This is a clever design. A tea cup with a mixing ball that you swirl to stir. And with a protruding, curved base, the ball does not fall out as you tilt back to drink. Clever, to say the least.
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.
This cup holder is ingenious – the textured grip, vivid color and universal size opening. Intended for work stations with tight space, it actually uses a cantilever for extending space for your beverage. I can see many applications for this idea of squeeze-clipping an extension to table tops. Once again, as my readers already know, this is an example of simple design that uses stylizing to accentuate the pure function of its use.
Ok, here is the ultimate wake-up call. This alarm sonically detonates at your hour of choosing and can only be turned off by ‘cutting’ one of the wires. Choose poorly, and you have to hear the echoes of this time bomb as it rattles your bedroom; choose wisely and you can roll over and get a few more winks before you begin your day. This is interactive design at its best. There are few products that truly engage consumers in using them and this is one of those products. If made a little more realistic, or a little more cartoony, this could not be pulled off.
