Hasta La Ideas

Nespresso introduces a machine small enough for desks and colorful “capsule” cups

For no-fuss espresso, Nespresso‘s straightforward operation and effortless cleanup make their machines the maker of choice for many homes and offices. The Swiss company recently made it even easier to get a fresh brew in just seconds with its Pixie machine, a compact version of the CitiZ that comes in six colors.

Its tiny footprint (just over a foot long) means its small enough to sit on a desk, and an improved heating system takes just 25 seconds to warm up. All that, and the Pixie is supremely energy-efficient too, using 40% less power than other makers like it. (Check out our complete guide to prosumer espresso here.)

Perhaps even more appealing than the Pixie, Nespresso launched a collection of insulated cups designed to look like their essential espresso capsule. The cups come in two sizes and a rainbow of colors, and (unlike other Nespresso accessories) are free of obvious Nespresso branding.

The Pixie currently sells exclusively from Williams-Sonoma in the U.S. for $250, but will sell through the Nespresso site later this spring, when the cups ($30 for a set of two) will be available as well.

Nine products designed to look like other things

While the MoMA store’s product preview always has us excited for the shopping year ahead, a few designs stood out for their “faux” ingenuity. Below are nine objects cleverly designed to resemble other objects, making for a new way to enjoy an old favorite. Check the
MoMA store site this spring to buy them and peruse consumer expert Rob Walker’s blog Things That Look Like Other Things for more illusory inspiration.

Loose Leaf Door Stop

Thai designer Teerachai Suppameteekulwat’s green leaf-shaped doorstop ($14) adds a bit of brightness to the home while propping open a door to let in springtime air. Tapered to fit beneath most doors, it’s made of polypropylene.

Toast It Coaster

This set of six cork coasters ($10) might make you pine for butter and jam while enjoying your morning brew. The toast-shaped surface protectors, designed by Patricia Naves, even come packed like a loaf of bread.

Watermelon Knife

Forged from Japanese carbon steel, this serrated watermelon knife ($25) has a playfully eerie resemblance to the fruit it’s meant to slice. The knife features an ergonomic design to make cutting through the thick shell of Citrullus Lanatus (or any other melon) easier so that you can enjoy a juicy treat without too much effort.

Tea Bag Infuser

Drawing inspiration from traditional teabags, Claus Jensen and Henrick Holbaek‘s infuser ($30) updates paper versions for a more eco-friendly and (some would say) better-tasting version. The stainless steel and wire infuser can make pots or cups of tea and its rubber base helps it stay put.

Prato Umbrella Stand

Naoki Terada’s umbrella holder ($35), a MoMA exclusive, brings a mini lawn to even the most compact apartments. Cute and functional, the grass patch can hold up to twenty umbrellas and is made of steel and synthetic resin.

Couture Flower Vase

On first glance Sayaka Nishinami’s beautifully-crafted vase ($24) appears to have a delicate lace sleeve around the base. But it’s the effect of matte porcelain that creates the effect on what is actually a seamless design.

Leaf Tray

Argentine design collective VacaValiente ($18) is known for recycling leather into happiness. Their Leaf Tray, which functions as a catch-all for the house, embodies the firm’s optimistic approach.

Faux Bois Placemat

The digitally-printed vinyl placemats ($12) by NYC-based designer Sandy Chilewich bring the outdoors inside. The result is a little rustic harmony for the kitchen table with a woodgrain pattern that, unlike its real-life counterpart, wipes clean easily.

Following the success of her typography placemats and other clever concepts, textile designer Heather Lins’ new pillows introduce another nerdy motif, this time taking up illustrations that look lifted from the pages of science textbooks.

The designs—Geology (a volcano), Botany (a flower), and Anatomy (a person)— incorporate eco-friendly materials for an accessory that’s environmental in more ways than one. Sewn in the U.S., dark wool felt backgrounds offset the brightly colored appliques made from a material derived from post-consumer and -industrial sources, like soda and water bottles.

Filled with down and feathers, the 17-inch Science Project pillows sell for $176 a pop (marked down 20% from $220 through Earth Day, 21 April 2010) from Heather Lins’ online Supermarket.

by Richard Prime

Causing a stir of excitement at the recent Stockholm Design Week, Icelandic design group Vík Prjónsdóttir showed its latest collection of wool blankets inspired by a mixture of myths, folklore and the lure of nature.

The collective, widely known for their Beardcap, dates back to 2005 and includes the founding designers Brynhildur Pálsdóttir, Egill Kalevi Karlsson, Guðfinna Mjöll Magnúsdóttir, Hrafnkell Birgisson, Þuríður Rós Sigurþórsdóttir and the knitting factory Víkurprjón. With a philosophy honoring their pedigree, Vík Prjónsdóttir sources ideas and materials from its surroundings, so that each product can be traced back to its Icelandic roots.

For its newest blanket project, the collective threw out all preconceptions of form and function to create a selection of conceptual designs, each challenging usability with a bold graphic identity and captivating set of colorways. Offerings range from a Michael Jackson homage (a black-and-white throw covered in handprints and leaves) to a blanket meant to create space for communing with the hidden world.

Having collaborated in the past with Henrik Vibskov for his A/W 2008 collection, Vík Prjónsdóttir seems to be coming into their own—potentially joining the likes of Maarten Baas or Jaime Hayón as a studio known for creating wild flights of fantasy in the interior design market. Prices start upwards of $200, check their
list of stockists for availability.