Dominic Wilcox

Dominic Wilcox has created this Xylophone Bin for a VIPP Charity auction in NewYork to raise money for Chernobyl Children’s Project International and Foodbank NYC.

‘When the pedal is pressed the lid opens, releasing a ball that travels down a ‘helterskelter’ set of xylophone steps around the bin. Each time the ball hits a step, a note is played. The xylophone steps are cut in increasing lengths so that the note gets deaper as the ball gets closer to the bottom.’

There are also two videos on his site, all for a good cause and worth a watch.

Tap'd NY - New York "Bottled" Water

Hmmmm...here's something slightly reminiscent of a previous uni project...seems like this is the new fashion.

Tap’d NY is a new brand of bottled water where the contents are nothing more than New York City tap water. They don’t hide it, in fact, it’s part of their brand ethos:

Tap’dNY is a bottled water for the new age: an honest and local alternative for all New Yorkers. We purify and bottle New York City’s famous tap water, leaving out the malarkey and far journey included in other bottled waters.

The design of the bottle is simple and transparent, and features the pipelines reminiscent of the layered NYC skylines. The colours were chosen to be Orange and Blue, the same as those of the Flag of the City of New York. Credits for the concept and design are shared between "many people", according to Craig Zucker of Tapped Drinks.

Bottles feature a variety of cheeky slogans on the back, including such gems as "Bottled Water Without the Funny Accent" and "Water Just Like Mom Used to Serve". You can see more on the website.

Tea Forté

Tea Forté from designer Peter Hewitt. A nice combination of geometric and organic: tall polyhedral infuser packs, each with a disarmingly natural-looking leaf/sprout tag. Although the tall pyramidal shape is not a “close packing” polyhedron, the individual tea-bag/infusers do pack together in a variety of sculpturally intriguing ways...nice!

Bubble Calendar

I was just sent a link to this Bubble Calendar. Irresistible. It's kind of hard not to try and pop it through my screen. Can't help but think it could look a bit 'nicer', for want of a better word...don't you think?

Doorways

Modern doors for modern houses. Located in Norther Italy, door manufacturer Oikos produces a collection of contemporary doors that are clean, minimalistic, and striking.

Which kind of Obama supporter are you?

These Obama pins are genius. Find many, many more here.

Baileys Home & Garden

Baileys makes simple home and gardening products. The packaged products highlight their simple approach to everything they do with sketchy hand-drawn illustrations and lettering that simply and clearly tell you what the product is. I think their packaging is the perfect definition of 'less is more'.

The above image is taken in a Terrain store - check out some other products found there including a shelving display. You can also see more images of product in the Terrain store after the jump, and on Flickr.

Fossil Washbasin

Ammonite concrete washbasin. Available here.

Packaging Lamp by David Gardener

An example of packaging becoming the product itself, by David Gardener. In Gardener's own words:

"The pulp structure starts off as the packaging to house the bulb plug wire and socket. When opened, the user removes these electronic parts and repositions them back in the pulp structure in their correct positions where it actually becomes the structure of the lamp, leaving no waste packaging to be thrown away.The process of molding paper pulp can produce beautifully molded shapes. Due to machinery restrictions the lamps are all hand made, unlike the pulp packaging that is used in the packaging industry. The middle section of the lamp is created to look like a standard turned wood stand, but in fact the shape is entirely determined by the electronic components that are packaged in it during transport."

Bad Taste?

Titanic ice tray....available from Fred & Friends

BVD: Stories

Stockholm’s well-known ”Skatteskrapan” (the high-rise building where the tax office used to be located) has undergone a total transformation and now accommodates both student housing and a new, modern shopping centre. Stories, a new café concept developed by BVD in cooperation with Ivan Akibar Arkitekter, is housed in the newly opened mall Skrapan.

BVD’s assignment was to create a totally unique café experience: from concept and name, to graphic profile and packaging. The inspiration for Stories comes from conversation, thoughts, tales, and gossip, in other words what cafés have always been about. How many ground breaking ideas have been born over a café table, hastily written down on a napkin? BVD wanted to capture this classic atmosphere and give it a modern interpretation: a place to take a sandwich, grab a coffee on the go, or wile away the hours. A space for proclamations and revelations, quiet chats and confidential conversations.

The challenge of Stories was to create a strong, recognisable concept that, at the same time, would be influenced by the atmosphere and capture local flavour. A Stories café is going to look different in each neighbourhood and city, but the feeling will be the same everywhere.

BVD

Baja BBQ firepack

"The Baja BBQ firepack is a charcoal packaging that lights instantly and burns away in the grille, making the barbeque experience simple, clean and chemical free. Made from 100% recycled biodegradable paper pulp, the package contains 2lbs of natural lump charcoal and features an integrated chimney that creates perfect hot coals without the aid of chemicals or light fluid."

It's good to see the package being used as the product and innovation that looks at stripping away and not adding, that is sustainable but well designed.

Shame that this unlikely to see my back garden with all the rain that never stops!

JuJu's Delivery

JuJu started drawing album covers and posters for her musician friends. Her work has since graced T-shirts, walls, cars, skateboards and she’s worked for clients such as MTV, pictoplasma and Rojo. Her picures have a great, simple, clarity of line that marks them out from much of todays computer manipulated illustration. She lives and works in Berlin. I really like her work, as her style is not like anything I've seen before. T-shirts, books etc. from concrete hermit or http://www.jujus-delivery.com/

Reinda imac carrying bag

I really want one of these; would make trips to and from Leeds a lot easier! But at nearly 100 euros I might have to bide my time for a cheap knock off or ebay reject. http://www.reinda.de/

Coasters for the typophiliac

Coasters for the typophiliac. Download the eps if you want to try this design in acrylic, or want to put your own finish on your coasters. EPS includes 4 unique type coasters about 3.5 inches in diameter. Go to: http://www.ponoko.com/showroom/acd/type-coasters-1749

Laurel Denise Stationary

I'm into stationary big time at the mo, I know all designers are but I seem to be spending all my money on nice papers and stuff I'll probably never use because it's 'too nice'; I've already bought 2 notebooks, a journal, a very nice recycled jotter pad and a calendar this week, and its only Tuesday! Anyway, this stationary caught my eye, see more at http://www.laureldenise.com

Linda & Harriet Stationary

Lovely stationary by Linda & Harriet. Great website too: http://www.lindaandharriett.com

Coca-Cola 2L Contour Bottle

Coca-Cola North America announced the pilot of its signature contour bottle in a convenient two-liter size, in Birmingham and Chattanooga. The new two-liter form of Coca-Cola's iconic package was preferred over the straight wall two-liter bottle overwhelmingly in recent consumer tests, and offers a significant advantage for consumers beyond its classic good looks -- it is also easier to hold and easier to pour. Research conducted by Coca-Cola with consumers suggests that the two-liter contour package has the potential to re-energize sales.

Nearly 92 years after its creation, the contour bottle remains a symbol of innovation, instantly differentiating the world's best known sparkling beverage from all other products. Widely recognized as a pioneering example of package-driven branding, the contour bottle is one of the few packages to ever receive a trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Emoticon Transforming Stamp

I know this isn't that new, but I really like it. It’s made of 100% silicone so it’s flexible enough to squish the standard face into whatever emotion you might need to express on paper. That way, instead of relying on proper grammar and prose to convey your feelings, you can just fill the page with frowns and smiles. I like the idea that no two faces would be identical, and I prefer this to the digitally created emoticons that seem cold and impersonal.

FOZI Tripod

FOZI Tripod is a simple solution to use your camera, iPod and iPhone on the go, 6 colors to chose from.