Solutions for the compact homes of 2050

This is one of my dreams (almost) fulfilled: a closet that cleans clothing!Almost, because it is just a concept of one of the Finalists of the Electrolux Design Lab 2010 - 
the Clean Closet by Michael Edenius, Sweden is essentially just that - a closet that cleans clothing. Textiles are scanned for impurities and cleaned accordingly with molecular technology that removes dirt and odours. It combines in one the laundry basket, the washing machine, and drying cabinet to save space and, as no water is used in the process, is kinder to the environment.
You can see the rest of the finalists at100% Design on September 23 where Electrolux paints a super-urbanised future London. Another my favorate is a fridge hung outside your window to save space and energy.

Quadrio “Product of the Year” 2009

The Quadrio, Hotpoint-Ariston’s new 4-door fridge, was voted Product of the Year 2009 yesterday in the Large Home Appliances category of the “Gran Premio Marketing e Innovazione”. The Quadrio was voted by a panel of over 8,000 Italian consumers for its characteristics of flexibility and eco-efficiency, having two independently opening doors and two independent freezer drawers that facilitate rational storage of food.

The “Gran Premio Marketing e Innovazione” is unique in the field of product awards being the only one to be directly decided by consumers.

more details in Quadrio “Product of the Year” 2009

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Kurrency - The Money Chandelier

The Los Angeles firm Stuart Karten Design suggests that instead of stowing your dollars under your mattress you should keep them in plain sight, hanging by the hundreds from its new light fixture. Kurrency is SKD’s new series of chandeliers made from genuine legal
tender.

(via Metropolis POV )

Компанията Stuart Karten Design от Лос Анжелис предлага на американците вместо да крият доларите си под матраците, да ги използват за абажур - стотици от тях са окачени на полилея Kurrency, който те са проектирали. Целта им, според собственика на компанията Stuart Karten , е да предизвикат колкото може повече разговори по темата кой ги има, кой ги контролира и как те влияят върху хората и политиката.

“In today’s economy, there is perhaps nothing so beautiful as cold
hard cash,” designer Stuart Karten says of the chandelier’s materials. “But
money is beautiful not just because of what it buys. Bills from all cultures
display intricate artwork, unique textures and, most importantly, a beautiful
translucency under light.”



“Money is an important political topic – who has it, who controls it
and what implications that has for people and policy,” Karten says. “Our
goal for this project is to inject as many voices in that conversation as we
can.”
SKD has produced a prototype of the George model and is currently
working to expand the Kurrency line.


A good try on irony, but not as good design as their real products that can be example of the way design must serve industry - i.e. our quality of life. One of them is

[re]Drive - probably the most energy efficient external hard drive available.

Това вдясно е пример за значително по-сериозните дизайнерски продукти на компанията.

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Fridge in a Drawer - Another Addition to the Kitchen of the Future

Fisher & Paykel is the company that brought consumers the revolutionary DishDrawer®
dishwasher, the world’s first dishwasher in a drawer, and now they have taken its forward
thinking concept to the next level with the sleekly designed CoolDrawer intoroduced at KITCHEN/BATH INDUSTRY SHOW & CONFERENCE 2008



The CoolDrawer is a unique 36-inch single drawer refrigerator incorporating advanced cooling technology which enables consumers to choose between a wide range of refrigeration modes, including, standard freezer, chill drawer and wine drawer - all at the simple touch of a button. With the CoolDrawer’s advanced features, you can set the perfect temperature for storing wine and then change it to the perfect temperature for
serving it.

And imagine - the CoolDrawer can be installed as easily and precisely as any other drawer in the kitchen! Anywhare you need it.



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Imago Plus, the first multimedia hood

In addition to offering advanced ventilation the Faber Imago Plus range hood allows to check your email, watch DVDs, check recipes, review calendar appointments and view other rooms in

your house - all from the hood above your stove.The touch screen works in concert with your home multimedia network. With the home monitoring technology you can even check on the kids in the other room.

Stainless steel and glass finishing, LED lights, 16:10 Hdtv ready monitor: with silent system, the appliance can be on 24 hours a day with an energy-saving device. http://www.faberspa.com/

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Electrolux launches today 'Auto-focus for chefs'

Its name is Inspiro - the first oven that thanks to a breakthrough heat management technique automatically selects the right heating mode based on the contents of the oven.

"Rather than just measuring the air temperature with a thermometer and
regulating it with a thermostat, the way a conventional oven operates, Inspiro
uses sensors to calculate the precise combination of energy consumption and time
needed to bring the food to the correct temperature. This is similar to the way
cameras now automatically set aperture, exposure time and focus, depending on
the light and what’s in the frame."

You put your dish in the oven, then select the category - for example
“roasting”, via the touch control, then choose whether the it should be
rare, medium or well done. The oven indicates which level to put the tray on –
in a cold oven.When the cooking sequence is finished, the oven stops, and alerts
the chef that the food is ready.
“With Inspiro, Electrolux has managed to transfer professional cooking techniques into consumer homes, says German top chef Christian Mittermeier. “No other oven allows you to combine top, bottom, side, and grill for one dish without having to stop and reset the oven. I use Inspiro both at home and in my restaurant kitchen and I’m amazed at the precision of the cooking. For ordinary people it will be like having a private chef at home.”

Electrolux-inspiro.blogspot.com

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Electrolux Design Lab 2008 competition

Electrolux Design Lab 2008 invites industrial design students around the world to create tomorrow’s home appliances for the Internet generation, deadline May 30he theme is "Home appliance designs for the Internet generation".
Here is an excerpt of the press release:

"The Internet generation comprises brand-conscious, busy young
professionals between 25-35 who are independent, concerned about the
environment, and whose lives are intertwined with technology and online
social networks.
This year’s submissions should be for 2-3 years into the future and address
food storage, cooking, and/or washing.
“We are looking for daring ideas and solutions,” says Henrik Otto, Head of
Global Design at Electrolux. “Entries should reflect the iGeneration’s core
interests and concerns like mobility, convenience, time, materials,
personalization, entertaining, technology, and sustainability.”
The Design Lab 2008 has a First Prize of 5,000 Euro and a six-month
internship at one of Electrolux’s global design centers. The second prize is
3,000 Euro and third prize 2,000 Euro. For more information about the competition, high-resolution photos of previous finalists and their concepts, broadcast quality b-roll, and to watch
videos from last year’s competition on Design Lab TV, visit
http://www.electroluxdesignlab.com/.
Look at the Design Lab 2008 invitiation video from with Henrik Otto, head of global design at Electrolux. Here is the link:
mms://od2-ms.unbn.unit.net/swe/electrolux/designlab_2008/designlab08_080214.wmv




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Solutions for Limited Kitchen Space

How to make your small kitchen work better for you?

The use of drawers in the kitchen has become one of the hottest new design concepts around, drawer appliances ­– dishwashers, microwave ovens, refrigerators are offered by more and more producers.

GE Monogram® Double-Drawer Refrigerator Module (left) features full-extension slide-out refrigerated drawers - storage for everything from whole melons to 146 12-oz. cans, adjustable temperature control, LED Temperature Display which allows you to monitor the temperature at a glance.

But I like most the solution proposed by Whirlpool: - the dishwasher in a sink. It is perfect for people who have limited kitchen space. The KitchenAid® brivaTM feature cleans up to three times faster than a full-size dishwasher. When not in use, the wash basket is easily removed to provide a fully functional sink. The KitchenAid briva in-sink dishwasher also includes a cutting board that fits over the stainless steel cover.

http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/about/innovation/briva.asp

Another ingenious product: Gaggenau Lift Oven - developed for accessibility and energy efficiency, the 24-inch-wide Lift Oven mounts on the wall or under a cabinet. It provides 12 cooking modes, including convection and its ceramic-glass warming shelf rises and lowers at the touch of a button.

Lift Oven - 8/3/2007 - Interior Design

Удобни решения за малката кухня: хладилник в чекмедже, миална в мивката и окачена фурна с повдигащ се рафт. Забързаният ни живот довежда нови и все по-интересни продукти на пазара.

More on the Intelligent Appliances Trend: Whirlpool centralpark Connection

I received an e-mail yesterday, concerning my post on Wirlpool Polara by Laura Zanzal
Peppercom for Whirlpool brand:

"I read your August 3 post about Whirlpool’s Polara and just wanted to let you know Whirlpool is no longer manufacturing Polara. It was an innovation that was a bit ahead of its time. Consumer feedback for the product was positive, but ultimately that did not translate into consumer adoption. But continuing to keep consumers in mind, Whirlpool brand continues to look at this innovation to see how it can be re-worked to better apply to today's consumer"

Well, what a sad fact. I was dreaming of having such useful appliance some day soon in my kitchen, but here is another good one, suggested by Laura Zanzal:

"Cooking can be much more entertaining with Whirlpool’s centralpark™
Connector. The Whirlpool brand refrigerator with the centralpark™ hub
allows consumers to interact with electronic devices such as portable DVD
systems, digital picture frames, MP3 players, cell phones and more by providing
a docking system on the refrigerator door. You will be able to keep your
countertops clear and focus on the tasks at hand, while still being entertained.
It is available in limited quantities in Fall 2007, with full rollout planned
for Spring 2008. "

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We Have Stepped into the Future...

Having in mind the wonderful technological achievements that make our contemporary kitchen like the kitchen of our dreams, it is true to say that we have already stepped into the future: just have a look at the new products of just one producer. Whirlpool Polara, essentially an oven-refrigerator, makes it possible if you know your teenager won't be home until 6:30 to take the frozen pizza out of the fridge in the morning and put it in the Polara, which keeps it cool, slowly brings it to room temperature, and cooks it by 6:30!

Or this revolutionary SpeedCook appliance below - a True Convection oven, a g2Max™ SpeedCook oven, a microwave and a steamer all in one! The True Convection cooking system produces the same flavorful, juicy results as a traditional convection oven. Also features TruCapture™ ventilation, the most efficient ventilation system in the MHC industry and formed styling that integrates seamlessly with the Whirlpool Gold® Kitchen Suite.

Great! But - look at the styling of the advertising: this wonderful appliance from the near future is shown in a background that features the design of the last century and not the end of it! What do you think?

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Eco-Friendly Smart Dishwashers

Smart Dishwashers now can save energy with the push of a button. With features like SENSOTRONIC® and TOP RACK ONLY™, Bosch dishwashers can save you up to 20% in energy usage. They can also customize the wash cycle - their ECOSENSE Wash Management System uses an infrared light beam to sense the soil level in the water and react accordingly.

Eco-Friendly Style for Kitchens and Baths: Smart Dishwashers

Grand Prix de l’Innovation (2007) for Indesit's Moon Washing Machine

Indesit Company has won the 4th Grand Prix de l’Innovation (2007). The award for best design went to the Moon washing machine designed by Giugiaro. Set up by the “Institut du Design” in France in 2000, the prestigious awards take place every two years at the Paris Trade Fair and single out products in three categories - Design, Innovation and Technology.

With the new Moon intelligent washing machine you can see from a glance if your washing is ready - the front, extremely clean with central coloured and semi-transparent porthole, is illuminated by LEDs from the main interface that indicate the stage of the programme.

The totally self-cleaning soap dispenser drawer makes sure all the detergent’s used, while Smart technology and sensors detect any detergent remaining on your clothes and automatically rinses them again.

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'Star' Extractor Hood from Elica Collection by D R Cooker Hoods Ltd

This is not just a chandelier, nor a disco ball - it is much more! It is the most elegant extractor hood I have seen. Star’s highly decorative spherical form is composed of hundreds of tiny glass prisms that make it a sophisticated and fascinating light source. It is ceiling mounted and has:
• 3 speed illuminated 'Magic Wand' touch sensor with remote control
• 1 x 50w halogen lamp + 3 x 40w lamps
•Metal washable grease filters
• Long life odour filters
• Evolution system
• 51cm wide
• Airflow up to 500 m³/h




Produced by D R Cooker Hoods Ltd


Това не е точно лампа, нито диско-атрибут - това е един от най-новите модели екстрактори за кухня на Elica Collection - D R Cooker Hoods Ltd . Със своите множество блестящи стъклени призми, той наистина изглежда като елегантно осветление за най-претенциозните дневни или бални зали, но всъщност освен лампи Star съдържа и измиващи се филтри, има мощност 500 м3/час и други технологични удобства, включително дистанционно управление. Но ако ви изглежда твърде бляскав, производителят предлага и по-строг, но не по-малко елегантен вариант:Twin


If you need a more practical and not that disco glamorous style, you may like the Twin model:





And this is just another excellent example of the LATEST INTERIOR DESIGN TREND: Combining Technology with Decoration in Home Appliances

through: Appliancist




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