One has to wonder what is holding back this kind of innovation – is it health or simply convention? The idea is simple: combine the two water-using items found in any men’s bathroom. Yeongwoo Kim designed it with the utmost aesthetic simplicity, and it speaks for itself: the water clearly recycles to add in flushing the toilet – semi-opaque frosted glass hides the first sequence’s function from view as one leans forward to wash hands. The result is a graywater reuse system that requires fewer pipes but also saves space, as the same vertical area can be used both for urinating and hand washing, presuming, of course, that the hygiene of such proximity does not prove to be a problem. ...

Is it possible for a large piece of furniture to exude a sort of lighter-than-air quality? Designers Zsanett Benedek and Daniel Lakos wanted to find out, so they clad office furniture in a fresh white veneer. The furniture used was Lakos’ original designs known as the Alba Collection. The shapes were already smooth, sleek and yes, even dreamy. Dressing the furniture in bright white served to make it appear far more space-age and floaty. The effect is enhanced when the entire suite is placed in a room that is entirely white, head to foot. According to the designers, the suite of office furniture is a look that is downright heavenly.  In an office otherwise decked out in white such as in these pictures, we would have to agree. ...

Something about these brightly-colored poof balls is deliciously simple and richly complex all at the same time – they look spontaneous and accidental versus a more typical well-planned design. MYK Berlin tapped into some childhood impulse to create this series of non-standard furnishings, and staged them well with little leavings all around (which would, in reality, make for even more fun, or at least handy replacement parts). “The ” Bommel” also known as Pompon is crafted entirely by hand. Several hundred wool threads are bundled, rolled ,tied, and cut, all of carefully selected high-end quality wool. There are up to 1300 woollen pompons and respectively up to 45 kg of wool forming one single object.” ...

The view of Earth’s landscape from above, such as you see from the window of an airplane, is a truly inspiring sight. It is a sight that inspired Liz Eeuwes to create these delightful handmade rugs. The Glasgow-based designer was inspired by aerial views of Scottish landscapes and Balinese rice paddies, an inspiration that is evident in the orderly shapes and flowing chaos, respectively. Each rug is handmade from colorful New Zealand wool. Their exuberantly colored blocks and swirls would be perfectly at home in any room, but would be especially wonderful in a library or office with a map theme. Keep Going ...

This suite of furniture from Tel Aviv design company Godspeed looks like matchsticks held together with string, but in a strikingly elegant way. According to the designers, this was the goal. The collection, known appropriately as The Stick Collection, arose from a curiosity about the appropriateness of certain materials. Could “sticks” be used to make permanent and solid furnishings? Constructed of something that looks like it came from someone’s back yard and held together with zip ties, the Stick Collection pieces look like they might simply tip over and fall apart if you are brave enough to sit on or balance your drink on one. But despite their fragile appearances, these rustic-meets-modern furnishings have enough strength and more than enough style to deal with daily life. ...

You may love the conveniences of your main modern abode, but it is hard to avoid wanting the occasional (architectural) fling with an exotic local (home) in some remote destination. The exterior of this unnamed hut in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay (via TheStyleFiles)  is at best unassuming, with an almost perfectly-imperfect little weathered wooden porch. The bright sky and bleached sand seem to have scrubbed the inside clean from the whitewashed walls to the faded wood rafters and the pale metal roof they support. Quaint, cute, perhaps even homely, there is something compellingly different and relaxingly haphazard that makes this author itch to get up and head down to check it out. ...

If there is one thing a design student should be familiar with, it is that feeling that if they dim the lights after your all-nighter you will nod off and fall out of your seat in class. Student  Matte Nyberg has a solution for your sleepy study breaks – a basic chair in most regards, complete with wooden legs and seat cushion, but which stretches upward along one side to give you something soft to lean against.   Matte Nyberg is currently a Masters of Industrial Design Candidate at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Previously she earned a Bachelors of Design in Architecture from the University of Minnesota. ...

Aerodynamic and contemporary but still reflecting traditional modern camper style, these sleek little wonders from Innovan are neat to look at but much more amazing when deployed. A pop-up top nearly doubles interior space when the unit is stopped, while a flip-up back provides shelter for camping out. Its creators boast that such transformations take only 30 seconds. Various add-ons and extensions are possible, including a secondary unit towed behind the first – some pieces can be popped right on the back of a truck, while others are made to be hauled in back. Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Dornob ...

Toilet plungers may be the least glamorous elements of home decor, yet their surface suction capabilities have inspired entire legions of superheroes, and are frankly fascinating to anyone who can get past their messier associations. Thomas Schnur has worked on a series of items for Milan this year, but the best and brightest (or at least: strangest) has to be this eccentric little five-legged table, which his photos depict in all kinds of curious situations. “The drain or plunger is an item, which, though it receives little attention, is actually extremely useful. Rubber Table adopts its idiosyncratic aesthetic and transfers it into a new environment. The rubber plunger has become a table leg – setting in motion a new way of looking at this ambivalent object. Manufactured with dyed foam rubber the ...

Not every home can have a backyard or deck for grilling, so for those that lack good outdoor space this compact cooker could be the perfect way to entertain guests. From Gunni, a European manufacturer that knows small spaces, this unit acts like a regular kitchen island on wheels when not in active use, but slides open to reveal additional functionality on demand. On one side sits a drawer for knives and spices, while the other features a platform for grilling up steaks, sausages, vegetables and more. Shelf storage below also serves to stabilize the elegant wood-and-steel structure. ...