This 320-square-foot studio in Little Italy is tiny even by New York standards. Which is why it is especially gratifying to see it transformed into a light, uncluttered, airy pad. Herve Bauge, the owner of the place, sought help of John Nafziger and Sarah Strauss of Bigprototype, Brooklyn-based design firm. They managed to find extra inches of space by placing sleeping and entertainment areas of the apartment on the same spot. The main secret of this remodel is the clever murphy bed that is tricked out with bookshelves and reading lights. There’s also a built-in walnut-topped table that can be folded out while the bed remains up.
Entry area is usually a place where we unload our daily gear – handbags, umbrellas, scarves… And the simpler the process is organized, the less clutter stays in the area. This next item by design collective Viable London is very straightforward and takes virtually no space. The OTT hook collection, comprised of four hooks, allows you to use your door as a base. The hooks are attached with a single screw and removed just as easily. Different lengths and color choices add variety and let you match the arrangement to the existing decor. The items are made from powder-coated steel, have rounded edges to avoid snags and adhesive rubber to protect your door. Available for a short time at Made.
This unusual piece of furniture, created by Taiwan based designer Kenyon Yeh for cooima, was inspired by two bulletin board classics – pushpin and cork. Yeh used the lightness and forgiving qualities of cork to craft this multifunctional item. You can use it as a stool or flip it over and turn it into a side table. What a lovely idea! Just be prepared to fight the urge of sticking notes to it – the curse of cork surfaces…
Kyoto-based studio Miso created this beautiful modular storage piece called XShelf. This system is stackable, flatpacked, and aesthetically pleasing. But best of all – it requires zero tools to assemble. Just interlock the wooden pieces via slots, slide the cubic shapes into groves, and you’re done. Simple, sensible and remarkably customizable… A very good idea for a tiny space.
If these designy little cable labels don’t make you smile – I shall eat my hat. These adorable organizational items, called The Mark Brothers, are there to help you in sorting your various cordage. Fun and practical, they are the ingenius cable management solution for your home office, TV or music system. And with these labels in place, you might actually be less frustrated about having to fiddle with your cables. The Mark Brothers make a neat gift as well. Available here.
Designer David Hanauer had a very cool idea. He created a multifunctional geometric frame that can be transformed into a wall-mounted structure, capable to perform many different roles. It can be used as a home office, bar, shelving piece, dining table, media unit, and more. “The object can either be placed on the floor or mounted to a wall, can exist visually as a sculpture or be utilised physically as furniture. By adding one sheet of metal the rectangular wooden structure becomes a functional table,” – says the designer. Watch the video above to see the transformation in action.
No. 5 is a modest title of the storage system, created by Swedish designer Jesper Ståhl for Voice. Now, I’ve seen a lot of storage, but I can hardly remember anything quite as customizable. Slim dimensions, modularity and harmonious proportions make No. 5 equally suitable for any room of your home (or office for that matter). You can build free standing units, wall mounted shelves, bookcases, credenzas, side tables, night stands, file cabinets, media storage, the list goes on and on. Most modules are perfectly calculated for storing different sizes paper. Various finishes and background accent colors are available.
There is a lot to love about this modular storage system. Mix Boxes by The Utility Collective are modular, eco-friendly and easy to put together. The set includes six boxes of various shapes and sizes that allow you to create many configurations based on your space requirements and storage needs. And what an attractive way to break visual boredom… The pieces are made in the USA without the use of formaldehyde or other harmful substances. The sides of each box interlock, creating a strong adhesive-free bond. And if you want to take your set apart and use segments of it as separate items of furniture, it can be done in minutes.
The Kleiderstiele (German for “clothing sticks”) are minimal and clever leaning clothing racks. Designed by Johanna Dehio for Raumgestal, the pieces pose an alternative to the traditional clothing storage arrangements. Light, thin and easily movable, the Kleiderstiele can be stored when not in use and offered to a guest or a party of guests in seconds. The collection includes three hanger sticks of different height and one, equipped with hooks for scarves, hats and handbags. And thanks to the leaning principle – the more you put on these racks, the sturdier they become.
Some of you might remember the Stacked Shelving, designed by wonderful Julien De Smedt of JDS Architects for Muuto. If you like it as much as I do, you will be happy to know that the Stacked family has expanded with a new wall-mounted Mini Stacked series. Just as beautiful, modular and organic, the pieces can be arranged on your wall in many different combinations (with the same cool clips, holding them together). Here is what designer has to say about the project: “How to be specific and generic altogether? Shelving systems have a tendency to achieve one concern but never both. We decided to dimension shelving units based on the generic measurements of things to store and display while allowing for them to be combined according to specific needs and desires… the result can be at times a random stack of boxes or a coordinated grid of efficient storage… or both!” Mini Stacked is envisioned for things you want to store and display at the same time, a “modest shelving to show your great things…”
