Eco-conscious urban gardeners – rejoice! Here is a product in which recycling meets hydroponics in one compact package. Grow Bottles is a smart invention by Potting Shed Creations, that will allow you to grow fresh culinary herbs and enjoy the sustainable design at the same time. Made from reclaimed wine bottles, the package includes everything you need to start your gardening project. The idea is simple – each bottle is sliced horizontally; the top part, filled with seeds and clay pebbles, sits inside the bottom part, which in turn holds water. The water reaches the seeds through a ribbon, made from recycled plastic bottles. Grow Bottles are available in five varieties – oregano, chives, basil, parsley, and mint. Already beautifully packaged, they make a great gift too.
This elegant modular storage system was created by MDF Italia. Constructed from 6 mm thick MD-wood fibreboards, the Random system can be built in any way you see fit. You choose the height and the layout of your unit, and whether you want the cabinets to be open or closed, free-standing or wall mounted. Shelves fit into the backs through concealed slots, which makes creating your unique design a child’s play. The Random shelving system comes in black and white.
Most carpets are passive objects, they rarely possess any functions other than lying there and looking pretty. Not this one. Designed by the Alexander Munk Design Byreau, the unusual piece, called Sasan Magic Carpet, can perform many roles. It has four sections, which will allow you fold it in many different ways. While perfectly functional just as a carpet, it can double as sitting, lounging, and even as an extra sleeping place should you need one. Smart stuff!
Dutch designer Reinier de Jong, in case you need reminding, is the person who gave the world this brilliant thing. His new creation, a neat little desk called DEX, is another example of functional minimalism. Small enough to fit anywhere in your home, DEX is a refined take on an old classic. The frame has a minimal presence round the seat for optimal comfort, the drawers can be pulled out completely to accommodate heavy load of paper or a printer, the ultra slim top (only 12 mm wide) consists of alternating layers of high pressure laminate and aluminum for extra strength and durability. Ethereal in its appearance and structurally strong, the DEX desk can be a perfect home office piece.
Say you are a student, or a traveler, or you live in Manhattan and have a cupboard-sized kitchen… Whatever the situation might be, if you are forced to cook in a tiny space, consider CookEase by Liew Ann Lee – a compact integrated cooking system. It contains a heater and two color coated stainless steel bowls. The heater operates on magnetic induction and is made from silicone. The whole set folds into a case, that looks like a lunchbox. Portable, kind to your stomach and fun.
Eco designer Petz Scholtus recently celebrated the completion of her most personal project. She adapted her own apartment in Barcelona to a green lifestyle. The place, located in the historic Barri Gòtic area, is on the smallish side – only 58 square meters (624 square feet). It was in the desperate need of a major gut reno when Petz bought it in 2006. In order to make the apartment livable and green (and to save some green too), she implemented the five Rs of eco design: Reuse | Reduce | Recycle | Restore | Respect. The result is a hip and responsible eco pad, full of innovative solutions and fun details. Do watch the video of the apartment tour, revealing lots of great space-saving ideas. Also, check out Petz’s blog to see all stages of the process and many useful resources.
Photos by Stefano Buonamici
This clever shelving system, called One Shelves, was created by Singapore based Studio Juju, a design partnership of Timo Wong and Priscilla Lui. The piece itself wins many space-saving points – it is modular, light (made of powder coated aluminum), can be assembled into multiple configurations, and requires zero tools to build. When not needed, the boxes can be nested together and conveniently stored out of the way. This year Studio Juju was selected to be one of the recipients of the Designers of the Future Award. As winners they were commissioned to create new work to be unveiled at Design Miami/ Basel, Switzerland ’11, which starts tomorrow. I can’t wait to see what they’ve done.
UPDATE: Please visit Design Miami Blog to see all three Designers of the Future installations and watch interviews with the designers.
This minimalistic piece by Finnish designer Timo Niskanen was shown at the DMY Berlin festival this week. Called Change for more reasons than one, this coin deposit lamp encourages people to turn the light off after leaving the desk. Envisioned as a sustainable lighting solution for public places (libraries etc.), Change can definitely find its place in a private home as a symbolic reminder of our ecological footprint (and our electric bill). This clever and thoughtful design comes from Niskanen’s interest in human behavior and specifically, how it can take acount in design process. Here is how the designer explains his creative vision: ‘We are surrounded with complicated and unnecessary things. I think a good product feels natural – it only bears the essential. A good designer creates an experience out of something simple and functional. An experience that is meaningful.’
PIN-UP Magazine and Phillips de Pury & Company recently embarked on an interesting quest – to reinvent the nightstand. Eleven designers were asked to submit their creative take on this humble everyday object. Check the video below and this slideshow for a quick view of the works.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/23493977]
Matt Brown is a Brooklyn based designer, artist and DJ; and this project, called Pitch Control, derived from his long-term passion for record collecting. The slight pitch allows for records (as well as books or magazines) to lean naturally and avoid warping. Born out of specific function, this leaning storage idea made for a visually stimulating piece. The system consists of identical modules that can be arranged into various configurations. The assembly is easy – the units interlock, and the gravity adds stability to the structure. And because it is designed to fit and withstand records, there is no limit to what the Pitch Control system can handle… Handmade in Philadelphia using high quality birch plywood and stainless steel fasteners, the product can be ordered here.
