Hettich, a German diversified company group operating chiefly in the furniture sector, recently launched “Kitchen Concept 2015″, forecasting what the kitchen of the not so distant future will be like. If you ask me, it looks good!

Their concept focuses on design, convenience, ergonomics, and multimedia networking. Their kitchen is designed to blend seamlessly in the home instead of being the center of attention. Various items such as the faucet, the fridge, the oven, all disappear when not is use.

In essence, using emerging computer technology, Hettich merged a sleek kitchen with computers, such as surface computing, and made it smarter. Below are examples of some of the features of this new kitchen.

The above cabinets can be lowered to any desired height and independently from one another.

The kitchen island features drawers that can be opened from either side. Even the dishwasher can be opened from both sides. How convenient is that!

Surface computing technology allows the user to check cooking time, temperature, see the inside the oven, and browse the internet on the surface of the cabinets. I wonder if you can also change the look of the surface of the cabinets as you would your computer desktop and change it, from example, from black to red or add a neat pattern for special occasions…

Surface computing is also installed on the island, where the user can perform the same tasks as on the surface of the cabinets, and control the size and temperature of the heating elements of the cooktop.

I can imagine a kitchen like this costs quite a bit of money right now, but it should be more affordable in 2015 :). Let’s hope so.

source : Hettich | Hettich America

NOOK is a neat and new little stool made from an innovative material called VarioLine, a material made of solid structural outer layers and a lightweight foamed inner core, resulting in a panel that is very stiff, impact resistant and exceptionally low weight. This makes the stool easy to clean, weather proof, water proof, impact resistant, chemical resistant and recyclable!

NOOK was created by award-winning designer Patrick Frey with a single sheet of VarioLine. It can be used virtually anywhere and comes in various color options. Currently retailing for 229€, the stool recently won the 2010 iF product design award.

NOOK is manufactured by VIAL GmbH, a family-run company with its headquarters in Germany that plans to continue to work with Frey. The plans for their furniture collection is for the collection to be guided by the principles of ‘conviVIAL living’ and to develop striking, weatherproof furniture that encourages a modern form of vibrant sociability.

These stools are a great and fun addition to any room in a home or office. For example, they would look great in the kids’ section of a modern dentist office. Also imagine what a great impact they would make in a library, replacing the traditional step stool found there. Don’t you think they’re a lot more appealing?

source : VIAL

ORIGINAL POST DATE : 2008-04-01

I recently came across this cool line of furniture by ennezero from Italy. It’s not for everyone but it’s very original. It’s from a collection called Valentina, la donna è mobilewhere from the “theories of the [Artistic] Movement called Radical Design which began in the Sixties in Tuscany (Italy) before spreading in other parts of the world”. I believe the designer is Giuseppe Canevese, an industrial designer from Italy.

source: ennezero

I would love to specify some of these pieces this in a boutique hotel. Imagine one of the black and white pieces against a bright color wall. It would definitely make a statement. Any volunteer?

It’s nice to see an increase in modern pet furniture and accessories. Modernist pet owners no longer have to live with tacky items that clash with the rest of their home. They can now apply similar design aesthetics when selecting items for their pets. Gregory Kenny from Kilowatt Studio, a woodworker and designer from Vancouver (BC), created two beautiful modern cat beds that will look great in any modern space: Pod (shown above) and Nest (below), inspired by birds.

The beds are individually hand crafted in Canada, using wool, bamboo and organic cotton. So not only are they beautiful but they are eco-friendly as well. Another good reason to buy them is that a portion of the sales goes to the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association.

Of course, these cute beds can also be used by small modernist dogs.

photo : Kilowatt Studio

ORIGINAL POST DATE : 2008-01-18

We all know that light fixtures which use fluorescent lamp save money in the long run and that they are somewhat good for the environment (let’s not forget the mercury issue). Sadly, they don’t always look nice. Thankfully, designers are working on making them more attractive.

I recently came across this stunning pendant light fixture designed by Dominic Bromley. The fixture uses T5 fluorescent lamps. Inspired by the bait-ball phenomenon where fish gather around to create a large mass in order to protect themselves from predators, Bromley created a light fixture made of several bone china fish sculptures.

It’s called Shoal. “Shoal 1672″ is made of 1672 fishes and “Shoal 284″ is made of 284 fishes. It’s quite ingenious.

Source: Scabetti

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I love this chair by Richard Liddle from Cohda Design. Called the RD Legs (RD stands for Roughly Drawn), it is made from 100% molten plastic waste and it’s really a piece of art. It really does give the impression that someone just sketched the chair with a giant pencil and it came to life. These chairs are all hand made and there are only 25 chairs per color (which I guess explains their cost). Developed by Richard, the design uses no glues or additional fixings in its production.

Cohda Design Ltd is a British company founded in 2006 as an urban design brand with a mission: “to design, manufacture and supply innovative contemporary products that break down the pre-conceptions of what sustainable, innovative designs should be”.

When you look at products from Codha, they don’t scream “I’m eco-friendly”. Clever and thought-provoking, their designs engage the user in a story, allowing the products to be recognized for both their innovation and Eco credentials.

Limited editions of these chairs are available in Canada through galerie CO in Montreal for $1850. The video below shows how they are made.

Photos : Cohda Design | galerie CO

One of the disadvantages of living in a tiny condo or apartment is that it’s difficult to organize a dinner for a large group of people. Sure you can get an extendable table, if you have the space for it but in some cases there’s just not enough space. IvyDesign came up with a beautiful solution. Called the Picture table, it’s a table that folds into a large picture frame when not it use. There’s also an option or replacing the picture by a mirror.




Photos : IvyDesign