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Haand x SL Geometric Mugs

Published by designy things

Adding a bit of bling to your breakfast, Haand x SL Geometric Mugs are a collaboration between designer Mark Warren of the North Carolina-based ceramic company Haand and Seattle-based jewelry designer Sarah Loertscher. The two artisans first met while at the Penland School of Crafts in western North Carolina and this is their first project together. The gloss black or matte white mugs are made from slip cast porcelain, and feature hand-applied 22-carrat and platinum geometric decals. They combine Loertscher’s metalsmithing background and distinctive drawing style with Mark’s interest in historic craft pieces and porcelain forms. $48 each.

Photo by Sarah Loertscher.

Pattern sketches. Photo by Sarah Loertscher.

Mock up of design. Photo by Sarah Loertscher.

Images courtesy of Haand, except where noted.

Stay-Brella by Nendo

Published by designy things

This clever “stay-brella”— created by the Japanese design firm Nendo exclusively for Seibu department stores in Japan — has a forked handle design that gives it a foot to stand on when not in use. This little feature also allows the umbrella to easily hang from tables and stay propped up on a wall when drying. The umbrella comes in eight different colors and has a strap to hang from the arm. A special surface coating reduces UV rays by 90%, a great feature in a country where folks use umbrellas for sun protection as much, if not more often, than rain protection.

All photos by Akihiro Yoshida.

Halloweeny Things: Luxury Chocolate Skulls, Ghosts, and Pills from FIKA

Published by designy things

Solid chocolate skulls are handcrafted by FIKA’s master chocolatier and can double as creepy centerpieces.

Handcrafted by master chocolatier Håkan Mårtensson for the Manhattan-based coffee shop chain FIKA, these edible ghoulish skulls, pills, and ghosts are definitely not for handing out to the kiddies tomorrow. FIKA, which was named after the Swedish expression for coffee break, was opened in 2006 by founder and co-owner Lars Åkerlund, who wanted to create a menu heavily inspired by Swedish heritage and flavors but with a modern twist. I just love skulls so I’m a fan of these dark desserts, even when it’s not Halloween.

Move over Ferrero Rocher. These Mini Skulls are filled with a gianduja (sweet chocolate spread) of macadamias, almonds, and hazelnuts.

Like red heads? Then this Red Chocolate Skull is a great way to tell them you have them on your mind, though it’s not a good gift for a first date.

These Gold Mini Skulls are filled with a sweet chocolate spread of macadamias, almonds, and hazelnuts are are coated in FIKA’s special edible gold dust.

The “pills” in these medicinal-looking bottles are actually chocolate-covered roasted and caramelized hazelnuts and almonds. Recommended prescription: 3-5 nuts, 3 times daily until happiness is achieved. Don’t eat in front of kids though, it sends the wrong message.

A row of mischievous candy ghosts.

FIKA’s simple and elegant packaging.

All images courtesy of FIKA.

Zipbuds Earbuds

Published by designy things

There is an episode of the indie hit show Portlandia, where a couple is buying a housewarming present for a friend and ends up in a trendy “knot store” that literally sells different kinds of knots. The salesperson (played to quirky perfection by Jeffrey Goldblum) convinces them to buy some tangled earbuds in a glass vitrine as a piece of home decor. Explains Goldblum, “an artist we work with makes these by jamming them into his pocket.” He then purrs inexplicably.

The makers of Zipbuds have a new solution to avoid the inevitable pocket-stress on your earbud wires. Zipbuds are tangle-free earphones with a patented zipper technology that allow you to literally zip-up the wires together so that they can’t get tangled. This “vertebrae design” is lightweight and uses high-performance military grade cabling to reduce fraying or distorted cables. The earbuds are made to minimize ear pressure and fit comfortably, and include three custom-fitted ear tips. They are compatible with Apple, Android, Windows Phone, and other media devices that accept traditional 3.5mm headphone input and come in black, blue, and even glow-in-the-dark. A Pro Mic version comes with a hands-free noise canceling mic/remote in matte black and electric yellow. $24.99 for earbuds, $39.00 with mic.

All images courtesy Zipbuds.

KeyDisk 2 Key Holder

Published by designy things

Why exactly do we have to have all of our keys dangling together in one messy jumble anyway? Designers Jacob Flores and Steven Elliot, the founders of KeyDisk Co. in San Francisco, have taken things completely off the chain with their new key storage solution. Constructed from sandblasted and anodized aluminum, KeyDisk 2 is a lightweight, innovative flat keyholder that can hold up to nine keys. Compatible with standard key rings and car remotes, KeyDisk 2 fits into any pocket due to its slim design. The second edition has a hollowed-out design, which makes it more ergonomic and makes finding and drawing out a key easier. With two different screw shapes, the key holder is much simpler for users to assemble.

This hypnotizing gif shows how it works:

With over a month to go, the designers have already met their Kickstarter goal to bring the product into production. Backers of the Kickstarter can receive a gunmetal gray or onyx black KeyDisk 2 for a pledge of just $19, a $10 savings from retail. Worrying about what you will do with all of those pesky store loyalty cards? Oh yeah, someone already has an app for that.

All images courtesy of KeyDisk.

Iittala’s Ruutu Vase Collection by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Published by designy things

Finnish brand Iittala has teamed up with the Paris-based designers (and this year’s London Design Medalists) Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec to design Ruutu, a collection of 10 vases available in five sizes and seven colors. Ruutu, which means diamond or square in Finnish, can be combined to make seamless installations where delicate, watercolor-like palettes and light seem to melt together like molten glass. Like Ittala’s iconic Alvar Aalto collection, Ruutu is created in Iittala’s Finnish factory where each vase takes seven craftsmen 24 hours to produce symmetrical items that still look and feel handmade. Each vase has the designers’ name engraved on the base. The vases will be available for purchase in early 2015.