Old school chairs like the Mullca were built to survive decades of abuse, with welded steel frames and bolted parts that could outlast the building itself. That durability was impressive, but it also meant the chairs were impossible to take apart or repair at home if something did eventually break. Contemporary designers are questioning whether indestructibility is the only way to think about longevity, with design for disassembly and repair becoming just as important as raw toughness.
Carrousel is a chair concept by Thibaud Rollet that starts from the familiar silhouette of nostalgic school chairs but shifts the focus to how it is assembled and maintained. Instead of chasing the legendary durability of a Mullca, Carrousel is designed to be easy to produce, disassemble, and repair, with individual elements that can be replaced or even 3D printed by the user at home when parts wear out or need refreshing.
The basic construction is straightforward. A bent or laminated wooden frame forms the legs and backrest supports, while horizontal traverse pieces carry the structural load. The seat and backrest are separate panels fixed with four screws each, visible on the surface. Those screws bite into metal threaded inserts embedded in the wood, so panels can be removed and reattached repeatedly without damaging the material or stripping the threads.
The covering L-shaped pieces sit over the joints between the frame and the seat or backrest. These parts are held in place by the screws and inserts, and they are the most likely candidates for 3D printing. Users could swap them out to change colors, textures, or even shapes, turning a functional joint into a place for customization and personal expression without needing professional tools.
The visible screws and simple joinery send a clear message that the chair is meant to be taken apart, not treated as a sealed object. Instead of hiding the assembly, Carrousel uses it as part of the aesthetic language. That openness encourages people to replace worn panels, refresh the look, or tinker with new parts, extending the chair’s life in a way that feels approachable rather than intimidating.
Of course, swapping a backrest or changing the covering pieces can refresh the chair without replacing the whole thing, and the act of playing with those options adds emotional value. When you’ve customized or repaired something yourself, you are more likely to keep it around rather than send it to the curb when a screw loosens or a panel gets scratched.
Carrousel borrows the reassuring outline of a school chair but rewires the logic underneath, making it easy to disassemble, repair, and personalize. It suggests that the next generation of everyday chairs might be less about lasting untouched forever and more about being easy to live with, update, and care for. That shift from indestructible to repairable might end up keeping more furniture out of landfills than any amount of added steel ever could.
Nestled within China’s Senbo Amusement Parks, a new architectural vision is taking root. The Forest Nests Treepod Project by Doarchiwow challenges everything we thought we knew about modular construction, transforming prefabricated building into an art form that breathes with its surroundings. These aren’t your childhood treehouses. Each dwelling rises from the landscape like a sculptural organism, its steel skeleton wrapped in layers of wood shingles, weathering steel, aluminum, and glass.
The genius lies in how these materials work together, creating structures that feel less constructed and more cultivated. They could be oversized cocoons suspended in time or nests woven by some mythical creature. What they don’t look like are typical modular buildings, and that’s entirely the point. Doarchiwow, a subsidiary of DO Architects specializing in high-quality prefabricated systems, spent years developing this concept. Design work began in 2021, with the 441.92-square-meter project finally completing in 2025 across two locations in Rizhao, Shandong and Wuhan, Hubei.
Designer: Doarchiwow
Step inside and the experience shifts. Smart home systems and digital networks handle the technical side while floor-to-ceiling glass opens up views of the canopy. The interior curves follow those same organic lines from the exterior. It’s surprisingly spacious for a micro-living unit. Doarchiwow was trying to solve a tricky problem here: how do you mass-produce something that still feels custom? The standardized shell allows for efficient construction, but the spaces inside feel tailored. The pods work as individual retreats while functioning as part of a larger network.
The sustainability angle goes deeper than surface-level green building tactics. Tang Jiajia, Wang Wenrui, and Jiang Hong led a design team that built a three-part environmental strategy into the project. Passive design, active environmental tech, and construction methods that respond to microclimate conditions. Prefabrication keeps ground disturbance minimal. Material waste drops. On-site labor requirements shrink. Each pod essentially runs as its own environmental system, capable of adjusting to different settings and weather patterns.
That adaptability matters because this model could theoretically pop up anywhere. Urban green spaces, protected natural areas, coastal zones, mountain forests. The fluid shapes refuse to look out of place, which is rare for modular buildings. Most prefab structures announce themselves loudly. These ones settle in quietly. It’s a replicable approach that doesn’t require starting from scratch each time.
Doarchiwow seems interested in changing how we think about vacation spaces and construction methods at the same time. They’re targeting boutique resorts, high-end campsites, rural tourism markets. Forest Nests makes the case that prefab doesn’t mean compromising on design or environmental responsibility. You can have efficiency and beauty. The structures prove it’s possible to build quickly without bulldozing the site or creating eyesores. Whether this becomes a widespread model remains to be seen, but it’s a compelling direction for sustainable resort development.
Small cafes and bistros face a constant battle with space. You need enough seating to make the business worthwhile, but cramming too many tables and chairs into a narrow sidewalk or patio turns the whole setup into an obstacle course. Floor-standing tables claim precious real estate even when they’re not in use, and moving them around every day to accommodate different crowds or weather becomes a hassle nobody wants to deal with.
George & Willy’s Wall-mounted Cafe Table solves this by eliminating the floor space problem entirely. The table attaches directly to the wall or a bench seat with a reversible bracket that lets you position it high or low depending on your needs. When the day’s done, you can slot the table out of its bracket and bring it inside, leaving nothing behind but a small wall plate. It’s a simple approach that makes flexible seating actually flexible.
The table itself features a round aluminum top available in two sizes, either 40 cm or 60 cm in diameter, both with a clean powder-coated finish in black or white. A curved stem extends from the wall bracket, creating a graceful arc that supports the tabletop without needing legs underneath. The whole thing weighs just 8.4 pounds but can hold up to 17.6 pounds, which is plenty for coffee, pastries, laptops, or small meals.
Of course, the real cleverness is in the bracket system. You can mount it in a tall orientation, where the table attaches to a bench seat and sits higher and closer to the wall, or in a short orientation, where it mounts directly to the wall and extends further out for more legroom. The same bracket handles both setups, so you’re not locked into one configuration when your space inevitably needs to change.
The table’s weatherproof construction means it works just as well outdoors as it does inside. Rain, humidity, and temperature swings won’t damage the aluminum or zinc-coated steel, which is why you see these tables installed on patios, sidewalks, and garden walls. The removable design also makes cleaning straightforward since you can take the whole thing down, wipe it off, and slot it back in without any tools.
What makes the Wall-mounted Cafe Table feel genuinely smart is how it adapts to different situations. You can install multiple tables in a row along a wall for group seating, space them out for solo customers, or mix tall and short orientations to accommodate benches and stools in the same area. That kind of modularity is rare in furniture that also looks this minimal and intentional.
The table’s slim profile and clean lines fit seamlessly into modern cafes, but the design works just as well in home settings where space is tight. Balconies, small patios, or even compact kitchens can benefit from a surface that doesn’t claim floor space and can be tucked away when you need the room. It’s the kind of simple, thoughtful design that makes you rethink how furniture occupies space.
You know that feeling when you rearrange your furniture and suddenly your whole space feels different? ARTA Architects just bottled that magic into something you can hold in your hands. Meet Clover Collective, a modular stool that’s basically the Swiss Army knife of seating, and it’s turning heads from Milan to Hong Kong.
Here’s the thing about good design: it shouldn’t just look pretty sitting in a museum. It needs to work for real life, adapt to your moods, and ideally, not destroy the planet in the process. The folks at ARTA clearly got that memo because Clover Collective checks all those boxes and then some.
The concept is brilliantly simple. Inspired by the four-leaf clover (you know, that lucky little plant you spent hours searching for as a kid), each piece features five ergonomic layers that stack and connect in multiple ways. Think of it like grown-up LEGO blocks, but way more sophisticated and actually comfortable to sit on. You can use one stool solo for those introspective coffee moments, push several together for an impromptu dinner party, or arrange them into completely different configurations depending on whether you’re hosting book club or just need a spot to tie your shoes.
What really sets this design apart is its versatility. The modular nature means you’re not stuck with one static piece of furniture that only works in one spot doing one thing. Your living room setup today doesn’t have to be your living room setup tomorrow. Hosting friends? Reconfigure. Need more floor space for yoga? Stack them up. Moving to a smaller apartment? These pieces travel and adapt with you. It’s furniture that actually respects the fact that life isn’t static.
But here’s where it gets even better. ARTA didn’t just focus on form and function. They made these stools from 3D-printed recycled ABS plastic, the same stuff that’s in old consumer products that would otherwise end up in landfills. Every curve and contour of the Clover Collective represents hope, quite literally upcycling trash into treasure. In an era where we’re all trying to make better choices about consumption, having furniture that’s both beautiful and sustainable feels like a small victory. Beyond the accolades, what’s compelling is how this piece represents a shift in thinking about what furniture can be. We’re moving away from the idea that you buy a couch or a chair and you’re stuck with it for life. Instead, we’re embracing pieces that evolve with us.
The five-layered construction isn’t just aesthetic either. It creates stability while maintaining an elegant, almost organic silhouette that doesn’t scream “I’m recycled plastic!” The balance between structural integrity and visual lightness is tricky to pull off, but ARTA nailed it. These stools look like they could be at home in a minimalist Scandinavian loft or a colorful maximalist studio. What strikes me most is how Clover Collective embodies this broader cultural moment we’re in. We want flexibility. We want sustainability. We want things that can keep up with how we actually live, not how design magazines think we should live. Whether you’re in a tiny apartment where every square foot counts or you love rearranging your space on a whim, this kind of adaptive design just makes sense.
There’s something hopeful about furniture that refuses to be just one thing. In a world that often demands we fit into rigid categories, Clover Collective is over here saying “why not be everything?” It’s a stool. It’s a side table. It’s a conversation starter. It’s proof that sustainable design doesn’t have to be boring or preachy. ARTA Architects has created something that feels both timely and timeless, which is the sweet spot every designer dreams of hitting. It’s the kind of piece that makes you rethink what’s possible when creativity meets conscience, and honestly, we could use more of that energy in our homes and our world.
If you’ve ever watched your dog or cat leap onto the bed or sofa with reckless abandon, you know the mix of pride and worry that comes with it every single time they make that jump. Pets love being close to their humans and feel safest at elevated heights, but those jumps can put a lot of strain on their joints, especially as they age or if they’re recovering from injury or surgery.
Most pet stairs solve one problem while creating another entirely different headache for pet owners. They’re either clunky and impossible to store when guests visit for the weekend, plain ugly and clash with your carefully chosen furniture and decor, or just take up too much space in already crowded rooms. Finding stairs that actually help your pet without ruining your interior design feels nearly impossible for most pet owners.
PawStairs offers a smarter solution with modular, flat-packable stairs featuring swappable, scratch-resistant paddings that blend into your home seamlessly and unobtrusively. The system lets you build two or three steps depending on your furniture height and your pet’s climbing needs, adapting to beds, sofas, or any favorite nap spot throughout your home. Assembly is easy and intuitive, requiring just minutes even for people who struggle with furniture assembly.
When you need more space for guests or just want to reclaim floor area temporarily, the stairs pack completely flat for compact storage under beds or in closets. The clean lines and minimalist silhouette mean PawStairs looks right at home in living rooms or bedrooms without screaming “pet product” to everyone who visits. Two wood finishes let you match your décor, with Original offering light tones and Walnut providing warm, rich hues.
Each step is topped with a scratch-resistant, easy-to-clean padding in velvet or leather options for different textures and looks. If a cover gets worn from daily use or you want to switch aesthetics, just swap it out without replacing the whole stair. The non-slip base pads ensure secure footing on every step, and the stairs support pets up to 99 pounds, from tiny Pugs to large Golden Retrievers.
The swappable padding system means maintenance is simple and stress-free for busy pet owners juggling work and family. Muddy paws, shedding fur, or the occasional accident wipe clean in seconds, and when a cover needs refreshing, you just pull it off and snap a new one on. No complicated proprietary tools, no wrestling with awkward clips or zippers, just quick swaps that keep everything looking fresh and inviting.
Built from high-quality solid wood and scratch-resistant leather and velvet, PawStairs is engineered specifically for long-term durability under daily use from active pets. If any part ever wears out from enthusiastic climbing, you can replace just that component instead of tossing the whole unit. This modular approach reduces waste dramatically and extends the product’s life for years of reliable use without requiring complete replacement.
Imagine your senior dog climbing onto the couch without struggle, or your cat confidently reaching her favorite window perch for afternoon sunbathing sessions. PawStairs makes these moments effortless for them, reducing stress on aging joints and lowering anxiety in small breeds or pets with mobility issues who might otherwise avoid heights altogether. The stairs work equally well for young pets who need safe access.
For multi-pet households with different-sized animals sharing the same space, the modular design means everyone from tiny kittens to large dogs can find their perfect step height and climbing rhythm. The neutral wood tones, clean aesthetic, and swappable paddings let PawStairs blend naturally into your home while making your pet’s comfort and safety a visible, intentional part of your living space without sacrificing style or floor space.
Most shelves are either heavy, hard to move between rooms, or destined to clash with your evolving style as tastes change over time and seasons shift. For anyone who loves to rearrange their space frequently, collect new objects, or simply keep things fresh with seasonal updates, traditional furniture just doesn’t keep up with the pace of modern life and changing interior preferences that come with growth and discovery.
The Plastic Marble Display Shelf, from DLS World Official and WOULD YOU LOVE Seoul, offers a different approach to home storage and display needs. Made from upcycled Tyvek byproducts and designed to be as flexible as LEGO blocks for intuitive assembly, it’s a shelf that adapts to your life, not the other way around. The system’s modularity and material innovation make it stand out from conventional shelving solutions.
The secret is plastic marble, an upcycled material with swirling, marble-like patterns and a glossy, watery finish that catches light beautifully throughout the day. Each panel is visually unique, with colors and translucency that play with ambient and natural light to create a sculptural presence in any room. Unlike printed laminates or vinyl wraps, the marble effect is a natural result of the upcycling process itself.
The material gives the shelf a premium look while keeping it lightweight and genuinely eco-friendly throughout its lifecycle from production to disposal. The translucent quality and depth add visual interest that changes depending on viewing angle and lighting conditions throughout the day. What would otherwise be industrial waste becomes something you’ll actually want to display prominently in living rooms, bedrooms, or creative studios.
The shelf’s concise clip joint system means you can assemble, disassemble, or reconfigure the entire structure in minutes without any tools or adhesives required whatsoever. Stack modules vertically for a traditional bookshelf, build a wide display for collectibles, or create a custom asymmetrical shape for your specific space. The panels and joints are made from a single material, simplifying future recycling efforts when the shelf reaches end of life.
When you want a change in layout or need to move to a new space entirely, just unclip sections and rebuild in different configurations. The flexibility encourages experimentation with arrangements throughout seasons or as your collection of books, plants, and objects grows. The modular nature means you can start small and add modules over time as your needs and budget evolve.
Whether you’re displaying books, plants, art prints, or collectibles, the Plastic Marble Display Shelf adapts to your specific needs and aesthetic preferences without limitations. Its clean lines and minimalist silhouette blend with posters, photos, and objects to create curated gallery walls. The system’s flexibility makes it perfect for small apartments, creative studios, or retail spaces where storage needs to grow and change frequently.
By transforming Tyvek byproducts into a desirable, durable material with a distinctive visual character that rivals traditional materials, the shelf redefines what upcycled plastic can be beyond basic function. The design discovers new value in discarded materials while offering genuine beauty and practical flexibility for modern living spaces that demand both sustainability and style without compromise or apology.
Although we see dozens of computer keyboard designs these days, the basic layout of the device hasn’t changed since the very first model came out. Even if you consider variants of the QWERTY standard like AZERTY or Dvorak, the standard has remained the same over the years, which means carrying over most of the usability and ergonomic problems that were there from day one. The “10 key” numeric keypad, for example, is always on the right side, with a bias towards right-handed people.
That’s not exactly a problem for TKL or “Ten Keyless” keyboards, but that does mean buying a separate numpad that doesn’t integrate well with the rest of the keyboard, both functionally and aesthetically. This keyboard concept takes a shot at solving that long-standing handedness problem and its solution is to let you design your keyboard layout to your needs and preferences.
Designer: Alexey Prokopenko
It’s easy enough to just buy a TKL keyboard and a numpad separately, allowing you to arrange the two as you see fit. That, however, only works for that combination, and even then it’s not always a pretty sight. The visual and functional disconnect between these products can also have a subtle effect on our subconscious, just like how clutter or disjointed styles can trigger our minds in ways we don’t realize.
A modular design like the Connect concept helps solve this problem. In a nutshell, you can place a numpad module to the right or left of the “main” TKL keyboard in a way that physically connects the pieces. Since they’re from the same system, they also share the same aesthetic, which is a matte black in this case.
Of course, the beauty of a modular system is the flexibility it offers. Not only can you switch the position of the numpad on either side on a whim, you can also connect something else there or have a different module on the opposite end simultaneously. You can, for example, have a trackpad or a macro keyboard on either side. The choice is totally yours and can be changed dynamically depending on your work, need, or mood.
If there’s one oddity to this design concept, it would be that the function key row is also an optional module. Granted, some Bluetooth keyboards actually exclude this row, forcing users to make complicated keystrokes to activate the functions. In this case, however, removing that row would create an imbalance when a module is attached to the left or right side of the keyboard. Most people will probably prefer to have that function row there all the time anyway, making it a bit of an unnecessary design detail.
Stationery remains essential, adapting to global trends like sustainability, and minimalism, and bridging the gap between digital and analog domains. With technological advancements, stationery for school and office settings is progressing towards smarter, sustainable products, transforming traditional items into symbols of productivity and creativity. This transformation underscores a fusion of innovation and timeless design, enhancing how students approach their studies and how office workers manage their tasks efficiently.
Explore the transformative trends shaping the future landscape of stationery, traditional office supplies, and educational tools.
Wood is typically associated with brown, but different tree species produce various colors. In Japan, Forest Crayons uses pigments from recycled forest trees to create crayons, mixed with wood, rice wax, and rice oil. Each color, such as the magnolia’s light green or fungus-stained wood’s deep turquoise, reflects the tree species and growth conditions. The set includes ten colors: Bayberry, Bogwood, Cedar, Chinaberry, Cypress, Hazenoki, Katsura, Kaizuka, Magnolia, and Zelkova. This project, endorsed by the Japanese Forest Agency, promotes a renewed appreciation for Japan’s forests.
Pens usually signify productivity and creativity, but the Zen Pen, a unique Japanese-made writing instrument, aims to evoke calm through its design and texture. Inspired by Zen gardens, it features 3D-printed grooves and an off-center, smooth clip, mimicking the sand and stone elements. Crafted by skilled Japanese artisans using modern 3D printing and milling, the Zen Pen provides a soothing tactile experience, promoting mindfulness and tranquility. This makes it an ideal tool for students, helping them stay focused and calm while writing and studying in a school environment.
The 25° Ruler sets new standards in precision and durability, crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum and featuring laser-engraved markings for long-lasting accuracy. Available in sizes ranging from 6 to 20 inches and various vibrant colors, its ergonomic 25° angle enhances usability by placing measurements conveniently along the bottom edge. A teardrop design ensures safety and ease of use, while dual-sided markings cater to metric and imperial units, starting from zero to ensure precise measurements.
Royi Stationery offers innovative supplies that tell stories of honesty and introspection. Their transparent staplers and hard disks prompt reflection on deeper values, inspired by timeless narratives like the tale of the naked king. These products encourage a meaningful connection with stationery tools, inviting users to see beyond surface appearances and appreciate the wisdom embedded in everyday objects.
The Sidekick Notepad blends digital efficiency with analog charm, ideal for users who embrace a digital-analog hybrid workflow. Featuring 60 tear-away pages of Munken Lynx paper and a cover made from recycled coffee cups, it includes sections for notes, to-do lists with checkboxes, and a date section. Perfect for quick note-taking during meetings or daily tasks, it offers practicality and sustainability in one compact design.
The Nuwa Pen is an AI-powered ballpoint that bridges the gap between handwritten charm and digital efficiency. This innovative pen uses a TRIDENT imaging system and AI to effortlessly convert your scribbles on any paper into searchable digital notes. With 2GB of built-in memory, rapid charging, and compatibility with the Nuwa Pen App for cloud storage, it ensures your ideas are always accessible and organized. Ideal for those who value both the tactile joy of writing and the practicality of digital tools, the Nuwa Pen redefines note-taking versatility.
Introducing the stilform FLOW: an award-winning ballpoint pen that merges elegance with innovation. Its magnetic cap retracts the refill with a satisfying click, offering a unique fidget feature. Available in aluminum, brass, or titanium, each variant boasts a sleek, durable design ideal for a luxurious writing experience. The FLOW utilizes recycled materials and is refillable, ensuring longevity while reducing environmental impact. Perfect for those who appreciate fine craftsmanship and functional beauty in their everyday writing tools.
Transform your workspace with nature-inspired accessory designs that merge functionality with aesthetic appeal. The Greenery Pencil Holder mimics bamboo stems with a curved plate for storing pens and pencils. The Greenery Clock features an abstract, leaf-shaped digital display and a flat surface for small items. The Greenery Tray offers horizontal “leaves” for storage and key rings, while the Greenery Cable Holder simplifies cable management with leaf-like circles. These designs bring a touch of greenery to your desk, enhancing both organization and visual appeal.
The Bloomstick pen concept is a symbolic tool for journaling dreams comprising of a silicone-covered button that blooms like a flower when pressed, it merges functionality with a decorative touch. Available in green, blue, and pink, this pen adds a whimsical flair to your writing experience. Ideal for collectors and stationery enthusiasts alike, it transforms from a conventional pen into a visually appealing piece that inspires creativity and captures the essence of dreaming.
The Star Lord Helmet by LEGO is a functional and visually stunning addition to their Infinity Saga series. Standing 7 inches tall with 602 pieces, it faithfully recreates the iconic headgear from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Ideal for ages 18 and up, it features intricate details like red-tinted eyepieces and lifelike breathing valves. Beyond its collectible appeal, this build serves as a practical stationery holder and pen stand, offering storage for essentials in its hollow interior.
These Seki Sound scissors are more than just tools—they’re a playful homage to iconic electric guitars. Inspired by precision craftsmanship from Seki, Japan, renowned for cutlery excellence, they feature authentic details like guitar strings and frets. Designed to cut through paper, vinyl, and tape effortlessly, they’re as sharp as they are stylish, with a protective cap that doubles as a guitar head. Perfect for adding a touch of creativity and functionality to your workspace, these scissors are a must-have for design enthusiasts and music lovers alike.
The sPINmemo lamp reimagines traditional lighting with its innovative design that combines practicality and personalization. Featuring a rotating cork body for pinning notes and photos, this lamp promotes creativity and organization while offering storage space on its ceramic head. Crafted for both functionality and aesthetic appeal, it ensures optimal illumination and blends seamlessly into any workspace or living area. Ideal for those who value minimalism and versatile home decor solutions, the sPINmemo lamp enhances both lighting and personal expression.
This innovative highlighter draws inspiration from East Asia’s train systems, featuring a modular design reminiscent of train cars. Each segment serves as a different color highlighter, allowing for easy interchangeability and reducing the need for multiple units. Its ergonomic shape and sustainable potential, including refillable cartridges, set it apart in stationery design. LINE’s creative approach not only enhances functionality but also offers a fresh and enjoyable user experience, bridging utility with a playful modular design inspired by transit systems.
The MEMORABLE picture frame integrates a sophisticated marble design with modular functionality, featuring a unique rail system. This allows users to attach various modules like a pen holder, small vase, or note holder, enhancing both organization and personalization in your workspace. Crafted for durability and aesthetic appeal, MEMORABLE blends timeless elegance with practical modular design, making it ideal for displaying cherished memories while doubling as versatile desk storage.
The stationery landscape is transforming into a vibrant blend of sustainability, innovation, and artistic expression, revolutionizing how we approach work, study, and creative assignments.
Handheld gaming devices are quite the fad these days, especially now that major PC makers have all joined the bandwagon. Although we’re reaching a point where all internal specs are becoming identical, there’s still a variety of designs and features available. Just like laptops, however, these designs are fixed and you can only select from what others have already made.
Embodying the spirit of desktop computers, this latest DIY project enables you to build your own Steam Deck clone, presuming you have the parts and skills to assemble one. Unlike other configurations, however, this isn’t relying on some low-power computer like the Raspberry Pi but instead leans on the power provided by a modular laptop design.
There is no shortage of mods and projects to build custom handheld PCs, whether for gaming or light computing, but the majority of these use small but under-powered single-board computers or SBCs. These are cheap, easy to cram into small shells, but will hardly be able to play any games outside of retro emulators. The problem is that there isn’t an SBC powerful enough to support that use case.
That’s where the Framework modular laptop comes in. Thanks to its modular design, it is possible to actually purchase the mainboard of such a powerful computer, and the 13-inch variant happens to be an adequate size to stuff inside a 3D-printed gaming handheld shell. Although it doesn’t exactly have gaming-worthy specs, it’s still powerful enough to run some AAA games with low settings.
The Beth Deck, which is the name for this hot new build-it-yourself handheld PC, doesn’t stop there. It also uses a matching Framework 13 battery and many off-the-shelf parts. Everything that can’t be bought can be 3D printed, and the claim is that you barely need to solder anything. You could almost say it’s like playing with LEGO, except with computer parts instead of bricks.
It’s not the perfect handheld design, of course, since the Framework 13 mainboard isn’t designed for that purpose. It does, however, reveal the possibilities available with such a modular component available for as low as $199. It might even inspire other designs that customize not just the appearance but also the controls. After all, if you can easily make a Steam Deck clone, why stop at being just a Steam Deck clone?
People these days are adopting more and more pets, sometimes more than their homes can accommodate. Dogs might have no problems staying in outdoor doghouses, but domesticated felines tend to prefer indoor accommodations. Of course, there’s no shortage of furniture for cats, ranging from litter boxes to scratching posts to climbing trees. The problem is that the majority of them are all designed to take up space on the floor, which leaves less room for human furniture. Just like how humans realize they have plenty of unused vertical space, this cat furniture concept grows upward rather than sideways to let you comfortably accommodate one or more furry felines, even if you don’t have much space for yourself either.
Vertical furniture is definitely becoming a trend as we realize how precious little floor space we actually have. Unfortunately, that’s only part of the solution, because just like floor space, the vertical situation in our homes can change as well. Unlike regular furniture, however, vertical designs often have a fixed height and configuration, preventing us from easily rearranging these pieces of furniture.
FROHZ Cat Castle is a design concept that solves both those problems with a simple modular design. The furniture system is made of five pieces that can be freely rearranged as needed. Of course, they have certain limits given their fixed shapes, but you can, in theory, combine them in many ways without permanently committing to a particular configuration.
The largest part of the modular furniture system is the cat litter box, a tall cabinet with two doors at the top, one of which has an oval opening for the cat to crawl into. A “Play/Rest” box has a slightly similar design, except it’s a simpler and smaller box designed only to be a resting spot. An even simpler version of this is an arched structure with openings at the front and the back. There’s also an L-shaped scratching “post” and a simple storage box to keep kitty toys and accessories.
Arranging these pieces is as simple as stacking them on top of each other or putting them side by side, with some connectors to keep them from easily falling apart from the cat’s movement. The open-ended design even allows for more than one piece of each type to accommodate more than one feline in the house. And should the number of pets you own increase or decrease, you can quickly add or remove modules as needed. You might even be able to challenge yourself to come up with a creative design, one that would truly make your cat feel like a king or queen in its own castle.
