I love the quiet elegance of this small loft in Taipei, Taiwan. Young creatives from A Little Design studio managed to build an airy and serene dwelling, with only 236 square feet to work with. The flow of this apartment contributes to the illusion of spaciousness. The narrow passage between the kitchen and the bedroom opens up to the living room, immediately creating a feeling to a much bigger room. The built-in couch is quite big to accommodate enough people, yet it is out of the way, tucked in next to the window. The bar tables, placed against the wall, also take very little space. They double as a desk, and, if guests are over, they can be put together in the middle of the room to create one full-size dinner table. The swing-arm lamp rotates between the desk and a couch. The loft contains a bed and another small desk. High shelves complete this interior, providing storage and an illusion of height.
This Kickstarter project is so incredibly cool! Lyfe is a planter, that drifts over a wooden base via magnetic levitation. Aside from being a visually stunning object, this planter helps plants by gently rotating them and ensuring 360 degrees of sunlight exposure. The rotation especially benefits Air Plants, as nutrients are absorbed by their leaves through the air, rather than the conventional root system. There are also scientific signs that magnetic fields enhance plants’ metabolism. Aside from all that, Lyfe is just a mesmerizing thing to look at. Watch the video after the break. Currently Kickstarting.
– Stunning Urban Jungle photographic series.
– A cool DIY project for a cat person: T-shirt Cat Tent.
– What an incredible moment captured on camera.
– This wall clock is a beauty.
– Made me laugh. Evacuation sign hilariously interpreted.
– Magnets and marbles can be absolutely magical.
– Love these pencil shaving flowers.
– Science Compared Every Diet, and the Winner Is Real Food. Duh.
– Want to know what eagles see when they fly? Now you can.
– And something for our shoebox dwelling senses. Japan’s High Design Micro Houses.
Have lovely weekend, everybody!
If you are intrigued by the tiny house idea of living, but not quite sure if it suits you, you can now test drive it during your vacation. A beautiful cluster of tiny houses, called Tiny House Village, has been built in the Oregon forest, for people to enjoy for short periods of time. The houses range from 178 to 261 square feet, and sleep two to five guests. They cost between $129 and $139 per night to rent, depending on their size. There is a communal area in the middle of the camping site, so you can socialize with other tiny house enthusiasts. This seems like a fun and safe way to experience the confined realities of mortgage-free life before making it permanent. Or just an unusual outdoorsy vacay alternative. Check out more photos after the break.
As much as I love kitchen gadgets, I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about an appliance before. Sweepovac is a brilliant little vacuum that you install right in your cabinet. You sweep dirt and schmutz toward to the opening, and it gets sucked in without a trace. How cool is that? I’ve only seen this idea once before, as part of an upscale and pricey kitchen line. Sweepovac costs under $200. And the installation is doable. Watch the video after the break to see the product in action. Available for purchase here.
This video shows a delightful report on living and entertaining in one of New York’s smallest spaces. It made my weekend.
The Jean Hanger is a brilliant invention by Toronto based designer Steven Sal Debus. It is meant to do one thing, and it does it well. Specifically dedicated to hanging jeans, the hanger will save space and simplify the process of caring for your precious denim. It’s great for drying jeans as well. Made from solid wood. Currently Kickstarting.
This lovely renovation of the 161-square-foot apartment is a proof that there is hope for any space, however tiny, to be livable and chic. Studio Batiik transformed a dingy old attic into a light and beautiful pad, inventive in its flexibility. The kitchen is raised above the main level, providing an ample space to hide the bed and free the room for dining and entertaining. When the bed is away, the kitchen counter unfolds to fit four guests comfortably. It is even possible to hide the bed half the way, add pillows, and turn it into a lounging spot. Every bit of non-slanted wall is used for storage. The tiny space next to the bathroom houses a small desk, with the natural light coming from the window. See the photos after the break for a full tour.
Speaking of clever tech, this little device called Knocki, developed by Texas based designers Jake Boshernitzan and Ohad Nezer, can help you smarten up your home in many different ways. The discreet disc, attached to any vertical or horizontal surface, turns this surface into a remote control for a wide range of tasks, from turning the lights to controlling your security alarm, tapping into your favorite tunes, setting or snoozing an alarm, even brewing your coffee right from your bed. The list goes on and on. And all this goodness can be achieved without the wiring, installation, complexity and expense of many alternative smart home control systems. Yay! Currently Kickstarting.
This 309-square-foot apartment in Hong Kong is astonishing. Designed by studio LAAB, it utilizes clever tech to maximize space and nest functionality virtually on the same spot. The tiny dwelling features such amenities as full size kitchen, bedroom, full bathtub, guest bedroom, home cinema, gym, and even catwalk and lounging areas for the three feline occupants. The place can be fully transformed based on the time of the day, thanks to clever smart home technologies. Watch the video after the break for the mind-blowing tour.
