Showing posts with label Urban Furniture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Urban Furniture. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2011
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Grass Sofas are Big and Green
by Bonnie Alter
from: http://www.treehugger.com/
Image from trendhunter.com: Osterley Park
What could be nicer: a big green grass sofa, out in the sun, in front of a gorgeous country house. Leave it to the National Trust to arrange it. They have grown and installed ten couches in different countryside locales and towns to get people lazing around outside instead of in.
It's a good thing too because according to a study that they carried out, Brit's spend an average of 43 hours a week sitting around on their sofa, even in summer. It gets worse: in some places it's 50 to 70 hours. Now the weather isn't always great, but still....
Images from trendhunter.com
Obesity due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise is becoming a huge issue in the western world. Statistics such as these emphasize the extent of the problem. The Trust is calling them 'living' rooms because, along with a coffee table, the whole thing is made out of grass and turf. What a fun way to get people outside--the only thing lacking is the t.v.
Way back in 2006, this TreeHugger's first post was about a grass chair, grown from seeds and a DIY kit. The National Trust's technique is far more sophisticated. Theirs take a month to grow, with a base of straw, covered in green turf. Fourteen bales of hay, held together with rope, were used for each sofa. Then 20 meters of pristine turf were grown especially for each of the sofas and every one was hand wrapped carefully by expert gardeners. Then the turf had to be sewn around the corners to hold it on. Ditto for the coffee table.
The largest one is located at Osterley Park in London. Almost 100 square meters of turf and almost 50 hay bales were used to create this sofa and table. And it's all worth it when you see the fun and smell the grass on a beautiful day.
The original: 2006
Here's the original grow-your-own. A collector's item.
Monday, March 15, 2010
IKEA Subway Display in Paris : An Insane Idea or A Genius Promotion Campaign?
From: http://freshome.com/
From 10 to 24 March 2010, IKEA develops an interesting event in four important metro stations in Paris. Furniture collections are currently displayed in high-traffic spots, giving the potential customers a chance to interact with the brand by checking out the products. The subway walls are also filled with prints that showcase IKEA interiors. What a creative way to do advertising! Moreover, this action completely changes the way the Paris subway station look and creates a cool atmosphere. Imagine waiting for the train n a comfortable sofa! We are certain this is the sort of event that French people will talk of for years to come. What do you think of this idea?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
10 Amazing Chairs on the Cutting Edge of Seating Design
By Jared Newman
Most of us look for the the basics in a chair, things like ergonomic design, cushy padding and durable arm rests. But some intrepid designers look beyond to more eccentric ideas. Sure, not every designer chair makes for the most comfortable seating, but they’re all a bit more interesting than the average L-shape on legs. Here are 10 of our favorites:
The C.H.A.I.R. Concept, Eric Ku
More than an exercise in spelling, the C.H.A.I.R. assembles into a simple seat with backing. When it’s not in use, the pieces could either stack up for stowing or form an art piece on man’s desire for rest.
Firewood Holders, Ak47 Design
Wood-burning fireplaces, however cozy, don’t lend themselves to the trappings of modern design. There’s simply no place to stash all that firewood, unless it’s integrated into the furniture. Ak47’s Firewood Holders use strips of hardened steel to form a contoured seat and ottoman. They are, of course, perfect for lounging by the fire.
BADA Table, EcoSystems
The BADA table is sort of like those drop-leaf tables that expand for more eating room, but instead of swinging out, a piece of the table flips and lowers to reveal a bench. There’s no fumbling with locks either, because this table uses a credit card to engage and disengage the locking mechanism. All restaurants should have this, so you can lay down after signing the bill on a big meal.
The Cabbage Chair, Nendo
The bean bag chair has nothing on this creation by Japanese designer Nendo. Assembled as part of an art showing called “Ghost Stories,” the Cabbage Chair is at once inviting with its layered layers of pleated waste paper and threatening with a seating depression that appears to sink into the netherworld. We’d take our chances and give it a shot.
The SKiN Seating Collection, Jean Nouvel
The award-winning SKiN, despite its uncomplimentary name, looks like it’d be comfortable, as if the airy chairbacks would flex to the body’s contours. Framed by tubular pre-tensioned aluminum, the chairs are stuffed with foam rubber and covered with hide leather and felt finishings. Perhaps the slotted seats are the answer to sticky leather sofas.
The Rehhab Fully Loaded Chair, Alexander Reh
Shotgun shells don’t often lend themselves to comfort, but Alexander Reh has found a way with the Fully Loaded Chair. With the exception of the frame, the chair is filled in entirely with spent and perforated 12-gauge shotgun shells. It’s probably great to sit in, but we imagine that getting the materials together to build each chair is a blast.
The Shadow Chair, Chris Duffy
Skillfully filling the optical illusion seating niche, Chris Duffy has created the Shadow Chair. If you haven’t figured it out without reading the description (it’s okay, we didn’t), the shadow is simply part of the chair’s metal frame, painted black to fool the eyes. Still, it’s probably not a good idea to sit on this chair too heartily, or the whole illusion will come crashing down.
Via Lattea Glowing Chair, Mario Bellini
An inflatable, glow-in-the-dark couch seems perfect for outdoor parties, but Mario Bellini’s Via Lattea looks stylish enough for any occasion where more seating is needed. Best of all, it’s made entirely of recycled materials, as if visitors weren’t already impressed.
Loopita, Victor Aleman
Picture a relaxing day at home, reading alongside your spouse or significant other. A couch won’t do for the occasional break for conversation, but Victor Aleman’s Loopita floor level chaise fills that role just fine. It’s constructed of a single piece of red oak, covered in comforting high-density foam. It even looks a bit like a ring, she’ll hint. Be prepared.
Flat Chair, Sara Paculdo
The trick to this chair is that it ships flat, as one solid piece. But Ikea this is not; it’s up to the end user to bend the plastic material into shape and bolt it together with included screws. That’s easy for Paculdo, who has a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s in industrial design, but the rest of us will struggle, making the eventual sitting part all the more rewarding.
Thanks for reading DesignCravers, Diggers, Stumblers and more. What is your favorite chair from the list above? Is there a chair you’ve seen recently that you would have added to this list? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to read your opinion!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The 10 Geekiest Pieces of Furniture in the Universe
| So you're a huge geek and have some cash to spend. You're not going to settle for some memorabilia to hang on your walls and some costumes to wear to ComicCon. No, you're going to trick out your whole freaking house with some awesome geek-themed furniture. Unfortunately, in the world of geek obsessions, practicality and style are often mutually exclusive. You'll have to decide which you want when shopping for a... #10. Frozen Han Solo Desk As a reminder of the coolest scene in the coolest Star Wars movie, the Han-Solo-Frozen-In-Carbonite desk is straight up awesome. Having this beauty in your office would leave even the most tangentially geeky person in awe of your furniture owning prowess. How could anyone say no to a person sitting across from them at this table? One look down at Han's frozen scream and they'd do whatever you want. The Downside: But then the thrill of owning Han encased in carbonite dies down a little and you actually have to sit down at your desk and start filling out those TPS reports again. Just try to concentrate while Harrison Ford's ghostly visage, twisted in rage and fear, stares permanently up past your keyboard.
Now imagine trying to eat a quick office takeout dinner on this thing, with Han Solo's gaping maw silently demanding a bite of each nacho you lift off your plate. And then there are those extended fingers, that your imagination will surely see wiggling desperately out of the corner of your eye. Also, there are no drawers so that seems really inconvenient. #9. Captain Kirk's Chair Ah, now this is better. Having a Captain Kirk chair makes even the most mundane of tasks an action-filled adventure in the 23rd century! Whether you're ordering pizza, changing channels or just masturbating gloomily, you'll feel like Captain Kirk ordering pizza, changing channels and masturbating gloomily and have all the confidence of a man who humped his way across the galaxy. The Downside: At some point in this setup, the Starship Enterprise stops and your sad little apartment begins. And while that chair looks awesome in the middle of a space-age bridge and blinking computers, sandwich it between the charcoal grill up there and your cat's litter box, and you have a recipe for instant clinical depression.
Honestly, we're not sure if the full-on Starfleet uniform hurts or helps that cause. Sitting in this in your old "Federal Breast Inspector" t-shirt and a pair of Bud Light sweats would seem to dishonor the proud tradition that chair represents, but dressing up like an aging William Shatner just makes it look like your own schizophrenic delusion has come to life. It's kind of a no-win situation. #8. H.R. Giger Coffee Table and Chairs H.R. Giger's aesthetic is unmistakable, his black leather dong-inspired creature from Alien is one of the most original and terrifying monsters ever to later be ruined in a retarded crossover movie. Giger, for some reason, then felt the need to branch into home decor. For instance we have these high-backed chairs, made for the film Dune, which would be perfect for some living room activities like passively observing an orgy while petting your white Persian cat and wearing your blue alien Sting speedo. Meanwhile, this coffee table, also inspired by Giger's work, would definitely be awesome for scaring the shit out of your dog.
The Downside: No matter how awesome your geek cred is, at some point you're going to wind up hosting your grand parents, or in-laws. You'll create many an awkward moment as Aunt Maria comments on how lovely the funeral service was as she sits daintily in a chair seemingly crafted entirely out of Xenomorph spines. You'll come to regret your coffee table purchase when you stumble home drunk in the middle of the night and trip on it; the teeth of its alien jaws tearing open your scrotum. #7. Periodic "Table" Do you know what's awesome about chemistry? Fucking everything, that's what. Argon? Lead? Molybdenum? Hells yeah, bitches. Back in the day being a geek wasn't just about video games and a shrine to Megan Fox, you also had to be the kid with thick rimmed glasses who carried a pocket protector and actually knew what the fuck calculus was good for. Now that everything nerdy is ultra cool, it's time to embrace that genius heritage with the Periodic Coffee Table, which has a sample of all 88 naturally occurring elements embedded in a replication of the Periodic Table. Why put your feet up on some pressboard IKEA hunk of junk when you could be resting your dogs on sleek, sexy cadmium? They even found a way to include the toxic ones! The Downside:
At $8,550, it ain't cheap, but keeping it real never is. And while the table is a guaranteed conversation starter, each element comes in its own individual cube, meaning if you ever throw a party, you're going to wake up the next day with a table containing only shit elements like calcium and fucking xenon gas with a busted thorium cube leaking small amounts of radiation. Meanwhile some jackass is trying to pawn the chunks of gold, silver and platinum you like to rest your coffee on. #6. Dragon End Table It's Friday night and you're wrapping up another rousing session of D&D. The goblins have been slain, the maidens have been won. Good job, Dungeon Master. Kick back, and set your fine drink upon a glass tray held obediently by your stone "Subservient Dragon." If you're not into D&D, it also works great for displaying your Harry Potter books or He-Man action figures. The Downside: Once more, what's awesome on its own becomes sad in context. The misleading photo up there portrays our noble dragon table in a palatial room serving goblets of gold. That sucker takes on a whole new light when it's offering a 32-ounce Mountain Dew from Taco Bell in a Transformers 2 cup, next to a wrinkled bag containing bits of Cheetos dust.
#5. Rubik's Cube Coffee Table Rubik's Cubes were once a huge part of our culture, and back in the 80s everyone had one. The fact that most people "solved" it by breaking it apart or rearranging the stickers didn't matter. But for some puzzle geeks, the Rubik's Cube remained the exemplar of cool. In a masterstroke of unnecessary and inexplicable inspiration, someone gambled that those people might need a table to keep coffee on, or to toss out some copies of Wired magazine when friends were coming over. And thus, the Rubik's Cube Coffee Table was born. The Downside: We know what you're thinking. Get a bunch of friends together to try to solve this huge bastard, and you'll have a great time. Sorry to spoil your fun, but retailing for $600, this table combines all of the function of a table with none of the fun of the Rubik's Cube, since it doesn't actually work. So really it functions as a table in much the same way any object of a similar size would, including the box the table comes in. #4. The Scrabble Couch For anyone with even a smattering of nerd genes somewhere inside them, Scrabble was the awesomest of board games for one simple reason: it made you look smart. Sure, if you walk around all day spelling difficult words at people, you'll eventually get shot. But do it in the context of a Scrabble game, and suddenly you're the life of the party. So it only makes sense to give us the game in furniture form! The Downside:
Oh, wait. No. That actually doesn't make sense at all. What do you do, have each player sit on the floor behind their sofa with a stack of letter pillows? The novelty of that will wear off about three seconds before you finish suggesting it to your party guests. And what do you do between games? Shaped like the game's tile holders and probably made of the same wood, comfort couldn't have been high on the list of requirements during the design stage. Sure, it looks kind of cool and you could spend hours spelling out dirty words to make yourself laugh in those lonely wee hours of the morning. But who would want to sit on it? Its sharp edges and unforgiving angles look like something from the lab of an evil genius chiropractor. #3. The Star Wars Home Theater For some folks, it takes a little more than one piece of furniture to geekify their domains. They'll turn a whole room into a shrine to some piece of pop culture. Like these wealthy nerds who decided to trick out their home theater to look like the control deck of the Death Star. For an extra dash of coolness they added a life-size model of badass bounty hunter, Boba Fett, and a life-size model of closet case, C3PO. Throw in a massive flatscreen and a few wicked chairs, and you have the ultimate place to watch Star Wars. Having any kind of home theater is pretty awesome, but a Star Wars home theater is double deep-fried awesome with extra awesome dipping sauce. What we're saying is it's awesome.
The Downside: It's pretty much only good for watching Star Wars. It might get a little weird having Boba Fett see you cry when Macaulay Culkin dies at the end of My Girl. And forget about porn. Can you imagine rubbing one out under the never-ending robot gaze of Threepio? His cold, robotic stare, observing you. Judging you. #2. The Star Trek Apartment Not enough to just deck out one room? Well, you and Tony Alleyne of England will have a lot to talk about. A big fan of Star Trek: Voyager, he completely stripped his apartment and refitted it to look like the starship. The Downside: We like Seven of Nine's futuristic boobies too, and arguably there's something cool about living in an immersive world in which it seems like they're only a warp core breach away, but come on. We're talking about freaking Voyager here. While late at night after binge drinking Yoo-Hoo and schnapps it might seem like an awesome idea to model your entire home after Star Trek, but dressing it up as the second worst Star Trek series ever? Not Star Trek, not The Next Generation or even Deep Space Nine, but fucking Voyager?
And in the harsh light of day, the fantasy falls apart a bit. For instance, there is no longer the harsh light of day. Lacking windows as the dank starship Voyager did, Alleyne's home, the one that forced his wife to leave him, is a shut-in's dream cave making its owner a little more Gollum-like with each passing day. #1. The Star Trek Coffin and Urn Any claims adjuster with glasses can live the nerd life, but it takes a special kind of geek to die a nerd death. If for some reason you want to be picked on in the afterlife as much as you were here, why not go to Valhalla in style? The folks at Eternal Image have created two ways for you to spend your eternity safe in the knowledge that you probably were more disturbing to Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner than millions of other ravenous, reality-challenged fans could ever dream of being. The Star Trek coffin and urn can help you carry your love of sci-fi with you as you boldly go to the undiscovered country six-feet under.
The Downside: On the one hand, it beats the shit out of the standard dollar store urn or pine box most of us will find ourselves in. But really, the funeral isn't for you. You'll be dead. No, the funeral service is for all your friends and family to get together and celebrate the fact that you could have been a much worse person if you had really tried. But with these, you'll be reminding them that your entire days spent on this mortal coil were devoted to the show that gave us Tribbles and Ricardo Montalban's prosthetic chest. |
Thursday, March 26, 2009
10 Coolest Multifunctional Furniture Designs
By Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA
It doesn't look like it, but hiding in this box are an armoire, a desk, a height-adjustable stool, two more stools, a six-shelf bookcase, and a bed with a mattress. Casulo is a brilliant transforming furnishing system that fits an entire apartment's worth of furniture in this diminutive box. See Casulo unboxed in the next image.
Image credit: Casulo
Believe it or not, it takes two people 10 minutes (without tools!) to take Casulo from a box to completely unpacked; watch the video to see it in action.
Image credit: Casulo
Combining living and sleeping areas is one of those things that just makes sense: you don't need a bed when you're awake, and you don't need living space when you're asleep. BEDUP offers an interesting take on the concept, utilizing the ceiling as storage space; see where the bed goes in sleep mode in the next image.
Image credit: BEDUP
One smart element of BEDUP's design is that there is no furniture-moving required; depending on how you organize your space, the bed can just float down on your existing living space.
Image credit: BEDUP
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