ReFrame poster hanger.

A nice (if awfully spendy for what it is) wood alternative to the metal ones.



Soundscreen Design

Why the car company is named Toyota, not Toyoda.

Writing "Toyoda" in Japanese requires 10 brush strokes, explains John R. Malott, president of the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, but writing "Toyota" requires eight.

While "8" is considered an auspicious number, "10" is not, said Malott, who visited with the company during his years as a State Department official. "Ten" consists of two strokes crossed against each other and resembles the "plus" symbol, or even a crossroads or an uncertain path. Not a good omen for a company.

"It's a very Japanese way of thinking," Malott said.

Why the car company is named Toyota, not Toyoda :: washingtonpost.com

(Thanks to pal, Maura, for this bit of tid.)

Polaroid Flower Vase.

Only a prototype I'm afraid. But so cute. I hope someone picks it up.



We hang a polaroid with a small cord and a clothespin. arising from a desire of keeping the memories, I feel longing today.Nature is also what I want to keep for a long time.it is a plant in a polaroid. The illumination is for the plant, and the gentle curved shape will seem to be an image of a polaroid.

JUNG HWAJIN

(via Stilsucht)

Permafrost - silence

Sadly, this doesn't actually seem to be for sale. But it's lovely.



The Silence rug is at first glance an impression of glistening white snow; a common sight in freezing Norway. Then you discover the tracks left by a passing hare; itself dressed in bright, shimmering winter fur.

Permafrost - silence

Eames Lounge Chair debut in 1956 on NBC

May I say that Arlene Francis' dress is every bit as fabulous as the chairs?



Eames Lounge Chair debut in 1956 on NBC

Elekit Tube Amp.

I'm no audiophile, but I would buy this in a heartbeat. It's practically art. Hopefully they'll develop it for sale.




Design of a new generation vacuum tube amplifier for EK Japan Co.,Ltd.(Fukuoka, Japan) who develops numerous electronic kits(gadgets targeted at both children and adults).
The sale is undecided.

CASE-REAL | Works | EK AMP

(via dezona.com)

Now this is a Harley I could ride.

Those of you that don't live here may not know that Milwaukee is the Harley Davidson headquarters. There's a new Harley museum opening next Saturday (I initially had the date wrong - sorry), and The L.A. Times just featured a nice piece about it. I found this picture in the photo gallery. It made me giggle.


Another exhibit is the oldest known Harley, the "Serial Number One," from the early 1900s when William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson first presented to the public the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Hear the vroom at the new Harley museum in Milwaukee - LATimes.com

(via Czeltic Girl, who is my info source for what's going on in this town.)

Bloom: peddling green.

Sweet and funny product design proposal.


The Bloom device is meant to be a subversive and inspirational tool for our concrete jungles. Similar to the tuft of a dandelion as the wind carries the seedling, we propose a way of dispersing seedlings with bubbles and bicycling. Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination , you release the floating seeds which land in cracks and crevices throughout the city streets. Over time, the seeds grow into flowers and plants to create a green "fringe" to our sidewalks and streets.

DESIGN 21: Competitions

(via inhabitat)

Cuphanger/coathanger.

Best coathanger I've ever seen.


Birkiland - Accessories

(via loveliness perblogified, Design Milk)

The Rolling Bench.

Another great product design idea at Yanko Design.


The slats on these benches can rotate to the dry side by cranking the handle.

The Dry Side :: Yanko Design

Hotel furnishings go high-tech, eco-friendly.

It's not often that I link to the McPaper, but this is actually a good story.

USATODAY.com :: Hotel furnishings go high-tech, eco-friendly

Bird.

Back in 1959, Kristian Vedel designed a group of Birds that would express 3 generations of family - children, parents and grandparents. Though only the small Bird was in production, it quickly became one of the most successful Danish wooden products from the 50's. Thankfully, Architect Made re-introduced the Bird and the entire expressive Bird family is in production. Today they're all hand made by a small wood turner in Denmark using only the highest quality oak. Heads can be tilted to express happiness, sadness, curiosity, alertness and bodies can be turned upside down to exemplify different body types, etc.

ModernChild :: Furniture, Fashion, Books

Respect the old school

The 'respect' project consists in a walking stick that prints the tag respect, thanks to a stamp fixed on its lower tip.




g l u e g l u e d e s i g n . c o m

(via Art MoCo)

Open Book.

I could definitely use one of these next to my bed.


ZO, | Work - Open Book

(via Webgolr)

Solar-powered ‘Energy Bucket’ collects sunshine.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could store just a little bit of sunlight for a rainy day? That’s what designer Stefano Merlo thougt, and while actually storing sunlight might just be a bit too difficult, his solar-powered Energy Bucket, might just be the next best thing.

Merlo’s inspiration was simple: saving energy is a problem, and the solutions offered are too far removed from what people actually do in real life. He was inspired by the age-old practice of collecting water from the river in buckets. Thus, the Energy Bucket is simply just a plastic bucket that houses 1kw LED lights which are powered by the photovoltaic solar panels installed on the lid of the bucket. Needless to say, he took something as mundane as a bucket and turned it into an opportunity for people to realize that there are simple solutions to big problems.

Inhabitat :: Solar-powered ‘Energy Bucket’ collects sunshine

"Products of Our Time" exhibit.

I'd love to see this show.


Karl Marx Lego with Brick and Das Kapital
1.875" x .875" x .5", 2005

University of Minnesota | Goldstein Museum of Design – Exhibitions

The library bathtub.

A hybrid bathtub/bookshelf/armchair. The ultimate luxury as far as I'm concerned. It'd be like a mini-vacation.



Malin Lundmark

(kinda via the wonderful Beton & Garten)

The perfect road rage antidote.

Greg Solberg (a Firmware Engineer at the incredibly cool Tesla Motors) and significant other Lisa decided to build these all-electric pink bunny slippers just to see if they could do it. While not exactly road worthy (they only go 15 mph), I imagine they would be great fun at a resort or beach.

Say No to Crack :: Motorized Pink Bunny Slippers

The emperor has no clothes!

I'm suddenly running across these Obelisk Chairs everywhere. I even saw them featured in the May issue of Metropolis.

My question: Has everyone lost their minds? Who would pay almost $9000 for wicker rocket ship chairs???



The Obelisk Chairs : Outdoor Furniture : Outdoor D�cor : Gardening and Outdoor : HGTV MarketPlace

Another cute clock.

Sweet little "Push" travel clock.
La DIFFERENCE