Yes, it’s time to bring the tired old dust pan and brush out of the closet! Over 8 years ago Ole Jensen designed a functional and aesthetic dust pan and brush which quickly became one of the most popular items in the Normann Copenhagan collection. Now it has been spiced up and transformed into a trendy household item available in purple, green and pink. Still easy to use, still practical and ever so chic, you’ll be proudly sweeping up the dust and crumbs in your home. The classic Washing-up bowl has also been given a face lift, now available in purple adding that bold touch to your everyday life.
If you are stuck in the 1950s, and long for another appliance to match beautifully with your retro fridge, look no further, as Smeg has come to the rescue. The appliance company has now designed a washing machine and dishwasher with a 1950s style about them – but luckily, both with a modern machine’s technology. The Smeg washing machine does look old (and very hip!) yet features an electronic display panel, 15 different washing programs, and up to a 5kg load capacity, while the dishwasher has five temperature settings and 10 programs. With a choice of pretty pink or cream for the washing machine, and a selection of eight different colours for the dishwasher, all you 1950s fans can now breathe a sigh of relief! For more information visit www.smegretro.co.uk
If, like us, you are sick of working out what shoes to wear with what outfit, what shoes match with what pants, dresses and skirts, then why not let the sun decide for you? Well, that’s what Taiwan’s Footwear and Recreation Technology Research Institute think, anyway. The clever people at the Institute have created leather shoes with a twist – they have spray-on micro capsules that allow the shoes to change colour in the sun, and stay this way for a whopping 60 hours. “The leather shoes’ base colour is white, but within 30 seconds after coming into contact with sunlight, the colour gradually changes to pink, orange or purple, depending on the ingredients we spray on the leather,” Wang Jung-jen, one of the researchers at the institute says.
And this crazy new fashion is set to stay, with the Institute soon to launch colour changing handbags and bicycle seats!
As mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players continue to shrink, shrink and shrink some more, it’s only natural that radios follow the same trend. This has come in the form of the Motz wooden FM radio, a device only slightly larger than two dice stuck together. Yet there are two features that we especially love about this mini innovation: First, because it’s too small for batteries, the radio is recharged by simply hooking the device up to a USB port, and secondly, it can double as an iPod speaker. Great for individual listening, yet definitely not for a party!
1. Brand&Branding by Josep Maria Minguet (Monsa, 2010)
What is so unique about the Brand and Branding is that the majority of the design book features pictorials, and only includes a few case studies. Showcasing the most successful brand and branding campaigns and projects from across the industry – from corporate images to commercial work, throughout the world and from different mediums, including print and digital.
For Love and Money: New Illustration, by Liz Farrelly and Olivia Triggs (Laurence King, 2010)
For Love and Money focuses on the rebirth of using illustration in designs, and how and why it has become popular again across print and digital media. The book also talks about the different illustration styles a designer is able to work with, including graffiti and even traditional sketches, and also describes the new technologies available to create impressive illustrations. In addition, For Love and Money provides interesting information on over 80 contemporary graphic designers who use illustration in their work, including tips from each on effective use of illustration.
No need to fear anymore, toast perfectionists, for your bread will never be too white, too brown, or too burnt again – UK design team,Inventables, have found a solution. The Transparent Toaster really is just that – a see through appliance consisting of two sheets of glass that are able to be heated, and therefore can cook bread while you watch. “This transparent toaster allows you to see bread while it is toasting so you’re never surprised by toast that comes out too dark,” The Inventables team explain. Put the bread in between the glass sheets, watch the slice cook until it’s the perfect colour, and eject. Simple and easy. Yet what’s so convenient about Inventables’ Transparent Toaster is it’s also for those who are too busy (or too impatient!) to watch their bread slowly turn to the optimal shade... the appliance also has a conventional timer dial. Sorted.
The simple things seem to catch our attention in the most striking way. Graphic wall decals from Dezign with a Z do just that, with interesting designs from Europe and the US, creating an easy, affordable and stylish way to decorate the home or office. They resemble hand painted designs and can be customised to suit whatever theme you choose. If you decide to change after a while, the decals are easy to remove and won’t leave any permanent damage. They can even be ordered online, so you can browse through at your own pace. Yes the good folk at Design with a Z have thought of everything.
Clever design makes the world go round and can even speed up to the future with the right amount of vision. Designer Mac Funamizu keeps us in tantalising suspense with a small window device dubbed ´The Looking Glass´ that features a camera/scanner, GPS and internet connectivity and allows you to point, aim and discover a whole wealth of information about the object being observed. Frame anything that you fancy with the Looking Glass - artwork, buildings, monuments - and the image is analysed and searched on any number of sites like Wikipedia, Google or Google Earth to give you rapid answers quite literally at your fingertips. Fancy the decor of a restaurant but not sure about the menu? Zap it with the Magic Window and lo behold, the menu appears. Move over iPhone!
The innovative online store Functionals is well on its way to becoming a leading provider of interior design, especially with the inclusion of such eminent designers as Roderick Vos, who creates new and exciting products. Devoted to the artistic nature of design, Roderick’s creations are a mish mash of when the east and west; of traditional design meets modern technology.
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