East German Steel Net Bag

This East German Steel Net Bag is cool.
The only caution is to watch out with tiny veggies as they tend to escape from  the cage of the bag.

Table of Pencils by Motohiro Tomii

“table of pencils” (2010) | pencil, acrylic board | installation view at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2011) | photo : Masaru YANAGIBA | design collaboration：HIROYUKI TANAKA ARCHITECTS | cooperation：Masuki Co.,LTD

Does art serve a purpose? Does it have a function? I would like to believe that it does.

Table of Pencils is the work of sculptor Motohiro Tomii. “Does art serve a purpose? Does it have a function?” These are the questions he asked himself as he set about working on this project. In recent years Tomii has been primarily concerned with the reason we make things. But instead of perusing an answer through his art – “Will we ever find the answers if we keep making things? No, definitely not,” he says – Tomii has quite literally turned the tables on himself, accepting that art is something incomprehensible. His objective is to understand, in fact, how much we don’t understand.
The Table of Pencils was created specifically to walk a thin line between conceptualism and utilitarianism. But leaving the “is it art?” debate aside, I thinks it’s a fantastic table. How fun would it be to walk into a super serious meeting around this table?

“table of pencils” (2010) | pencil, acrylic board | photo : Masaru YANAGIBA | design collaboration：HIROYUKI TANAKA ARCHITECTS | cooperation：Masuki Co.,LTD

Many thanks to Mr. Tomii (the artist) and Ms. Chinzei (Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo) for helping obtain images.

pencil dice by Sebastian Bergne

Pencil Dice by Sebastian Bergne “The simple addition of dice markings to a six sided pencil makes all the difference. A little something to help you pass the time, entertain the children or even make decisions.”

Source   |   Price: £1.50   |   BUY

2nd Shift

2nd Shift is a furniture and product design studio in Cleveland, OH. Their furniture has a clean aesthetic, and strives for functionality. The bench above was constructed without hardware, and can be stacked to go from a bench to shelving system.
The Key Plate (below) is a simple solution for misplaced keys. The Key Plate makes use of a door strike by extending it into a notched piece of stainless steel on which you can hang your keys.

Going Back to Sundials

The Umbra is an ultra cool clock concept that works on the principles of the sundial. Two strips of concealed LEDs create the illusion of the hour and minute hands. Although a bit bulky, I love the fact that you can tape the clock vertical or horizontal, thanks to the gecko tape in the rear.

Designer: Roshan Hakkim

Hidden Radio

The HiddenRadio Bluetooth Speaker is pretty sweet – it’s sleek and small, the way I like my speakers.

The HiddenRadio & Bluetooth Speaker is based off minimal, timeless design and user intuition. When asleep it hides all its functions, being silent and unanimated. To turn it on you simply twist and lift the cap; the further you lift the cap the more internal volume is created and will amplify to over 80dB of crystal clear sound. This unique design connects and captivates the user through its intuitive functionality.

I was going to tell you to support their Kickstarter campaign, but it doesn’t look like you need to, since it is waaaaaaaay overfunded (awesome)!

The Magical Bend

I have seen tons of elegant flatware but none of them as ingenious as this! The Magic Spoon is a delightful set of spoons, knives and forks that have built-in clasps at the end. Yes, exactly the hairpin kind! You can cleverly cling it to your plate while clearing out the dishes, seal pouches or simply be this show-off with cool cutlery!

Magic Spoon is a 2010 Kitchen Tools Winner!
Designer: Ivan Erkic

Pop Goes the Weasel!

In this case it’s a plug; The PumPing Tap is a spring-loaded socket that ejects a plug when the appliance is switched off. What this means is that residual power is being conserved and wastage of electricity, curbed. So when you finish using an appliance or device and turn its power off, but haven’t unplugged the device, a ring of light appears on the socket. Ten minutes later, the socket automatically ejects the plug; just like toast popping up from a toaster!

PumPing Tap is a 2011 red dot design concept winner.
Designers: Seong Soyeon, Kim Seonmi, Lee Jeongjae, Park Jihye & Lee Yeontaek

The 45-Degree Neck

What will happen if we shift the mouth of the bottle from the top to a 45-degree angle? You may not be able to fill it to the brim, and drinking from it may be a bit weird, but filling the bottle from a water cooler or fountain will surely become easy. This simple placement difference can do a heck lot for the packaging design and I think it’s radical and awesome.

Designers: Hsu Hsiang-Min, Liu Nai-Wen & Chen Yu-Hsin

Thomas Doyle – Surface to Air

Unfortunately, the Surface to Air exhibition by Thomas Doyle at LeBasse Projects has already come down, but the work is pretty awesome, so I thought it was worth featuring it here anyway. Thomas Doyle creates miniature models that explore the intersection between destruction and domestic life. To give you a sense of the scale of the models, each figure measures only a few millimeters high.

In “Surface to Air,” houses hover safely above their ruined and burnt foundations while soldiers huddle below. A family goes about its business inside a home that has been cleaved in two. A subterranean house juts from the earth, as a family trudges through an ash-strewn landscape above. Reflective of the apprehension endemic to our times, Doyle’s works also communicate a timeless longing for the stability of home, hearth, and family.

macro lens rubber band for smartphones

the 'macro cell lens band' by photojojo


a work of intelligently designed low-fi tech, the 'macro cell lens band' by photojojo mounts a convex lens onto an elastic band,
to convert any mobile phone camera into a macro lens. the stretchable band expands to a diameter of up to 16-inches,
capable of sliding onto smartphones and small tablets instantly. it need only be fit directly in front of the phone's camera lens
in order to function, and can be removed and stored when not in use.

the 'macro cell lens band' retails for 15 USD.



full view of the device affixed to an iPhone



the band stretches to up to 16-inches in diameter



the lens converts a mobile phone camera into a macro lens



example of the device in use



view of the magnifying activity of the lens



sample photograph taken with the 'macro cell lens band' and a smartphone



the device can be worn or stored easily when not in use


via slashgear

How Do Everyday Objects Sound Amplified?

Sam Weller, from The Royal College of Art, got an idea: create a device that would allow every object around us to become an instrument, amplifying their natural resonance. He worked with Yamaha and got these beautiful results. [Thanks Alejandra!]

Public Resonance from sam weller on Vimeo.

Slice Box Cutter

If you're anything like us, you'll be doing as much of your holiday shopping as possible online — and that means lots and lots of boxes. To get all of those open with minimal effort and permanent scarring, we suggest the Slice Box Cutter ($20). A 2011 red dot Design Award Winner, the Slice sports a hand-sharpened, retractable, adjustable-length ceramic blade with a rounded tip to safely and quickly cut through tape and cardboard — but hopefully not the contents — while the unique design ensures your hand stays out of the way. [Scouted by Jerry]

Heat Pad Pencil by Chihiro Konno and Kenjo Ohashi

Talk about being resourceful! Crafted from bamboo, this pencil comes with a small recycled sachet designed to receive its shavings, after it has been sharpened. When the sachet is sealed, it becomes a heat pad thanks to the composting process of the bamboo.
Professor Hirakazu Seki of Kanazawa University has shown that bamboo shavings generate temperatures of up to 50°C (JP) during fermentation. Based on his findings, two young Japanese designers - Tokyo-based Kenjo Ohashi and London-based Chihiro Konno (previously) – have collaborated to create the Heat Pad Pencil. Simply place the shavings in the sachet and seal to initiate the fermentation process. Not only does it serve is a source of warmth but once the heat has dissipated the shavings have been converted to fully biodegradable compost.

The Heat Pad Pencil was a finalist in the Prix Emile Hermes award. Now in it’s second year, the award is offered primarily to young, up-and-coming designers. Sponsored by the Hermes Foundation, each year a specific theme is provided as a starting point. This year it’s “Heat, Me-Heat, Re-Heat.”

source: @masakawa

Long Distance Glass

One of the reasons why I adore Li Jianye’s works is his simplistic approach to design. Be it the original Flexibin or the iShelf; both exude charm, wit and thoughtful detailing. This time around he has a functional toy for us, The Telescup, a set of drinking glasses that coordinate to become an impromptu telescope. Now isn’t this what we call clever!

Designer: Li Jianye