Ori by Fuseproject
Origami Life
It's a problem common in all big cities: as property prices skyrocket and living spaces shrink, how should furniture manufacturers fit the same amount of stuff into broom-cupboard sized apartments?
For US startup Ori (as in origami) the solution lies with "robotic furniture systems" where components such as beds and cupboards, usually part of a large integrated structure, can move and transform to accommodate different needs. Thus at the touch of a button (or a holler at Alexa via Amazon Echo) the entire unit slides up against the wall to create a large living space, ready for dinner or perhaps a party. Come bed time a full size bed slides out from the base of the unit, transforming the space into a bedroom.
A great way to make use of limited space, and to scare the cat at the same time too.
Links
Shop the Style
Product Inspiration
Clever storage is essential for micro-living. Try the super modular Stick shelving system from Menu, which can be built into endless shapes and configurations. The Assemblage bookshelf from Seletti is equally flexible. For something unusually lightweight and stackable check out the Opus Incertum bookshelf from Casamania.
Sleek, minimalist lights work well in small spaces as they minimise distraction. The Skylight Tower suspension light from Frederik Roije, for example, looks great over a desk or kitchen counter. The iClub wall light from LZF is unobtrusive and gives off a lovely diffused light too. For a similarly subtle table light try the JWDA concrete lamp from Menu.
Go for functional and slick accessories such as the Wine Cool Breather from Menu, the Bellows iPad shoulder bag from Nava and the Sway silicone container from Finell.
Also in Product Ideas
Furniture from Recycled Materials
Furniture designers have long been fascinated by the potential of using discarded materials, a trend accelerated by the recent clamour for all things recycled, upcycled and repurposed. Here is a small selection of designs which have caught our eye.
Terrazzo Things from Lick My Brick
There was a time when the use of marble was largely restricted to floors, posh kitchen counters and grave statutes. And then, at some point around the mid-noughties, marble was everywhere. Could the same be happening to terrazzo?
Geometric Inspirations by John Eric Byers
American artist-designer John Eric Byers cites, amongst others, Donald Judd and Richard Serra as sources of his inspiration. The influence of these American masters of minimalism are clear to see from the furniture he has created.