Finding Beautifully Designed, Practical Objects
May 8, 2017 10:36 AM Subscribe
I'm really digging New York Magazine's week of coverage on practical, affordable, well-designed objects from Japan (most available for purchase on Amazon). Help me find more?
I absolutely love going to Muji when I'm in New York and hey, I get pretty excited when the new Ikea catalog shows up in the mail too.
As a person who lives in a very tiny urban apartment, I just can't own that much stuff. When I buy something, it's gotta be good: practical, easy to store, high quality, aesthetically pleasing. I just really enjoy well-designed mundane objects that can improve day-to-day mundane tasks, from a really excellent mandoline slicer to a top-rate set of nail-clippers.
Are there any blogs or websites that regularly highlight these kinds of really well-designed, functional objects? If I love Muji what other online stores should I check out?
I absolutely love going to Muji when I'm in New York and hey, I get pretty excited when the new Ikea catalog shows up in the mail too.
As a person who lives in a very tiny urban apartment, I just can't own that much stuff. When I buy something, it's gotta be good: practical, easy to store, high quality, aesthetically pleasing. I just really enjoy well-designed mundane objects that can improve day-to-day mundane tasks, from a really excellent mandoline slicer to a top-rate set of nail-clippers.
Are there any blogs or websites that regularly highlight these kinds of really well-designed, functional objects? If I love Muji what other online stores should I check out?
Joseph Joseph is known for this and the price points are very reasonable.
posted by rada at 11:09 AM on May 8, 2017
posted by rada at 11:09 AM on May 8, 2017
You might like some of the things at Lee Valley - they sell tools, but also gifts and such.
Lee Valley
posted by Dressed to Kill at 11:35 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Lee Valley
posted by Dressed to Kill at 11:35 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
I love Oxo for kitchen stuff. And Poppin has a lot of cute office supplies that all mix and match.
posted by helloimjennsco at 11:37 AM on May 8, 2017
posted by helloimjennsco at 11:37 AM on May 8, 2017
Best answer: Mmmmm, Manufactum.
Also, I would say the Joseph Joseph stuff borderlines on novelty items (I only say this because I worked for a client of theirs, and have broad experience with their goods). In terms of quality, their stuff lies on a broad spectrum of 'pretty alright' to 'straight junk.' Their focus sits more on the "attractive/aesthetic" side than on the practical, well designed stuff. Their kitchen items are usually super cute, but very difficult to use (their products often show up on America's Test Kitchen, and...well, lets just say the reviews are not kind).
posted by furnace.heart at 11:44 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also, I would say the Joseph Joseph stuff borderlines on novelty items (I only say this because I worked for a client of theirs, and have broad experience with their goods). In terms of quality, their stuff lies on a broad spectrum of 'pretty alright' to 'straight junk.' Their focus sits more on the "attractive/aesthetic" side than on the practical, well designed stuff. Their kitchen items are usually super cute, but very difficult to use (their products often show up on America's Test Kitchen, and...well, lets just say the reviews are not kind).
posted by furnace.heart at 11:44 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Alas, Kiosk the store is closed, but their archive lists all the items they sold.
posted by gyusan at 11:47 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by gyusan at 11:47 AM on May 8, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Present and Correct, is an english stationer: so gorgeous
posted by PinkMoose at 1:02 PM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by PinkMoose at 1:02 PM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
You may enjoy Amazon's Interesting Finds Page.
You may also lose hours browsing it.
posted by Cranialtorque at 2:43 PM on May 8, 2017
You may also lose hours browsing it.
posted by Cranialtorque at 2:43 PM on May 8, 2017
You'd like Jasper Morrison's store - it's curated according to what I think you're looking for, and he's written and been involved in a few books on the design of household items.
posted by sagc at 3:50 PM on May 8, 2017
posted by sagc at 3:50 PM on May 8, 2017
Best answer: The Museum of Useful Things shop might be right up your alley.
posted by vers at 5:56 PM on May 8, 2017
posted by vers at 5:56 PM on May 8, 2017
Best answer: MochiThings has plenty of fun stuff!
posted by greta_01 at 5:59 PM on May 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by greta_01 at 5:59 PM on May 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
I looked through the list and all of this is available at Daiso. Do you have one nearby?
posted by k8t at 8:46 PM on May 8, 2017
posted by k8t at 8:46 PM on May 8, 2017
Scandinavian design: DesignTorget. http://www.designtorget.se
Kind of a mixed range of price points, and their site is not US-friendly, but I really enjoyed shopping there in Sweden a couple years ago.
Seconding Canoe in Portland - a very nicely curated collection of things you'll want.
posted by ortoLANparty at 11:23 PM on May 8, 2017
Kind of a mixed range of price points, and their site is not US-friendly, but I really enjoyed shopping there in Sweden a couple years ago.
Seconding Canoe in Portland - a very nicely curated collection of things you'll want.
posted by ortoLANparty at 11:23 PM on May 8, 2017
Best Made Company
A+R Store
Snow Peak (the US store doesn't have the full range that the JP store does)
posted by evoque at 6:09 AM on May 9, 2017
A+R Store
Snow Peak (the US store doesn't have the full range that the JP store does)
posted by evoque at 6:09 AM on May 9, 2017
Best answer: Whoops. I guess it doesn't exist anymore...
This one?
posted by DynamiteToast at 8:07 AM on May 9, 2017
This one?
posted by DynamiteToast at 8:07 AM on May 9, 2017
Umami Mart has a lot of lovely home goods and kitchen stuff from Japan, including beautiful cocktail barware. Not cheap, but highly covetable.
posted by letourneau at 9:54 AM on May 9, 2017
posted by letourneau at 9:54 AM on May 9, 2017
Do you enjoy pickles, or kimchi, or sauerkraut? Or fermented/pickled stuff in general? Make it yourself at home, with one of these foolproof super-awesome fermenting containers.
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:51 PM on May 9, 2017
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:51 PM on May 9, 2017
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posted by tofu_crouton at 10:54 AM on May 8, 2017 [1 favorite]