Appliances

Fixture or Sculpture? You Decide.

When you think about it, the design of the common bathroom sink hasn’t changed that much in the last couple hundred years or so. It’s basically a large basin with a water source and a drain. More often than not the look is a variable from a common shape, rectangle, oval, square, etc. While there are variations in styling it’s not the kind of thing that most people would show off to their guests and talk about the beautiful lines, and aesthetic appeal of it.

This, however, is something that you probably would show off to your guests, or at least get a reaction from them after using your bathroom. That’s exactly what the AVID sink achieves, with its sculptural form that seems to float. The shape encourages touch and the exploration of form. Inspired by the deformation of a soft surface when we apply pressure to it with a finger, the organic indent forms the basin for the water to be held.

There are two versions of AVID. One that has a thin edge, and another that has an apron extending about 6 to 8 inches below the shelf. Each is equally attractive and functional. The thinner of the two can also be mounted on a cabinet, but in my opinion, that would detract from the shape itself. There is something about the way the thin edge version sits in its space that makes it so appealing.

One thing I am curious about is how you would hide the P-Trap under the drain on the thin edge version? It would be impossible to conceal it unless you ran the drain back into the wall and concealed it within the framing of the structure. Something that seems to be more daunting than leaving it exposed beneath the sink. The better solution would be to use a piece of high-end plumbing that has a lower profile and looks as good as AVID does.

AVID was designed by Nacho Fontelles Arnau & Carlos Granell for Indutec there is no word on pricing or availability. At least I couldn’t find any on the Indutec website.

The TAC Air Filter Stacks it Up

This morning while poking around on Behance I came across a really nice piece of design work for an air purifier system by junku jung. The TAC system is a minimalist cube with stackable filters that are placed on top of the unit in order to control the quality of air purification based on the environmental conditions. The unit is designed with 7 filters each taking care of a specific type of air pollutant. Pet allergies, Pollen, Dust, Oil/Mist, Smog, New House particulates, and Coal.

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The minimalist white box allows each color coded filter to be stacked in a specific order to achieve the best results, and allow anyone familiar with the system to see what is being filtered with a quick glance. The unit looks to be a prototype, and there is very little technical information on how it works, how many filters can be used in conjunction with each other before the effectiveness is minimized, potential pricing or any other info.

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As a proof of concept, this is a great idea. Clean discreet design with a few bands of color at the top. It also appears to be a well thought out system allowing for the unit to expand and adapt based on the location, changes in air quality and an individual’s needs. I love the look. It reminds me of Stadler Form’s Oskar humidifier which I proudly display in my house all winter long.

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The Look Of This Espresso Machine Slays Me.

I love a good espresso, and I love good industrial design, and when you put the two together you get the latest creation from Slayer. Almost 10 years after launching, the Slayer Steam is one beautiful piece of coffee making hardware, and I am seriously lusting after this right now. This is seriously a stunning piece of coffee making hardware. I think I might be afraid to use it because I wouldn’t want it to get all smudged and dirty. All that stainless steel, and turned wood… Love.

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Almost 10 years in to the Slayer story, were sharing the biggest news since our launch. We invite you to experience the second machine series in our growing catalog. This is Slayer Steam. SLAYER STEAM Our pursuit of flavor potential began with Slayer Espresso and the technology that we developed in 2007.

Today, we continue to provoke innovation with a completely new machine, a second series that gives you the ability to transform your milk game and focus on a quality-driven, high-volume business. EVOLVING MILK Slayer Steam is our answer to the unasked, yet crucial, questions about steaming milk. With exclusive technology, baristas take control of steam temperature and flow rate, ultimately improving flavor in the milk beverages ordered by the majority of their customers.

UNLOCKED POTENTIAL

The Vaporizer is a compact super-heater that boosts the temperature of steam and creates a dry, invisible vapor. By simultaneously increasing temperature and decreasing dilution, Slayer Steam promotes full flavor development in all milk varieties. Even low-fat dairy and alternative milks display extraordinary gloss, sweetness, and complexity when heated with the Vaporizer.

TAKE COMPLETE CONTROL

Multiple actuation stages add a new level of customization and efficiency. Accu-Flow steam actuators feature two positions per wand, each with programmable presets for temperature and flow rate. Now, every session can be personalized for the preparation of a specific beverage. Reserving one setting for restricted flow makes it even easier to steam small volumes of milk for macchiatos and cortados.

MASTERY WITHIN REACH

Steam is designed to produce excellent milk drinks for high-volume business and is our first machine with automatic-volumetric operation. Shot volumes, brew temperatures, and steam settings are quickly adjusted in the digital Barista Dashboard. New brew actuators offer access to two volumetric doses, in concert with shot timers. An adjustable-height drip tray provides 50% more workspace than most espresso machines. Every interactive element has been optimized for efficiency.

These features, combined with many considerations for workflow, ergonomics, and durability, make Slayer Steam the most efficient espresso machine on the market and the top performer for businesses that rely on milk drinks as a major revenue stream.

Slayer Research and Development is led by CEO and Founder Jason Prefontaine, Industrial Designer Chris Flechtner, and Product Development Engineer Devin Walker, three innovators who have helped to define our roots from the very beginning. Slayer Steam is the result of a creative collaboration between this team and many talented friends in the industry. From everyone involved, we cant wait to see what you do with this machine.

Plug In to the Adorne Pop-Out.

For the most part wall outlets and light switches are just plain ugly. With a few exceptions the design hasn’t changed much in the last 80 years. I understand that thanks to ISO standards, the part that you actually plug into won’t change, and thats good. Design standards make life easier right? Here’s the thing though, wall outlets don’t have to look bad, boring, and dated. They also don’t have to hold the same old 20th century functionality that they used to.

The Adorne Pop-Out Outlet from Legrand has reinvented this common everyday fixture by streamlining the surface via a pop out multi-socket outlet. Since you can’t do away with outlets, at least you can now hide them in a minimalist package that recesses into the wall behind a smooth faceplate.

Adorne wall plates that come in a wide variety of colors and materials allowing you to match your wall surfaces and decor. When you need an outlet, simply push on the box and the outlets pop out. Now, if it only had built in USB sockets as well I could lose all of my charging bricks.