Posted by Robyn Lee, June 17, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I don't like beer, but I'd want a bottle of Mad Manatee beer from the Jacksonville, Florida-based Bold City Brewery just for the awesome label. Visit Lovely Package to see other great designs made for Bold City Brewery by The Robin Shepherd Group. I can already tell you though that none of them top an angry manatee wielding a propeller, boat collision scars, and an anchor tattoo. (In case you don't know, boats and manatees do not mix. Visit savethemanatee.org for more information.)
Related
FIT Grads Design Funky Food Labels
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Beatle Juice: Playful Package-Design Project
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 17, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Global Street Food, an exhibition curated by Mike Meiré, features the accoutrements of various "improvised kitchens" from around the world, like this coffee cart from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Set up as works of art in a gallery, they're almost indistinguishable from sculptures like Marcel Duchamp's readymades—especially "Grill," from Kampala, Uganda (third photo).
The exhibit is on display until July 12 at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany. [via Kottke]
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 15, 2009 at 6:25 PM
For those of you who care about such things, The Dieline reports that Target will be selling limited-edition Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers in retro-ish packaging this summer. My advice? Don't open them, wait 20 years, and sell them on whatever auction site exists in the future—at that point, I'm sure, Target will be selling retro-2009 Oreos.
Posted by Robyn Lee, June 10, 2009 at 6:30 PM
The Swissarmius from Art. Lebedev Studio is a cutlery holder made to look like the base of a giant Swiss Army knife. You can't buy it (yet) but it looks like a cute idea. [via Coldmud]
Related: Grill Grid
Posted by Robyn Lee, May 28, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Photograph from Michigan Beer Buzz
Weburbanist rounds up photos of beer cans since the 1930s and shares the history behind beer can design. Although I'm a fan of this uber-generic design, there's an interesting reason behind the need to jazz up the cans:
After methods of packaging beer into durable cans were developed, the real treat for consumers and collectors were the colorful designs on the cans. Beer would still not taste great coming from a can for several decades. Manufacturers began releasing special edition and novelty cans with lively images and color schemes to attract consumers and compensate for the canned beer taste. Some of these early cans, if still in good condition, are now worth thousands of dollars to collectors.
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Best Destinations for Beer Lovers
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Posted by Adam Kuban, May 1, 2009 at 10:45 AM
From left: Chipotle's original logo, its pepper logo, and the redesign of the pepper logo.
I think I had the same reaction as Brand New blogger Armin Vit to the redesign of the circular Chipotle chile pepper logo: I didn't even know the burrito chain had moved away from its original retro-shape-sign logo. The new signage and branding has begun rolling out across the chain's 800-some U.S. locations. [via Gordon Eats]
Posted by Robyn Lee, April 16, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Photograph of Pinkberry from Design Tavern
When I see a new frozen yogurt shop, I usually think, "This one kind of looks like...the other one down the street." After looking at Wallpaper*'s and Design Tavern's galleries of the interiors of frozen yogurt shops around the world, the aesthetics of fro-yo becomes clearer: modern, sleek, clean, angular with some blobs thrown in. While it's certainly not an unpleasant theme, it feels boring after a while. I wouldn't mind someday seeing a fro-yo shop that looks like a cozy living room, à la Sugar Sweet Sunshine. [via Doobybrain]
Alice Rawsthorn describes the form and function of the glass Heinz ketchup bottle and why it's so popular despite not being effective as a dispenser. For bottle variations, see this slideshow.
Posted by Nick Solares, April 13, 2009 at 7:30 AM
Josh Harris has designed a coffee lid that doubles as a caddy for creamer and sweeteners. The design is obviously clever but you have to ask—is it a solution to a problem or a solution looking for a problem? What say you, serious coffee drinkers? [via Gizmodo]
Posted by Robyn Lee, April 9, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Brand New
Corporate branding and identity blog Brand New compares Wonder Bread's new and old logos. The group behind the logo, Willoughby Design, says:
Needing to recapture a #1 position in the market, Willoughby and Wonder Bread took a new look at the red, yellow and blue balloons, explored a more grown-up typeface, and dialed up the sophistication of the design system overall in order to broaden the brand’s reach to meet the growing demands of this older demographic.
I'm not sure I get the sense of sophistication—I mostly see that the rightmost balloon has transformed into a blue "arm."
Related
'Coca-Cola Classic' Changing Name Back to 'Coca-Cola'
Tropicana, Pepsi Overhaul Packaging
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AdAge: "After its package redesign, sales of the Tropicana Pure Premium line plummeted 20 percent between January 1 and February 22, costing the brand tens of millions of dollars." Earlier: Tropicana, Pepsi Overhaul Packaging
Posted by Robyn Lee, April 1, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Photograph from doisedois on Flickr
Luisa P. documents her eating habits in a creative manner with her "Eatphabet" series. For more letter-shaped foods, check out the EATphabet pool on Flickr. [via notcot]
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 30, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Isn't that what you imagine when you see a piggy bank anyway? For some of us, perhaps. Designed by Rob Price of Thwart Design and available for $60 from Design Glut. [via Swiss Miss]
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 23, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Pancakes Mountain ($18), a new shirt from Threadless, makes me long for tall stacks of fluffy pancakes doused in golden streams of maple syrup. What a beautiful world that would be...so beautiful.
Considering how awesome pancakes are, I thought, "There must be other awesome pancake t-shirts out there!" Sadly, I didn't find a rich supply of well designed pancake shirts (anything from Cafepress or Zazzle didn't count) but there were a few standouts. More pancake shirts after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, March 16, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Designer Marc Valega created a set of mock juice boxes for an imaginary line of drinks called Beatle Juice: Apple McCartney, John Lemon, George Pearrison, and Mango Starr. [via Unique Daily and Joey deVilla]
Related: Beetle Juice? [SE Talk]
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 11, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Danish designer Ornamented Life takes chipped and cracked dinnerware and turns the imperfections into art. Pieces can be bought at HORNE for $38 to $75. [via Oh Joy!]
Related
Map Plates
Subliminal Dinnerware
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 3, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Mocha
Why would you want a chair that looks like a chair? Boring. Furnish your apartment with a set of Tea Cup Stools. Unfortunately, each one will set you back £140 (about $197), but that's the price you pay to give your bum the lovely sensation of sitting on an oversized drinking receptacle. It comes in white, red, yellow, and orange.
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 25, 2009 at 7:30 AM
The Spilt Milk bowl from Fred is designed to look like a splash of milk. Perfect for containing cereal and milk, although anything else might look weird. Available from Perpetual Kid in mid-April for $13.99. [via Gizmodo]
After a flurry of complaints via letters, email, and telephone calls about Tropicana's new look, introduced in early January, the company is going back to its old design. [The New York Times]
Previously: Tropicana, Pepsi Overhaul Packaging
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 19, 2009 at 1:45 PM
The Unified Dining Table designed by Min Hoo Park features a tray with built-in plates, cups, a vase, and a candelabra. Flip it over for a flat coffee table-ready side.
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 19, 2009 at 10:45 AM
"Pâtadoigts" and "Cartes à manger".
French culinary designer Julie Rothhahn makes interactive, edible objects out of food. My favorites are her emotive thimble-like "pasta fingers" and her connectable cookies. She also has a series of photo illustrations that focuses on animals as food, like snails made out of garlic and parsley butter. [via Oh Joy!]
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Sculptures Made from Gummi Bears
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Posted by Robyn Lee, February 12, 2009 at 10:30 AM
behance.net
Verte by Barcelona-based designer Noro is a bottle that features two lips to catch spills and return them to inside the bottle. It's certainly classier looking and more functional than the purple elephant spout (although I do have a soft spot in my heart for the elephant). The more non-drip bottle designs we have the better, so I don't have to keep wiping the sides of my unintentionally oil-slicked bottles. [via Wired]
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 5, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Photograph from graphicology on Flickr
Designer J. Jason Smith took photos of Arabic and English versions of Western packages, mostly food-related, during his trip to Dubai. It's interesting to see how the logos retain their identities in the switch between English and Arabic. [via Brand New]
Related
The Design of Grocery Store Signage
Stories Behind 10 Famous Food Logos
Tropicana, Pepsi Overhaul Packaging
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 30, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Eat Me Daily
The blog Eat Me Daily takes a look at food-merchandising signs. They're so ubiquitous as to be almost invisible, but when viewed en masse you begin to see a sort of beauty and subtle playfulness in their variation.
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 28, 2009 at 2:00 PM
The previously mentioned Anti-Theft Lunch Bag designed by Sherwood Forlee is now on sale. A pack of 25 bags costs $10, and 5 percent of your purchase will be donated to Freedom from Hunger.
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 27, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Kellogg's is testing a shorter, fatter cereal box. But unlike some recent package changes that have short-changed consumers, this one doesn't futz with the amount of product inside. Says Advertising Age:
The new packaging contains the same amount of food, but the shorter, fatter design is expected to fit into pantries more easily. Ms. Miller said it will also save grocery-shelf space, allowing retailers to offer a wider variety of products. Since it involves an 8% decrease in materials, the new box design is also stands to burnish Kellogg's green halo.
Detroit will be the test market. The study will last about six months, Kellogg's says, before the company decides whether to roll it out nationwide. [via Doobybrain]
Related
Vintage Cereal Box Gallery
Mmmm, Cereal [SE Talk]
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 22, 2009 at 6:45 PM
The Morton Umbrella Girl over the years. From Neatorama.
Did you know Chef Boyardee and Sara Lee were real people, but Betty Crocker and Aunt Jemima weren't? Neatorama covers the stories behind the logos of 10 famous food companies: Morton Salt, Heinz 57 Varieties, Jolly Green Giant, La Vache qui Rit (The Laughing Cow), Aunt Jemima, Betty Crocker, Chef Boyardee, Sara Lee, Quaker Oats, and Gerber Baby.
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 19, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Brazil-based designer Anderson Horta brings the virtual world into your kitchen with the Clicking Kitchen Grip, oven mitts made to look like pixelated hand cursors. [via Unique Daily]
Related:
Awesome Oven Mitts
Apron With Built-In Oven Mitts
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 15, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Blondie & Brownie
Blondie & Brownie have some tips on optimizing your food porn images before they go through the Obamaicon.me generator that Paste magazine came up with.
These would make good decorations for your inauguration party.
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 13, 2009 at 1:20 PM
If you're an orange juice drinker, you've already noticed the Tropicana brand redesign. The New York Times had a bit about it last week that explains the motive behind the drastic change:
One noticeable change is the disappearance of the longtime Tropicana symbol, a straw stuck in an orange that stood for the juice’s fresh taste. The device is being replaced by a tall glass filled with Tropicana and an orange-colored twist cap atop large cartons that is shaped like a halved orange.
Here's what design geeks said about it when previews went up in October:
This new packaging feels, at best, like a discount store brand with what looks like, again, at best, rights-managed stock photography if not outright royalty free. And the typography is, once more, at best, a lame derivative of how the British have lately exploited geometric sans serifs like Futura and Avenir to great results—here's just one example of many.
Ouch! [Tropicana's fatal flaw, and Pepsi's facelift, after the jump.]
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 6, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Photograph from uberzombie on Flickr
If soda cans looked as beautiful today as they did decades ago, I might actually want to drink their contents. Design blog Packages of the World has a nice roundup of vintage soda cans featuring simple, clean logos and bold colors. (And although I understand the need for reinventing brands, I much prefer the old Mountain Dew logo introduced in the '70s to today's logo, which has some kind of extreme, distorted, "I'm glowing with radiation" aesthetic going on.) [via The Dieline]
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Posted by Adam Kuban, January 5, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Photographs from mpreis.com
Believe it or not, that's a supermarket at top. It's one of the handful of Austria-based MPREIS stores. More at Cool Hunting.
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, December 18, 2008 at 10:30 AM
The best chicken wings come from chickens who sweat fear. From cheetafight.com.
Cheata Fight Image Library by artist Anthony P. Munoz is full of great, mostly hand-painted vintage signs from around the world. Some of our favorite food-related signs include ones involving panicking chickens, "Chainese Fost Foods" from India, and this painted menu featuring a stack of pancakes and unidentified black disks. [via Super Punch]
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Photo of the Day: A Rediscovered Sweets Shop
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Posted by Robyn Lee, December 8, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Designer Luis Luna made these nifty lamps out of everyday disposable utensils and cups. My favorite thing about them is their names: Gluttony and Hangover. [via Apartment Therapy]
Related: A Lampshade Made Out of Bacon
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 5, 2008 at 7:30 AM
This reminds me of the Sex and the City episode in which Charlotte talks about having a "tea bag problem." Heh.
You know, her husband was leaving his soggy tea bags all over the apartment. On the coffee table, on the kitchen counter, etc.
I suppose this would solve the problem. It's by Royal College of Art grad student Jonas Trampedach. I tried Googling the guy and his saucer to provide you purchase info, but it looks like Trampedach has no website. And I assume this was simply a project for a class or some such.
Oh well, it's not like the side of a regular saucer is an inadequate repository. [via Yanko Design]
Posted by Linnea Covington, December 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Photo courtesy of Michelle Kaufmann
Green housing designer Michelle Kaufmann has created a green gingerbread house.
Kaufmann shares her blueprints for the gingerSolaire, the cookie version of her mkSolaire Smart Home, at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
While the chocolate solar panels wouldn't stand against the sun the way real ones should, the organic gingerbread walls look sturdy enough—that is, until the teeth come. If you are feeling up to the challenge to design your own confectionery house, enter Kaufmann's Green Guru contest.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, November 25, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Clockwise from top left: Beef, citrus, abalone, and strawberries.
While catching up on friends' blogs, I ran across a beautiful food-related stamp from Mexico on Robyn Lee's Tumblr account.*
A little digging, and I had this bit of info from Wikipedia:
From 1975 to 1993, Mexico issued a series of definitive regular and airmail stamps in a uniform style depicting a great variety of products Mexico exports, such as beef, bicycles, tomatoes, and chemicals, each stamp bearing the Exporta logo. The series was added to over the years, and there are a great number of variants of papers, sizes, colors, watermarks, and plate flaws. A number of the stamps had burelage printed on their surface. Specialists have also identified 14 different weights and grades of paper used on the stamps. As a result of the collecting challenges, the Exporta issue has received a great deal of attention by collectors and is the most popular modern series.
The illustrations are the work of Rafael Davidson. More on him, and more of his stamps, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 28, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Clockwise from top: "Gastrotypographicalassemblage" as restored by the Center for Design Study, a detail of the wall, Lou Dorfsman in front of the wall. Photographs from TCFDS on Flickr
Lou Dorfsman, who had a 40-year run as advertising and corporate design director at CBS, (during the heyday of what was once known as the "Tiffany Network"), died last week at 90.
The food angle here? Dorfsman designed an amazing work of art for the cafeteria at CBS headquarters called the "Gastrotypographicalassemblage." It was a wall 35 feet long by 8.5 feet tall that represented all sorts of foods and food-related things as playful words reminiscent of the old wood type seen in advertising posters of the late 1800s.
"Gastrotypographicalassemblage" was unceremoniously ripped from the walls of the cafeteria in the early 1990s, but the Center for Design Study in Atlanta got a hold of it and has restored it. You can see more photos of it here. [via The Daily Heller]
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 27, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Blogger Grace Bonney puts together an overview of more than two dozen modern flatware sets. With sets ranging from $13 Ikea cutlery to thousand-dollar wallet punishers, there should be ideas in there for anyone in the market for some new knives, forks, and spoons. Worth a look if you need some new or extra flatware for Thanksgiving. [via The Food Section]
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM
The Smilecup series from Studio Psycho is yet another cool design you can't buy yet. :( But we thought it was a cute way to start the day. :) [via Doobybrain]
Posted by Robyn Lee, October 6, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Behold, the best barbecue smoking team logo ever. Adam mentioned Transformer BBQ's logo in his post about the American Royal Barbecue Contest, but the logo's awesomeness warrants its own post. Compare the original Transformers logo to the porky version, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, September 16, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Designer and engineer Sherwood Forlee's Anti-Theft Lunch Bag disguises your sandwich with green splotches to deter co-workers from stealing your lunch. Another possibility is that they'll throw it out, if they dare to touch it at all. [via Lifehacker]
Related: The Easy PB&J Jar: A Jar with Two Lids (also designed by Sherwood Forlee)
Posted by Caitlin Kenney, September 8, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I've been trying to get my boyfriend to dress up as champion eater Takeru Kobayashi for Halloween for a while now, but now that Kobayashi has his own line of t-shirts, maybe he'll actually consider it. (Think about it: just a t-shirt with some strategically placed ketchup stains, shorts and a hot dog. So easy.)
Kobayashi admits he didn't have a hand in designing the shirts, but they're still pretty funny. They say things like: "Kobayashi Eats Chestnuts for Breakfasts," "Kobayashi Ate My Homework" and of course "Kobayashi Banzai."
Thrillist caught up with the competitive eating star today and got a little insight into his own personal hot dog habits.
Do you ever casually enjoy a hot dog? Yes, I do.
What do you put on it? Ketchup and mustard.
Do you have a favorite brand? (Laughs) Most people call me the Hot Dog King, but I can't answer your question until I try all of the different hot dogs.
Now that he's conquered the fashion world, what's next for the Japanese mega eater? The Krystal Square Off in Chattanooga, Tennessee. [via MenuPages Chicago]
Posted by Zach Brooks, September 5, 2008 at 2:30 PM
A few weeks ago, I was flying home from a food work-cation in New Orleans and Joan Jett was on my plane. I have to admit it was kind of exciting. I remember seeing Jett open for Aerosmith when I was in junior high—a pretty awesome concert from what I remember—and naturally I bought an Aerosmith shirt and wore it proudly to school the next day. It cost somewhere between $15 and $20 but was a required souvenir, mostly to ensure that everyone at Southwood Middle School knew I had seen Aerosmith and Joan Jett the night before. Walking through the halls, others were sporting the same shirt and we all felt a kinship, sometimes solidified with a nod or smile. We thought we were all part of the same cool crowd.
I still go to concerts but rarely buy the shirts anymore. I'd like to claim I've outgrown this, but in all honesty, the obsession remains—only now restaurant shirts have replaced the concert tee.
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, August 20, 2008 at 12:30 PM
If you're a perpetual doodler, even when taking a coffee break, Spanish artist Julie Mariscal has the thing for you: the Writing Spoon, which features an incision at its tip that turns it into a makeshift fountain pen. You can buy it online at Vinçon (€20.86) as part of Ferran Adrià's Faces Collection of designer kitchenware and tableware. Watch the spoon in action after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Amanda Clarke, August 7, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Water filtration pitchers can certainly be useful for improving the quality of tap water, but they have their drawbacks. Filter pitchers require regular replacement of disposable plastic filters to maintain performance, and they are generally big, bulky, and nothing to look at. For all but the most casual gatherings and dinner parties, I decant filtered water into a glass or ceramic vessel that looks better and takes up less table space than my filtration pitcher. Though it may not be ideal, this method works well enough that I’d never much considered another possibility.
Filtering with Charcoal and Stones
Design Within Reach
Then, while flipping through the pages of the latest Design Within Reach (DWR) catalogue, I found a tempting alternative: an elegant, slim glass water filtration pitcher with an attractive, “natural” filter solution. Instead of using sealed disposable plastic filters that should be changed monthly, this glass pitcher uses big chunks of Binchotan charcoal and louseki stones, suspended in a columnar basket in the center of the pitcher, which last about 6 months. I couldn’t find any information on the louseki stones (all I know from what a DWR representative told me is that they came from a mountain in Japan), but I have gathered that Binchotan is a much revered Japanese charcoal that is exceptionally hard (making it unlikely to flake or crumble into the water) and it is used, among other things, for purifying water while imparting healthful minerals.
Continue reading »
Posted by Sarah Wolf, August 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Coca-Cola Light is about to become the sexiest soda around. Fashion designer Roberto Cavalli has created these three animal-print bottles for the beverage, giving it a sensual status symbol look. The limited-edition bottles will be available in Italy from September to December. Meanwhile, the rest of us will have to console ourselves with the boring old bottles of Diet Coke.
Posted by Emily Koh, August 2, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Give your drinks more of a, uh, prehistoric touch with these "Fossiliced" dinosaur ice cube trays. What's next, bugs-trapped-in-amber ice cubes? (Or is that just bugs trapped in ice? Eww...) [via Boing Boing]
Posted by Amanda Clarke, July 31, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Our cabinetry is set to arrive today, and installation is scheduled for tomorrow. If all goes according to plan, in a few days, we'll be moving forward with countertop fabrication. In the course of designing our kitchen, our choice for countertop materials was complicated. Since we use our kitchen so often, picking a durable, practical material was important, but so was aesthetics. Besides, this is the center of our home.
Inspired by apothecary shops and old-school laboratories, we initially wanted materials like white marble and soap stone. Both can withstand the heat of a hot pot (though suppliers recommend trivets and cutting boards to further protect the countertop materials), and properly finished, they also provide a cool, smooth surface for rolling dough or tempering chocolate.
The dark gray soapstone would make for a sober, utilitarian look, providing an attractive contrast to the soft wood tones of our cabinetry. The creamy marble would impart natural warmth and texture since the luminous surface can reflect light, allowing our kitchen space, hemmed in by cabinetry, to feel brighter and more open. So what did we pick? Marble and soapstone each had pros and cons, plus there was granite, stainless steel, and an "engineered stone" called CaesarStone to explore.
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, July 31, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Subliminal Dinnerware reminds you to practice good dinner etiquette: "clean your plate," "don't slurp," and "use a napkin." Granted, you won't be able to see the message until you've cleaned off your plate; it'll be a message to store away for your next meal. [via swissmiss]
Posted by Emily Koh, July 29, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Some of us just aren't well-versed in wine, but at least we can admit it with a bit more style and less sheepishness. Just hang one of these pretty letter-pressed wine tags by Popptags on the bottle neck, or customize your own. Hey, it's better than pretending to be a wine expert. [via New York magazine]
Posted by Emily Koh, July 28, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Say goodbye to the ol' blue-and-red Popeyes logo, and feast your eyes on this revamped look for the fried chicken chain. Designed by Pentagram, the eye-popping orange and red color scheme with fleur-de-lis, symbolizing the chain's New Orleans hometown, is for the kids. Apparently, the younger generation considered the older logo "generic" and "tired." It kind of reminds me of the Burger King colors, but the black-and-white photos add a classy touch. [via Brand New]
Related
Bobby's Burger Palace Type Design by Pentagram
Photograzing: Cajun Battered Fries from Popeye's
Popeye's Fried Chicken: Momofuku David Chang's Guilty Pleasure
Posted by Emily Koh, July 26, 2008 at 8:00 PM
Contemporary art and beer aren't two things you'd naturally pair together, but for the last 20 years, Beck's has supported up-and-coming artists by showcasing their work on beer bottle labels. Some big-time names you might recognize today have had labels: Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Jeff Koons.
This year, Beck's collaborated with London's Royal College of Art for its Beck's Canvas initiative. The bottles above feature the work of four of the college's graduates. They'll be available nationwide August 1, for a limited time only. Who knew beer could get so artsy? [via The Dieline]
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 19, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Got a cool link from Serious Eatser 2qrs this morning:
In the issue of The Cool Hunter newsletter I got this morning, one of the features was this deli in London: http://www.pierluigipiu.it/web/projects_olivino.htm. It is what I would imagine a delicatessen inside the MoMA would look like.
You know, 2qrs, it is somewhat similar to what the Museum of Modern Art has going on in its Cafe 2 eatery, which is, as you'd imagine, über-designy. Thanks for the link!
Posted by Robyn Lee, July 17, 2008 at 11:00 AM
There's already a brand of wine in a can, but this wine can prototype designed by Jens Andersson and Jonas Forsman stands out from other canned beverages with its elegant contoured shape and black matte finish. The Wine-can won first prize for the 2005 Swedish Aluminium Packaging Design Award and prizes for Best Environmentally-Adapted and Best Design Student. Investors, get in on this!
Related
FIT Grads Design Funky Food Labels
Beautiful Mustard Jars with Die-Cut Labels
Pretty Food Packaging from Switzerland
Posted by Emily Koh, June 30, 2008 at 8:00 PM
The gallon milk container has a new look at Wal-Mart and Costco—one that's designed to cut shipping costs, be more environmentally friendly, and keep milk fresher. It also costs less, at $2.18 at one Sam's Club, down from $2.58.
There's been some crying, though: Some customers complain that the boxy and spoutless shape makes them "feel like novices at the simple task of pouring a glass of milk."
In fact, the jugs have caused so many gripes that Sam's Club now holds in-store demonstrations with milk and cookies to teach customers how to pour milk:
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 27, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Student Erick Montes created this instant ramen noodle soup packaging that's based on the work of Japanese "superflat" artist Takashi Murakami. "I originally set out to do only one flavor (shiitake mushroom) to communicate the references to hallucinogenics in Murakami’s work," Montes says, "and also as a metaphor for the bombing of Hiroshima, which Murakami sees as the birth of today’s westernized Japan."
I love how the bowl also forms a mouth—and that it's a cut-out that reveals the product. Snappy design. [via Superpunch]
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 19, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Handsome packaging on these here mustard jars, doncha think? The labels are die-cut; so what you're seeing through the negative space of the little plop is the actual mustard within the jar. Beats my French's yellow mustard squeeze bottle any day. Designed for Waitrose by Lewis Moberly. [via TheDieline.com]
Related: I heart mustard. Do you? [from Talk]
Posted by Amanda Clarke, June 19, 2008 at 1:00 PM
The hall floor, before and after renovation.
Physical work on our new kitchen began about two and a half weeks ago and has been moving along. Our new tile floor is down and looking lovely, demolition is done, our stove hood ductwork is in place, most of the plumbing is completed, and electrical work is in progress.
Leveling the Ceiling and Floor
There have, however, been a few minor snags. These have mainly resulted from the fact that none of the surfaces in our kitchen or its adjoining hallway are level, square or even smooth. When measured from a level line struck around the perimeter of the room, the height of our ceiling varied by about two inches—a significant variation in a 10 x 10-foot space. Because our cabinetry had been designed to come very close to the ceiling, it was imperative that the ceiling be leveled as much as possible. Our contractor set about doing so, using furring strips that were individually shimmed—relative to the hills and valleys of the ceiling—to provide level points of attachment for new sheetrock.
Then the tile guys, faced with a floor of similar irregularity, did the best they could to level the floor without floating it (essentially, pouring a thin, level layer of concrete), which would have resulted in an undesirable step up into the kitchen and the loss of a precious inch or so of overall room height. And these same intrepid tile guys are probably still cursing us for specifying a one-tile-wide contrasting border about 5-inches in from the walls all the way around the undulating perimeters of the space.
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Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 16, 2008 at 11:15 AM
What with the Fashion Institute of Technology directly across the street from Serious Eats Headquarters, we couldn't help but be excited by this sample work from recent grads of the two-year package design program. The original labels show off the student's talented ideas, such as the ones above from (clockwise from top left) Diana Luistro, Michael Iny, Mayuko Hari, and Jesse Kirsch. Find more, including mock-ups for fruit peelers, egg cartons and hot sauces, after the jump.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, June 8, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Designer Sherwood Forlee came up with a straight walled jar with lids on both ends as a better alternative to conventional jars to "ensure that no peanut butter is ever left behind a nook or cranny." No wayward bit of peanut butter is safe! [via Tastespotting]
Related
Peanut Butter and Jelly: A Serious Eats Special Report
Peanut Butter and Jelly Spreader
In Gear: Hacking Mason Jars
Posted by Robyn Lee, May 22, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Is your apartment missing something? Like...a kitchen? Then Denmark-based furniture design company Hansen Living has just the thing for you: the Instant Kitchen! It contains an oven, gas jets, electric power, refrigerator and water in one freestanding unit. You just need to hook it up to a water supply and electricity. And find a place to put it. [via uncrate and not martha]
Posted by Erin Zimmer, May 20, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Last month, we told you what coffee drinkers thought of the new Starbucks Pike Place Roast. Everything from "kinda watery" to "real strong." But who cares about the coffee; we should have asked about them about the mermaid's sassy new look. Er, old look, since the breast-baring image is a throwback to the original Seattle store's logo.
Nicknamed the "Slutbucks" controversy, the redesign had one conservative group bickering and covering children's eyes. Well, they can simmer because Starbucks recently announced, "we will be returning to the standard green logo in a few weeks." Apparently, this was not in reaction to critics, but always part of the plan: roll out the "heritage logo" for an eight-week long Pike Place Roast launch, then phase her out. We'll see how many customers notice, care, or demand the mer-hussy back.
Related
The Changing Face of Starbucks - The History of the Logos Through the Years
Initial Reactions to New Starbucks Brew
Posted by Amanda Clarke, May 8, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Permits nearly in hand, contractors lined up, cabinets on schedule, appliances ordered—we are finally about a week or two away from beginning the actual construction on our new kitchen. With that in mind, this past weekend was a whirlwind of last-minute decision making and ordering and the realization of a potential snafu: tile.
The Tile Design
Though we had selected cabinetry and appliances with decidedly clean, modern designs, much of our initial design inspiration had come from the aesthetics of old apothecary shops and the pre-war details of our building. Thus, we had decided early on that we wanted to use small hexagonal tiles Though the majority of the floor was to be tiled in one color, we were going to incorporate a band in a complementary color, around the perimeter of our kitchen and the adjoining hallway, to echo similar bands in the hardwood floors throughout our apartment.
The Tile Type
In several stores we’d found sample boards from two companies displaying just the type of tile we were looking for, in a range of colors. These were unglazed "color body porcelain" tiles, meaning that they were colored throughout, not just coated with color, as is the case with glazed ceramic tiles. We liked the idea of the unglazed, matte finish to reduce glare, provide some slip resistance and to add a subtle warmth and texture, and our research assured us that the rate of absorption for porcelain tile was so low that we’d have to let something like red wine or tomato sauce sit on the floor for quite a while before it left a stain. Also, because these tiles are colored through, chips and scratches only reveal more of the same color, making them virtually undetectable. So it seemed, we’d found a great functional and aesthetic fit.
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Posted by Emily Koh, May 1, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Save space, be complimented on your fabulously mod kitchen layout, and be green all at the same time with this horizontal eco dishwasher designed by Marie-Christine Lacasse and Claude Savard, students at the University of Quebec. All you'd need to do is stick the dirty dishes in the rack: The dishwasher will automatically fill up and do its thing. Check out this video to see it in action. [via Treehugger]
Posted by Robyn Lee, April 25, 2008 at 11:30 AM
If only the aisles of my local Shop Rite could be filled with such simple and appealing food packaging. Check out more designs from Swiss food retailer Migros at package design blog, TheDieLine.com
Posted by Raphael, April 21, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Tea time could be changed forever with the self-stirring cup.
A prototype for a teacup called Ceramic for Mix aims to obviate the need for teaspoons. The teacup, by the design firm Anna Gram, stirs the tea with a twirling motion of the wrist. When you take a sip, the ball is trapped in the base of the glass by gravity to prevent accidental ingestion. Says Anna Gram's website: "Function creates a new gestural and aesthetic appeal." [via Neatorama]
Posted by Raphael, April 14, 2008 at 5:00 PM
From The Boston Globe comes a photo of the last original Dunkin' Donuts sign, from 1957, being dismantled in Brighton, Massachusetts. It is "now in storage and facing an uncertain fate."
Posted by Emily Koh, April 9, 2008 at 6:45 PM
A) Engraving of a twin-tailed siren (15th century); B) First Starbucks logo (1971 - 1987); C) Il Giornale logo; D) Merging of Starbucks and Il Giornale (1987 - 1992); E) Redesigned Starbucks logo (1992 - today); F) Current Starbucks logo, a revival of the original
If you stopped by Starbucks the other day to try their new Pike Place Roast brewed coffee, you may have noticed the cup looked a little different, with the siren's tails displayed more prominently. Actually, this "new" design is a throwback to the original Starbucks logo, which is in line with CEO Howard Schulz's call for the coffee empire to return to its roots.
Brand Autopsy and Brand New both examine elements of the evolution of the logo. Here we present the entirety of the logo's history, from 15th century engraving, to its initial rendering, to the logo following the merger of Starbucks and Il Giornale, and finally, to its present-day return back to the original.
Posted by Robyn Lee, April 8, 2008 at 3:15 PM
Adam Roberts (aka The Amateur Gourmet) just bought six quirky, idiosyncratic plates. What's so special about the plates? Not much, until you read his analysis of each one, from "The Dad Plate" (a plate covered in golfers, perfect for his dad) to "The Ugly Plate" (it's ugly, which makes it suitable for ugly people). I'm quite fond of "The I Don't Really Get It Plate," which is supposed to resemble some kind of deformed face. Now I want to get a new set of random plates for my kitchen.
Previously:
Paper Plates You Can Display On Your Wall
Cutest Plates Ever
Topography Soup Plate
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph from Allen Sandquist on Flickr
I had no idea that Doritos packaging ever looked as cute and simple as this one from the 1970s. Today's bag design looks a bit more...intense. Check out more great retro food packages in Roadsidepictures' Flickr set.
Previously
Photo of the Day: Skippy Peanut Butter Tin Can, 1930s
Potato-Chip Connoisseur
Posted by Amanda Clarke, March 27, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Windowsills cluttered with scraggly little herbs may soon be a thing of the past as designers develop new ways of integrating plant life into the kitchen.
The AeroGarden brings “NASA-tested, aeroponic technology” to the kitchen counter. Occupying about the same space as a bread maker (the original version) or a blender (in the case of the newer, smaller model), the soil-free system allows you to grow herbs, salad greens and vegetables with minimal effort. “Planting” is accomplished by simply inserting pre-sown proprietary seed pods called Bio-Domes, and from then on a computer controls the light, moisture and nutrient levels during growth, as well as providing alerts when it’s time to add more water or nutrients. The systems are pricey and the range of plants available is a bit limited, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. And, having killed just about every plant I’ve ever owned, edible or otherwise, there’s something very appealing about the product’s guarantees for success.
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Posted by Amanda Clarke, March 20, 2008 at 3:00 PM
A few pieces from ceramic artist Whitney Smith's collection.
My sense of impending spring began a few weeks ago when I awoke to a mourning dove’s lonely call. Just barely March, it seemed far too early then to raise much excitement, but the signs have become irrefutable – budding trees, blooming crocuses, a run of rainy 50-degree days, more bird song – and I am now, despite a certain measure of disbelief, firmly in the throes of spring fever.
For those of you thus afflicted, and for the others who are still soldiering through winter, I bring you this round-up of items embodying the effervescence of spring.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, March 11, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Is your work mug just as boring as all your coworkers' mugs? Stand out with one of these: a heat-sensitive Hot Cold Mug whose colors change depending on the temperature of your beverage or this bright-yellow mug that illustrates the sexiness of reading (and, no, it does not reveal anything more than what you already see). [Hot Cold Mug via Swissmiss]
Posted by Robyn Lee, March 7, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Clockwise from top left: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2, There Is Nothing Left to Lose by Foo Fighters, and Green Album by Weezer.
Tired of seeing bento boxes that merely look cute? Jacket Lunch Box is a Japanese blog dedicated to making bento boxes that resemble popular album covers. All it takes is the magic of carefully cut nori, kamabako, ham, shredded cabbage, and more, all atop a bed of rice. [Thanks to Sera for the heads up.]
Previously: Bento Boxes on Flickr, Year of the Pig Bento, How to Pack a Bento Box, Character Bento Competition Winner
Posted by Amanda Clarke, March 6, 2008 at 10:30 AM
An example of kitchen cabinetry from Veneta Cucine.
It has been more than a month since my last post about our kitchen renovation, and unless one counts an evening of hasty plaster removal, the physical work has yet to begin. Nonetheless, we’ve made progress.
As we had more or less expected, the lynch pin of the project, effecting overall scheduling, design and budget, has been the kitchen cabinetry.
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We've seen the spork (spoon-fork) and splayd (spoon-blade), but behold the glory of the Knork (knife-fork). As the Washington Post revealed today, inventor Mike Miller was just sick and tired of sawing his hot slice of pizza with a pedestrian fork. To date, he's already sold about one million Knorks ($6 each).
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 29, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Can't decide between using chopsticks or a fork? Choplery from Brooklyn-based design group design GO! erases the decision by making one end of their utensil in the form of a pair of chopsticks and the other end a fork, knife or spoon. You can start with the non-chopstick end and switch to using chopsticks, but not so much the other way around. [via Boing Boing Gadgets]
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 21, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Tokyo-based design magazine PingMag has a feature on the history and making of the Japanese snack cake ningyo-yaki, which translates to "fried dolls." These small cakes made by pouring batter into intricate molds—varying from Hello Kitty to a traditional lantern—are typically filled with red bean paste, but may also be filled with chocolate or custard. Grab a box on your next trip to Japan!
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 19, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Design Observer takes a look at the shift in animal trade magazine cover design over the past century. It's too bad they didn't mention Serious Eats' favorite animal trade magazine, sheep!: "The Voice of the Independant Flockmaster." [via Gawker]
Oven mitts shouldn't just be utilitarian—they can also be pretty! Check out Design*Sponge's oven mitt roundup for ideas on where to get your next mitt.
Posted by Robyn Lee, February 11, 2008 at 2:30 PM
AZE Design's "Messy Tablecloth" celebrates the fun of a haphazard meal by featuring stitched outlines of plates and utensils along with a surprise spill. [via swissmiss]
Posted by Emily Koh, February 7, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Show off your favorite election '08 candidate while you're cooking with these patriotic aprons over at CafePress, whether you're a Hillary, Obama, McCain or Romney supporter. [Via The Kitchn]
Posted by Emily Koh, February 6, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Kitchen double-duty: decorate and save room with these Chain-Link Cups, which conserve space conveniently by way of magnets. Check 'em out over at IN/ALT, which includes more fun and innovative tableware. [Via Fun and Food]
Time to retire those tired old plates: spruce up the dining table with some of these servingware suggestions from Design*Sponge, which are a surefire way to get compliments on both your cooking and your presentation.
Posted by Amanda Clarke, January 31, 2008 at 11:00 AM
From General Tso’s on the go to Colonel Sanders at your office desk, forward-thinking designers are devising novel ideas to ensure that you’ll never miss a bite.
Roll n Roll is an unfortunately named but nonetheless stylish set of portable chopsticks. Winning a bronze medal in the 2007 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), the set of hollow chopsticks can be rolled open and then rolled up to make an attractive metal cuff-like bracelet.
Din-Ink cutlery caps transform everyday ballpoint pens into implements of consumption. The three-piece set, a first-prize winner in Design Boom’s Dining in 2015 competition, includes a fork-, knife- and spoon-cap made out of biodegradable materials for environmentally conscious desktop dining.
While neither of these designs appear to have made it into mass-production yet, if they do the spork won’t stand a chance.
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 28, 2008 at 5:00 PM
What if pills were wrapped in clear cellophane like candy instead of packaged in a boring plastic bottle? Broadhong presents a possibility with Candy Pills. Besides wrapping pills like candy, the designer also tries packaging candy like pills. [via notcot.org]
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 28, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Preserve your creative grease stains and ketchup stick figures with Arty Party, rectangular 8 1/2” x 10” plates with "gold frame" rims made of thick, coated paperstock. [via swissmiss]
Posted by Amanda Clarke, January 24, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Way back in September, I wrote about my future kitchen renovation, and at long last, we’re moving forward. Our architects are working on drawings with the intention of going to the Department of Buildings for permits and soliciting contractors for bids within the next month. If all goes well, construction will begin in March, and we’ll be enjoying our fabulous new kitchen some time in the early summer.
That leaves us with, well, not a lot of time (especially considering lead times of several weeks between ordering and receiving appliances and custom cabinetry) to make all the decisions that we’d been putting off in a neat little pile to deal with at some nebulous point in the future. And, ahem, maybe it’s less a tidy pile and more a sprawling wasteland, clouded by half-remembered ideas, through which the light of a thousand poorly organized website bookmarks cast a dim glow on bottomless pools of business cards, brochures and magazine clippings. Right. So, we have our work cut out for us, but we’re determined to make progress—one decision at a time.
Here are a few that we’ve made rather recently:
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The redesign of dairy trade magazine Dairy Today now features a "portrait" style photo of a cow on the cover of every issue to show their individual personalities. But how do you art direct cows who "don't have much personality"? Waving around and making noises kinda helps. [via notcot.org]
Life Savers packaging gets a bit of a makeover. A rebranded logo and bold packaging aims for a simpler and cleaner approach, with an oversized image of a single piece of the iconic candy on the new bags. (Don't worry: The rings are still the same size you know and love.) Designers also created a representation of the O-shaped sweets through the clever use of negative space between the "e" of Life and the "S" of Savers.
Posted by Robyn Lee, November 30, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Turn your mashed potatoes into a starchy beard and broccoli florets into a green cruciferous mane of hair with Jamie Wieck's "(Don't) Play With Your Food" embossed plates. As you eat more, a smile is revealed. If these were actually sold in stores, I'd be compelled to replace all my plates with them right now. [via pixelsumo]
Empty film canisters cleverly reborn as salt and pepper shakers are available from the MoMA store for $35. Or you could just drill holes into empty film canisters yourself. [via notcot]
Update: robfadams commented that film canisters contain poisonous chemicals from the film that you can't clean out. In other words, don't fill them with salt and pepper.
Find out what designers are cooking up by reading In the Kitchen With, a weekly post on Design*Sponge where designers share their favorite recipes accompanied by stylized photographs and illustrations.
Posted by Amanda Clarke, October 25, 2007 at 10:45 AM
As soon as we saw Bodum’s elegant insulated drinking glasses a few years back, my husband was convinced that he’d found the perfect rocks glass for his evening whisky indulgences. When he finally got around to trying out a few of the Pavina tumblers last Christmas, he wasn’t disappointed. The delicate, clear glasses (right) showed off the honeyed tones of his whisky beautifully, and their double-walled construction insulated the contents from the warmth of his hands, prolonging the life of his ice cubes and his enjoyment.
Because my mind always runs to dessert, I soon repurposed the tumblers for serving sundaes and trifles, for which they worked rather well. We have also used the glasses as stand-ins for coffee mugs, which they outperform—insulating our hands from hot contents and keeping those contents hotter longer.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, July 13, 2007 at 3:00 PM
I love the design of Happy Pills, a hallway-sized candy shop in Barcelona that packages standard gummies in plastic medication bottles labeled with pink crosses and cranky phrases such as, "Against Mondays." It's playful packaging and branding for the post-pubescent crowd who want to indulge in simple sweets. No prescription is required for Happy Pills, so you may as well stock up. [via notcot.org]
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 9, 2007 at 11:45 AM
Image from Under Consideration
If you're a Coke head, you've probably seen a change in the soft-drink giant's packaging in the last few weeks. As old stock rotates off the shelves and new product takes its place, a cleaner look arrives with it. I'd wax poetic about how much I appreciate this simple, dignified aesthetic, but the design blog Under Consideration sums up my thoughts exactly:
They've essentially done absolutely nothing. All the extra bits and doodads and extraneous graphics are gone. Classic coke imagery: the red, the ribbon, and the coke script. "Classic" is even in a simple lowercase sans serif. This is a confident design. Coca-cola is acknowledging that we all know the product, so just drink it. They've given similar treatment to the majority of the Coke line, including Diet and Zero. Simple, back to basics, pure equity. Compared with Pepsi's blow-it-all-out how-many-designs-can-we-produce-in-a-summer strategy, this takes guts. You just don't see that all too often from one of the largest brands in the world and I certainly appreciate it.
And here's a quick visual history of Coca-Cola can design.
