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December 9, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Wacaco’s On-the-Go Espresso Maker Can Fit Inside a Purse

If you've got someone on your gift list that's overworked, under-caffeinated and looking for a better way to get their fix (this is New York, after all), look no further than Wacaco's Minipresso as the perfect present. This portable hand-held device is a godsend for those who frequently need a boost but don't have the time to wait in long coffee shop lines—or simply for those with a more discerning taste for the finer grounds in life.
More on this cool high-caf design here

December 8, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Andrej Urem’s Architecturally Inspired Eco-Candles

Candles are probably the easiest, most common holiday gift when you just don't have a clue what to get someone. But after several years of giving the same old candle, it gets a little boring. So we've found the perfect outside-the-box candle for architecture buffs, tech nerds, or anyone who will love an attractive eco-candle. The AU Collection by artist and designer Andrej Urem is a series of 3D-printed candles inspired by architectural forms. And they're made right here in Brooklyn.
More on the AU Collection

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

Capsule Market Square.

December 5, 2014

14 Hip Holiday Markets and Indie Pop-Up Shops in NYC

As December dawns, the holiday gift markets roll in, and it’s harder than ever to turn around in NYC without encountering a pop-up shop or makeshift mall offering everything anyone could ever want–whether they know it yet or not–for the body, mind, soul and home. We've assembled a list of smaller, cooler pop-ups and holiday markets that mix music, food and fun freebies like haircuts, goodie bags and beer with this year’s selection of clever, crafty gifts.
Find out where to get the goods, this way

December 4, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Oyster Mushroom Log

Sure, we'd all love to be able to give our fungus-loving friends a nice, big truffle for the holidays (or even this $1 million beauty), but that's not really the most economical gift idea. So to cure our mushroom cravings, we've found the next best thing. The Oyster Mushroom Log from Williams-Sonoma is a hardwood log pre-inoculated with oyster mushroom spores. Just keep it damp and stored in a dark place, and the delicious mushrooms will sprout every two months for up to three years.
More on the culinary gift here

December 3, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Nokero’s Solar Light Bulb with Phone Charger

Aren't we all a little sick of receiving holiday gifts that are completely useless and end up collecting dust in the junk drawer? Well, here's a gift idea that's extremely useful, but still an exciting product to unwrap, thanks to its sleek design and fun, bulbous shape. Nokero's solar lights are perfect for camping, traveling, or everyday use in a poorly-lit apartment. The Huron N222 (pictured above) can charge a cell phone while it illuminates an entire room, while the Start N182 is compact enough to fit in your pocket (hello, stocking stuffer) but strong enough to light up a small space.
More on Nokero's solar products here

December 2, 2014

6sqft Gift Guide: Neighborwoods Map Coasters

Coasters are definitely high on the list of "gifts for people who you don't know what to give," and if you're like us, you're always searching for sets that aren't the standard square cloths or round pieces of wood. So, we've found the perfect coasters--not only are they unique and visually appealing, but they have a personal touch. Neighborwoods Map Coasters were created by San Francisco graphic designer Aymie Spitzer, who has a passion for hand-lettered vernacular and antique maps. The cedar wood coasters celebrate the special neighborhoods of some of the country's biggest urban sites, including Manhattan and Brooklyn.
More on Neighborwoods Coasters here

December 1, 2014

Beat the Winter Blues and Bring the Sunlight Inside with the Sunn Light

As soon as the clocks get set back in the fall, we can't help longing for sunny days and bright evenings. But we still have a long, dark winter ahead of us, so the new Sunn Light could be exactly what we need to help us beat the winter blues. The Sunn Light mimics the sun in that it continuously changes color and brightness with the sun's rhythm, thereby promoting healthy living and creating cheerful, vibrant indoor spaces. And when we say mimic, we're not kidding, as Sunn sets itself by what the sun is doing down to the minute.
More on the Sunn Light

November 29, 2014

Julie Lansom’s Retro-Futuristic Sputnik Lamps Are Inspired by the First Russian Satellite Sent into Space

Julie Lansom is a versatile artist whose work happens between her camera and her Paris design studio. She focuses on the importance of colors and has a passion for authentic materials, as well as adding a hint of nostalgic charm for creating hand-made, functional crafts. We chose to feature her Sputnik Lamps because we love the intricate weaving process and mesmerizing shadow that amplifies her delicate work inspired by satellites.
Learn more about the retro-futuristic Sputnik Lamps

November 25, 2014

Nendo Has Invented an Umbrella with a Cover You’ll Never Lose

Why umbrellas come with covers is beyond us; very few people manage to keep them beyond the first second they pull them off, and where they inevitably end up is a mystery to all. But there's no denying that when you've got a sopping wet umbrella–and no way to dry it–few things would make you happier than having that tiny tube of fabric in tow again. Well, wet umbrella holders need no longer fret over pruney fingers, because the designers over at Nendo have invented an ingenious winter weather product: the "cover-brella," an umbrella with a built-in cover that neatly tucks into the handle when you're not using it.
Check it out here

November 24, 2014

Float Is an Exquisite Coffee Table That Looks Like a Lotus Pond

Float is a unique coffee table designed as an exquisite optical illusion for the home. Created by London's Central Saint Martins graduate Olivia Lee, it appears as a levitating lotus pond supported by a trio of intertwining stems. In addition to providing tranquility for the eye, it creates some surprising visual effects when objects are placed on it.
Learn more about this charming lotus table

November 21, 2014

Bring a Bit of the ‘Burbs Into Your City Home with Suburbia Wall Storage

Swedish Note Design Studio has re-designed the iconic Uten.Silo by Dorothee Becker for Vitra in a playful architectonic way. The hyper-functional wall storage was originally made from ABS plastic and featured plenty of pockets for pens, makeup, toys and tools. But the new, more sustainable wooden version called Suburbia features a small neighborhood in which small objects can find a home.
Learn more about this sustainable storage redesign

November 21, 2014

Tiny Carbon Fiber Electric Bike Folds Down to Fit Inside a Backpack (And It’s a Comfy Ride!)

We've featured some foldable bikes on 6sqft in the past, but this cool new design from Impossible Technologies takes things to a whole new level. Not only does it fold down small enough to fit into a backpack, but it's also all-electric and easy to ride!
Check it out in action here

November 19, 2014

Frederik Roijé’s Smokestack Fireplace Is Inspired by Dutch Factories

The design of outdoor fireplaces isn't a field much explored by designers, but if you have one in your garden, patio or deck you've probably enjoyed having friends and family gather together to take in the warming glow. One designer that's made fireplaces look especially cool is Frederik Roijé who recently unveiled a tall and lean fire pit with a gorgeous rusty skin. Inspired by the archetypal factory chimney, his 'Smokestack' has a stunning modern design for cozying up in style.
Learn more about this sculptural rusty fireplace

November 18, 2014

Viking-Inspired Barca Bench Fuses Furniture with Boat Building Techniques

Here is a design we'd like to get cozy with. Perfect for a lazy autumn afternoon, the sculptural Barca Bench fuses furniture with boat building techniques. The piece is the work of Danish designer Jacob Joergensen, who constructed the bench from bent pieces of wood that are meticulously joined together into a sculptural, organic shape. Designed for easy assembly and disassembly, this unique seat is a modern Viking-style seat for utter relaxation.
Learn more about this Danish bench

November 13, 2014

HOPPETEE Is a Multifunctional Soft Cabinet That Hides Clutter in an Instant

Is your apartment full of stuff lying around everywhere? Do you wish you could just make it disappear? This strange yet functional object can help make your cleaning dreams come true, whether you need to quickly stow away your dirty clothes on the floor, random knickknacks that don't have a place or your kids' innumerable toys. An idea by designer Nicole de Bie, HOPPETEE is a soft box that can playfully hide clutter inside in an instant, but can make it reappear in no time.
Learn more about this soft storage box

November 12, 2014

Mediterranean-Style CarRem Trolley Lets Restaurant Guests Pick Fresh Herbs at the Table

Andreu Carulla runs his own multidisciplinary design studio in a natural setting just an hour away from Barcelona. And that organic location serves as inspiration for his amazing designs, including the ingenious CarRem, a mobile herb garden designed to hold food, drinks, and plants, allowing guests at the table to choose and enjoy the taste of freshly plucked herbs. An innovative idea with a minimal aesthetic, this stylish trolley reflects the designer's Mediterranean lifestyle.
Learn more about the herb trolley

November 11, 2014

Nomadic Designer Stephanie Hornig’s Camp Daybed Is a Sleeping Bag on Legs

Product designer Stephanie Hornig takes inspiration from her own nomadic lifestyle when creating beautifully simple objects. A "citizen of the world," she was born in Austria, studied in Berlin, was trained in Milan–where she worked for renowned Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola–and is now based in London. Hornig's fantastic Camp Daybed is a cozy sleeping bag on legs that pays tribute to hyper-functional camping elements and her own adventurous life on the road.
Learn more about this camping-inspired design

November 5, 2014

Easily Outfit Your Home in Greenery with Plant Wall Design’s Vertical Garden

Urban gardeners rejoice! Your chance to truly flex your green thumb has come with Plant Wall Design's Live Vertical Garden. This lovely design comes in mahogany wood with an oil or painted finish and is ready to enliven the most elegant to the most industrial of homes. Plants can be even be grown on both sides of the wall, so if you've been looking for a colorful and creative room partition—or if you're just looking for a new centerpiece—this garden wall is the way to go.
See some of the modular designs waiting for you here

November 4, 2014

1/2 Stool by WITAMINA D Mixes Wood and Metal

If we had to pick out the ugliest items in our house, the step stool would probably top the list. Typically an unattractive hunk of plastic or miniature-ladder-looking apparatus, these pieces are extremely functional (especially in New York where we have to build up), but not usually designed with style in mind. That's why we love the 1/2 Stool by Malgorzata Knobloch and Igor Wiktorowicz of WITAMINA D. It's an appealing combination of half a tree trunk and a technical, laser-cut metal base. And it's certainly sturdy enough to endure the wear and tear of an urban abode.
More on the 1/2 Stool

November 3, 2014

Poorex’s Tripod Furniture Makes a Statement on Three Legs

As New Yorkers, we're always on the hunt for space-saving furniture, but oftentimes those pieces don't quite meet our design esthetics. The Tripod Furniture collection, however, is an exception. Created by Polish design studio Poorex, the beach wood furniture puts a contemporary twist on the classic photography stand. The collection includes a lamp, clock, an adjustable mirror, two types of tables, and a toy. And since the pieces are able to expand and contract, the user can modify the tripod's height and angle to their specific needs, as well as fold it up for easy storage.
More details on the Tripod Furniture

October 30, 2014

Relax in This Giant Birdsnest by OGE Creative Group

Since there's snow predicted for tomorrow, we're starting to get in the mood to curl up in a warm, comfy chair with a good book. But while we've been dreaming about La-Z-Boys and plush sofas, the imaginative designers at OGE Creative Group were busy coming up with the ultimate cozy lounger--the Giant Birdsnest. Known officially as the "Giant Birdsnest for creating new ideas," this bed/couch hybrid was conceived as a new and inspiring social space that fuses furniture and playground.
More on the fun-loving Giant Birdsnest here

October 29, 2014

Crowdfunded MAID Microwave Suggests Meals Based on Your Eating and Fitness Habits

That line about New Yorkers using their ovens as shoe storage is getting pretty old (thanks Sex and the City), but a new smart microwave may just make it viable to ditch the stove for good. Called MAID (Make All Incredible Dishes), the product is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter by creator SectorQube, and not only can it perfectly nuke your meals, but it can suggest what dishes you'll like based on your cooking habits and fitness. MAID is 1.3 cubic feet and provides access to a crowdsourced recipe store, gesture and voice commands, and a smartphone app that will alert you when dinner's up. The recommendation feature, definitely the highlight of the product, will offer meal options to complement your diet as well as suggest a run if you just indulged in a 2,000-calorie, carb-loaded pizza.
More details on the smart microwave

October 27, 2014

Philippe Is a Skeletal Lamp by Zia Priven Sure to Be the Backbone of Any Room

No, it's not a Halloween decoration. Philippe is a year-round floor lamp that's sure to spice up any room with its eerily glamorous appeal. Created by the lighting designers at Zia Priven, this lamp resembles a skeleton you might find at the doctor's office. The only difference is it's topped with lamp shade and comes finished in silver, bronze, or a natural-looking bone white.
More details on Philippe here

October 24, 2014

Karim Rashid Tones Down His Signature Style in the Bedroom with ‘Kosy’

Karim Rashid is well-known for his uninhibited use of color, but his latest design destined for the bedroom takes on a much more muted palette. Although there are no pops of pinks and blues, Rashid's love for the unexpected does show in this striking collection through sensuous curves and a sleek finish that creates for a cozy yet upscale escape for sleep. Called Kosy, this bedroom collection is a combination of wood, leather and glass, in—of all things— grayscale!
More on Rashid's new design here

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