Welcome back to our Design for Life blog series, inspired by one our favourite hashtags, #designforlife. This next blog focuses on game changing product design for the home; design that inspires the way we live our lives in or around the home, and promises, or at least hopes, to revolutionise the way we live.
This is a tricky one to cover, since there is such an abundance of products for the home coming on to the market on a regular basis. And how do we define that, and where do we set the limits? So to break it down a little we have opted to go by room function. Check it out:
So here’s our breakdown of products for the home that have really caught our eye in recent times.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Products to Live By
Aria
Meet the Aria, one of our recent finds that is designed using NASA-inspired technology to become a vertical planter that purifies the air. Sounds simple, but it is jam packed with top notch tech to make this a reality! Great for health, easy on the eye and surely an environmental win right?!
To find out more about the design and engineering that created this piece, check it out – available via Indiegogo thanks to Aria’s crowdsourcing efforts, you can learn more here.
Photo: Aria, by Aleksander Matecki & Janusz Skierkowski via Yanko Design
Signal
Household items like the television are so ingrained in most of our daily lives and offer for the most part, one set of functionalities.
But what if your TV could look a little more discreet and become less of an eyesore when it’s not in action? What if it merged into the background a little more comfortable and wasn’t this huge black void when it switches off.
We saw Samsung attempt to do something about this with their QLED TV technology, featuring ambient screen mode that left some neat artwork on the screen, rather than a black void.
However, designer Jean-Michel Rochette has bought something new to the table with Signal, the folding TV that also functions as a lamp. Rochette was shortlisted as one of five finalists for Dezeen and LG Display’s OLEDs Go! competition.
Photo: Jean-Michel Rochette’s Signal via Dezeen
Products to Work By
Nano II
Anker over here are busy proving that bigger isn’t always better! These sassy little Nano II chargers start at the ice of your average ice cube (is that a thing?!), with power capacity ranging from 30W to 65W.
Anker have used gallium nitride-based components to make this happen, and they’ve even given it the beautiful folding pin function making these the most portable, efficient and powerful chargers you are likely to find! Find out more over at Yanko Design.
Photo: Anker via Yanko Design
Clexi
While we are at it, how about this smart secured SSD device that requires fingerprint and facial recognition to protect your data to the max!
Currently taking orders via their Kickstarter campaign, Clexi are onto a first taking encryption and data security super seriously! Clexi works with an app which will tell you if the location of the drive should it fall into the wrong hands, and will alert you to anyone trying to open your data.
Find out more here.
Photo: Clexi via Yanko Design
Products to Cook By
FoodCycler
When not every city or town has a food composting collection scheme, and not every house and home has a garden with space to compost, this Vitamix foody recycling system might just do the job!
Designed to sit on the worktop, the FoodCycler will take your food waste (approach meat waste with caution) and churns it down to usable compost just perfect for the garden…. ironic if you have purchased this due to your lack of garden for natures food disposal – aka – the compost heap!
However, for an amusing read on food composting head on over to Joe Ray’s feature on this gadget over at Wired.
Photo: Vitamix via Wired
Carnerie
OK, this one is pushing it, even for this carnivore-heavy studio over here! But you need design that pushes boundaries – that’s what makes evolution possible.
This technology may once have been inconceivable, but here we are with a gadget that allows you to grow you own meat, whilst reducing greenhouse emissions.
This device uses cells extracted from animals, from which to grow your own cultured meat!
The aim is to help reduce greenhouse emissions that are created due to the meat farming industry – emissions from this industry account for 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Learn more here.
Photo: Alice Turner’s Carnerie via Yanko Design
Products to Play By
Camey
In a world obsessed with our smartphones, we all know it would truly make sense to be able to ditch them every now and then and give our tech-ridden minds and eyes a bit of a rest!
But if, like us, you love to get snappy happy with your phone, then you might not want to miss a moment with a stunning landscape, your gorgeous kiddos stealing a snuggle or your pooch doing a neat trick.
Enter, the Camey. This stand-alone device can grab those snaps for you without needing to whip out your phone.
Once you get back from your event or have had some screen-free time, you can then use the app to share your snaps – great concept!
Photo: Camey designed by SangHyeon Na, via Yanko Design
Last we heard Analogue’s Pocket had been delayed for launch due to a severe shortage of electrical components, coupled with logistical issues, no doubt caused as a result of the impact of Covid.
However, we are sitting tight – it’ll be worth it! Start digging out those Gameboy cartridges in readiness – perhaps if we collectively get them ready, the sheer will, might hurry up the launch of this slick take on a retro classic! Tetris anyone?!
Photo: Pocket by Analogue, via The Verge
If you liked these designs, keep an eye on our social feed for similar innovations – we love sharing design that resonates with us, stands out, or provokes thought!
You can find us over on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
We’ll see you there!
