This is how this product is being spun:

Graphic Designer Thomas Dabner from Sheffield has created these fun and attractive “low ink” pillow covers. A cotton pillow cover designed specifically for those designers out there who share his frustration with low running ink and you know you have no new cartridges left. via if it’s hip, it’s here

Sometimes there is this kind of “new” design stuff on the market that seems to either fly or fail. It honesly reminds me of those takcy men only gift stores from the eighties that sold useless golf novelty products, the magic eight ball, or silly ties. It’s inovation-less products like these that make me wonder if design has truly run out of inovative ideas or if we’re now doomed to repeat history. It does seem frustrating, as a designer, that another designer can profit off a found-object, mundane, slice-of-life hap-hazard reality of printing off-shoot and turn it in to “attractive” and ”fun” geek-ware.

Or maybe I’m completely off base and I can’t see beyond the ugly of the wasted piece of paper and this is truly the most ingenious idea of the year to date. I’m willing to change, so you tell me. Am I wrong?

How cute is it that these fellas have taken the early digital images from day’s of yor and produced a geometric product. Not sure I’m totally into the RGB raw colours but it’s still kinda cute.

Martinus Teapot by Art Lebedev Studio » Yanko Design.

New York City’s garment district is threatened by Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to stack everyone together in one building. Not that it’s more effienct for everyone to be in one spot. This is New York, after all.

New Piet Indoor Stove is kinda funky. Brass reflectors inside, ceramic outside.

Who wouldn’t want to rock out in this around the city?

Red Arrow project.

So I watched this recent Wallpaper* video from start to finish, and a side from the very interesting advertising at the beginning (don’t care, get on with the guest), the most compelling statement Philippe Stark made was at the start about democratic design:

“[My greatest achievement] today is to give a better quality, kill the cost, [and] try to give some, perhaps, acceptable idea to the most people – which is the definition of what I call “democratic design”. And now the democratic ecology and the democratic architecture, which I see.” – Philippe Stark to Wallpaper* Magazine

From there, I have to admit that I just stopped watching because it started a flurry of ideas to write this post. If you’ve never heard the term Democratic Design before (and I do admit that I hadn’t heard the term, but had used the concept before) it’s pretty much, as IKEA refers to democratic design as “Having a limited budget should not prevent people from creating a beautiful home, with practical and sensible furniture.” And, for some strange reason, the Google search of “democratic design” gives a Wikipedia hit for Karim Rashid. Then I remembered his work for Umbra and it just seemed so logical! It was the lightbulb moment that I missed completely. Democratic design is not dictated by the designer

There are two ways to use democratic design for the Joe Designer (obscure Sarah Palin reference, I know). First, it is a tool or mechanism to arrive at a concept or idea in which a consumer can easily translate the concept or idea into their daily life. And second, it is a marketing gimmick that some designers will use to lure consumers to their non-functional, but very well designed, concepts or ideas to make them believe that this is the thing they just must have. Needless to say that you should really be forewarned about the second designer option, but the only way to tell the difference between a knock-off and authentic these days is to look at the details and how they make you feel.

So what’s the litmus test for you to determine if you need deomocratic design? I’d ask you to answer the three questions below:

1. Are you hung up on the status of the thing or are you really intrigued about how you will interact and what conditions it will inspire within you?

2. Are you out seeking the next best thing or are you looking to solve real problems with real solutions?

3. And lastly, are you holding back on some thought you’ve had or are you being upfront and honest with your designer?

If you only answered the first part of your question, you’re probably better of designing for yourself. If you answered the second part of the question, you know where to find me.

Canada Pavilion Construction Update (via archiCentral) for Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China is going to cost a cool $45mil.

The design for the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2010 is now finalized.  The design approach, which has an open air public space as its center piece, was first unveiled in January 2008.  Over the past year, the design, created by Cirque du Soleil, has evolved through adjustments and refinements.

Living walls or not, the $45mil for a temporary structure can absolutely be put to better use with the severely underfunded social and arts programs that have been cut over the years. Who approved this? The Cirque du Soleil is very successful but our essential arts and social programs could use the funds. Although they will be showcasing Canadian talent I know that I will never, and undoubtably those within my six degrees of separation, in my lifetime see $45 million dollars worth of programming and funds for me to survive as an artist or designer.

www.expo2010canada.gc.ca

High Street Market, Deptford UK

The Journel of Consumer Research published a study this past week on the impulse purchase citing that if you do not want to purchase something, do not touch it.

“Be very careful when you are shopping: if you don’t want to buy, don’t touch,” she said. ”Touch increases your feelings of ownership and it also increases the amount you are willing to pay. I would caution people not to touch when shopping.” Joann Peck, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business

Don’t think that because I picked up the yucky shaver that I bought it – it was more of a shock to find it in a flea market. Now, if some of us could pick up some patience, love, and kindness we would be set for life!

[via CBC]

WARNING: Designer’s, this isn’t pretty.

Jessica Helfand over at Design Observer came up with a list of 10 things that need to be re-designed.

Here’s the revised Canada friendly list:

1. Scratch-n-Win Lottery Tickets
2. The Hearse
3. Monopoly Money
4. TV Remote Controls
5. Saskatachewan – it’s big, it’s wide, and nothing interesting to keep your attention
6. Political Lawn Signs
7. Children Ski Jackets
8. YEX Saskatoon Airport – it’s worse than a doctors office in there
9. Blister Packaging
10. T1 Form

Interior lobby, The Palms, Dubai

And the winner isn’t… is an introspective slideshow by Wallpaper* which covers a series of the 9 worst designs from toasters to cars. The interior of the Palm, Dubai (shown) takes the cake, trophy, plaque and award for the effing ugliest in my books. The terrible use of orange and blue are abnormally uncomplementary colours in this case with so much frill and curves in a round room that it is not longer organic, but a bio-hazard. Entering this space should have a disclaimer of “Warning: walking through these walls may cause nausea or vomiting.”