a square, triangular or circular module when folded at a 90° angle. The piece is intended for the corners – the most neglected and underutilized space in any home. “Intended for the corner of a room, the lamp creates a luminous shape, interacting with the architecture, – designers describe. – It cleverly takes advantage of a space often unexploited in design.” Each lamp is handmade to order.
This inventive space-saving layout is a work of architect Kyu Sung Woo, hired by his son, Wonbo, to help with remodeling his newly purchased New York loft. The apartment was located in a former hat factory, which entailed a lot of drastic planning decisions. The place was narrow and dark, with kitchen and bathroom awkwardly cramped in one corner. “That’s typical in Manhattan loft construction, where you don’t have quite enough for two full floors,”- the architect says. – “They line up all the elements side by side against one wall, and block off the spaces above and below.” To change all that, the layout was changed completely. The kitchen has been made a focal point with the bedroom loft, placed above it. The kitchen ceiling was elevated, giving the bed a familiar two feet height. The area, separating kitchen from the hallway is used as a massive closet – a luxury in any NY pad. To make the space appear bigger, all horizontal surfaces are covered with light wood, and the remaining vertical surfaces are painted white. Natural light bounces off the light shelves over the windows to wash the vaulted ceiling in a soft glow.
(via dwell)
– Seven innovative buildings, designed to fit in tight urban spaces.
– A lovely and touching article about Russian museum cats. (via @zomgmouse)
– Startling animation. 1000 years of war in 5 minutes.
– An unsettling anti-smoking campaign – Tobacco Body.
– What an incredible and admirable gesture – a man turns his home into a public library.
– Levitating water… Mind-boggling.
– Stunning tea illustrations (made of actual tea) by Andrew Gorkovenko.
– And finally – a very inspiring TED talk by writer Kathrin Schultz on the psychology of regret (via Brain Pickings).
Have a great weekend, folks!
Here is a noteworthy concept by French designer Clement Sarrodie – Botanic Hydroponic Furniture. In his attempt to introduce more greenery to the everyday life, Sarrodie designed three pieces of furniture for hydroponic plants. Each item allows us to grow our precious botanicals while creating a beautiful setting for them. Would be interesting to see these items produced.
96° shelf system by Germany-based designer Karoline Fesser is a successful attempt to break the routine of conventional shelving. Each of the basic elements – base, box and cover – follows an angle of 96 degrees (hence the name). “Stackable into each other the elements mount up to a shelf by an alternate layering. Interlocking edges and cuts allow an easy and stable stacking without any additional fixtures,” – designer explains. The modules come in various colors, allowing to create personalized palette.
This film, shot by the great Kirsten Dirksen of Fair Companies, lets us into a very unusual tiny home. The owner, Barcelona-based architect Valentina Maini, bought an extremely small space in a historic walk-up. The apartment is only 25 square meter (269 square feet) big, yet it contains all the necessities and even a few luxuries (check out how she managed to incorporate a bathtub into her limited living space!). This housetour offers a lot of great space-saving ideas, shows how to recycle old office furniture and choose new one. I specifically loved how the traditional Japanese tatami chairs were used in various ways. Enjoy!
