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.
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.
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.
This furniture collection from Australian company KARTON made me gasp. The pieces are so elaborately designed – I can barely perceive them as temporary solutions. Constructed from high grade corrugated cardboard, the line ranges from seating, dining and sleeping pieces to office furniture and modular storage. No tools and hardware are required to put these objects together. And when not needed, they duly fold flat, just like cardboard should. It is easy to individualize your KARTON furniture too. Paint and varnish only improves the product by creating a protective layer. Genius!
Here is another highlight from the DMY festival in Berlin – the universal table leg system by designer Jakob Schenk, called Tick. The leg looks like a big paper clip and can be attached to any material – glass, wood, plastic, you name it… You now have the power to build a table (or a bench) out anything that can provide a flat surface. How awesome is that? Tick is either powdercoated, chromed or made of stainless steel, which makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor furniture creations.
Brazilian artist Marcela Casarotto created these cool colorful accent tables that can bring character to the room while serving as a book storage. The inspiration for the collection came from the colorful esthetic of the La Boca district (Argentina). Here is what the author says about the pieces: ‘The project proposed the creation of a set of residential auxiliary tables using the colorful district of La Boca (Argentina) as semantic reference, searching for meanings attributed to it and reflecting them on the product through its esthetic and symbolic functions… The product allows the consumer to assemble it at home and select the colors for the finishing, making it part of the environment it’s inserted in a pleasant and humorous way.’ The materials used to make the prototype are MDF, hardwood and PET finishing.
This modular shelving system is called H X B X T for it’s ‘Höhe, Breite and Tiefe’ – hight, widths and depth properties. Created by German studio Philipp Ganter Design, the system can be built in all three directions. The parts of three different sizes are held together by a simple T-shaped connector and can be put together into various configurations. I don’t know about you, but I never have enough of adaptable storage…
DMY Berlin’11 festival is in full swing, giving the stage to many delightful designs. This coat hanger, called Mr. T, is a vivid example. Marcel Kieser and Christof Spath of German studio Kieser Spath, the proud authors of the piece, have this motto for it – ‘plain, simple, intelligent.’ And indeed – what can be simpler than two wooden T-shaped strips with a metal rod in between? And when not in use – the item can be disassembled and quite intelligently stored flat even in the tiniest of closets. Light, minimalistic, adaptable storage… Something every small space needs.
This minimalistic desk is a new addition to the Milk series designed by Søren Rose Studio. In spite of its small size, the Mini Milk desk retains all the attributes of the initial concept – it is sleek, Apple-like and equipped with clever storage solutions. Automatically assuming that you are an Apple addict, designers gave you a slot for your iPad and two compartments that can house your iPhone, iPod or any other item that requires a charger. A custom color for the tabletop is available.
