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Hi.LO, a Modern Concept of Measuring Your Blood Pressure

Diana Dumitrescu is a young industrial designer from Romania we recently discovered and whose interesting projects grab our attention in a very pleasant way. With a passion for product design, Diana likes to experiment the edges of what’s possible or accepted in design, and creates awesome and futuristic design concepts. For example, she came up with a cool idea on how should look like the well known blood pressure system we all use on a regular basis to monitor our health.

Generally speaking, few medical accessories make you feel comfortable and give you a friendly-feeling, so talking about their designs is practically useless because in a way or another they all look quite the same. That’s why we loved Diana Dumitrescu’s wireless blood pressure system and wanted to share with you guys some photos with it. Although it’s just a concept made for a client, who knows, maybe in a not so far future, will be more than just a good-looking health gadget. Hi.LO combines the basic principles of the blood pressure measuring system with smartphone technology in one modern device that anyone can use.

It consists of a blood pressure bracelet wired to a smartphone, along with a free Hi.LO app, which users will run on their chosen device to measure their systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. All you have to do is to install the app on your smartphone, attach the bracelet on your brachial (arm) artery and wait for the wireless connection. With a modern, sleek design and a variaty of appealing colors, Hi.LO is a attractive blood pressure system, which comes to replace the ordinary ones you are familiar with. The interesting thing and fun in the same time is that, it does not look at all like a medical device which makes users get rid of stress and fear very often associated with such kind of accessories.

Photos source @behance.net

May 19, 2013
Adorable Cat Nap Cocoon with Colorful Design

We always enjoy discovering new and interesting designs made especially for our beloved pets, and if a few days before we showed you a modern suspended house for your cats, this time an adorable cocoon for them grab our attention. Created by graphic designer Vaiva Nat, “Cat Nap Cocoon” as it is called is a cute, versatile piece for your endless cat naps. Unique, with a round and playful design which resembles a napkin or a bubble, the cocoon can adapt to all sleeping preferences of cats.

Knowing the fact that cats are naturally attracted by the wool odor, it’s handmade of 100% felted wool and features a hole as an entrance, which can be modified according to the size of your cat. If your cat prefers a larger opening, then the design allows for hand cutting the entrance hole. It can be flattened out to sit like an usual cat bed or popped up to be a safe retreat. Soft and wooly when you touch it, the “Cat Nap Cocoon” can be really nice bed where your cat will feel warm and cozy all day long. Besides that, it comes in a great various colors combinations and shades, which is awesome because it allows you to choose it to be suitable with your room interior design. Check out Vaiva Nat wonderful designs!

Photos © Vaiva Nat

May 19, 2013
Concrete Occasional Tables with Original Design

Intriguing and unusual, these concrete occasional tables, envisioned by talented designers from Souda designs, are really something that grab your attention from the very first moment, and if you are a fan of industrial design, then you will certainly find the Kreten side tables original and attractive. Designed and manufactured in Brooklyn, New York, the Kreten tables are an interesting take on the regular wooden tables, the details making it look particularly odd and fun.

The idea of creating such furniture pieces started as an exploration into the omnipresence of concrete in our built environment and its predominance in many industrial applications, fact that led to the perception that concret is a cold, lifeless material. The result is a surprising mixture of fluid design inspired by tree trunks that looks nice and fresh in home interior, being as uniquely expressive as they are well-crafted.

Thinking how was possible to achieve such forms? Well, trhough a concrete molding process: each table was individually formed in a rubberized-fabric that is stretched over an armature, then filled with fiberglass reinforced concrete. Combining the weight of the concrete and the stretch of the fabric, it came out their organic shape, unique, simple yet strong, quite different from each other. Various finishes were given at the end of the design process.

Photos © Souda & Courtney Reagor

May 17, 2013
Modern Wall Mounted House for Cats by Mojorno

Pet owners know best is not very easy to find furniture for their smallest friends that is fashionable and fits their home’s décor as well. Besides that, there are also some other things to consider when buying a house for your pet such as durability, safety for other family members, materials that should be non toxic, etc. Russian industrial designer Ilshat Garipov from Mojorno came up with a creative, fun and modern solution for cats to lounge and sleep: Catissa.

A sample of the modern architecture for cats, Catissa is an awesome wall mounted cat tree designed to gives your cats their own area to call home without disturbing the interior look of your home. Unlike other furniture pieces for cats, this four-storey house consists of solidwood modular cubes which can be placed on the wall, just below the ceiling, where your cath can reach using the little ladder that comes along with the cubes. This smart idea of installing the cats’ house at height not only creates a safe place for them where children and dogs can’t get them, but also leaves your room available for other important furniture pieces you might want to have.

Each cube has a soft pillow inside in order to create a cozy place for your cats’ sleep, pillows that are very easy to remove and wash. Catissa’s minimalistic design will complement any contemporary interior, and thinking that it comes also in various color combinations makes it a powerful eye-catching object in your room. What do you think, do you like it?

Photos © Mojorno

May 15, 2013
VIP Dining Experience at Pak Loh Restaurant in Hong Kong

Opened since 1967, Pak Loh is a traditional, Hong Kong based family restaurant that serves Chiu Chow cuisine, a particular Chinese food. Situated in the heart of a building block in Causeway Bay district, Hong Kong, their highly successful flagship restaurant got in 2012 a new image for its public entrance area and for ‘Lo Mei food preparation area’, which was transformed into an exclusive VIP dining room by Hong Kong & Antwerp based architectural design and research practice LEAD.

This new lounge area is somehow separated from the restaurant main entrance by a public passageway, being positioned in front of the building block’s façade of the Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant, situation that was seen as an opportunity by LEAD’s architects and designers to engage those passers by in an authentic and playful visual theatre. Causeway Bay’s busy street-life and the VIP room hidden deep inside interact in a beautiful manner, all designed elements ensuring a continuity between the publically accessible space and the private one.

They worked with geometrical elements, played with reflections and transparencies and amplified perspectival views, in order to trigger curiosity and seduce potential clients to enter Pak Loh Restaurant’s VIP dining area. Inside, the luxurious private space exudes elegance and intimacy. It reveals a seductive game of exposure and concealment with stylish curves and mirror and fins that replaced the space-limiting items such as walls and corners, all of them working together to create a unique dining experience. Have a look and share your experience with us if you had the change to eat there!

Photos © Dennis Lo Designs

Project details:

Architects: LEAD
Client: Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant Ltd.
Location: 23-25 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Program: Chinese Restaurant’s VIP Room
Project Management: 4N Architects, Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design Ltd. (LEAD)
Design Team: Kristof Crolla, Sebastien Delagrange
General Contractor: Kin Wah Decoration Co
Specialist Contractor Fins: E T Engineering Ltd.
Area: 25 sqm
Year: 2012

May 15, 2013
A Dialogue Between Styles- Loft in Milan by Takane Ezoe and Modourbano

We have spotted recently the work of MODOURBANO associates and we liked very much one specifically project that was accomplished in collaboration with Japanese artist Takane Ezoe and that is T House, the one we are presenting you today. T House is a gorgeous contemporary residence located near Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, Italy, that exhales good taste and unique design style, and seeks to establish a connection between the elegance of a Milanese loft and the depth of a Japanese home. This union of traditions and tastes is reflected with ingenuity throughout the entire house and once guests get in, they’ll experience a different kind of charm of the Italian city.

A studio zone and a residential area are delightfully combined under one roof according to the client’s needs, an artist that works till late and asked for an airy place, where the two realities don’t have a real separation line between them. Formerly a horse stable, the T House has a strong, distinctive character reminiscent of buildings in Milan of the eighteenth century: roomy double volumes, large windows with arches, stone fragments and large wooden beam of gallery, which was preserved and improved with details inspired from Japanese culture like: semi-open spaces, asymmetry and incorporation of elements from nature.

With an harmonious combination of wood floors and white walls, the loft interior is neat, airy and elegant in the same time. Bright and luminous, bordered by huge windows, the studio is a large and comfortable place, which allows the owner to work all day long, meet with her assistants and move freely inside with her large-size works of art. A space dedicated to exhibiting and moving the artworks during various events, was designed near the studio. By doing that, the problem of the storage of the works of art was solved in an interesting and appealing manner. Neutrality and simplicity defines this area where the artist wants to work on her own art without being disturbed by the outside world.

Very modern and roomy, the transparent kitchen and dining room for social events are designed to be welcoming and relaxing, spaces where the owner can put into practice the passion for cooking while easily talking to her guests and spend cheerful moments in front of a lovely dish. They exudes a clean beauty, featuring small plants pots on the countertop and dining table. The entire design emphasize the freedom and the maximum comfort of movement at any time, so the kitchen and dining area are made deliberately free.

The sleeping area on the mezzanine is a very intimate place where plush turtle and lotus lanterns are placed on the ground creating a mysterious and relaxing Japanese inspired environment. Plants are installed both in the bedroom and the main bathroom to point more fresh air. The bathrooms are designed to comply with the Japanese tradition, reminding of the thermal baths in stone and wood, characterized by a large, exquisite bathtub. Natural materials combined with relaxing lights create a soothing and refined atmosphere. Have a look and discover the other amazing design details we haven’t already mentioned.

Photos © Takane Ezoe & Modourbano

Project details:

Project Name: T House
Location: Milan, Italy
Architects: Modourbano
Partner: Takane Ezoe, artist
Type: Atelier/House
Building area: 250sqm
Status: realized
Client: private

May 14, 2013
No, Sweat! Versatile Workspace Turns into Home Gym

The latest work of Vancouver-based designer Darryl Agawin is an attractive 3-piece workspace furniture that fitness enthusiasts or beginners will surely love it. “No, Sweat!” is an office furniture set adapted to our busy lifestyle that doesn’t allow us to find the time for daily exercises. Because sport is important at all ages, Darryl Agawin’s new project is for everyone. It’s a special workspace, atypical from those we’ve presented so far on our website, because it’s designed to convert into workout furniture that give you the possibility to take a physical and mental break from your daily activities and do your regular exercises. How does it sound?

We think it’s a great design idea because firstly it acts as a reminder regarding the importance of doing sport on a daily routine, and secondly, it can be used wherever desk work is placed. By combining workspace and workout furniture, it resulted an interesting set of office furniture that it’s not only highly functional, but also good looking. With an eye-catching color combination (red, black and white), No, Sweat! features basic forms achieved from typical workout props and equipment such as the the weight bar, balance board, the kettle bell and the skip rope. In this way, the user can explore various exercises from these basic structures, having a full body workout, and after that rearranged into a workspace configuration. It practically turns to be your home gym and it’s great if you don’t have time or financial possibility to get dedicated home equipment or join a public gym.

Photos © MarkStokoe.ca

May 12, 2013
Outdoor Fireplace Inspired by the Archetypical Factory Chimney

Outdoor fireplaces are great aesthetic statements, transforming an ordinary patio or backyard into a true extension of your home. Since the hot summer days are finally here for many of us, it’s time to take the party outside. And what better way to do this than getting our outdoor living spaces ready in order to enjoy the beautiful weather while entertaining and gather with your family or friends. From rooftop terraces to backyard sanctuaries, the possibilities to create your personal outdoor space are practically endless as our imagination, the outcome depending largely on the project we have and on the money invested.

But one design element that should be always part of your exterior décor is the fireplace. Why? Because an exterior heater besides the fact that will provide structure and definition to our outdoor living space, will create a visual and physical warmth to the space, adding as well a dramatic light that will make our longer evenings magical. So, here we show you an original looking outdoor fireplace to complement your outdoor décor perfectly.

Designed by Amsterdam-based designer Frederik Roijé and introduced at Milan Design Week 2013, ‘SmokeStack‘ feature a simple, minimalist style but interesting enough to draw attention to your guests thanks to shape inspired by the archetypical factory chimney of those traditional times. The wood-burning SmokeStack’s design evokes nostalgia, memories from the past, being presented as a symbol of industrial progress and a landmark in the same time. Made in Holland from Corten steel, a weathered metal that ensures a protective layer around the fireplace, the fireplace will create a strong vertical focal point that anchors beautifully any outdoor room.

Photos © Frederik Roijé

May 9, 2013