When the coronavirus pandemic first brought normal life to a screeching halt in March 2020, retired interior designer Annie Kampfe suddenly found herself with more time on her hands. She pulled out the dollhouse kit she’d purchased from Earth and Tree Miniatures in Amherst, New Hampshire in 2017 and got to work alongside her husband, Cliff Donnelly. Instead of faithfully reproducing the model, though, they subverted the kit, recutting almost every piece to achieve the midcentury modern vibe they were after.

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What began as a way to pass the time soon became a passion. The Kansas City, Missouri couple wanted their “mini modern house” to feel like a real space, so they spent thousands of hours throughout 2020 perfecting every last detail of the three-story, 13-room miniature home, working in 1 to 12 (inches) scale. Using tiny tools, they handcrafted the components as true to life as possible, often using real materials like wood, tile, mortar, and concrete, as would be appropriate for the full-scale versions.

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Kampfe was inspired by the house she grew up in, which her parents built in Omaha, Nebraska. She spent a lot of time searching for just the right pieces to put inside the miniature, which all had to be midcentury modern in style. Most of it is vintage and German in origin, but some came from contemporary artists and craftspeople she found online. She even sourced a few pieces from her childhood home, including cork wallpaper her parents had hanging in their den.

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Each room of the dollhouse is a marvel, with a lot to take in. The possessions are perfectly disheveled, as if the miniature occupants just stepped out. In the living room, which Kampfe floored with wood in a parquet pattern, there are tiny paintings, candlesticks, books, liquor bottles, drinking glasses, and textiles she needlepointed herself. The house is wired for electricity, too, so the lamps (custom-made by a friend) all work.

Before the pandemic began, the couple did a lot of traveling, allowing them to pick up miniatures from cities like Atlanta, Maine, New York, and Paris for the home. The tiger-shaped rug in the master bedroom, found in a local store, is the piece that started the whole project. “It intrigued me because I’m a lifelong needlepointer,” she told Today. “I asked the gal who owned the shop what it was used for, and she said, ‘Annie, I think it’s meant to be a dollhouse rug.’”

In January, when the home was more or less complete, Kampfe’s son posted about the project on Twitter, and interest in their design soon exploded across the internet. Since then, they’ve continued to modify and refine the dollhouse, adding a basement level with a functional garage door. They offer close-up views and details on each space on Instagram @minimoderndollhouse.

“We had no idea Scott was going to put those photos on his Twitter,” Kampfe told Today. “I thought he was teasing me — he was like, ‘Mom, you’re going viral.’ I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ We don’t necessarily love all the attention we’re getting, but I love the joy and happiness that this little miniature world has brought to a lot of people. It’s just been so humbling that something we’ve enjoyed so much made people happy.”

The post Missouri Couple Spent Lockdown Building an Amazing Midcentury Modern Dollhouse first appeared on Dornob.

Designed by a father who was sick of his couch always being in disarray, FORT comes in six shades of blue, gray, green, and purple, and you can always buy multiple kits and mix them up to make extra-big forts. Keeping in mind the target age range between three and six years old, the magnets are strong enough to hold kid-built structures together, but not too strong for little hands to manipulate (or strong enough to hurt anyone). A non-magnetic option is also available, if that’s your preference. Each piece is light enough that a toddler could pick it up and move it. The faux leather upholstery is also wipeable, unlike most couch cushions, which means the kit can even be used outside on the lawn.

The pieces are big enough for dramatic castles, but that also means they don’t exactly fold down to a compact size for storage. You can assemble them all into a tidy cube, but it will still have to hang out somewhere until you want to use it. That’s where you might as well get creative. You can assemble the pieces into a small kid-friendly couch or other semi-permanent piece of furniture and make it a multipurpose product. Accessories are also available for the FORT, including a strap for carrying the cube-bundle and a microfiber case to turn the whole thing into a giant ottoman.

A description on the pillow fort’s Kickstarter page reads: “Structural and supportive foam that is dense enough to build with but soft enough to knock down without boo-boos! Our foam is made of a flexible polyurethane foam that is compliant with CertiPUR-US product standards. This means it is made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP flame retardants, mercury, lead and other heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates, and is low VOC for healthy indoor air!”

“We take the safety of our children seriously. If I don’t want my kids playing with it, I don’t want yours. That’s why we’ve worked obsessively to make sure the magnets don’t fall out. The magnets are sewn in place with nylon thread in a special pocket, and our leather is super durable.”

This isn’t the first fort kit of its kind. “Squishy Forts” offered a similar project back in 2013, featuring modular components with built-in rare earth magnets. Just like FORT, they piled up into a neat little square when not in use. The difference is that “Squishy Forts” did away with pretensions of being for children and marketed straight to adults. They don’t appear to be available anymore, though, so FORT stepped in to meet the demand. Let’s not pretend you aren’t going to buy this “for the kids,” and then pull it out to play with when they’re asleep (with or without the involvement of tequila). But hey, it’s okay. Live your best fort-building life.

To get one of your own, pledge $219 or more for the non-magnetic version or $259 and up for the magnetic version on Kickstarter, with estimated delivery in September 2021.

The post You’re Going to Want to Steal This Magnetic Pillow Fort from Your Kids first appeared on Dornob.

CLIP is just what it sounds like, clipping onto the front wheel of any standard bicycle to instantly convert it into an e-bike. There’s no complicated installation process or even tools required. It takes literally seconds to attach or detach, and since it’s so portable at a weight of seven pounds, you can tuck it into your bag. Lock up your beater bike, take the most valuable component inside with you at your destination, and breathe easy. Once plugged in, the CLIP recharges from 0 to 100 percent in about 40 minutes.

The CLIP is a standalone product with no separate batteries, sensors, or wiring. Compatible with all city, road, and hybrid bikes with a 26 to 28-inch front tire and any fork stem thickness, the plug-and-play design features a friction drive, a type of mechanical transmission that transmits torque directly to your front tire via a small roller. And if you’re concerned that an electric motor will erase all the health benefits of cycling, worry not – you can choose to activate or deactivate it whenever you want.

One of the coolest parts of the CLIP is the fact that it even works with shared bike services like Citibike. Let’s say you do most of your commute on a bus or train, but have another few miles to travel after that that aren’t efficiently serviced by public transit. You don’t have to lug your own bike along with you. Just bring your CLIP and attach it to a rented bike for the duration of your ride. If you really wanted to, you could just ride your bike the whole way. The designers say CLIP will allow you to bike a distance of up to 15 miles in about 45 minutes. CLIP performs within the Class 1 classification of e-bikes, offering pedal-assist only rather than throttle, with a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph.

The makers of this portable e-motor say the CLIP’s friction drive won’t wear down tires, but it performs best on dry or semi-dry roads. If you’re trying to bike in rainy conditions, you’ll want to use the power of your legs instead. Apparently, they have some upgrades coming in the next generation that will eliminate this issue. They’re also set to debut an accompanying iOS/Android app with features that haven’t yet been unveiled.

“[We] realized that the solution to this problem had to be nuanced and apply to a wide demographic of urban commuters,” says Somnath Ray, co-founder and CEO of CLIP. “The solution had to be portable and lightweight, so it could be easily detached after every use and taken along, so it can’t be stolen, modular and inexpensive so a person who doesn’t own a bike or has a complicated inter-modal commute can bring it along to use it on shared bikes; or just rent it from a vending machine.”

At $399 USD, the CLIP costs about half the price of a regular electric bike and offers a oe-year replacement warranty. They’re accepting pre-orders right now on their website with a $50 deposit.

The post Instantly Turn Any Bicycle into an E-Bike with CLIP Conversion Kit first appeared on Dornob.

The way these tiny treehouses interact with houseplants is similar to the work of artist Jedediah Corwyn Voltz, who selects potted plants and bonsai with shapes that mimic real trees and builds adorable, realistic mini treehouses around them. Voltz’s work is definitely on another level, and these flat-pack kits can’t be customized to your plants in quite the same way, but you can still achieve a similar effect.

The model kits come in a range of difficulty levels, some bearing dozens of intricate pieces. The easiest models are rated 3/5 for difficulty, while the ornate six-story “Temple of Supreme Serenity” is a full-on 5/5. It takes two to four hours for the average person to assemble one miniature structure, with minimal glueing required. The styles include several beautiful temples, multi-level pagodas, a dangling lantern-style treehouse, and a more conventional rustic treehouse. Even better, more designs will be unlocked as the campaign meets future stretch goals.

Speaking of lanterns, here’s one of the coolest things about these mini flat-pack treehouse kits. Each model comes with LED lights and batteries so you can turn the tiny treehouses into softly glowing lamps, illuminating their interiors so all the details are visible in the dark. Models like “Tropical Lookout” and “Home Base” even have minuscule furniture arranged inside, including couches, dining sets, and beds small enough for ants to lounge on.

If you want to work on these models with kids without worrying about losing all the small parts, the creators just released the option of choosing larger versions of each treehouse, which makes them a lot easier to build. The regularly sized models will sell for about $45 each, and the scaled-up versions will cost an extra $14. The Kickstarter campaign ends Thursday, October 15th, and they’ll likely be available for retail sale at some point in the near future.

“Ever since I was little I loved arts and crafts, and now design has become a key tool for my self expression,” says creator Lars. “I love the problem solving, being hands on, and the way I get to manifest my own reality. My goal in life is to bring a bit of joy and happiness to the world, and to empower creativity in others. But really, I just love creating awesome stuff! Honestly, designing a product and bringing it into market has been a huge ambition of mine since I was young. If you back this project, you are helping me achieve a very big dream!”

If you love the idea of building architectural models but your tastes are more modern, there are plenty of other kits available for you, too. Just check out these mini modern “dollhouses” by toymaker BrincaDADA!

The post Build Your Own Tiny Treehouses With This DIY Model Kit first appeared on Dornob.

Launched on Kickstarter in June, Bottle Farm is a simple, affordable kit that can help you transform any old plastic bottle into an indoor farm producing edible plants like herbs and salad greens. It requires no electricity and is fully self-watering, so it’s highly efficient and a great option for people who aren’t the most attentive gardeners.

This mini farm relies mainly on hydroponic technology, requiring the user to grow plants in water instead of soil. It’s designed to simply sit in your window though, so you don’t have to set up any grow lights or waste electricity to help it thrive. It comes with two bottle stands, two “suction pads” to stick it to a window, four “grow baskets” you insert into the sidewall of a plastic bottle, and eight “grow pods” made of recycled coconut husk.

To get started, you simply cut slots in the bottle using a provided template, insert the grow baskets, and drop in the grow pods, which expand when they come into contact with water. The kit provides basil, chard, chives, coriander, parsley, lettuce, tomato, rocket, and chili seeds, along with packets of “plant fuel” fertilizer, but you can always swap in other seeds better tailored to your preferences.

The kit can either be placed in a windowsill, if there’s enough room, or suction-cupped to the glass. Little suction cup “grow clips” let you support bigger plants like tomatoes as they grow. Most of the components are made of 95-percent recycled plastic, and to offset those materials that aren’t, the company partnered with Carbonfund.org.

They explain that “one year ago, we noticed a problem. The food we were buying was being wrapped in single-use plastic and flown across the world to get to us. That has a large environmental impact. But we live in London, so how were we meant to find space to grow our own food? Then we had an idea. What if you could grow food using an everyday object, which was otherwise going to be thrown away, in space you can’t use for anything else? We created Bottle Farm.”

“We are a small team of physicists and designers with experience developing large-scale home hydroponics systems. We’ve spent this past year designing every part of Bottle Farm with care and attention, down to the minute details. We used a beautifully simple design process. Iteration. We took each part needed to create a Bottle Farm, worked out what it needed to do, then designed Version 1 and made the first prototype. Then we would test it until it broke. From this we learnt what worked and what didn’t. Then we would re-design and repeat. That’s how we’ve packed so many features and so much functionality into this little box.”

Kits are available for pre-order on Kickstarter now for as little as £20 (about $26 USD), but larger pledges will net you extras like expanded seed varieties and additional grow clips.

The post “Bottle Farm” Kit Turns Used Plastic Bottles Into Indoor Gardens first appeared on Dornob.

Now, those products include entire houses.

Dozens of tiny house kits are available on Amazon at any given time, from the most basic of shipping container houses to surprisingly complex modular creations. Most of these kits aren’t exactly going to arrive in two days or less with Prime shipping, but you can still have them delivered to your door.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy any one of these models today for as little as $4,000 — and yes, the shipping is often free. While some are more like sheds or backyard offices, others are perfectly suitable for people who need a small but livable full-time residence.

Allwood Arlanda XL – $9,990

This simple, modern 227-square-foot kit is pitched by its manufacturer as an ideal backyard addition, for use as a home studio or office. With its contemporary styling, it’s particularly suitable for environments where classic cabin styles would look out of place.

The company adds that “a number of folks had asked whether a separate sleeping room or bathroom can be added to the original Arlanda floor plan. So now we have it. This timeless urban design is an alternative to classic log cabin-styled structures. It works well in a variety of surroundings. Just like the original smaller Arlanda, this XL version can also be set up on [the] rooftops of multi-story buildings. Assembly of this product takes a full day for two adults. Do it yourself directions come with the kit and only minimal tools are needed. Small window on left side of cabin not included. This Cabin Kit includes all the parts and hardware except the roof shingles and foundation materials.”

Modular Mobile Container House – $14,999

Three stacked containers are arranged to provide two levels of living space and a terrace in this kit by XIANGXING. It’s pretty bare on the inside, but it does come with plumbing, wiring, and insulation built in, so you can take it from there and really make it your own. Not much information is available on this one’s Amazon page, unfortunately, so you’ll probably have to contact the manufacturer with questions.

Pre-Cut Timber Frame Vermont Cottage – $16,047

If you’re looking for something a lot more rustic, Jamaica Cottage Shop offers its 16 x 20 timber frame post and beam cottage with a loft. The kit includes all lumber, 29-gauge corrugated metal roofing, a pine door, window and fastening hardware, and detailed step-by-step plans. The cottage itself is made of rough sawn hemlock and eastern white pine wood.

Expandable Container House with Solar Energy – $36,800

This shipping container house kit by Weizhengheng features a galvanized light steel frame and solar panels on the roof. You can choose a 20-foot or 40-foot length, and installation is ultra quick, taking just about two hours to set up. Using a container as the base makes it easy to transport, waterproof, fireproof, and wind-resistant, and the company recommends using it as a home, dorm, camp, classroom, library, shop or whatever else you might need a little extra space for on your property.

ECOHOUSEMART Laminated Log House Kit – $63,965

This 3-bedroom contemporary log cabin kit is just as well-suited to urban and suburban neighborhoods as it is to the woods, and it’s plenty large enough for a family at 1290 square feet. Made to order using engineered wood, the kit includes essential elements like structural posts, beams, casing, framing lumber, rafter systems, ceiling boards, and eaves. Just remember that you’ll have to add your own windows, doors, plumbing, and electrical to this one.

ECOHOUSEMART Timber Frame Kit – $49,612

Another model from ECOHOUSEMART offers contemporary looks, 2 bedrooms, and 1 bath in 1,149 square feet. This one comes with all the same basic materials needed to get started, but again, you’ll have to supply the rest yourself.

Cliff Prefabricated Modular House – $115,000

On the more expensive end is this 774-square-foot, 3-bedroom modular house with its own sauna and built-in terrace. Best of all, it comes equipped with plumbing, wiring, and insulation, so you just assemble the parts on your foundation, hook them up to the grid, and you’re ready to go.

The tiny home’s Amazon description reads: “Cliff is a modular house perfect for accommodation for friends and family members overnight. It also can successfully be used to accommodate larger groups of people in ski-resorts or rent the units out in Airbnb, or as a private lake-house for a romantic weekends. These modular houses are suitable in different climate areas all around the world. The idea of a Cliff is to offer more space with smaller measurements of the building [while] taking advantage of smart-home technology for a more eco-friendly approach.”

The post Our 7 Favorite DIY Tiny Homes on Amazon first appeared on Dornob.

What if housing was simply designed to accommodate a broader range of human bodies and abilities? The “universal design” movement advocates an “architecture for all” approach with features like doorways, aisles, and counters that are easily usable by people seated in wheelchairs. In this way, young, able-bodied people can still use the spaces as they normally would, while elderly and disabled people don’t have to struggle to do simple things like reach a cup in a cabinet, turn on the sink, or get into the shower.

A new prefabricated house kit by Japanese retailer MUJI offers just that. The single-story “Yō no le house,” or “plain house,” takes inspiration from the “hiraya” style of living, which eliminates most interior walls. The company envisions “connection” as the central theme of the design — with one’s family, with community, and with nature. Three large glass doors open directly onto a spacious wooden deck with a sunken fire pit, so the inside never feels lonely or cut off from the world outside.

It may be designed with seniors in mind, but “Yō no le house” would work for virtually anyone, including wheelchair users. The transitions between indoors and out are smooth enough to roll over, and kitchen counters and tables have plenty of space beneath them to sit comfortably. Many of the company’s furniture items are pictured inside as a perfect complement to the design, including a rolling dining table and a platform bed that’s incredibly easy to get in and out of.

While some people might like the open layout as it is, owners do have the choice to customize the interiors. You can add walls to create separate rooms, and the windows are placed evenly to make sure there’s plenty of natural light in each area.

High ceilings painted white give the 800-square-foot house a spacious feel, warmed up by plenty of wooden surfaces. Cube shelving in the bedroom area eliminates the need for closets. If users need all the shelves to be lower, or want to make any other changes, they can also fine-tune all of the built-in elements to perfectly match their unique needs.

Like all of MUJI’s prefabs, this house is designed to be long-lasting. The durable metal roof and cedar siding will look beautiful for decades to come, with little need for maintenance. It’s easy to imagine this home serving a single person or couple for many years, even as they age.

This prefab house design for seniors is currently only available for sale in Japan, with prices starting at $150,000. MUJI has even installed a model unit in a forested area in Isumi, about two hours from Tokyo, for anyone who’d like to see one in person.

The post Japanese Retailer MUJI Offers a Prefab House Kit for Seniors first appeared on Dornob.

“Cybertruck is built with an exterior shell made for ultimate durability and passenger protection,” Tesla says of the truck. “Starting with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton, every component is designed for superior strength and endurance, from Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless-steel structural skin to Tesla armor glass.”

Car enthusiasts watching the livestream of the truck’s debut were already buzzing about the truck’s bizarre looks when a demonstration of its “bulletproof” glass went awry, smashing into pieces almost instantly. Seconds later, the Cybertruck was all over the internet, with some lauding its innovations and others deriding its wedge-shaped stainless steel unibody design.

Even toy company LEGO jumped into the fray, tweeting a picture of its own “Cybertruck” made from a single plastic brick on Twitter. The caption read: “The evolution of the truck is here. Guaranteed shatterproof.” Clearly a good-humored jab at Tesla, the tweet inspired fans of the toy blocks to get creative with their own interpretations of the Cybertruck design.

Turns out that one of them is so cool, LEGO might actually make it into an official kit. Shared on the official LEGO Ideas crowdsourcing website, where fans compete to have their own product ideas made into real building sets, the LEGO Tesla Cybertruck by user BrickinNick is a faithful representation of the real thing, and it even has moving parts like a fully articulating tailgate and “frunk” (front trunk).

“While its design may not be for everyone, many different elements and functions of the Cybertruck lend themselves well to an electrifying LEGO build,” says the creator. “At this time, only the frunk (front trunk) and tailgate function. Opening passenger doors, a full interior, fold or slide-out ramp, opening charging ports, steering, suspension, the Tesla ATV, and more could all be integrated (and are being worked on for future project updates) making for an incredibly fun building experience. LEGO motorization could even turn this into a truly all-electric vehicle in brick form!”

The design has already garnered more than 6,000 votes from the Lego Ideas community, so it has a real shot at becoming the real thing as long as Tesla grants LEGO permission to use the truck’s name and likeness.

The on-stage demo of the real Cybertruck may have famously gone wrong, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t excited about it and eager to get their hands on one of their own. Production is set to begin in 2021, and the starting price is $39,900. The truck is Tesla’s sixth vehicle design since its founding in 2003 and by far its most experimental. It will come in both a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version that gets 250 miles per charge and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version with 300 miles of range. If all goes well, a tri-motor version is expected to follow in 2022.

The post Fan-Designed LEGO Version of the Tesla Cybertruck Features Moving Parts first appeared on Dornob.

Start with your own paper airplane, which could be made of paper, card stock, cardboard, balsa wood, or foam. Then attach the POWERUP module, which is connected to a pair of propellers, to the tip. This module also contains an onboard flight computer with autopilot, gyro accelerometer, flight telemetry, and night flight abilities, allowing you to control the airplane remotely with your smartphone.

The creators of the POWERUP just released version 4.0 of their design, adding some new features to their previous kit.

They explain: “POWERUP 4.0 is the smartest, most intuitive paper plane kit we’ve ever made. It makes it possible to fly with ease and smoothness in a variety of conditions. Say goodbye to nosedives and choppy flights. We’ve added a new on-board flight computer and two new sensors: gyro and accelerometer, combined with two thrust vectoring motors.”

“That means flying POWERUP 4.0 is smoother than ever, and can now do all this: easier aerobatics (master impressive tricks with ease), wind stabilizer (so you can fly in windy conditions), launch assist (even bad launches will recover and fly), and auto stabilizer (so even your lopsided folding technique flies remarkably). That’s right. POWERUP 4.0 can auto-loop. So you can master tricks and awesome aerobatics by simply pressing a button. We’ve [also] added two high-speed motors to POWERUP 4.0. That means you’ve got double the thrust, additional maneuvering possibilities, and sharper turns. And together with the flight assist, you can fly just about anything.”

Adding flight telemetry and stats to the package means you can “learn to fly like a pro” using real-time analytics like heading direction, thrust level, and turning angles. You can even download your flight data to optimize your techniques.

Optional LED lights make it easy (and fun) to fly the POWERUP 4.0 at night, and don’t worry: the soft front bumper of the onboard computer will protect it if you accidentally fly it into a wall or the ground. The POWERUP even gives your paper airplane its own landing gear in the form of two rear wheels and one front wheel, making it possible to launch off a surface instead of using your hands.

The whole thing weighs just 19 grams, and it takes 25 minutes to charge using a micro USB, with a wireless range of up to 230 feet. If there’s one caveat, it’s the fact that you only get 10 minutes of flight time per charge.

Sure, you could get any number of drones or flying gadgets that don’t require you to build any of the components yourself. But participating in the creative process is part of the fun, and it’s a great skill to encourage kids to learn. That makes it a great gift for any budding engineers in your life.

“This adds a layer of fun and wonder to the project, yet it also adds an additional challenge because students are adding an engine and a power source that must be balanced on their plane’s design,” says Mark Gerl, Director of Innovation at the Fulton Academy for Science and Technology.

The POWERUP 4.0 just completed a round of crowdfunding on Kickstarter, raising over $1 million USD to go into production. The kit will be available to the public at a retail price of $129 sometime next year.

The post Power Up Your Paper Airplanes With This High-Tech Flight Kit first appeared on Dornob.

Adding to an existing structure can be a tricky undertaking, especially when there’s historic value attached to it. After all, it’s nearly impossible to find the exact same materials that were originally used, let alone materials that have aged and weathered in a similar way. Designers might find themselves attempting faux finishes in an effort to camouflage the addition, or having no choice but to accept imperfect matches.

Still, chances are they aren’t going to fool anyone. That’s why so many architects choose to design additions in contrasting styles, with no attempt to hide the transition between the old and new. But what happens in the future, when those additions look dated and are no longer desirable?

That’s where modular systems come in, like the flat pack U-build kit by Studio Bark. Designed to make the construction process “truly affordable and truly self-built,” the system consists of slatted wooden panels that are delivered to a client’s doorstep in flat-pack form. They come with easy-to-follow instructions, and they can be assembled with little more than a mallet and a drill. The wooden boxes bolt together to create a rigid frame. Crucially, it’s all easy to disassemble when its presence is no longer desirable.

In Essex, England, the first extension to be built using the U-Build system has just been completed. “The Mill Lane Project” is a first-floor extension of an 1830s Georgian cottage facing a garden. Once the prepwork was finished on the existing house by local building renovation specialists Francis Builders, the clients took on the delivery and assembly of the new components themselves.

Externally, the extension is clad in black-stained slatted wood. Internally, the elements of the U-Build system are left raw for a clean contemporary effect. It contains a new guest bedroom, bathroom, open plan kitchen, and dining space for guests of the retired owners.

“We think that buildings should be affordable and adaptable. Why pay to have a new wall built, then pay again to knock it down in the future when your needs change? U-Build allows you to take control of the whole build process: designing, creating and adapting your own spaces.”

Studio Bark, the creator of the U-build kit, explains: “U-Build takes a circular economy approach to building. The system uses a selection of durable non-toxic materials — choose cost-effective OSB, robust spruce, or refined birch. The walls are insulated with natural sheep’s wool insulation, and can be clad in a variety of materials.”

The clients say they had a great experience working on the project, even though they had no prior building experience.

“Carrying out our recent build project with Studio Bark has been an amazing experience. We wanted to add a first-floor extension to our 1830s cottage to provide an upstairs yoga space and bedroom with an en-suite shower room and a landing space to accommodate all our books. Studio Bark came up with an innovative design with high ceilings vaulted in birch. It managed the difficult task of sitting well with the existing building while not attempting to copy it. They managed the planning application process, kep[t] us informed, and worked with us to ensure that we understood the proposals. To our delight, they told us that if we wished we could have some involvement in the build process, and we happily agreed.”

If your interest is piqued but you don’t feel quite ready to take on a U-Build projectt of your own, you might be interested to hear that you can also use the system’s accompanying design software to help design your own space. Check it out here.

The post First Home Addition Made with Studio Bark’s Flat-Pack U-Build System first appeared on Dornob.

Xorel Artform is Carnegie’s series of acoustical tiling, combining their high-performance interior textile Xorel with effective sound absorption and echo reduction. Available in a variety of thicknesses for different applications, they also come in an awesome variety of shapes, colors, and patterns, giving you the freedom to design your own custom installation.

The result? Way cooler than a blank wall or ceiling could ever be, even beyond the fact that the panels are so good at muffling distracting noises. While they’re most often found in offices and commercial spaces, it’s not hard to imagine these acoustic installations coming in handy at home, too, particularly if you live in an apartment building.

Panel shapes include circles, hexagons, diamonds, and more, and you can take your pick of over 350 different surface material configurations. Carnegie recently expanded Xorel Artform to include new shapes “flip” and “ripple,” too. The former features double-sided fabric choices, perfect for ceiling baffles that double as colorful sculptures, while the latter is an undulating form that’s sort of like a rectangle with a wavy edge on one side.

Xorel, Carnegie’s high-performance textile, is lauded by the company as “the most thoroughly tested textile material in the world,” with more than 65 independent tests vetting its performance and characteristics like durability, acoustic absorption, and bacterial resistance. It’s also sustainable, earning C2C (Cradle to Cradle) Gold certification.

The company website reads: “Fast and easy to install with little disruption or major cleanup, Xorel Artform is the optimal solution to address post-occupancy acoustical issues. Vertically suspended ceiling baffles not only open up design possibilities but also allow for sound absorption on both sides for increased sound clarity. Xorel Artform baffles are manufactured with ready-to-fasten hardware for ceiling suspension. Installation materials, including cables and pendants, for vertically suspended baffles are included in each box set.”

“Available in 16 shapes, a variety of sizes, three dimensional options, and over 350 Xorel colors, patterns, and textures, a multitude of wall designs can be created bringing artfulness and performance to any interior. Box sets include panels that are the same shape, size, substrate, fabric, and color. Installation materials and printed installation guides are also included.”

Need some inspiration? If you’re hoping to experiment with your own creative instincts, browse the #xorelartform hashtag on Instagram to see what other folks are doing with these panels. If you’d rather leave the arrangement to a design professional, Xorel Artform offers instant kits in all sorts of fun patterns for small, medium, and large spaces, so all you have to do is click “buy” and then stick them on when they arrive using a template. You can also browse their gallery by shape for additional ideas.

The post Xorel Artform Acoustics Panels by Carnegie Fabrics first appeared on Dornob.

You can buy all kinds of bizarre things on Amazon: steaks, live bugs, rare books, life-size Tyrannosaurus rex skull replicas, camel milk, fake buckets of uranium ore, and virtually any other gag gift you can possibly imagine. The retail behemoth is the world’s largest marketplace with over 562 million products to sift through, so it’s no surprise that it has now become a place where you can also purchase entire houses with a single click.

The Allwood Solvalla is one such structure, and it costs a mere $7,250. That may be more than you pay for most of your Amazon purchases, but in terms of actual housing, it’s almost nothing, equal to the cost of just a few months of rent in many apartments. This tiny home kit can also be assembled in just eight hours by two people with no prior building experience. Measuring 172 square feet, the backyard studio is made of Nordic wood and comes with everything you need except roofing shingles and foundation materials, which add up to an additional $320.

Naturally, there’s a catch. Allwood, the manufacturer of the house, says the Solvalla is really intended for use as a home office, pool house, yoga studio, or guest room, since there’s no bathroom or kitchen included inside. There’s also no chance of ordering it with Prime and finding the kit on your doorstep within a matter of days. No, each Solvalla kit is made to order, taking at least 45 days to process and ship after you hit the “Buy Now” button.

“This timeless design is an alternative to classic log cabin-styled structures,” reads the description on Allwood’s website. “It works well in a variety of surroundings and can be a guest house, home office, granny flat, or even a retail space. The versatile Solvalla can also be set up on rooftops of multi-story buildings. Assembly of this solid wood structure takes a full day for two adults. Do-it-yourself simple step-by-step directions come with the kit and only minimal tools are needed. We may also be able to install the cabin for you.”

The Solvalla’s design is streamlined and modern, with about half of its area walled in and the other half open to the outdoors. The enclosed part of the house measures less than 100 square feet, which means there’s probably no way to shoehorn in your own bathroom or kitchenette there. Still, it’s a pretty cool (and budget-friendly) way to add more space to your pre-existing home, and its availability on a platform as popular as Amazon has gained the manufacturer a ton of attention.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of buying a tiny house at such a low price but need a bit more indoor space, Allwood has other models that could work for you, including the more traditionally styled Claudia, a 209-square-foot cabin that sells for $7,990 with free shipping. Lots of other companies offer similar kits at similar price points, too, which could be an attractive way to get started on your own low-cost tiny house project without spending thousands of hours doing all the work yourself.

The post Amazon’s New DIY Guest House Can Be Built in Just 8 Hours first appeared on Dornob.

Matilde Boelhouder believes designers are obligated to think about issues like these, blurring the boundaries between art, design, science, and biology. With this in mind, the Dutch designer has created a series of projects called Insectology, all of which celebrate bugs and work toward helping them thrive.

The series began with a collection of “still life” sculptures called Terra Incognita, mixing delicate metallic plants with preserved specimens in hopes of encouraging viewers to zoom in and look at things that are usually difficult to notice. Next came Insectology Sweets: a series of insect-based confections served up on golden spoons.

“The confections from the Insectology collection were developed as a taste sensation and are meant to make the idea of consuming insects more appealing,” says Boelhouder, adding: “Precisely because we in the West have an aversion to insects, but at the same time it would help alleviate food shortages if more people ate them, it is important for insects to undergo a change of image. So that you don’t actually have to eat the locusts, I have developed some basic ingredients which contain the essential taste of these insects, but which can then be prepared and served in different ways.”

The designer’s Insectology kit of insect care tools is meant to be worn like jewelry, containing tweezers for feeding and handling bugs, a vaporizer made with jewel beetle wings to mist them with water, a small brush to help remove mites, and a mesh terrarium.

“Population growth continues apace, whilst food and other resources become ever more scarce. It has become imperative therefore to look for new solutions by adopting different approaches to these types of problems. I have studied the insect world from the point of view of how insects could function as an alternative source, which has resulted in the production of a series of insect terraria. Through these products, the insect world can be seen in a much more aesthetically pleasing light, thereby increasing the perceived value of these animals and radically changing the way in which we view them.”

Last in the series is Insectology: Food for Buzz, a project examining the crucial relationship between flowers and insects. Boelhouder notes that our urban habitats don’t provide enough flowers to support insect populations. Of course, the obvious answer is to plant more flowers wherever we can, but what about places in which living flowers just aren’t practical? For that, the designer presents beautifully crafted artificial flowers that can serve as an emergency food source for the “big five of pollination,” which are bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies, and moths.

“Together with engineers and scientists these five colorful manmade flowers have been developed to be self-sustaining and continuously producing natural objects that form the ultimate attractions to those of the big five. Adjusted to the length of their tongues, faceted eyes and shape of preference, these flowers aim to take over all unused empty spots and [bring] back the buzzing and fluttering sounds of those small creatures we can’t ever miss in our cityscape.”

The post Insectology: Design That Helps and Highlights the World of Bugs first appeared on Dornob.

Companies have been developing remote cooking products for years now, each with slightly better functionality, versatility, and weight than the one before it. The Stealth Angel Ultralight Portable Outdoor Stove is the latest addition to this lineage, but it takes a much larger leap forward.

Above all, the Stealth Angel is compact, folding into a pocket-size package for ultra-easy carrying. It even clips onto the outside of your backpack to avoid taking up any precious interior storage space. When you stop for lunch on the trail or arrive at your evening campsite, simply screw the threaded bottom portion of the stove to the gas canister of your choosing. Then just trigger the internal ignition, and presto! You’re all set to start preparing the perfect bush meal. You can use the stove’s protruding adjuster to regulate the fuel output and achieve different temperatures for simmering, sautéing, and boiling.

Don’t mistake the compact size for limited food prep, though. As a matter of fact, the Stealth Angel can bring a full pot of water to a boil in less than four minutes — likely faster than even your conventional stove at home.

Surrounding the center flame, four metal supports rotate into position to create a non-slip platform for the pot and pan included in the Stealth Angel kit. The smaller pan measures 2.4 inches high and just over four and a half inches in diameter, ideal for use as a skillet or for boiling small amounts of water. The larger cooking pot measures 4.17 inches high by 4.88 inches wide, making it the better choice for whipping up soup, pasta, and a number of other foods. To top it all off, both cooking vessels offer non-stick surfaces for quick and easy cleanup.

The durable handles on the cookware are coated with rubber to protect against burns when the metal heats up. To make the kit’s design as compact as possible, these handles have also been made foldable, tucking neatly into the sides when not being used. When the handles are folded up, the pan fits snugly into the top of the pot, with enough extra room inside to fit the entire stove — or maybe even a pack of instant potatoes or dehydrated beans.

The entire kit slides into a mesh bag with a draw-close top for maximum portability. This bag can also be used to dry your dishes after you wash them. Just put the wet ones inside and let the air to do the rest as you continue your adventure into nature.

The post Stealth Angel: The Portable Stove Kit That Fits In Your Pocket first appeared on Dornob.

Italian Cheesemaking Kit

Bravo! This kit includes everything you need to make 10 tasty batches of your favorite Italian cheeses, including mozzarella, whole milk ricotta, bocconcini, burrata, mascarpone, and ricotta salata. The kit’s inclusion of all-natural ingredients and all the necessary equipment guarantees mouthwatering cheese in just a few short hours.

Walking Talking Dino Kit

No dinosaur is more beloved — or stars in more films — than the ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex, and dinosaur aficionados will delight in the thought of building one of their very own. No glue, no tools, and certainly none of that pesky DNA is required here, because this prehistoric warrior’s wooden pieces easily snap together. When the job is complete, you can watch your T. rex walk around and listen to it roar via sound activation technology.

Natural Henna Temporary Tattoo Freestyle Kit

For many people, the worst thing about tattoos is their “forever” aspect. By contrast, henna tattoos only last for seven to 10 days. Comprised of three simple stencils, premeasured henna powder, and a professional-grade applicator and tip, this kit allows you to craft between 20 and 30 different designs. What better way to try out some tats without the commitment?

Flashing Bike Light Kit

Light travels faster than anything in the cosmos, but people might rethink that claim when they see a bike decked out with lights that make you look like you’re flying with every pedal revolution. Thank wireless electricity for the phenomenon and delight your favorite biker with this amazing DIY kit, which is easy enough for anyone ages six and up to put together.

Balance & Tranquility Grow Kit

Few can dispute that we’re in the midst of trying times. This garden kit grows only plants that inspire peace and harmony, which is perfect for those of us that might need to calm down in the midst of such a dense global climate. It includes a recycled egg carton for starting seedlings, wooden plant stakes, and six types of heirloom seeds including soothing chamomile, stress-relieving basil, relaxing lavender, stimulating peppermint, comforting wild bergamot, and razor-sharp sage. Recipes for oil infusions, teas, and a DIY smudge stick are also included in the kit.

Build Your Own Marble Coaster

Physics and engineering have never been more fun than here, where they’re working together to make a marble coaster with as many turns, dips, and amazing moves as a full-sized amusement park ride. Easily assembled with a set of artfully-crafted instructions, laser-cut Baltic birch wood, and a little white household glue, this coaster is perfect for anyone ages nine and up. Hand-crank it to send four marbles on a kinetic energy-powered ride unlike any other!

Margarita Carry-On Cocktail Kit

Sometimes nothing tastes better than a freshly made margarita, like when you’re soaring above the clouds in a big jetliner. All you need is a mini bottle or two of your favorite tequila, and the kit takes care of the rest: margarita mix, a stainless steel bar spoon, a half-ounce steel jigger, sea salt for the rim of your glass, and, for a touch of class, a linen coaster. Flights don’t get much better than this.

The post Fun DIY Kits for Both Kids and Adults first appeared on Dornob.

Lava Mae gets to the heart of important issues, though, providing showers and personal hygiene products to people living on the streets around the world. Dignity and self-worth are the core messages Lava Mae shares as it helps people access these most basic of human needs and comforts.

“Lava Mae brings critical services to the streets, delivered with Radical Hospitality, to restore dignity, rekindle optimism, and fuel a sense of opportunity,” the nonprofit explains on its website. “Our audacious goal is to unleash a Radical Hospitality Revolution around the world.”
CNN Hero Doniece Sandoval started Lava Mae in San Francisco back in 2013. She noticed more and more people sleeping on the streets of San Francisco as the city became an increasingly expensive place to live due to the tech industry boom, which skyrocketed real estate prices and sped up the gentrification process.

CNN reported that Sandoval was shocked when she found that there were less than 20 shower stalls and toilets for the thousands of homeless people in the city. “For the homeless community, it was the equivalent of being in a third-world country,” she told CNN.

The organization converted retired city buses into mobile shower units that could give people easy access to their services, and it also hands out hygiene kits, packs of new underwear, and comfortable pairs of socks.
Now Lava Mae provides outreach in Los Angeles, too, and it’s developed a kit to make it easy for people in other cities and countries to set up their own mobile shower projects for their communities. The “BuildIt” kit provides specifications for building mobile shower trailers and includes talking points to examine before launching a project. Lava Mae even helps connect new service providers with local partners, volunteers, and donors.

“We pilot, test, and refine new programs and share what we’ve learned with the world,” the nonprofit says, adding that it “forges creative partnerships across sectors to radically increase access to services and better meet [its] guests’ needs.”

Human connection and dignity are paramount in all of Lava Mae’s work, and in the list of ways in which people can help, it’s noteworthy that the first suggestion the organization provides is “Acknowledge: Simply making eye contact and even smiling at those you pass on the street is a good first step. It makes a difference when people are seen rather than ignored.”

Other ways that individuals and corporations can help are by donating supplies for hygiene kits like toothbrushes and soap or volunteering at one of Lava Mae’s locations.
In addition to the mobile showers, Lava Mae runs pop-up “care villages” to give homeless people easy access to checkups and treatment from doctors and dentists as well as a good haircut, a clean set of clothes, and the chance to talk with a lawyer if they need legal advice.

Lava Mae has served more than 4,000 individuals, provided 20,000-plus showers on its mobile units, and raised global awareness about the homeless community’s lack of access to basic hygiene.

The post Lava Mae Converts Buses into Mobile Showers for Homeless People first appeared on Dornob.