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Coffee is an American pastime like football and barbecuing burgers. Most of us are not human without our first cup of Joe. But when it comes to coffeemaker design, we typically think … Italian. Or German. Wrong. Norway is where it’s at. Norway has a huge coffee culture; not the artisanal espresso brews that have swept our nation as of late, but black, classic filtered coffee. Cue Wilfa.

This Nordic electrical appliance company designs gorgeous coffee makers such as the Wilfa Svart Manuell. Winner of the Award for Design Excellence from the Norwegian Design Council, it is an object crafted – in cooperation with super barista and coffee connoisseur par excellence Tim Wendelboe – for pour-over style, manual hand-brewing. This process invites to slow down and be in the moment, because you pour the water over the ground coffee yourself. Even better, it doesn’t create as much waste as the popular pod and K-cup machines. The kettle holds 1.2 liters, and you can use regular Melitta filters.

If that’s too much effort on a bleary-eyed morning, check out Wilfa’s Precision Coffee Maker, an elegant automatic filter brewer. Aficionados of this award-winning coffee maker rave about its precision temperature and water control, and the fact that it brews a “coffee to the Golden Cup standard of the Specialty Coffee Associations of America (SCAA) and Europe (SCAE).” It’s available in sleek aluminum and stylish black. Learn more at www.wilfa.no and shop at www.williams-sonoma.com.

“I have spent a lot of time over the past 2 years together with Wilfa giving them feedback and teaching them about coffee. The first result was the manual brewer “Svart Manuell”, but that was meant as a teaser and a tool for the coffee geek to play with while we waited for the automatic version. There is a lot of technology and work put in to this pretty coffee brewer, and I think it looks awesome. It also brews really good filter coffee, but still you need to get your basics right like any other brewing techniques:

• Use traceable and freshly roasted and ground coffee of high quality
• Use clean fresh water with low mineral content (Tap water in Norway is perfect in most cases)
• Use precise measurements. I recommend 60-70g per litre of water depending on how strong you want it. Use a scale to measure.
• Make sure you grind the coffee to the right particle size. Too coarse will give you a watery and sour taste. Too fine will lead to bitter tastes.”

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It’s a coffee table. It’s a pinball machine. It’s a “Star Wars” lover’s dream. It’s the Droid, a piece of furniture so cool, you’ll want it whether you grew up with Darth Vader, Yoda and C-3PO or not. Created by utterly inventive Hungarian ALTAR furniture, this “one and only love child of Star Wars pinball and R2D2” has snagged a 2015 A’Design Award and garnered – deservedly – lots of international attention. The object, a bona fide coffee table on wheels, is basically a vintage “Star Wars” pinball field housed in the body of an R2D2.

This next piece of info (get ready for total geek-out), might be the most exciting aspect of this amazing creation: It has a mini slide projector that displays “R2D2 in the Death Stars’ sewage.” It beeps, it blinks, it whirs, it pings (see video below), it took 321 hours to come alive, and it costs circa $13,000 (if still available), not counting shipping from Budapest. It’s epic. We rest our case.

Its creators, ALTAR furniture, have devoted themselves to rescuing pin ball machines after they die, imbuing them with a second, awesome coffee table life as “wonderfully complicated, meticulously planned and crafted sexy beings,” as they so eloquently write on their website.

If “Star Wars” isn’t your cup of Joe, check out these other commissioned coffee table pieces by the European artisans.

Or best of all, if you have the money to spare, have them custom design your very own love child, such as this nostalgic tape deck below!

For more info, visit altars.co

“The ‘lovechild’ of R2D2 and 3CPO is here in all it’s glory! R2PO, the fully working Star Wars pin ball coffee table of Altar Furniture took almost 300 hours to finish.”

“Currently only one item available, this amazing lovechild of R2D2 and 3CPO is probably the coolest Star Wars collectible in the Galaxy. Beautifully crafted by hand, the outer surface has been meticulously covered with #gold leafing.”

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Making tea has always been a soothing ritual, whether you use tea that comes in bags or loose-leaf teas that you load into an infuser. The Dreaming Whale tea infuser from Gongdreen is a sweet take on plain, boring tea infusers.

Meant to look like a whale in the middle of a pleasant dream, the Dreaming Whale opens its mouth to hold your loose-leaf tea. Close the mouth and dip the whale into a mug of hot water and you’re minutes away from your comforting beverage.

Water enters and exits through small holes in the whale’s body, gently joining tea leaves and hot water in a happy infusion of the restorative drink enjoyed around the world.

The whale’s cute water spout is used to swish around the infuser as the tea is being made. But it can also be detached and used as a stirrer or decoration for your beverage of choice. This would definitely make a cute gift for the tea lover in your life, and it only costs $13. Get it at Gongdreen, where you can find other tea-related items and loose tea as well.

“Do you know the sperm whale? The oil of the sperm whale is known to be one of Earth’s best natural elixirs. The motif of this product is a sperm whale dreaming a peaceful dream somewhere in the deep sea. It’s like drinking Earth’s best natural elixir!”

“Slow down your day with a Dreaming Whale tea break. You can enjoy the tea time when your tea is gently brewed through the Dreaming Whale’s tummy.”

“Open the cap of the whale’s belly under the whale’s body and add the tea. 
If you use the “stream of water” to put the whale in hot water, you can pump it conveniently.  You can see the water coming up. If you want to stir tea, just use the ‘stream of water.'”

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“The laser cut lamp series are all DIY-packages. In other words, they come in a kit to be assembled by you. The ‘ribs’ of the lamps are cut out of MDF by our very own laser cutter, which gives the sides a black color that matches with the cord and fitting.”

“The lamps are produced in a social work facility. The lamps come in four different sizes and styles. But they all have some classical as well as modern elements in them. We are really happy with the balance in pricing and quality for this series. Real Dutch Design that is affordable for everybody. That’s how we like it.”

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Brooklyn-based designer Jake Wright was surrounded by military-related objects from the time he was a child. Born to an Air Force Pilot and a military defense contractor, Wright was naturally drawn toward these materials in his design work. Known collectively as Stockpile Designs, Wright’s line of furniture and home objects is based on obsolete and decommissioned military equipment.

“This lamp is made with the tail fins of a 100-lb bomb from the Korean War. Paint and corrosion are removed to expose gleaming steel, interrupted by rough machinists marks from the factory. Finished with a nickel socket, elegant cloth-wrapped cord, and a natural linen shade. Included is a card outlining the piece’s history and care instructions.”

“Base is 29″ from table to harp (where the shade attaches), and approx 7.5″ in diameter; shade is 17″ in diameter and 12″ tall. Made to order, ships approximately four weeks from order date.”

The guts of these Korean War-era bombs have been scooped out and replaced with lamp wiring. Stockpile Designs also offers replica bomb lamps for those who like the look of the unique fixtures but aren’t comfortable with having a disabled weapon in their home.

“Cluster bombs are deployed as huge cylinders packed with explosive bomblets. At a pre-defined altitude the casing of a cluster bomb opens, spilling the bomblets across a wide area. First deployed during WWII, they were most widely used during the Vietnam War. American forces dropped hundreds of millions of anti-personnel cluster bomblets over Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Nearly a third failed to detonate on impact, and are still responsible for hundreds of injuries and deaths every year.”

One of the most striking designs from the collection is the Bomblet Pendant. It’s made from a “lazy dog” bomb that was never explosive, but could be incredibly destructive when dropped from airplanes – kind of like vertical bullets. Wearing one around your neck as an adornment might seem strange to some, but perhaps it can be seen as an expression of non-violence.

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Why Minimalism?

Most people who describe themselves as minimalists live with only the basic essentials; however, you don’t have to chuck out your futons and footstools in order to feel like you are living in a space of reasonable justification. It’s more about ensuring that whatever you place in your home has a significant meaning and role to play, thus avoiding clutter. Sure, we’re all fully aware that your fridge is quite an important appliance, and you definitely need that sink with all it’s taps and trimmings. But the point to focus on here is the idea that if an inanimate object brings you pleasure or happiness (such as a photograph or an ornament) then they serve just as much purpose as the hob you’re cooking your meals on.
Minimalism is about happiness. It is about de-stressing your home by only having objects that serve functionally or appeal emotionally to you. It’s the notion that every thing you use should have a personal meaning, or story, to create atonement in your humble abode. It may sound far fetched, but this movement is sweeping the world and has helped to motivate hoarders to cast their collections aside and begin again with a healthy, blank canvas.

FUGA

In an era where sustainable living and edgy aesthetics are over taking the need to showcase wealth, brands like FUGA are providing those with a conscience for the environment as well as style with products that are made raw and uniquely beautiful. Founded in 2015 by designer Yana Osmanova, FUGA’s objective is to allow you the freedom of filling your living space with household items that represent not only your morals, but the rich Russian culture that is so very often disregarded in the media.

The Products

Producing custom projects, FUGA design and create home decor and tableware from oak wood. Carved bowls, place mats, chopping boards, serving plateaus, and plates adorn their website and boast an array of shades available for each design. Every individual piece from their collections has its own distinctive features due to wood’s natural forms, cracks, textures, and tones, which are carefully left intact by using traditional technology during the manufacturing.

FUGA’s stunning handcrafted wooden tableware can only be handwashed, however, but the inconvenience is only minor. After washing it is recommended that you wipe it down using a non-abrasive towel in order to reduce prolong exposure to liquids which could eventually damage the pieces. You can also refresh the surface by rubbing over it with a cloth dampened in linseed oil. This also protects it against mold and makes it water-repellent.

Collaborations

FUGA have successfully collaborated with big name hotels and restaurants all across Russia, including Beer & Brut, the Moscow Four Seasons Hotel, NB Studio and restaurant, LavkaLavka, Dreamers, and more. Notably, FUGA created a series of dishes for each of Vladimir Perelman’s restaurants, which included a specifically designed two-sided square serving board and round boards for serving pizza, all emblazoned with the customer logo.

If you’re on the hunt for household objects that encompass naturalism, beauty, AND function—especially for your minimalist living space—then look no further than FUGA, inspired by the history of Russia and with the passionate intent to bring art into our every day lives. Their products bring elements of nature into your home whilst providing necessary hygiene and function for one of the most important parts of your day—your meal time!

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Is there any adult who didn’t enjoy making and watching shadow puppets as a kid? The “Bird in Hand” lamp from designer J.P. Meulendijks brings back memories of shadow birds, bunnies and all of the other creative manipulations we used to love making with nothing more than our hands and a light.

A flock of statue-still hands is situated in a circle around a hanging light in this intriguing fixture. The shadows they cast on the walls and floor closely resemble the creatures that kids all over the world create with their own shadows.

Moving around to different positions in the room and looking at the shadows from different perspectives would change the objects you see in the abstract shady shapes.

These outstretched, interlocked hands seem to resemble more than just a novel way to surround a light. Their interconnectedness is reminiscent of the way parents and children join hands when playing. Perhaps the overlapping hands also represent the many, many generations that have enjoyed making shadow puppets since long before electric lights made it easier.

The hands are made from a material created by the artist himself. ECOLOTEK is a fully compostable material made of hemp fibers, minerals and binder. The Bird in Hand lamp is available for €1066 (around $1400 US).

“This big eye-catcher is based on, and tribute to the universal art of hand shadows; making shadows on the wall using your hands to create birds, rabbits, and other figures. Playing with light and hand shadows is a centuries old past time long before electric light was invented. ‘ BIRD IN HAND’ plays with this concept: All of the hands are positioned to look like a flock of birds, flying out in circles. The shadows cast on the wall looks like birds. This results in a very expressive, dynamic and striking looking lamp , with layers of humor and poetry hidden in the design.”

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What do a laundry bag, basket, bar, rack and hamper have in common? They are all clothes storage systems and drying solutions take up space – and tend to look rather out of place inside of a room. It is no wonder so many of us give up and simply turn our furniture into an ersatz dryer.

First, this system solves the classic problem of having a single object somewhere in your small space (such as fold-out rack that needs area on all sides) since each of these wall-leaning hangers can be placed against any spare surface.

Second, though the solution is more dispersed than a solitary unit would be it is just as collapsible as the alternatives – when not in use, you can simple stack and store these sorter hangers out of the way somewhere (or treat them as abstract modern decor!).

Finally, Stephanie Estoppey, the designer of these clever laundry hanging system, illustrates how they can animate a space. Suddenly, instead of laundry laying out and looking like an eyesore it becomes part of the aesthetic of an interior – almost like decorating the room (though it may perhaps be a good idea to skip this step with your more private undergarments).

Estoppey is now a member of sustainable design collective Studio Colony.

“Our claim is a promise we keep: we are at your service to develop products that meet your needs perfectly – with no risk of being blinded by the familiar routine. In our role as your external design department, we bring fresh insight into your business.”

“We listen carefully to make sure we fully understand your concerns. Then we go on to develop ideas and solutions according to your wishes and needs – always from a new starting point but without reinventing the wheel. We connect with our clients at a personal level and strive to build relationships that last. Our network of partners and industry contacts is a resource we gladly put at your disposal.”

“Beauty, to us, is a function of the product. It expresses appreciation and makes a product more durable. That, too, is sustainable design.”

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With a few simple steps, the Leaf Cover can bring a dull room to life and provide a ton of useful storage space. The Leaf Cover is a little plastic piece shaped like two leaves and a stem. It fits right over a nail to green up any room.

Leaf Cover-clad nails can be used to hold jackets, keys, dog leashes and any other small, lightweight object. An entire wall filled with the little green sprouts can go from plain to magical in little more than the time it takes to hammer in some nails.

Designed by Jeong Hwa Jin, the Leaf Cover is a clever new take on the practical but unsightly solution so many of us use to keep necessary objects close at hand. It would be great to see the designer introduce other types of leaves and maybe some flowers in the future to provide a splash of variety on users’ walls.

“Leaf cover which gives birth to new life in a nailed and dead space. Design which brings new vitality with leaf growing out from the wall. with the image of leaf growing out from the Ground as motif, sprout grows in the nailed space of wall which gives no sense of life.”

“We tend to concern much about driving a nail because unsightly mark might remain or it is difficult to clean up. Mindlessly nailed wall. By covering the nailed place with leaf cover, it is possible to grant the feeling of new life growing from the wall. In addition, it is possible to grant various usability such as lid of ball point pen, picture frame hanger, and etc..”

“The project mentioned above will target on the European and American market by cooperating with SUCK UK LTD, and is to be released since the second half of the year 2012 through mass production. “

Buy them at SUCK UK.

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Generally fan art comes in the form of drawings, sculptures, digital renderings and the like – a little less often it takes the form of furniture objects like this light that pays tribute to the classic AT-AT Walker from the original Star Wars movies.

It looks a bit like a long-legged wooden side table at first, but a drawer slides out to reveal the hidden ‘head’ of the walking vehicle. In turn, the resulting composition appears a lot like the mechanical legs and body of the AT-AT strider. The fact that it’s a table and a lamp in one, with a functional drawer, just makes it that much cooler.

Of course, you would not need to know the pop-cultural reference to see that this design by LifeGoods is neat regardless of context- though having the sci-fi savvy to recognize the robotic body implied in the form might help a bit when trying to explain this work at a dinner party (or geek film festival).

That’s the beauty of this piece. While a lot of furniture and home decor inspired by pop culture can feel kitschy, overly literal and cheap, LifeGoods’ version of an AT-AT in table form feels refined, elegant and truly useful. It could fit right in to all sorts of homes, whether or not any other Star Wars references are present.

“We are fascinated by wood and its codes,” say the designers, who were recognized for the piece at the [D3] Awards in Cologne.

“We pick up antique details of cabinetwork and give the object a look which is totally contemporary due to its dimensions. We explore the limits of the wooden piece by expanding its legs and by creating a drawer that functions as a light dimmer. The lamp is like a science fiction object but characterized by the warmth and the preciousness of woodwork.”

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