Drop, charge, and lose the cords
A hallmark of smart kitchen design is a properly calibrated work triangle--that's your sink, your fridge, and your cooktop. The idea is to minimize the steps you need to take to move between these three areas to make you as efficient as possible.
In a small kitchen, creating an effective work triangle can be tricky. In my galley kitchen back in L.A., we couldn't open the fridge and the dishwasher at the same time, which is more of a problem than you'd think.
But what if you could move the legs of your triangle around? Why be locked into a cooktop that's fixed in one location? Why not give yourself the freedom and flexibility to cook right next to the sink one night, and near the open window the next?
Designers David Barry and Laurence Finnegan have come up with a concept design for Lotus, "a wireless cooking system that offers an elegant alternative to the conventional static hob." The various pieces in the set are designed for different cooking styles, such as grilling, wok-style sauteing, induction heating, and so on. Power comes from resonant induction via transmission coils in the counter tops and receiving coils in each piece. When the cooking is done, each piece can go straight to a sink full of water for simple cleanup.
The pieces are also cool to the touch, so you'll have far fewer kitchen safety issues than with a traditional hob. It's a cool concept, and one I'd like to see realized. According to designer David Barry, "the only new technology applied is the wireless power." Even though the system seems to be "powered by pixie dust...it is actually quite feasible," he says.
Stylish and timely.
(Credit: Barriviera)During this time of year, I'm never quite sure if I believe the various clocks scattered around my house. The alarm clock says one thing, the computer says another, the cell phone another, and the television can't agree with anything. It is of course, all part of this 'spring forward, fall back' messing with the clocks tradition we have, but at times, I just want one timepiece to stand up and assert itself. And then I saw this range hood.
The Ora from Barriviera is a kitchen range hood that Flavor Flav would be proud to call his own. Making up the bulk of the hood is an oversized clock face. The concept is so well executed that it may take a second glance to discern that it is a usable wall decoration. But usable it is; the range hood features a multispeed extraction fan, halogen lighting and push button control. Two washable metal grease filters round out the utility of the machine.
Kitchen range hoods may be easy to overlook, but with a strong design, there is no reason one cannot become an important part of your kitchen décor. While the Ora may feature a timely design, the Barriviera collection is stunning in its depth and diversity. Be sure to check out its Web site for additional range hoods to complement any aesthetic.
(Via Appliancist)
Every year, Electrolux invites industrial design students worldwide to design appliances that will help shape how consumers think about cooking, cleaning, and storing food and other items around the home. At stake for the 2009 competition is an internship at an Electrolux design center and a cash prize. This year, contestants were asked to design appliances that will change the way we live over the next 90 years, allowing for personalization, learning, and time constraints.
As is the trend every year, the finalists have developed some astonishingly beautiful and innovative concepts. The group of eight finalists will battle it out at the September 24 finals, but for those interested in voting for the people's choice award, here is the run down of the top designs, in random order:
- Le Petit Prince by Martin Miklica of Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic is a robotic greenhouse that's designed to facilitate our move to inhabiting Mars. The robot will care for a plant inside its mounted glass dome and will also have the capability to communicate with other robots in the area.
- Naturewash by Zhenpeng Li of Zhejiang University in China is a horizontal bed that uses negative ions to clean and refresh clothing. The user can choose from clean clothes, grass scent, or flower scent on the touch screen, and can be refreshed by lying down on the bed or by laying clothes flat on it.
- The Cocoon by Rickard Hederstierna of the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden is a pod designed to cook meat and fish. RFID (radio frequency identification) signals are used to identify the type of prepackaged meat or fish dish that's inserted into the Cocoon, which responds by heating muscle cells in the meat according to a preprogrammed time. The Cocoon is designed to counteract some of the negative effects of overfarming and food transport.
- Moléculaire by Nico Kläber of the Köln International School of Design in Germany is a computer-controlled food printer that uses the same technology used to create CNC-printed plastic parts. It accomplishes this by combining particles of various ingredients in layers that are then stacked to create 2- and 3-dimensional components of meals, relieving the chef of some of the burden.
- Renew by Louis Filosa at Purdue University is a wall-mounted steam cleaner that eliminates the need for a 75 percent larger washing machine. RFID signals are transmitted from specially designed tags in clothes as they're passed through the double blades, controlling the blast of steam. It's also made from recycled aluminum and glass.
- Teleport Fridge by Dulyawat Wongnawa at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand functions just like you would expect it to, teleporting food directly into your refrigerator compartments. It uses touch-screen technology to let you pick the items you're low on, and at the touch of a button, they come right to you.
- Water Catcher by Penghao Shan by Zhejiang Sci-tech University in China is an automated water collection system. Flying balls are dispatched from a homing tray to collect rainwater, which is purified on their return and taken directly to the drinker. Modifications can be made independently for each user to fill in nutritional gaps or mineral deficiencies.
- Bifoliate by Toma Brundzaite at the Vilnius Academy of Art in Lithuania is a double-chambered dishwasher that eliminates the need to put away clean dishes. It has a door that toggles between the two chambers, allowing one to be a receptacle for dirty dishes and the other to act as a shelf for clean ones.
To see all of the finalists and vote on your favorite, you can visit the Electrolux Design Lab Web site here.
Not quite modern, not quite retro.
(Credit: Bed Bath and Beyond)Blenders are like toasters in that they are icons of the kitchen. As such, they enjoy a wide range of options and designs not normally reserved for simple appliances. However, a quick search reveals that--like toasters--when choosing a model design, options abound. As a result, both appliances share an interesting fate in the eyes of the consumer: the appliance needs to not only pass as a quality machine, but also make us feel as if the design transports us somewhere or to a different time. That's not to say we don't shop for other appliances based on the way they fit into our kitchen decor, but I don't recall seeing too many vintage-inspired designs for other products.
The Oster 8-Speed Blender is a blend in and of itself. Featuring a modern design reminiscent of classic beehive styling, the blender bridges the gap between past and present. The all-metal drive system ensures performance, while the eight different speed settings allow for a good range of control. The 40-ounce capacity glass jar is dishwasher-safe, while the entire assembly stands 14 inches tall. The blender, being a 450-watt machine, isn't the most powerful blender available, but at a price point of around $40, the trade-off may be worth it. Especially if you like the way it looks in your kitchen.
(Credit:
World Design Market)
We've covered silly-slash-interesting concepts before, but I'm not really clear on how I should feel about this handheld portable toaster by Korean designer Been Kim. You apparently run it over your bread like a fancy butter knife and it toasts that side in your hand. An LCD readout on the back gradually tells you just how toasty your toast is getting.
The product, still a concept as far as we can tell, is apparently wireless and uses a cord-free charging system. We're not sure how practical this is or if it can replace a regular toaster, but it is a neat idea that we expect to see on the bus and street corners once it gets mass-produced. Design-wise, it looks fantastic.
The little butterflies on this portable toaster represent its heat strength.
(Credit: World Design Market)
(Credit:
Osko + Deichmann)
Is there any other way to roll a sushi roll apart from using the Japanese bamboo mat? If you're a traditionalist or purist when it comes to the art of maki making, look away. But if you're game for a fun interpretation of a sushi roller machine, check out this odd-looking device from German-based studio Osko + Deichmann. It's slated for showcase in June at the Kitchen Ecology Exhibition in Los Angeles.
There's just no way to do full justice to how this machine works, except to show it in pictures. Which is exactly what the studio has done in a step-by-step gallery. In fact, if you're feeling really bored this weekend, you could print this out in color and turn it into a flip book of moving images. More photos after the jump. ... Read more
Why didn't I think of that?
(Credit: Graeme Davies)As the day of the big game draws closer, households everywhere are planning menus, inviting guests, and figuring out just how many TVs it takes to actually host a successful Super Bowl party. However, some of us prefer to keep things a bit less extravagant, instead opting for a small gathering as opposed to an all-out affair. Years of study (42 to be exact) have shown that the optimum number of invitees for a Super Bowl party is eight people. Large screen or small, this number (which coincides nicely with the amount of previous games) is scientifically proven (or arbitrarily decided upon by me) to make for the absolute most perfect Super Sunday.
No matter the size of the party, drinks will be served. While chances are that a good amount of bottled and canned beer will be consumed, the demand for drinks in a glass will always be high. Which can only mean one thing: ice cubes. For those of you who eschew the data and opt for a small gathering of less than eight guests, having tons of ice won't be an issue. But what to do when making one drink at a time? Well, it looks like the age-old problem of popping out single cubes of ice from a tray might finally be solved. And don't try to tell me you're not familiar with ice cubes popping all over the place when you only want one or two.
Finally, we can be saved from this crucial problem with the Quicksnap ice tray. A bona fide "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" gadget, the tray design has slider levels underneath that allow for easy removal of one ice cube at a time. No more stray ice cubes scuttling across the floor. Designed by Graeme Davies for the RCA Toyota iQ Competition, the tray is perfect for those small get-togethers that don't require a big bucket of ice. At least until the game is over and somebody gets a Gatorade bath, that is.
(Credit:
WeAreHappyToServeYou.com)
Living in New York, I get most of my coffee on the go. This means that I often feel the pangs of guilt that are associated with the amount of paper waste coming out of the city every day. I try to mitigate the problem by holding onto my cup through the day, refilling it with coffee or tea at work.
For hygienic reasons, this is probably not the best idea.
I use my French press religiously on the mornings that I can make time for it, but on my busy workdays, the coffee and bagel cart down the street from my workplace makes a darn good cup for just over a dollar. Plus, it comes in the "We Are Happy To Serve You" cup that has become a cornerstone of New York java culture, making me feel a little bit more like I'm a fixture in the Big Apple instead of a two-year visitor.
Introduced in 1963, the cup serves as inspiration for one of the newest coffee cups available at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Design Store. According to the MoMA Web site, more than 180 million of these cups are handed out every year (about a half million each day). When you consider how many coffee restaurants are serving up the stuff on any given morning, this number is pretty significant, so it seems appropriate that one of the city's most celebrated museums is doing its part to celebrate the much-used coffee vessel.
The cup was designed by Graham Hill, founder of environmentally conscious group Exceptionlab, in conjunction with Sweetheart Cup Co. and Aid to Artisans. Converting the cup from paper to ceramic eliminates waste while celebrating the traditional design.
It saves money, too: the cup is available from the MoMA Design Store Web site for $14, or for $12 at WeAreHappyToServeYou.com.
(Credit:
Schulte Design)
Who doesn't enjoy a nice warm fire crackling away when it's chilly outside? The primordial cave dweller hiding somewhere deep inside of all of us certainly understands the allure. As beneficial as drywall and glass windows may be to modern humans, there is one way in which our ancestors have us beat. When they needed heat for cooking and warmth, they built a fire, anywhere they damn well wanted to (noting proper ventilation first, of course).
Now, we as a modern society can finally honestly say we have equaled our ancestors by bringing the fire inside.
Similar to the portable Travelmate fireplace, the Firebo-x from German firm Schulte Design brings the fire to the table--or anywhere else you wish to put it. Designed for indoor and outdoor use, the portable fireplace creates warmth without residuals. The hinged top allows for foldaway storage when not in use.
Now that we have truly finally tamed fire, our inner caveman can be unleashed out of the kitchen or away from the barbecue grill. I'm not sure about the evolutionary wisdom of cooking slabs of meat with the Firebo-x, but it is pretty certain to say, that any civilized room will feel that much more, well, civilized with a safe, clean fire burning within.
(Via Born Rich)
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(Credit:
Shen Di/Yanko Design)
Design savvy is about clever little ideas like this. Designer Shen Di's +Shifter faucet taps on the idea of a gearbox from a premium sportscar, turning this into an instant conversation piece for the home.
The brushed black metal and copper faceplate's luxurious look ought to prepare you for future sticker shock should this make it into production. Still, it's an idea worth following up on since it marries clever design with water conservation, as each gear ratio equates to the amount of water flowing out.
Of course, that feeling that you're tied to the kitchen sink will never be truer since you'll need a sink to match, which in turn means regular elbow grease just to keep that expensive investment looking sparkling new.
(Source: Crave Asia via Yanko Design)
