This cool attempt to combine furniture with lighting reminds me of the Blanco White collection I featured some time ago. Light in Drawer, the concept design by Shinoby Koizumi, also adds an ambient touch to storage. Each drawer of this cabinet is fitted with the lighting source, beaming through the wooden facade. By opening drawers you can create various lighting effects. The knobs are nothing more than the screw caps of the same bulbs used for illuminating the piece (lovely humorous detail). Besides, having light inside your drawers is always a helpful thing.
This fruit basket from Kare Frandsen is suspended from the ceiling, allowing you to display and store fruits without using any counter space. The piece is comprised of two interlocking metal rings, connected by rubber mesh. You can pick fruits from any side of the sphere just by sticking your hand between the rubber lines. Aside from its obvious space-saving qualities, this fruit basket has one more hidden bonus. The air around the fruit is constantly replaced, allowing it to last longer. So, no more excuses for not having fresh fruits around…
Garbage disposal is an unglamorous thing, but unless it is properly organized – nothing glamorous is ever possible. And this minimalist trashcan by Hommin makes good organizational sense. Unlike the Cuum piece, I featured yesterday, the Clip trashcan is very low-tech. It consists of two interlocking wooden frames, merged with clothespins on their ends. The object is compatible with all types of bags. You can use plastic ones for kitchen waste, and more elegant textile ones for paper. The Clip trashcan can also be used as a hamper. Smart stuff!
This concept project by Noon Studio made me gasp, that’s how clever it was. A stool that can also serve as a building block for a modular shelving system! Called simply Steel Stool, the piece is made from steel and oak. And if you put several of them together, you can get yourself a good-looking and functional bookcase; and when extra seating is needed – take your shelving unit apart in seconds. Thanks to its shape, the item provides storage even when used as a freestanding stool. Design that multiplies storage… I really like that.
Here is another clever way to organize things – Lap Shelving by Marina Bautier, produced by Case Furniture. Instead of traditional shelves, the system features folded sheet metal components, supported by the solid wooden frame. These components vary in size and function. The range includes a bookshelf, a tray shelf, a deep box end and a shallow box, which can drop into and overlap the frame. Thus, you can adopt this shelving to fit your specific storage needs. And when all items, big and small, are stored within one flexible unit – there is no need for additional storage pieces. What a bright approach to space-saving!
This bed is a new addition to the Air series by Daniele Lago. It also has a transparent base, allowing for the illusion of floating in the air (hence the name). And just like Air sofas and shelves, this bed has adjustable details that can be customised to your preferences and space requirements. With the Air bed you can easily change the headboard configuration to make the piece look like a sofa (perfect for studio apartments). And of course, nothing can beat the integrated storage, which can be made to run along the entire perimeter of the bed.
This piece from New York based artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz reminds me of the Piano Hanger, I featured earlier this year. Here too, the simple and ingenious principle of a piano-like structure is applied to generate adjustable storage. The Piano Shelf folds flat when not in use, occupying zero space in the room. Once you need to store something – simply unfold the sufficient number of ‘keys’ to accommodate the item. Brilliant! The shelf comes in black and white.
This sleek and concise piece is a combined effort of designers Bastian Diephaus and Ismail Özalbayrak of Studio Unieke. The minimalist wall desk, called S01, can serve as a practical storage unit when closed. When opened, it creates a comfortable workspace for one person. It even features a built-in power-strip for your cables – a nice touch for such a compact item. The So1 wall desk is made from powder coated steel and coated multiplex.
(HT Carl MH Barenbrug)
Can a hanger become a decorative element? Vilnius based designer Julius Bucelis argues that it can. His sleek and beautiful Hook hanger can serve this purpose aside from holding clothes. Thanks to its curvy shape, each piece can also be used as three hooks (hence the name). And when utilitarian duties are over, several Hook hangers can form a pendant. Triple function done right.
This multitasking object, called Scalo and designed by Benedetto Quaquaro for Cerruti Baleri, is not on a cheap side ($2,016.00). But it can do so many things! You can use it as a side or ocasional table, stool, shelving unit or a stepladder. Thanks to the hidden hinges, the transition is easy and seamless. Made from bent plywood, the piece features different colors on the inside. A durable stainless steal stop locks Scalo in both open and closed positions.
