A desk that grows with its owner – what a clever concept. The AZ desk, created by Lyon-based designer Guillaume Bouvet allows to adjust the writing surface to accommodate a child through his/her growth. Thus the piece can suit a toddler as well as an adult, which means you only need to buy one desk for your hard-studying offspring. The desktop can be flipped up and turned into a magnetic board. The entire workspace unit is made with three ply panels for added stability.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/24044036]
Here is an idea – instead of throwing away packages from light bulbs, why not turn them into something useful and functional? This is what English illustrator and graphic designer Chris Anderson did. His Lamp is a socket that turns into a real table lamp in seconds. It is fun, simple, and unpretentious. And the product is made from recycled cardboard – another wholesome eco-friendly detail.
Here is something for the senses – an exciting special edition line, based on designs of renown French architect and designer Jean Prouvé. The project is called Prouvé RAW and carried out by Swiss brand Vitra in collaboration with jeans manufacturer G-Star, who was the initiator of this makeover. According to Cool Hunting, 14 Prouvé’s classics, modernized and updated, are on display at the Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein, Germany until 31 July 2011. Between October and November this year, nine of the pieces will be available to buy through Vitra.
This visually pleasing bookcase was designed by Laszlo Rozsnoki, who used layers of rope instead of solid shelves. The piece, called Ropeshelf, presents a hip and flexible alternative to a traditional storage system. The ropes, fastened to a stainless steel frame, can be easily adjusted to accommodate items of various shapes and sizes. This use of materials not only creates a graphical appearance, it also allows to store books and periodicals at an angle, which is the best way to prevent warping.
Xcentric is a coffee table set, created by Serbian designer Goci Bjelajac. The set is comprised of two identical but mirrored tables, which you can put together to create various configurations. Each piece can also function as a free-standing end table to provide storage where it is needed. Xcentic us quite stable too, it stands on rubber legs, hidden beneath the lower board, which in turn can be used as a newspaper rack.
There is a lot to love about this cool minimalistic bed with integrated storage. Called Buden, the item was created by LA-based company Viesso, a young business that prides itself on making furniture ‘as Green as possible.’ The company uses environmentally friendly practices and chooses sustainable sources. This bed, for example, is made from bamboo – a fast-growing renewable material. But what gives it many space-saving points is the storage. Optional foot drawers, as well as base compartments and headboard drawers, are all available. Buden is customizable too – just give Viesso your specs.
This piece is called Astgabel and created by Weimar based designer Sebastian Schönheit. And this is one of those items that give you ‘why haven’t I thought of that’ nightmare, so simple and straightforward it is. Two planks of wood with notches/hooks crossed into an X shape and leaned against the wall – and there you have it, a functional and minimalistic coat hanger. The rubber tips add traction to the points of contact with the floor. So, the more you hang on it, the sturdier the Astgabel coat rack becomes.
This multifunctional modular storage system from J1 Studio can be built in any direction. Called T.Shelf, the product is made up of multiple plywood triangles (the strongest geometric shape). These triangles are connected to one another via simple zipties, which makes the system easy to assemble. The beauty of the T.Shelf is in its flexibility. There is an infinite number of things you can create with it – free standing shelf, wall unit, bookcase, coffee table base, you name it. Very clever.
If you love typography and flat-pack furniture – you will appreciate these pieces. Originally designed as an advertising campaign for Penguin Books, this line was created to promote reading. The concept is pretty simple – every book is made up of words; and all words are composed of 26 letters of the alphabet, arranged and rearranged in infinite combinations. Building on this fact, DDB Singapore advertising agency created a new Penguin font with one unique difference. Each letter, cut out from plywood and coated with black laminate, could be slotted into another to form furniture. Thus, the letters C, H, A, I, and R make up a chair; the letters T, A, B, L, and E – a table… You get the picture. The campaign was held in eight busy urban locations, encouraging passers by to stop, sit down and read something. The Alphabet collection is now on sale to general public and can be purchased here.
Here is an example of extreme space-saving from Valencia based designer Daniel Gantes. His La Cool Vie Bohème dining table is reduced to its raw function. The piece is nothing more than a foldable pine wood stand that holds all your necessary dining paraphernalia – plates, wine bottle, glasses, napkins, even a flowerpot. Envisioned as a mobile dining solution for someone who lives on a shoestring budget, the table will be just as useful to those who live in a shoebox space…
