Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

The Branch fanis quite functionally superior, but I’m mainly intrigued by how cute it looks. Reimagined to look more like a lamp (Luxo from Pixar) with a very Wall-E vibe, the fan actually has swivel joints that allow you to point it wherever you fancy, much like a table lamp. Even the fan body is shaped to look like a lampshade, plus the grill-ish look reminds me of the cooling vents on LED bulbs. It seems like such a simple idea, right? An adjustable table-fan! If we’ve had lamps like that all along, why not fans?!

Designer: Kwanjun Ryu

Long gone are the days of bulky buckets filled with ice to keep your wine or champagne chilled. By combining both functionality and modern art, we now have the sophisticated, Corvi Wine and Champagne Coolers. Designed by Francisco Corvi, for IntoConcrete, the Corvi Coolers are crafted from, yes you guessed it, concrete by using an advanced casting method, which creates the ultra-lightweight concrete cooler.

When you think concrete, you think heavy and bulky, but the Corvi Coolers are anything but that. They are lightweight while having kept the benefits of the concretes ability to hold cold for a great length of time due to its mass. Just place the Corvi Cooler in the freezer and when ready to be used, you will have hours of chilled wine or champagne to enjoy.

With its beautiful sleek, slender and almost jewel-like design the Corvi Coolers, which come in a variety of colors, can be stacked and arranged in a variety of ways, allowing you to create your own masterpiece wine rack.

Designer: Francisco Corvi [ Buy It Here ]

Personally, safety is much more important to me than any other instinct. Survival first, fittest later, if you get what I mean. Which is why the Safety iQ Saver Emergency Breath System is something I advocate every home have, even before owning a Fire Extinguisher. The Saver Emergency Breath System is a face-fitting device that purifies dense, smoky air, allowing you to safely reach a secure location, away from danger. More than just being a mask, the Saver is a complete set of air filters that can provide pure, breathable air for 5 minutes, while it takes only 5 seconds to put on. It comes with a nose-clip too, to prevent accidental nasal inhalation of smoke. Its small size means you can literally carry one around in a bag, being prepared for when you may, or someone else may need it in a time of emergency. Isn’t that just wonderfully innovative?

Designer: Corey Koffler

Buy It Here: $137.99 $189.00

Gotta love the way the designers at Blond have reinterpreted the washing machine from a basic appliance to an artistic compliment in any interior! Now, instead of simply watching your clothes tumble through the window, you can have a mesmerizing visual element that’s completely unexpected.

The waved glass door was inspired by a water ripple and has been used to reinforce the notion of hygiene. The door surface allows the user to see into the drum but also creates a kaleidoscope type effect. These refractions turn the simple washing machine into something more sculptural and visually stimulating for the home environment.

Designer: Blond

Lifejackets can mean the difference between life or death but the cumbersome fit and general discomfort, especially in the water, discourage users from wearing them. Until now, that is. The IUW is one that won’t cramp your bod or your style!

Diminutive compared to your average lifejacket, the barely-there design combines the features of a sport lifejacket (PFD type 3) and throwable device (PFD type 1). It fits the user just above the midsection, wrapping over just one shoulder, to promote comfort and movability in and out of the water without restriction the arms, neck or torso. IUW not only functions as a flotation device, but also aids in the process of pulling the user out of water onshore or aboard a boat using a durable belt made of polyester tape. It also enables a secure grip during rescue operations.

Inside, low density polyurethane foam shapes to the wearers body. Outside, nylon coated neoprene offers excellent insulation, water resistance, durability against abrasions, and UV protection. In vibrant, easy-to-see colors, it combines the best of safety and style!

Designer: Julia Grochal

If art doesn’t inspire, what use is it?! The Alchemist is a series of cool gentleman objects inspired from the book The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The book talks about how everything you do or create plays a central role in the history of the world. Hence each one of us is a creator of history. Every creator thus needs their tools. The Alchemist series envisions these artifacts in a way that is inspired by Paulo Coelho’s writing. The main material used in these artifacts is metal, reinforcing the story of the mythical ability of an Alchemist to mutate metals.

Designers: JungHoon Lee, Dongkyu Lee (Twelvemonthly)