Scrolling Bookshelf: Modular Scroll-Shaped, Roll-Up Library

Self-adjusting, scroll-shaped ends make space for as many (or few) books as you want to accommodate, all without the need for separate conventional bookends (or even existing shelf space – a window ledge, side table or floor would work too).

Aside from the physical need for support (and place to store spare lengths of the wrapped-up metal bands the hold it together), these end pieces also provide extra semi-secret storage space for pens, pencils or other odds and ends.

Exterior and interior foam padding and plastic shell (in black or yellow) prevents damage to your precious books and softens the look and feel of the Scroll Bookshelf.

Designed by Xin-Hung Lin, Pei-Yi Chiu, Chia-Rung Shu, & Wung-Bing Lin, this is a clear but playful reference to pre-book volumes wrapped up and stored as scrolls, but there is balance, too; it incorporates modern materials and accommodates contemporary book shelving needs as well.

http://dornob.com/scrolling-bookshelf-modular-scroll-shaped-roll-up-library/

Light Wood, Literally: Glow-in-the-Dark Outdoor Furniture

Not light as in weight nor as in the tone of the wood, this furniture is literally alight from within – bands of bright orange, purple, blue and white layered between slices of wood to create a remarkable look. The stylistic result sits somewhere between high-end craft and luxury contemporary design.

Designed to work as small stools, ottomans, or coffee tables, just imagine turning out the lights and letting these objects be the sole source of illumination for a room – perfect for parties, though perhaps a bit strange and/or overly colorful on a day-to-day basis unless kept to a outdoor garden, porch or patio space that could use some additional nighttime lighting.

The so-called Bright Woods collection from Gruppo Avanzini employs stripes of various kinds of wood with resin infill between each layer. Most are more uniform in color, darkness and grain to give equal weight to both the wooden and artificial elements. Better pack some extra batteries before you buy it, though – at least until there is a viable passive-charging alternative for your light-up furniture objects.

http://dornob.com/light-wood-literally-glow-in-the-dark-outdoor-furniture/

5 Light-Up Outdoor Furniture Sets Glow White at Night

With the increasing ease of manufacturing strong, translucent and curved furniture from recycled synthetics, illuminated furniture has taken on a life beyond mere fad as people find the useful duality of having durable and double-use objects.

Vondom is one company tackling this typology from multiple angles, with sets like the above series of simple chairs, coffee tables, ottomans and flower pots.

They also have more unique forms made from the same materials, such as the above lounger that can balance on both flat and grassy or sandy surfaces.

Their patio furniture gets larger and lighter, too, with items like this light-up barroom table – a cool centerpiece for garden gatherings, cocktail parties or rooftop terraces.

Plust boasts particular softness without sacrificing modern style – cushy armchairs and spongy sofas with some give (and which also give off a nice atmospheric glow).

Solpuri starts with the same translucent-white base as other items in these collections, but layers on a separate adjustable shade and some removable liners and cushions for a more comfortable daybed experience in the sun or shade.

http://dornob.com/5-light-up-outdoor-furniture-sets-glow-white-at-night/

House Cat as Client: Interior Design Inspired by Pet Cats

All architecture has to start somewhere, so why not with the favorite family pet? Designed around the needs of its smallest residents, this compact Japanese dwelling blends fixed needs with fluid spaces for both humans and cats alike.

While various rooms are still divided by walls, a series of interior human-sized windows and door-less transitions are matched on a smaller scale by shelves and room-to-room slots acting as cat-oriented portals.

The feline-friendly shelving also organizes space, driven by and driving other design decisions including the placement of openings, counters and cabinets.

Framed in wood, these simple custom innovations by the Japanese firm Key Operation form another layer of detail that matches the window trims and built-ins found on various floors of the structure.

On the outside, local building codes necessitated dull grey stucco-covered sides but allowed sufficient freedom for unusually-square windows of various sizes (and the ability to paint a partially-enclosed garage a rather garish pink).

As models of the spaces show, there is rich complexity in plan and section enhanced by a playfully-tilted roof. Coupled with colorful illustrations, one can start to see a cat-like meandering in the method of the layout.

http://dornob.com/cat-as-client-interiors-inspired-by-needs-of-pet-house-cats/

Futuristic LA Loft: Like Living in the (Black & White) Movies

Los Angeles has a history of letting technology drive design, but not in a form-follows-function kind of way. Rather, as is the case with this ultra-cool contemporary condo, folks like Frank Gehry, Morphosis and the local students at SCIArch love seeing what three-dimensional rendering and fabrication can do to shape a space itself – and not just the technologies found within a home.

Patrick Tighe architects have taken advantage of high-tech modeling techniques and complex manufacturing processes to craft a set of compelling ‘before’ ?images followed impressive real-life ‘after’ photo series. These techniques are available (and emphasized) in part, of course, because of the proximity of Hollywood – a place increasingly packed with 3D designers behind major motion pictures (animated or otherwise).

Starting with the truly blank-slate space of an empty warehouse, this design solution is perhaps not as extreme as it might first seem – it simply adds a new layer within the old, and focuses on creative interior elements rather than drab industrial surroundings.

And lest you think something so extreme could not possibly be sustainable, consider again the approach: a new and different element placed within the old. Removing it would actually be far easier than undoing a more complex and integrated renovation.

The result is a sculptural, stark-white, space-shaping intervention that wraps, winds and twists its way through a black-box void. It almost seems as if the loft were created less to be a luxury living structure and more as a television or film stage. However, it is in LA, so perhaps that is a perfect fit – the best of both actual residential architecture and scenes from imaginary movies.

http://dornob.com/futuristic-la-loft-like-living-in-the-black-white-movies/