Tag Archives: art deco

Niimbot B21 label printer gives off some classy vintage vibes

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Portable printers are the rage these days with photography enthusiasts and organization diehards. Some let you print out photos almost instantaneously to share with your friends, while others print stickers and labels that you can stick on objects for identification or design. Almost all of these small printers come in designs that clearly mark them as something related to computers or technology, even while trying to aim for more youthful customers with whimsical or eye-catching colors. That’s what sets this label printer apart, looking more like a miniature prop from an art deco film rather than something utilitarian and geeky.

Designer: inDare for Niimbot

Right out of the box, your brain will try to think of where the Niimbot B21 thermal label printer fits in terms of design language. Regardless of whether you think it’s from the 30s or 50s with a pinch of art deco elements thrown in, there will be little argument that this thing is beautiful. Probably more beautiful than a printer has any business to be.

Looking like a cross between a typewriter, a cash register, and a radio, the Niimbot B21 is unique among the company’s other label printers in its more luxurious design. Painted in glossy red, green, or black colors, the printer adds a touch of gold or silver to a few parts, like the plate in front that houses the power button and LED light indicator, as well as the company’s other name emblazoned in stylized letters across its face. There’s also a lever at the side used to open the printer for replacing the label paper roll.

As a label printer, the functions of the Niimbot B21 are less exciting than its appearance. Everything except turning the printer on or off has to be done through a smartphone connected via Bluetooth. There is no ink inside, which makes it safer to carry the printer around, but it does use conventional thermal printing technology to print anything out. That means you’re pretty much limited to black and white designs, and your labels will fade out after two or three months.

That’s really nothing new for people who frequently print labels, and they might get a kick out of the Niimbot B21’s unique design anyway. And when the printer eventually breaks down and becomes unusable, it can still function as a decorative piece on your desk, extending its usefulness for years to come.

The post Niimbot B21 label printer gives off some classy vintage vibes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Galaxy S22 Ultra Caviar editions let you choose how you want to burn your money

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If the Galaxy S22 Ultra still feels too light for your wallet, then you can throw more money at these gold-plated luxury editions instead.

Smartphones have become incredibly pricey these days, at least compared to figures from even just four years ago. In some cases, the price bump feels justified, while at other times, they feel exorbitant. That doesn’t stop people from still buying the most feature-rich and most expensive smartphone models every year, and that definitely hasn’t stopped a certain class of people from aiming even higher. That’s the clientele that luxury brand Caviar serves, and it has just announced a new set of limited edition Galaxy S22 Ultra phones that could make you the envy of your socialite circles.

Designer: Caviar

The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s price tag is already quite hefty on its own, starting at $1,200 for the lowest configuration all the way up to $1,600 for maxed-out specs. That’s not unusual for Samsung and honestly expected for this particular model. It replaces the Galaxy Note line to some extent with an S Pen that you can stow inside the phone. That’s on top of the high-end specs you’d come to expect from Samsung’s latest and greatest, which includes one of the best phone screens available in the market today.

That won’t be the full price that most people will pay for the phone anyway. In addition to the typical carrier subsidies that US buyers often grab, Samsung and retail partners often throw in deals or freebies to make it feel like you’re getting more for that price. As far as looks go, however, the Galaxy S22 Ultra doesn’t exactly look its price. It’s not ugly, mind, but its aesthetic is more utilitarian and technical than luxurious.

That’s where Caviar’s limited edition runs come in, offering those with the money to burn a way to have a luxurious phone that matches how much it costs. Almost every notable premium phone has had its turn being added to Caviar’s collection, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra is getting something a bit more special. There isn’t just one, not even just two, but six possible designs to choose from, each with a unique nod to art styles or pop culture.

The Ocelot, for example, is an homage to the Art Deco era, as Caviar explains. The camera area is covered with a gold-plated jeweled steel inlay, while the bottom showcases golden geometric patterns engraved on black PVC titanium. The combination of black and gold has always been a hallmark of many luxury products, reinforcing this Caviar edition phone’s expensive tastes.

Art Deco is also credited to be one of the influences of The Great Gatsby, and Caviar pays tribute to that literary work with its own limited edition design. Reversing the gold and black motif, the cameras are enclosed in black PVC titanium, while the rest of the phone’s back is decked with Art Deco patterns made of gold-plated jewelry alloy. Caviar’s crown logo in gold adorns the black camera block, making you feel like royalty, especially since you can afford this luxury. That gold isn’t just any other gold, either, and is proud to flaunt 7mk 24K double gold electroplated jewelry alloy.

Caviar also has something for automotive enthusiasts. Drive’s dark, carbon-fiber armor, for example, calls to mind sports cars and speedsters, while the Titanium’s blend of silver and black is reminiscent of luxury cars. The brand also has two models utilizing crocodile leather in black and beige hues, one themed after a bird of prey and another on a former rival. Caviar doesn’t really talk much about the leather, though that might not sit well with animal lovers and advocates. Both designs portray the marque’s V-shaped “tick”, which it has associated with the feeling of victory and the Vertu brand, one of the first to dare make expensive luxury smartphones.

These limited edition spins of the Galaxy S22 Ultra easily cost four times as much as the highest configuration, ranging from $6,520 to $7,140. There are options for the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ as well, but these phones don’t exactly have the same features. And in true limited edition fashion, Caviar will create only 99 of each luxurious finish, ensuring that you will have something more to boast beyond the price tag.

The post Galaxy S22 Ultra Caviar editions let you choose how you want to burn your money first appeared on Yanko Design.

This whimsical home designed by Arthur Dyson is an organic structure built to celebrate nature!

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Located in Sanger, California, The Creek House is a home residence built by Arthur Dyson who used the philosophy of organic architecture to guide the home’s design and construction.

Walking through California will introduce you to some whimsical architecture. Perhaps the most visually mythical and storybook-like, organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture that harmonizes human habitation with the natural world.

Widely considered an adamant proponent of organic architecture, award-winning architect Arthur Dyson designed and constructed The Creek House, one of his organic residential staples. Located on Collins Creek, a tributary of the Kings River in Sanger, California, The Creek House is a home residence built in the philosophy of organic architecture that seamlessly merges into its forested surroundings.

Settled on six acres of land, The Creek House nestles into forested thickets near the base of the Sierras and Sequoia National Park, an ideal location for an organic architectural residence. The Creek House was designed in celebration of nature and its visual connection to the natural world is abundantly apparent.

Looking at the house head-on, its rustic, undulating facade formed out of what appears to be wooden shingles follows the irregular, sinuous curve found in tree rings. Even the topmost wooden panel that keeps a yellowish hue embodies the outermost perimeter of a felled tree trunk.

From the side of the house, its facades resemble the shape of a halved tree trunk, with wooden shingles continuing from the front facade to the home’s roof. The rear deck maintains the home’s completely wooden profile, dissolving an outdoor leisure area into the surrounding brushwood, ​​honeysuckles, cottonwoods, and sycamores.

While the outside of The Creek House finds natural warmth with an entirely wooden frame, the interior burgeons with natural sunlight that pours in through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Mixing natural wooden art deco accents with ’90s interior design elements, The Creek House is the kind of cozy you have to experience for yourself.

Designer: Arthur Dyson

Elements of interior design from the 1990s fill out the inside of The Creek House.

An indoor vista terrace opens up the divide between an upstairs bedroom and the downstairs living room.

Amidst white walls and glass windows, wooden art deco accents give the home some personality. 

Geometric angles and lines bring some harmony to each room of The Creek House.

Japanese Zen Gardens + Art Deco are the inspiration behind this furniture and tableware collection!

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Architect André Fu’s new Art Deco Collection features handcrafted homeware and furnishings inspired by ornate Art Deco silhouettes and the serenity of traditional Japanese Zen Gardens.

Inspired by the opulent style of Art Deco and the Zen gardens of Kyoto, modern architect André Fu designed a new collection of homeware he calls the Art Deco Garden Collection. Comprised of cabinets, armchairs, dining chairs, tables, room dividers, porcelain tableware, and wallcoverings, the Art Deco Garden Collection was designed following an involved research period that looked at many historical Japanese gardens, with an acute focus on the Tofukuji Temple Garden.

In close collaboration with De Gournay, a hand-painted wallpaper and fabric brand, each item that makes up the collection features a variety of formal Art Deco pattern work stylized to evoke the symmetrical and meditative qualities of raked sand found in Japanese Zen Gardens. The porcelain tableware gleam in white and are adorned with gilded gold line patterns hand-painted on each piece–the paintwork is so delicate, each brushstroke is visible and unique to the tableware. The room dividers and wallcoverings made from silk paper also feature silver and gold, hand-painted line patterns whose glittering finishes and laborious tracing pay homage to the gilded age of Art Deco and the sensuous fluidity of Japanese gardens.

Fu felt compelled to curate this collection of porcelain tableware, room dividers, and furniture in part as a means to incorporate the visual composition of nature into handcrafted homeware and furnishings. Reflecting on the collection’s original inspiration, Fu says, “My personal design approach is not just about combining styles together. Rather, it rests on an ability to navigate different cultures and reflect contemporary culture based on the inherent qualities of beauty itself, as opposed to just based on any one style.”

Designer: André Fu Living

The delicate handpainted patterns hearken the serene, laborious quality of raked Zen Gardens and the gleaming-in-gold personality of Art Deco.

Room dividers and wall coverings made from silk paper feature painted patterns from De Gournay.

Each piece of the Art Deco Garden Collection is inspired by Japanese Zen Gardens and the age of Art Deco. 

The porcelain tableware shimmers in white and is lined with hand-painted golden patterns reminiscent of the Art Deco movement.

Brass accents enhance each piece’s ode to Art Deco.

Art Deco meets Automotive with this vintage-inspired custom BMW C400X scooter

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Harkening back to the halcyon days of pre-war motoring when transportation was equal parts speed, style, and skill, the Golden Age captures this sentiment in a modern incarnation. The Golden Age is best described as a modified version of the BMW C400X, with its spiritual ancestor being the classic 1930 Henderson Model KJ Streamline. With a curvaceous design that’s highly reminiscent of the automobiles from a century ago, the Golden Age is just a vintage-inspired treat to look at… complete with chrome trims to punctuate the curved black volumes, a classic circular headlight, and a plush leather throne for the rider to sit on.

“The sleek streamliner will be powered by a 2020 BMW 350cc engine producing approximately 35hp and will employ all the modern convenience, technology and reliability built into the C400X. Coupled with a low center of gravity, the Golden Age is designed to be both powerful and nimble on city streets, not to mention supremely practical and rakishly handsome”, says Alexander Niznik, founder of NMOTO, the company producing the custom body for the bike.

Among other details that the Golden Age borrows from the Henderson KJ is its beautiful vertical grille. Adapting it, however, for the BMW machine, the custom bike sports the signature kidney-style split grille, reminiscent of the BMW 328 Roadster. Unlike the Henderson KJ, however, the Golden Age aims at being practical and comfortable to ride. The scooter-style seating arrangement gives the rider a lot of leg-space and makes it easy to mount or unmount the bike. Fold-out footrests are even built into the body for a pillion rider, and a conveniently located refueling inlet on the front means you can fill gas into the bike without needing to deboard. The Golden Age is expected to be unveiled in Spring 2021.

Designers: Tamas Jákus, Rostyslav Matiukhin, and NMOTO

The Executive Keyboard Belongs in The Hudsucker Proxy

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I’ve always thought that the computer keyboards you can buy at most stores are pretty dull. I’m really surprised that there aren’t more really custom keyboards available given the fact that each person really has their own style. Me, I’ve always been a fan of the Art Deco styles of the 1920s through 1940s, so this keyboard is perfect for me.

executive keyboard 1

The Executive Keyboard was custom made by Richard “Datamancer” Nagy, and it is quite a lovely build. It’s got a sleek black and silver theme, along with round keys reminiscent of mechanical typewriters from days gone by. Though these keys are made with modern day mechanical switches, rated for millions of presses each.

executive keyboard

No detail was spared in the construction of this keyboard, from the black leatherette background behind the keys to the perfectly retro-styled typeface on the keys themselves.

executive keyboard 2

Of course, all of these good looks and elegant craftsmanship come at a price – the Executive Keyboard sells for $750(USD) – making it truly for executive geeks only.

 

Project Ayr: The Art Deco HTPC

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Many people have a home theater PC sitting right next to their HDTVs. It’s not always the best-looking solution to manage your media, but oftentimes it’s the most functional. There’s no reason why your HTPC should look ugly. Check out this awesome design that Jeffrey Stephenson came up with.

project ayr fanless htpc

Project Ayr is a fanless home theater PC that’s encased in an Art Deco-inspired mahogany shell. It’s definitely a nice retro style case and would look great sitting in your living room. Inside the wooden case, which has an aluminum frame, there’s an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, an Intel Cherryville SSD, 150W Pico PSU and an illuminated Silverstone HE02 passive heatsink, which occupies the majority of the case, and is cleverly integrated into the design.

project ayr fanless htpc back 300x250 project ayr fanless htpc side 300x250 project ayr fanless htpc size 300x250

Jeffery states that his custom design is “a solid state, fanless, no-moving-parts, dead silent home theater PC,” cutting down on the drone of fans while Jeff watches his favorite movies.

[Jeffery Stephenson via Engadget]

Holy Crap, This Nixie Clock is Cool

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There’s just something so cool about the design of Nixie tubes – I think it’s just that for such an old technology, they’re still sort of timeless. It’s been a little while since I saw a really good looking Nixie clock though, but this one was definitely worth the wait.

lamina nixie clock 1

The extraordinary Lamina Nixie Clock was handcrafted by artist Zoltan Acs using walnut and maple woods, along with brass gears and disks to give it a look all its own. The designer says it’s a combination of Art Deco, Industrial and Steampunk, and I think he nailed the description. He forgot to mention that it’s just freakin’ good looking.

lamina nixie clock 2

This thing looks just as cool from the back as it does from the front.

lamina nixie clock 3

The clock uses antique Russian Nixie vacuum tubes, along with a cool blue LED glow to make them look like they’re floating in some sort of test chambers. And even better yet, it’s got an alarm function, so you could put this thing by your bedside and wake up to it every morning.

Of course, all of this intricate craftsmanship comes at a cost. The Lamina Nixie clock is listed for €1,100.00 (~$1500 USD), which means that most of us will just have to admire it from afar. But if you’ve got deep pockets, you can purchase this amazing work of functional art over on Etsy now.