All posts filed under: Things for Organizing

Omnioutil bucket

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I usually like to focus on products that are brand new to the market, but these colorful multifunctional buckets from the Japanese housewares company Hachiman Kasai, introduced nearly 20 years ago, just stopped me in my tracks at the last New York Gift Fair. Made of polypropylene with a corrugated texture, the buckets come with a handle and lid that make it easy to be used for storage as well as for a small stool for children to sit on or for short moms to get down the pasta from the top shelf. The buckets are also great for washing up or general outdoor work — there is a small hole in the handle designed specifically to hold a hose so you can easily fill it up. They come in five colors and three sizes (8, 10, or 20 liters), so you can find the right bucket for the job. There is a reason they still sell these after nearly two decades.

modern-twist

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  I was drawn to the modern-twist booth at this winter’s New York Gift Fair by their unique collection of food-grade, hand-screened silicone placemats. Based in the San Francisco/Oakland area, modern-twist makes a range of products, from bracelets to coasters, in a manner that allows them to be both a socially and environmentally conscious company. Free of BPA, latex, and chemicals, their products are good enough to literally eat off. The line of  12” x 16” KIDZ mats, starting at $17 each, are filled with child-friendly scenes by contributing artists that can be doodled on with washable or dry erase markers and wiped clean again with a damp cloth. Adults can have fun too, with a line of silky smooth silicone place mats in subtle geometric and floral designs. Other product designs from modern-twist include trivets, coasters, wine glass markers, jewelry boxes, pillows, and a line of silicone bracelets that will appeal to kids of all ages.

Heath Ceramics Summer Collection

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It’s beginning to warm up here in the New York City area, and people can get a little carried away that winter is finally over. Once the temperature hits 60 degrees Fahrenheit, suddenly every other person on the street is walking around half-dressed. I think some men buy special calendars that announce it’s the Official First Shirtless Day of the year because, as if all at once, all you see is chest hair and bad tattoos. Launching in April in limited quantities, Heath Ceramic‘s new collection of tabletop pieces is also eager for the summer to arrive. Along with a fresh color palette including California Poppy, Grapefruit, and Birch, the collection revisits the company’s previous experiments with exposing the natural clay body texture of their designs. Like those fancy bakery cookies that have their ends dipped in chocolate, these luscious glazes are tempting enough to bite into. Clay is exposed at defined points on many pieces, either towards the neck of a vase or base of a bowl. In the collection, matte glazes also continue …

Fruity Fruit Basket

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Fruity is a new fruit bowl designed by Charlotte Arvidsson for the Danish design company Normann Copenhagen. Arvidsson, a graduate design student in Sweden, has designed Fruity to arrive flat and be easily assembled and disassembled (it can be freestanding or suspended). Made of plywood, Fruity is inspired by the rings of water that form around a raindrop. Its open structure makes it easier for you to keep an eye on how fresh your produce is — from all angles. $26.00 USD.

Spiderpodium

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Warning: This post is not for arachnophobics. The Spiderpodium from Breffo is a multifunctional travel accessory that works as both a holster and a stand. Available in a handheld or tablet size, this adjustable little guy features eight notched “legs” that allow it to hang from (or be secured to) a car mirror, car seat back, bicycle frame, desk, or other surface. While it can seem a bit creepy-crawly, it also looks like it’s very practical at keeping your device exactly where you need it to be. I just wouldn’t recommend renting a certain Jeff Daniels film while it’s around. Designed and manufactured in the U.K., Spiderpodium is made of soft rubber and comes in either black or white. $19.99 USD.

Animal Boxes

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These hinged Animal Boxes by American designer Karl Zahn for Areaware can work as a toy, treasure box, sculpture, or lucky charm. Made from sustainably harvested, new-growth Beech wood, the line includes a Bull, Rhino, Whale, Llama, Walrus, and Polar Bear to represent “power animals” or totems. Native American, Chinese, and other cultures associate certain animals with symbolic meaning; one could represent wisdom or creativity, for example. As a working mother, I’m going to go with the llama, as they are beasts of burden known for their endurance. Available in the U.K. from the British design house SCP  and in the U.S. through Areaware.