Are you an industrial designer? How is the financial crisis being felt on your site? Worth a read, the recent article by journalist John Hockenberry over at Metropolis is trying to pick on the main issues that will happen to design when demands shrink. When the market is filled with non-buyers and the inclination not to spend is at record levels. As much fresh new content we need here on Freshome, having empty shoppers stores that are filled with design, just isn’t good for the business. So how might designers participate in an economy of no product? Check out the rest of the article (which is great) in here.

Original image by Guilhermy

The creative lighting design company Slamp presented designer Nigel Coate’s lighting sculptures this year at Euroluce in Milan to much enthusiasm and prospect.  The first design, inspired by sea urchins and titled “Creatures,” is a colorful and exciting combination of lines and curvy shapes that remains modernist while bordering on exceptionally ornate.  Designed for three different sizes, a “Creature” light (or two) would make a striking visual emphasis for a fun room.

Coates’s sci-fi lighting design “Corona” looks like it may be echoing the design of the CERN particle accelerator or a flying saucer.  Though designed to be light with clean lines and simple colors, “Corona” is actually a very thoughtful, complex sculpture that creatively incorporates circular and diamond shapes that can be complemented in repetition throughout a sophisticated interior space.

Lastly and possibly the more creative of the three, “Pacis” is a swirling storm of lighting and would be a particularly elegant dining room lighting centerpiece.  Meant to fit magnetically over the light-fitting and finished in either white or gold, it stirs images of Roman laurel crowns and spiraling kelp reefs, which can give a contemporary, natural character to a well-groomed scheme. – via

Sometimes it’s not the scenery that wins you over, but the modifications you bring to your home to make it more appealing. Located in Melbourne, Australia, the Barrow House has been designed by Andrew Maynard Architects with an arrangement of timber boxes that create a stylish variety of shapes to get the eye. With privacy levels at a max, the elegant interior features contemporary furniture, large windows for natural lighting, a much needed pool for the summer months and a lot of wood, the Barrow House certainly looks like a dream place for anyone working from home. Don’t you think? – via

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty certain that the recession and 2008, never happened. That’s because I’ve just heard that a luxurious house at 10 Belgrave Square, in London, went on sale for a record-breaking price of £100million. That’s some $150 million if you checked your wallet. With more than 21,000 sq ft of living space, 12 bedrooms, 20ft ceilings, an indoor swimming pool in the basement, a gym, a home theater and exquisite fittings, the six-floor building has been revamped by Musa Salem (a Lebanese owner) and is now fighting to nab the “London’s most expensive house” title. As crazy as it may look, we’re sure someone could use some marketing and will probably sell quite fast. – via

Modern living spaces are getting smaller and smaller with each passing day and for those who live in urban settings with studio apartments, every inch is a precious asset. Modern designing is becoming an art that finds the fine balance between style, aesthetic joy and utility. And the most important factor that will save you space, is making sure that you get rid of the clutter, in a wise and daft manner. Here’s our little guide to decorative storage…

#1 Storage needs and the available space

An ability to understand and take into account what you are working with and what you need to finally achieve, is the single most essential aspect of creating the perfect decorative storage space. While you need to get the look, style and the decorative appeal, the basic aspect it’s still about having enough space to put your stuff in.

#2 Categorize

Decorative storage is about bringing in form and function. Therefore one needs to first categorize which accessories and items will be showcased for the decorative purpose and what will be hidden away from the eyes of the guests. Instead of stacking up cereal boxes in the kitchen cabinet, use your fancy chinaware. In the very same way, only use decorative books and other items in the living room that are worth showcasing, instead of old and unused items.

#3 Use shelves

It’s not just what you store, but also how you store. Using free-standing shelves is an old favorite and something that adds beauty to the space it adorns. But, since space is the issue of contention, most people generally prefer the in-built ones. Whatever maybe the style of your shelves, make sure they are evenly spaced and can house as much stuff as possible. For example, the design of an intended bookrack must have small and numerous shelves, while the racks in your kitchen can have larger height for various items to fit in.

#4 Folds away? Rotates? Slides?

If you take a look at modern storage spaces offered by smart furnishing providers like IKEA, you can easily bring home snazzy shelves and cabinets that rotate, fold and slide away into virtual oblivion when needed. These shelves can add great beauty to the room with their method of concealment. And the best part is they may not be neat and tidy, but still have that decorative appeal you wished for.

#5 Vintage chests and crafty DIYs

There is something magical about vintage stuff that is hard to replicate no matter how much you try. It is all about timeless charm and no matter what you dump inside, its decorative aspect remains unharmed. Some of these chests also come with a comfortable cushion on top and double up as seating spaces. All you need to do is go around and search with a tad bit of patience to find your smart and attractive storage chest.

#6 Other space available

Matching cabinets in the form of bathroom vanities, storage spaces under the bed and hanging shelves on the kitchen walls— add plenty of charm to the interiors. Using every room that is available is important and for this can build a custom attic in every room with a wooden finish to give you plenty of places to dump unused stuff without disturbing the beauty of the room.

Simple and ergonomic solutions for decorative storage are easy to find once you understand your needs, work within your limitations and get creative with the solutions.

Just don’t forget to mail us the final result. We always love to see more ideas!