Tag Archives: minimalism

Minimalist desk concept has a special place for your cat to sleep in

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Our parents told us how keeping pets is a huge responsibility, and many of us probably took that advice for granted. Even as adults, we might sometimes have love-hate relationships with the furry members of our family, especially when they get in the way of work. That seems to be especially true for cats, who have a bewildering knack for sleeping on our desks when we need to get things done, even going as far as sleeping on top of keyboards while we’re still typing. Every feline owner knows there’s really no stopping these masters of flexibility when they put their minds to something, but it also helps to give them something more comfortable to lie on than your hands. That’s what this desk concept aims to offer, giving your cat some space to still be near you when you work but also some privacy to keep to itself, like what most cats often to do.

Designer: Liam de la Bedoyere

This wooden desk is minimalist almost in the extreme sense. It’s pretty much just a bent plank of wood standing U-shaped bent metal for legs. There are no compartments, hidden or otherwise; just a flat and open surface to put your things on. It forces you to be extra neat, or at least creative in how you decorate and place accessories to hold your work tools. Or perhaps it’s best to actually leave it bare without anything that your cat might topple over.

Of course, the signature feature of this concept is the small space or “cubby” designed especially for a cat. One side of the table bends inward to create a hook shape that’s probably just big enough for your average cat. That cubby has a pillow for their comfort, though the material for that cushion might be questionable. After all, cats are known to scratch so that pillow might not last that long.

The Cat Cubby Desk tries to offer a comfy place for your cat to lie on without getting in the way of your work. Or at least that’s the goal. Whether or not your furry feline friend prefers to take that spot or, more likely, still lie on your keyboard will be totally up to your training and its mood. Given cats’ inclination to cram themselves in tight spaces, this does look like a very tempting location for them. And if your pet ends up ignoring it, you can always repurpose the cubby for other things, like as a space for books and folders. Hopefully, your cat won’t suddenly decide to jump in and knock all those off.

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Unique ‘Minimal Kinetic Clock’ uses moving 3D-printed parts to tell time through light and shadow

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Let’s face it, that thumbnail probably brought you here. Outwardly, the Minimal Kinetic Clock is just a flat piece of white plastic, but thanks to a few moving parts, it assumes a three-dimensional shape that tells the time. Strategically place it in an area with dramatic lighting and the time stands out through how the clock captures highlights and casts shadows.

The project comes courtesy YouTuber Lukas Deem, who meticulously builds the clock from scratch using bespoke 3D-printed parts, an Arduino Mega SoC, and a handful of motors and sensors (while graciously documenting the process for all of us to see. Lukas walks the viewers through the whole procedure, which took multiple iterations and fixes to put together, even detailing out a special stand he made for the clock once it was up and running. The final result looks gorgeous, and I can only imagine how wonderful it would look if Lukas mounted a stretchy white cloth on the front, allowing the parts to push through to create the shape of every number. If you’re reading this, Lukas… give it a shot!

Designer: Lukas Deem (originally made by Jacky Mok)

Lukas embarked on this venture with a clear goal: to build a clean, minimalistic kinetic clock that elevates the concept of timekeeping into kinetic art. The choice of materials was crucial to this endeavor. The project required two power supplies to ensure all components received adequate energy, white Hatchbox filament for its optimal quality for 3D printing, an off-brand Arduino Mega (from Elegoo), a sensor shield for the electronics, and 30 budget-friendly servos to bring the kinetic aspect to life. A real-time clock (RTC) module was also essential for maintaining accurate time.

The 3D printing process alone was a marathon, consuming approximately 85 hours, excluding the time spent on test prints and correcting mistakes. This phase underscored the meticulous attention to detail and patience required for such an intricate project.

However, the assembly phase presented its own set of challenges. Each of the 30 servos underwent rigorous testing for functionality, with a critical step involving the calibration of these components to ensure the clock’s precise movement. One significant hurdle was the project’s power supply system. The challenge of efficiently powering both the Arduino and the sensor shield without resorting to an unwieldy setup led to a compromise: using two power plugs, a solution that, while not ideal, was necessary under the constraints of time and resources.

Design refinements were also an integral part of the process. The creator focused on cable management, using zip ties to maintain a neat appearance, and developed a new base design to enhance the clock’s stability and aesthetic appeal. These improvements aimed at making the clock not just a functional piece but also a polished work of art worthy of display.

That being said, there was definitely room for improvement. Lukas pointed out that the servo motors in the clock weren’t particularly quiet, which meant this clock was a LOT noisier than your traditional ticking clock. However, it would do rather well in an open space like a living room, as opposed to being by your bedside or study table. Assembling the clock using hot glue also seemed to be a rather poor idea, given how it prevents you from disassembling/repairing/upgrading your clock after it’s built.

Lukas, however, isn’t the original creator of the clock. He credits the original design to Jacky Mok, who goes by the username ‘alstroemeria’ on Instructables. You can check out Jacky’s fully detailed build page on the Instructables website if you want to build your own Minimalist Kinetic Clock.

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Apple-inspired alarm clock concept helps you snooze a bit longer

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People buy and use alarm clocks to wake them up at the right time, but let’s face it, almost everyone ends up extending their sleep by five or ten more minutes or at least want to. With the advent of smartphones, that has become even easier with the built-in snooze functionality in apps. But just as reaching for your phone before bedtime can be bad for your health, doing the same when you just want to snooze your alarm could also end up keeping you from going back to sleep instantly. What you probably need is an alarm clock whose only purpose, ironically, is to get you to sleep longer, which is what this device concept offers in addition to looking like one of Apple’s stylishly minimalist products.

Designer: Antoine Brieux

Useful as they are, our smartphones are notorious for also being sources of distractions. At night, those incessant notifications and the screen’s blue light keep us awake, but our phones also prevent us from snoozing properly again in the morning. Few of us dare to slide the screen blindly for fear of pushing the phone over the edge and breaking it, so we’re forced to open our eyes, get blinded by the screen, and be tempted by the number of unread notifications. There goes your plan to continue that sweet dream!

You know those shows or cartoons where people simply push or smash a button on their bedside clock to silence their alarms, all without even looking at the thing? Well, that’s what this alarm clock concept design also lets you do, except it doesn’t stop the alarm from sounding. The big, though flat, button on top of the small box has one and only one purpose: to snooze the alarm and let you extend your sleep, all without pulling you out of your slumbering state completely. No fumbling over which button to push. You can even hit it with your eyes closed, which is the point entirely.

With such an extremely focused purpose, the design of the device can’t be any more complex than it needs to be. It’s a perfect opportunity to apply some of Apple’s famous minimalist design language, leaving a small cube that’s bereft of any unnecessary feature other than a small LCD screen on the front, a USB-C charging port on the back, and Apple’s iconic logo on top. That said, the design is also so simple that it can actually be easily used by other brands, for example, a LEGO-inspired yellow block.

The alarm clock does have another hidden functionality. It can charge your iPhone, but only if you place it on the iPhone’s back. It makes for an awkward position where the iPhone has to lie face down on a flat surface, which risks scratching its screen. Of course, the bigger question is whether there’s a real need for such a device that does only one thing, especially if that one thing encourages and even rewards sleeping in when you really should be getting up.

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Minimalist aesthetic lamp uses repurposed waste for circular production

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According to most existing research, around 60% of discarded materials from homes and businesses in the U.S end up in landfills or are incinerated. Of course there are those who have started segregating their trash and have actually recycled them or sent materials to recycling centers. Of course that’s still a very small percentage compared to those who are just not conscious about their consumption and waste cycle. Fortunately for the earth, there are companies whose main purpose is to come up with products that can address these “waste and pollution challenges” by using circular production.

Designer: Enkei

One such company is a Swedish company called Enkei which refers to itself as a “circular startup” as they aim to change the way we create products from the materials used to how they are actually manufactured. Their very first product is the Reminder (001) Lamp which is both functional and aesthetic but more importantly is majorly made from repurposed waste. The movable textile shade is made from various repurposed materials including high-end fashion deadstock, scrap-based wire, recycled bio-plastics, and 3D-printed fossil-free steel.

The lamp design itself is made up of two contrasting shapes that fit into each other like puzzle pieces. The lamp shade itself can be adjusted as well. It gives off a minimalist vibe that can fit right into your space with its space gray, white and luminous colors. It can look like a simple art piece if not used as a lamp but it also gives off a smart speaker vibe reminding us of Google Home speakers. But of course the selling point of this product is how it is produced with all the circular materials while still maintaining quality and design since of course you’d want a lamp to function as a lamp.

Enkei has also developed its own alternative to the usual concrete materials used in construction. ReCeramix uses ceramic waste from construction sites instead of the sand that is used to create concrete. The Reminder (001) Lamp will be unveiled at the Stockholm Design Week this week although you can already sign up to be waitlisted to buy the lamp.

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The Minimal Phone mixes BlackBerry and E Ink to minimize your phone use

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As useful as our powerful smartphones might be, they have also become the bane of modern society. Not only are they the source of most of the distractions that bombard our consciousness day in and day out, they also developed this rather odd scenario of paying more attention to a social circle of virtual strangers than to the people physically present around us. It’s practically too late to go cold turkey and turn our backs on smartphones, regardless of whether we actively use social media or not, which is why there have been attempts to distill the experience down to the essentials, both in software as well as in design. The latest attempt at a minimalist phone, literally called The Minimal Phone, puts a rather interesting twist to that idea by marrying the gentle and almost laid-back nature of an E Ink screen with a QWERTY keyboard that’s long been associated with productivity and busyness.

Designer: Andre Youkhan (The Minimal Company)

You’d be forgiven if you looked at this design and presumed it was a variant of the BlackBerry Passport or a shrunken-down old Kindle with a Keyboard (yes, those existed at one point in time) because that is exactly how this device would look like to those who have seen enough of tech history to know these devices. It’s a hardware combination that has been done before, albeit now in a smaller and more modern style, but the purpose is completely different. Rather than encouraging the use of the device, the design is, in fact, ironically meant to make you use the phone even less.

BlackBerry Passport

While E Ink is great for reading text for long periods of time without straining your eyes as much, their low pixel density, low refresh rate, and lack of vibrant colors would make them terrible for the most distracting uses of smartphones, namely social media, videos, and aimless web browsing. The relatively smaller size and square aspect ratio of the display, something familiar to BlackBerry users, is also less conducive to most online content that presumes a tall smartphone screen. The idea behind The Minimal Phone, then, is to still provide the common smartphone experiences but in an environment that would make you want to just get a reply out quickly or search for the correct information and then stop.

Kindle Keyboard

Strangely enough, The Minimal Phone almost does a U-turn by squeezing a QWERTY keyboard into the design, which would normally make typing and productivity easier. That said, typing on a slow E Ink screen can be an infuriating experience and would be contrary to the mindfulness that the phone wants to cultivate. A QWERTY keyboard offers a faster and more pleasant experience so that users can swiftly peck out a post and then put The Minimal Phone back in their pocket.

While the theory sounds reasonable, there is still a lot about the implementation that is unknown at this point, other than having a 4,000mAh battery that’s promised to last around 4 days. There will be a custom Android-based OS that will take advantage of the unique form factor and objectives of the design, but there’s no guarantee that Google Play will make its way to the unconventional device. A crowdfunding campaign set to launch next month will judge whether the concept will strike a chord with people tired of noisy smartphones or if it will be just another forgotten attempt at curbing our tendency to be distracted by every ping and buzz.

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Minimalist Pomodoro timer promises distraction-free productivity

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There are plenty of productivity techniques floating around the Internet, but one of the most popular ones has actually been around even before the Web as we know now came to be. Named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, the Pomodoro technique is so simple that it’s too easy to brush it off as trivial, but its effectiveness has also been known for decades. Of course, that has also led to plenty of apps and gadgets that embrace the hype while forgetting the spirit and actually induce stress and distractions rather than productivity. Fortunately, there are better and more creative ways to design a Pomodoro timer, like this minimalist beauty that allows you to enjoy the simple benefits of the technique without having to rely on a clunky analog timer, especially one that looks like an awkward tomato on your desk.

Designer: Gary Peng

The Pomodoro technique is extremely simple and takes advantage of the fact that the human brain can only concentrate on a single thing for a short period of time. In theory, you do that single thing for 25 minutes and then take a break for 5 minutes before repeating the process. Because it’s that simple, you really don’t need complicated tools other than a timer, whether it’s a mechanical kitchen timer or a smartphone app, both of which come with their pros and cons. That kitchen timer can look odd on your desk and a mobile app risks distracting you with other things on your device.

POD is a tool that combines the feeling of an analog timer with the convenience of an electronic device in a simple yet attractive form. It’s nothing more than a small white puck that has five very discreet dot lights on top arranged in an arc. There is no control other than pushing the puck down like a button, which is what starts the countdown.

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Each dot of light represents either five or one minutes, depending on the mode. When you’re in “work” mode, the lights count down to 25 minutes in total, while “break” mode is the usual five-minute period of rest. The POD is also minimally distracting, using only flashing lights to get your attention rather than sounds or vibrations. This means you can easily use it in environments where you need to be very quiet, like in a library.

The POD also relies on trusty CR2032 batteries that you can easily replace, so you won’t have to worry about running out of juice for a long time. Its minimalist charm will make it look at home on any desk, table, or shelf, and doesn’t induce the same tension and stress the same way that a ticking kitchen timer would.

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Get a complicated but beautiful time-telling experience with minimalist analog watch

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When looking at my wrist to check the time, I’m used to the digital interface of my smartwatch. I just see numbers (unless I’m using an analog display) so there’s no need for a split second delay in my head as I try to figure out the time. But there are certain watch designs that may be a bit more complicated but have such a well designed interface that you will forgive your brain for taking a longer time to figure out how it works.

Designer: Ressence

The Type 1° Round Multicolor is a minimalist watch with “bespoke complications” that is pretty attractive to analog device collectors. It’s actually an updated and more colored version of the Type 1 ZZ that they launched back in 2019. Its case is Grade 5 Titanium with a double-domed sapphire crystal top and an anti-reflective coating inside. It uses a patented Ressence Orbital Convex System module and has 40 jewels and 27 gears with a self-winding mechanism.

What makes it stand out though is how it tells you the hours, minutes, seconds and even day of the week. The main dial points to the minutes while the yellow satellite tells you the seconds. The green section tells you the hour while the pointer within the red section indicates the day of the week. You get the 3 biaxial satellites inclined at 3° for the hours and 4.75° for the seconds and days of the week. It’s pretty cool how everything works together although it might take you some time how to figure things out but once you get the hang of it, your watch will become a conversation piece as well.

In terms of colorways, it seems to have just a white one since the satellites are already colorful enough. You get an ardillon buckle and a 20mm rubber strap to put them on your wrist and it is 42.7 mm in diameter and 11mm in thickness. It has a 36 hours power reserve and you get 28,800 vibrations per hour. It’s a pretty nifty watch to have, that is if you have around $19,000.

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Minimalist wall-hanging CD Player visualizes your music in a unique way

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Although digital music, especially through streaming channels, has become the most common way to listen to music these days, they are hardly the only options available. Vinyl has made a comeback in the past years, and audio CDs haven’t really disappeared despite their lower sales. Physical media such as these still have their advantages, especially when it comes to the jackets and sleeves they are packaged in. These usually have images and art that were carefully chosen to visually complement or represent the collection of music the album contains. For convenience’s sake, these jackets and sleeves are often set aside once the discs start turning, but this rather charming portable CD player gives them a special spot so that you can enjoy the art of both the music as well as the cover wherever you go.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $199 (10% off at checkout).

Anyone who has used a music streaming service or media player app will probably be familiar with how these display the album art associated with the currently playing track. In a sense, these have replaced those jackets that come with physical CD cases, though the irony is that there is no physical equivalent to the way they function. Once you pop a CD into a player, the case and the jacket are practically forgotten until it’s time to put away the CD again. While practical, it loses the unique flavor that these CD jackets provide by adding a memorable visual element that can be associated with the music.

This minimalist CD player delivers a rather distinctive listening experience that combines the pleasure of audio with the impact of visual art. Rather than having to set aside the CD jacket or sleeve, you can slip it inside the specially-designed pocket so that you can show it off to anyone in view. It’s like the physical equivalent of displaying digital album art, except you have the opportunity to boast about owning the physical original CD, especially if it’s a rare, limited run.

What makes this unique CD player extra special is its portability. It has a built-in 40mm full-range speaker as well as a woofer unit, ensuring that you can listen to your favorite albums wherever you are or wherever you place it in your room or home. The 1,800mAh rechargeable battery promises 7 to 8 hours of playback before you need to plug it in again. Of course, you can still connect an external speaker via the 3.5mm headphone jack or Bluetooth 5.1, but those would probably be the exception rather than the norm.

Despite the addition of a speaker and a battery, this Portable CD Cover Player retains a simple, minimalist, and thin design at only 27mm thick. Thanks to this and its wireless operation, the player can even serve as a piece of decoration, whether standing on a shelf or hanging from a wall. With this ingenious and elegant portable CD player, you get to enjoy your favorite music not just with your ears but also with your eyes.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $199 (10% off at checkout).

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This aluminum lounge chair is built for easy repairs, not so much for comfort

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Chairs are designed to be comfortable to sit on unless they’re meant to be art or statement pieces rather than usable furniture. Of course, not all designs hit the mark, and some tend to value other traits like aesthetics or features over comfort. That isn’t always intentional, though, especially for chairs that are meant to be sold commercially. This lounge chair, for example, seems to check off boxes like minimalism, repairability, and sustainability, but its rather imposing industrial aesthetic might make some think twice about parking their bodies on its thin body, even if there’s a comfy cushion on the seat.

Designer: Haus Otto

Truth be told, the AL13 lounge chair doesn’t inspire much confidence because of its super thin construction. Each component is made from laser-cut aluminum sheets that seem to be too thin to support heavy objects, like your body for example. Of course, looks can be deceiving, and this chair was designed to be really stable and safe, at least enough to be sold and used both for indoor as well as outdoor use.

The chair’s extra-wide seat is flanked by extra-wide armrests that might seem too high for actually placing your arms on them. Instead, they function better as small side tables to hold your phone, book, or drink, though you have to be careful with the latter that you don’t accidentally knock it over with your arm. It can also hold your laptop, but it might not be comfortable much less ergonomic to use it in that position.

Perhaps the more interesting aspect of the AL13 lounge chair is its somewhat modular construction so that parts can be easily disassembled. This makes it easy to repair, replace, or recycle parts, which are just bent sheets of aluminum. Its distinctive shape and the added function of the armrests make the chair suitable for any spatial environment, whether indoors or outdoors.

That said, the rather hard and cold appearance of the chair might feel a little intimidating, especially if you’re a fan of softer and cozier chairs. There’s an option for upholstered seat cushions, but that still leaves out the back and armrests, not to mention making it unsuitable for outdoor use. It’s still an interesting brutalist design, though, and could be an inspiration for other variations that add a bit more comfort to the equation.

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Candle warmer with halogen lamp makes your self-care routine more relaxing

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There are days when all you want to do when you get home is light up a candle or turn on your diffuser, relax with a book or by listening to music, and just let all the day’s stresses melt away. Self-care has become such an important buzzword the past few years so we get a lot of products now that let ordinary folks have their own destressing rituals without spending so much. After all, we need to find the “silver lining” in whatever situation we’re in.

Designer: Adaption Design Studio for SUMSEI

This is probably one of the reasons why this new product from Korean brand SUMSEI is called the Silver Lining Warmer. They say that this is in reference to the beam of light that shines through the clouds, which is what the product wants to be for those who need a bit of relaxation at home. Basically it’s a candle warmer but with the added bonus of a halogen light to make your room even more comfortable and calming.

The main purpose of the warmer is to diffuse the scent of the paraffin candles as they’re melting from the halogen lamp. But the Silver Lining Warmer also has a halogen lamp that would flicker as you use it to give you a spa-like atmosphere as you enjoy the scents and scenes while probably having sounds in the background as well. The warmer uses heat-resistant resin so that it would still be safe even with the heat from the halogen lamp.

It uses a pretty minimalist design with just black and white color options available so it should go well with any aesthetic. As someone who enjoys diffusing smells and sometimes candles at home while reading or just resting my eyes while listening to music, this is the kind of addition to my routine that I’ll welcome.

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