Category — Table Ware

As part of their 50th anniversary, Stelton has enlisted Japanese designer Hiromichi Konno to design Setting Bowls for their Spring 2010 collection. When stacked the bowls resemble a flower in full bloom – very elegant and cheery. I love the pastel colors!

As of 2008 Konno has established a design studio in Tokyo. But before that he spent 3 years under the wings of Ross Lovegrove and then another 6 independently in the UK. This experience definitely shows through in his work.

Planning on checking out the Tokyo 69th International Gift Show starting tomorrow and continuing on through the end of the week? Be sure to check out the Takahashi Kogei booth where designers Oji Masanori and Rina Ono will be showcasing their respective new works.

From Oji Masanori: KAMI dishes, a new addition to the KAMI line of paper-thin wooden cups. To be used as coasters, lids or whatever you want, really. Also, the Kakudo wooden butter cases.

From Rina Ono: The wooden desert cup and goblet.
Wood is horrible at conducting heat, which makes it ideal as a container for cold deserts because you don’t get condensation!

Related:

• Baby In Table by Oji Masanori
• Cowakka by Rina Inao

A big surprise on my doorstep when I got home yesterday! My friends at Branch sent over a care package of the beautiful Wasara disposable tableware, fresh off the boat from Japan (read the story here). The actuals are even more stunning than they appeared on screen. My only dilemma now is, what kind of shindig do I need to throw to justify the usage of these beauties. Purchase Wasara HERE!

This clever design done for the holiday season somehow slipped under my radar and into one of my wife’s magazines. The Bottle Baguette (3,700 yen), by Japanese haute couture heavyweight Issey Miyake, is a essentially pretty packaging for a wine bottle to be used when attending dinner parties. The packaging then remains on the bottle, which can be transformed into a flower vase.

Related:

• Issey Miyake packaging boxes by Shun Kawakami

Exciting news! The kind folks over at Branch just emailed me to inform me that that it’s official. They have signed an agreement to be the exclusive U.S. distributor of WASARA line of biodegradable tableware. They are taking pre-orders now and expect to start shipping in mid-December.

This is especially exciting for me because I helped facilitate the introduction and initial communications between Wasara and Branch!

Related:

• the very first Wasara post
• designer of the Wasara plates here and here

The winners of the 2009 Toyama Product Design Competition were recently announced. I wasn’t crazy about the first place so instead I’m going to direct your attention to the runner up…but of course feel free to check out all 3 winners on the website. This year’s theme was color. Not exactly a unique theme but inspiring none the less. Especially when you have Jin Kuramato applying the theme to traditional wooden bowls and tea cups. And I love how they stack!

Related:

• Toyama Design Competition | Drop by Tetsuo Shibuya
• Jin Kuramoto

Microworks updates their website with a new product; musical note salt & pepper shakers (2,200 yen).  Because salt should only be taken in adagio. To give your chicken medley some energico. Because you are the concerto master of your kitchen! Ok, I’ll stop.

Related:

• Microworks | No Humor No Design
• Microworks | Vine Cell Phone Charger
• AC Adapter Midor from KDDI

Moving right along with my preview of the Good Design Awards, here is a product from the Kitchen and Home Furniture categories, respectively.

Product: Faro Coffee Maker
Designer: Kosei Shirotani
For: Kinto
The Faro Coffee Maker attempts to replace everything disposable (plastic cups and paper filters) within coffee-making process. I also like the minamal design and the way it stacks for easy storage.

Product: Lamp Pumplight
Designer: Pegatron (sounds like a nerdy transformer)
This is an intruiging lamp that forces us to be more concious of our relationship between light. By using the accompanied hand pump you not only inflate the lamp shell (balloon) but you also increase the intensity of the light!

Preview:
Good Design Awards| Part 1

The editors over at ElleDeco Japan got the royal treatment when they were allowed a sneak peak at some of Moma Design Store’s Autumn releases. One product in particular caught my eye immediately and that was this clever set of espresso cups with interlocking bamboo coasters. Unfortunately I couldn’t figure out who designed it. Any idea? Anyone?

The 1 clue I have is that it won an award in a student design contest.

UPDATE: thanks to commenter Cl. we found out that it was designed by Fellina Sok-Cham. Yay!

How fun would it be to invite a bunch of guest over to a house party, have them stand around in a big empty room, and then pull out this baby and sit down to dinner!

I would welcome the Mobile Dining unit into my house any day! Designed by Nobuhiro Teshima of design firm LINK.