Functional Art - furniture that deserves a spotlight

Form follows function. 

Right? 

In the practical since, yes ... but sometimes the concept comes first and drives amazing design. Occasionally art can be practical too. For furniture with an alter ego, check out these pieces that cross the line of art and function.

  

The Bloom MGX lamp by Patrik Jouin  is designed to "bloom" to either diffuse or allow more light.

photo by Thomas Duval

photo by Thomas Duval

Moss Gallery

THe Muslavi Gallery in the UK is a distributor of Laskowscy Design furniture. Their designs try to blur the edge of where the object ends and something else begins. For example the graphic on the Ikebana coffee table spills onto the floor. 

Laskowscy Design

The Artistic 4 Chaise can be yours for the low, low, low price of $6,500 + shipping.... ok I don't mean to be sarcastic. All jokes aside, this piece is designed to follow the curves of the body and is supposedly quite comfortable. In addition to the ergonomically correct construction, this chaise will make a statement in any room.   

http://www.opulentitems.com/Artistic-Furniture.html#

Subway Tile Back Splash Love

SO ... I know that this blog is an apartment/ small spaces blog, that being said I want to nod at my full-time job as a kitchen designer. I recently was asked what my favorite back splash design is and I have to suggest a simple tile - SUBWAY TILE

Subway Tile Always looks Good.

Okay, maybe not always, but it is sure hard to make look bad. Subway tile is classic and looks great in both contemporary and traditional kitchens. Also, by selecting a clean-lined, uniform patterned back splash, you are less likely to date your kitchen. Coming back around to small space design, choosing this style of back splash will not only make an already tight kitchen feel less cluttered but also make the space feel bigger.


This small bright kitchen is one of the winners of Apartment Therapy's Small  Cool Kitchens of 2011. I also love this kitchen, and not just because of the great use of 1x2 subway tiles :) 

 Click here to see more images of this great kitchen

Here are a couple of kitchens that I worked on in the past year in model home world that show subway tile back splashes.







































If you would like to see more subway tile back splash examples check out these sites:

10 pieces of kitchen design wisdom from small cool kitchens
http://www.dreambookdesign.com/2011/01/kitchen-makeover-white-subway-tile.html
http://www.subwaytileoutlet.com/blog/stainless-steel-backsplash/

USB drives that are harder to loose

A few years ago, while finalizing my senior project for college, I endured one of the worst sinking feelings ever; the loss of my flash drive. I had just finished the final touches on my project and I was on my way to Kinko's. Long story short my drive was gone by the time I arrived at the printer... Don't worry, I finished my project and graduated. Looking back I can't help but wonder if I could of saved myself from all that stress by having a flash drive that would of been harder to loose. Here are a few that are super cute and maybe might be conversation starters

Instructable member, created these one of a kind thumb drives using sculpting clay and acrylic paint. View directions here - http://www.instructables.com/id/USB-Sesame-Street-Zombiedesk-decorations/  

zombifyed sesame street
 

Go Bananas! These are from a Chiquita Banana promo campaign. It's a pretty smart idea if you ask me.

Part art part thumb drive -

http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.73880987.jpg 

How far down the rabbit hole....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84852046/white-rabbit-1gb-usb-memory-leather?ref=sr_gallery_13&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=thumb+drive+&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade 

3 DIY headboards for under $50

Bedroom furniture can be expensive! I know many apartment and condo dwellers who have completely forgone a headboard and bed frame in lieu of putting the mattress directly on the floor due to the cost. Fear not! I have found creative, attractive and affordable DIY headboards and beds. Check out these three:

• Using bamboo laminate flooring, this "Instructable" user has created a modern clean-lined platform bed and headboard.  http://www.instructables.com/id/Bamboo-Flooring-Platform-Bed/ 

http://www.instructables.com/image/FO0C4A2GPBDIA70/Bamboo-Flooring-Platform-Bed.jpg

• Are you able to track down a wood pallet (maybe even for free)? If so, you may find yourself the lucky owner of a "new" headboard, albeit re-purposed .  http://theinspiredroom.net/room-tours/vintage-airplane-boys-bedroom/ A pallet can also be used for the bed frame and at the same time add storage.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2297898290_fe90376dee.jpg 

• Want an inexpensive headboard that is light weight and easy to take down when moving? Try a wall decal; not only are they cheap, you can change the look with a new decal when ever you want. http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/nico-bed-frame   

 

http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/480x/8a02aedcaf38ad3a98187ab0a1dede95/n/i/nico_rasp_1.jpg

How to make an entrance... er, entry catch-all

Hi all! Sorry for the delay between posts. After much debate and drawing we finally decided on a design for the entry way catch-all/ key cabinet. We bought materials, built, installed and documented! Now I will show you how you can make your own. This design is easy to customize and build.

Final product 

What you will need:

                      

Mirror, cork shelf liner, 2x4 cut-to-size, hooks, screws, and brackets 

Primer, paint, brush, sanding block, glass cutter, level, tape measure, and screw driver

Most of these products can be found around the house and at your local home improvement store. The mirror that we used was one of those cheap mirrors that you attach to the back of a door. Its frame had detached, so we decided to re-purpose it . Using a $4 glass cutter, I cut it down to 12" x 19."

The 2x4 was cut at The Home Depot (Thankfully! Otherwise it wouldn't of fit in my car).
















Step 1: Sand, primer and paint the 2x4s. You could also elect to stain or leave a la natural.

Our helper :) 

Step 2: Finish the edge of the mirror. Purchasing a pre-finished beveled edge mirror is also an option, but if you re-purposed a mirror like we did, you will have some sharp edges to contend with. I had an extra roll of self-adhesive cork shelf liner that did the trick. Cutting two strips of cork, I sandwiched the edge of the mirror between the two strips, sealing the sharp edge.  

Step 3: Add the hooks to the 2x4. Pre-drilling make the process easier 

Step 4: Add the brackets. We just used unfinished metal angle brackets; if you want you can also paint these so that they blend in better. 

Step 5: Use a level and mark where you want your shelves to you. Then attach to the wall using anchors and screws if going into drywall or just drill into the studs.

Step 6: Add mirror mounting tape to the 2x4s and mount the mirror. Due to the thickness of the cork edging, we had to use two layers of the mounting tape. 

Done! 

A Few More Ideas ...

I am currently in the process of building the final entry/ key cabinet design (which I will unveil soon), but in the meantime here are a few more designs that I was playing with. Any other ideas?

The New Storage/Key Cabinet (soon to be)

So I had an idea for new storage/ key cabinet to install next to my front door. The idea is partly derived from a medicine cabinet. I wanted a fixture that could be used to store all the odds and ends that end up next to the front door but is also aesthetically pleasing. Construction will be very simple and I think that most people can make this out of things that they already have. My next post will contain details for how to build. 

Why Apartment Design?

Perusing my local Barns and Noble Home Décor section, I couldn’t help but notice that that there was an apparent lack of design books and tips geared to renters. As a renter myself, I can testify to the fact that designing an apartment has several facets that need to be considered, that are specific to renting.

This blog is dedicated to all those who want to create a unique creative environment while working with the constraints of everything that you can’t change. Designing spaces that are rented means that you have to work with what’s existing, not investing money into stuff that you can’t take with you and making the most with a limited amount of space.   

Upcoming posts will teach you what you need to know to make the most of the space that you are renting and how to make it your own!