A chair is still a chair, no matter the design, but a creative vision can elevate a seat (or any other item) to entirely new heights. Every year, the A’Design Awards recognize particularly spectacular projects, ranging from furniture to entire homes and urban spaces. Now that the 2015-2016 winners have been announced, we’ve rounded up 10 household items that you’ll want in your own home, including innovative electronics, furniture, and more.
Mian Design Studio’s Balet Lamp & Book Holder is multi-functional, serving as a form of lighting and storage. The lamp is designed to hold 12 books, which (not coincidentally) is the number of books the average American reads in a year, according to Pew Research Center. Another cool storage option is the Peel Cabinet from Leah K. S. Amick. As the title suggests, it actually peels open rather than relying on hinges, which provides a pretty unique effect.
For entertainment, there’s the Pulse Foosball Table by Multa Preta Design. The acrylic and wood construction lends it greater sophistication than the average foosball table, so you can feel more mature playing a game from your youth. There’s also Vestel ID Team’s Swing TV, which integrates a shelf for other TV accessories. The size and quality are impressive as well; Swing is a 65″ Ultra HD television.
In the kitchen, Rodi’s Vision Sink is practical and attractive. It comes with a glass cover or board to give you more working space. There’s also the Motion H Dosa Making Machine by Universal Designovation Lab LLC, which makes it easy to whip up a kind of pancake from the Indian subcontinent, and Sanchin NO’s Ocha 2.0 Tea Maker to brew perfectly infused tea.
For the home office, Alexey Samygin’s Compass Desk offers a nautical vibe. Plus, it is allows one or two people to work simultaneously. There’s a drawing board as well, which angles to 20 degrees.
If you’re looking for odds and ends, Josep Vera Arus’ Dome Table Clock is a solid alternative to the common wall clock. It is inspired by the solar system and uses a horary needle and magnet to indicate the hour. Another fun item is PepsiCo Design & Innovation’s Pepsi Perfect Bottle, which was released to honor the film Back to the Future‘s 30th anniversary.
Whether or not you actually need any of the items, it’s always interesting to see the creative concepts people are coming up with, and A’Design Award winners clearly added flair to common household items.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.