Saving of space and low visual impact is the proposal of Marta Antoszkiewicz with Kitchenette, a Seth of dining room table and chairs with an urban and minimalista design. The four chairs adjust to the cleared edges of the table, forming a compact block when it is not necessary his use, offering this way a sensation of greater space in the stay. This effect is successful in minimizing the visual impact, therefore making a space feel larger. Intended for urban living, this table set features removable cushions for easy cleaning, hot & cold pads for serving and hand pulls for easy access. - Via - Hogartotal

In December 2007 we presented on Freshome an interesting product that a lot of people liked. That poduct is called the Love Mattress. I also liked this product so much that I’ve decided to contact Mehdi Mojtabavi, the designer of this innovative matress for an interview, and here it is, plus pictures at a higher quality, just in time …for Valentines Day …the Love Mattress.

Freshome : Tell us a few things about Mehdi Mojtabavi (example: where you live, how old are you, education, and a brief introduction for our readers).
Mehdi Mojtabavi : I was born in 1974 in Mashhad a city in north east of Iran. I graduated in BA with a degree from the industrial design course at the Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) in Tehran. Now I live in Tehran and run my own design office, Gooyadesign.

Freshome : We love the Love Mattress. Tell us a few words about this prject and how did you come up with this smart idea.
Mehdi Mojtabavi : It was a problem for me and had made busy my mind for awhile. I believe that lovely embracing specially between partners is one of the most calmative and continues situations. Embracing and body connection after lovemaking is very important for strengthening relationships. It causes feeling safe and shows a real love especially to females. (Ref. to sexual abuse in psychology) Nevertheless, what usually stops this pleasant state is not mental tiredness; it is physical weakness. Considering different body forms and sizes and sleeping styles, it seemed impossible to find a solution for this historical problem at the beginning. Developing some raw ideas and correcting them step by step made this concept. This is what usually happens when I design something.

Freshome : We know that The Love Mattress is just a design concept right now, any chances to see the product in stores, or available somewhere?
Mehdi Mojtabavi : As you know there is a long way from conception to mass production. When a designer introduces a concept, it means there is no any similar product in the market. So you are not able to use other producer’s experiences. Mass Production itself has several steps from research to development and final engineering. Although Marketing planning can be done simultaneously, the whole process takes time any way. So be patient if you wish to have one.

Freshome : How did you get into furniture/product design? How you came to be a designer?
Mehdi Mojtabavi : From childhood I discovered my ability in art, and used to do painting, sketching, cartoon, music, and what ever I could do in that area. I even used to make some musical instruments for awhile and used to spend my weekends and summers working in a decoration workshop for 3 years. All of these were before my eighteen years old. During those years I was in love with architecture and I was waiting impatiently for entrance to the architecture academy. When I get familiar with industrial design, I found it more practical and suitable for me. Today, although I still like architecture and other arts, I love and focus on product design. I believe that product design is the most complicated field of design. In fact, more complication causes more enjoy.

Freshome : Tell us a few things about your design philosophy and process.
Mehdi Mojtabavi : I gave a hint to complication of product design. I have to mention that this complication is an internal and hidden character for a product. I believe that what should appear in form and function is only simplicity. This simplicity is based on complication. Look at our body, extreme external simplicity comparing with extreme internal complication. Even in a single part well designed product, a professional can find numerous complicated details which an ordinary user doesn’t and shouldn’t feel them.This is my main philosophy in design.But what I design usually? Apart from clients’ projects, most of my designs are about our forgotten simple daily problems which I believe, changing the world can start easily from this point. Eslimi T-shirt hanger and Easy Tape dispenser are two other my award winning concepts which show my attitude.

Freshome : Where do you find your inspiration for design?
Mehdi Mojtabavi : Nature

Freshome : Any advice for others who want to work in this domain?
Mehdi Mojtabavi : Innovation will happen exactly when you come to a dead-end in your design. When you feel you have found the solution and your mind doesn’t work any more, this is when exactly you are passing whatever you have seen or experienced before. Here is the beginning of innovation.

Freshome : How is a day in Mehdi Mojtabavi life ?
Mehdi Mojtabavi : Well, I spend most of my time on design even weekends. Of course all of my activities are not necessarily financial. I go through the design books and websites to see good designs every day. This keeps my design sense up to date. I review design article titles and read one or two most interesting of them every week. Recently I spend a few hours a week on organizing our new society called ISPID (Iran Society of professional industrial designers) which aims pure design from professional designers’ point of view, not doctor-professor-theoreticians.

Freshome : Can you share a piece of wisdom with Freshome readers? Something of value that life thought you.
Mehdi Mojtabavi : The only thing in the world which I can trust to is “Science”.

Freshome : Tell us about other projects you are working on right now.
Mehdi Mojtabavi : At the moment I am working on a competition-project for an international company. They have invited some award winning designers to participate this project.

Today I thogut to post a little survery for my readers, to find out how many people that are reading this blog are female, and how many are males. Your response to this survey will play an important role in determining the procent of males vs females that are reading this blog. I never know what the procent is, and if you want to find out let’s vote, is simple …select your gender and press vote. [poll=2]

Better View is is a series of perforated black out roller blinds designed by Finnish designer Elina Aalto of Fiasko Design. Light seeps in through the small cut out holes creating an image of a city by night. The cut-outs represent the light in the windows of apartment buildings and office complexes in the city. With the Better View blind any  dreary view can be turned into an attractive cityscape. The series currently includes views from Helsinki and Tokyo. New additions portraying Stockholm and Paris are in progress. The images represent a selection of cities that Elina has traveled to in the last few years and the photographs are by her. The chosen views are of contrasting cityscapes: skyscrapers in Tokyo, 60s modernism in Helsinki and 19th century architecture in Paris. Each piece is custom made by hand. This curtain design is part of SAUMA , a traveling exhibition created by the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York.- Via - Decoluxe

Sustainable living in the desert can be a bit of a challenge (swimming pools and air conditioning are a fact of life) but the residents of the new Aura Development in Phoenix will be able to enjoy green living and a nice bit of luxury. The Aura at Camelback will be a sustainable luxury-living development at 25th Street and Campbell Avenue.The project will be a sustainable luxury-living development of 36 three or four-story townhomes. Each home will have a private elevator and a two-car underground garage as well as air-conditioned underground storage and a rooftop garden. The project will be completely solar powered. The development will certified LEED Silver and the solar system will generate all the electricity needs for the unit. The Aura will feature six floor plans ranging from 2,469 to 3,147 square feet. Homes will start at $900,000 and be as expensive as $1.3 million and construction is expected to begin in May. - Via - Pangaya