JOHN NOUANESING

'Paint or die but love me'

this piece by Nouanesing appears to be floating. it cleverly uses the runny characteristics of paint to disguise the tables legs. its reflective finish also makes the paint appear wet. a fun alternative to a regular table.

CAROLINA PATCHWORKS

a very usable, attractive and retro design to reinvent the traditional patchwork quilt. with the come back of 8bit video games as people respond to advances in technology by reverting back to retro items and games, these are a brilliant idea. the pixelated nature of older games such as 'super mario' lends itself perfectly to patchwork. there are only very few being made including characters such as pac man.

www.carolinapatchworks.com

CHAIR

by Charles Kaisin



AMAZING.
although this video is a bit long.

INSTANT PLASTIC SURGERY

this clever design devised for a Toronto plastic surgery company takes advantage of the simple coffee cup. i wonder if it would be effective, as you would have to look at somebody else to realise the design, not actually changing your face at all, which surely would be the point of having plastic surgery. still, engaging design on an otherwise mundane and taken for granted object.

SEE THROUGH

in an age where we want to know what is in the products that we eat and drink, and where the can of fizzy pop has the reputation for being unhealthy and full of additives it surprises me why no one thought of this design sooner. consumers like to see what they are consuming, making sure it looks attractive before considering taste. this take on the regular can design delivers for an increasingly health conscious market.

it hasnt made it in to the UK yet, but probably will soon.

AMRON EXPERIMENTAL

thoughtful design with a worthwhile message, which is also extremely functional. an attachment which fits on to a light switch, the idea being that when you hang your jacket up the light comes on, and when you leave, by removing the jacket it flicks the switch up and off. encouraging people to save electricity, or even helping save electricity subconsciously.

this company also developed the toothbrush. one the most innovative designs Ive seen in a while.
it has a tube which uses the downward force of the water and redirects it upwards to create a water fountain effect when the brush is placed under the tap. brilliant, its so simple to include such a tiny change to an every day object to make it function even better. it saves all the bother of bending over and putting your head in the sink to get a drink.

PLAYING WITH FOOD

this is a brilliant product opposing the over used message "don't play with your food" which kids must hear every meal time. there has been a lot of food related issues in the media recently, most probably due to the new '5 a day' scheme and 'recommended daily allowance' charts. with programs such as Jamie's school dinners, which aired a few years ago, and health studies showing concentration in lessons and its direct link to food, children seem to be the focus. people are realising the importance of their children's diet and how it could effect them in later life. this cutlery set goes back to the point i made earlier about making mundane objects more fun. combining play time with eating would surely encourage children to look forward to meal times, maybe making a bit of mess, but ultimately eating more.