Dedicated to inspiring designers, inventors & the creative spirit in all of us.

Small spaces can engender the best of designs. So many designs have been centered around tight quarters, but not like this. A company called Spiral Cellars has found a niche market servicing the wealthy wine aficionado. 

Using a cut-out hole in the floor beneath common areas in the home, these guys create spiral staircases that lead to small depths; so small in fact, that you can do no more than grab a bottle of wine. A cool factor, indeed, to have such a cool hidden cellar, but at what cost? Plenty, I am sure.

Having seen many induction stovetops, I was excited to see the Caso portable induction plate. This version, priced right and portable, makes induction cooking possible for anyone. Though this hot plate can reach temperatures of up to 428 degrees Fahrenheit, don’t be intimidated. Its built-in safety features include the ability to sense pans on its glass top surface. It also has a 180-minute timer and 10 precise power levels. Well designed and beautifully functional.

Geometric package designs for snacks are coming from all directions. Doritos has had a conceptual design overhaul, making a play on its famous triangular snack shape. 

Impact extrusion is used to create this new Coke can redesign. Looks cool, I just hope it feels cool and can match the structural integrity of the current can.

The Coil Lamp, created for an exhibition of conceptual furniture in Chicago, has now found its way to your living room. The one of a kind lamp is made from wrapping an orange, 100 foot cord around an acrylic skeleton to create the form of a lamp. Bright idea? Sure.

Thinking outside of the box has been used so many times to describe an approach toward design. I really do think that the designers who worked on this touchpad case were thinking outside of the box. When slipped onto the bottom of an iPhone, this tactile guide gives boundaries to your fingertips, allowing for more than just a visual line between pressing a ‘D’ and an ‘S’ on your QWERTY touch keyboard.

Dahon has debuted an ingenious gadget for bicycle riders at this year’s Eurobike Show. The Biologic FreeCharge, a kinetic powered bicycle adapter, harnesses the energy created as your wheels turn while you ride. This is a means to an end for diehard cyclists who travel great distances and want to avoid having to charge GPS, cell phone or electronics at hotels or public places after a long day’s ride. Available in 2010.

Simple ideas are the best, and this is an example of one – a reusable lid for plastic bags. Buy in bulk, or cut open a bagged package of food and then use this to snap it closed without a twist tie or chip clip. Copoc Bag Clips can be used on big bags of M & M’s, bulk grains, sugar; the possibilities are endless.

Here are a few ways to store and pour things from the kitchen including brown sugar, milk and tea. Some unique, some clever, some functional; but all double walled in design.

bottle inside of a glass blow molded utter milk decanter, wine glass in a bottle double walled coffee mug tornado in a glass brown sugar castor double walled cruets double walled tea press champagne flutes stackable double walled glasses

This design is an award winner from Japan’s Ryoji Takahashi that offers a new look and feel to shredding. The tube-like paper shredder can be held over a waste basket and is less obtrusive than the traditional rectangular electric paper shredder. Seems to be a desk-friendly redesign; now we have to wait until it comes to the States.

A shower in your pocket? A pontoon on your back? A fold away grill? Camping is a little more compact these days. These three designs make packing up your gear a little easier, and smaller, to boot.