The second product we have had licensed with Fred and Friends is available now here. It is called Spooled and is designed to make your life easier, when it comes to your ear buds, that is. Spooled is designed to protect the ear buds themselves and make winding and unwinding the cord easy.  Insert the jack from through the hole from bottom to top of the spool and pull the ear buds into a protective cover, then wrap everything up and stash the jack back inside the barrel as well.  Taking their cue from old wooden thread spools, they offer a simple solution to often a frustrating problem. Hint, they make great stocking stuffers and holiday gifts.

Spooled by Donald Corey for Fred and Friends

This blog entry got left off when we updated the site, so it needed a home…

I have to admit; sometimes I just enjoy simple witty design. That is what this product was to be, a simple witty product- nothing too deep or complex. After returning from Prague, where I had the pleasure of visiting Qubus design, I had the need to create my own iconic candle. You see, Qubus is famous for the wit and their candles based on plastic water or coke bottles are just a couple examples of this wit. Deciding on a matchstick as my ironic icon, I set to creating the actual product. Making a “positive” out of a plastic ball and a square section of wood with a little bondo (every project needs bondo at some point); I could then pour a two part plaster mold. The mold worked really well and in a matter of minutes I had my icon.

“Got a Light?” designed by Donald Corey for the other edge design studio. ©2010 Donald Corey

Aha! you’re wondering just what I mean when I describe something as an oxymoronic product? Well, I’ve coined the term oxymoronic product to represent products that in some way combine incongruous or contradictory materials, meanings, or ideals. Think of an ice cube in shape of a flame or a candlestick holder made of ice. There is a nuance associated with these products that is not often immediately apparent.

As a user of these products, you have to think for a minute on a higher level. You gain an affinity for the product because you connect with it. A product that was recently licensed and is now available from Fred and Friends is a prime example of that.

There is nothing as stressful as a physical conflict situation. It is the fight of fight or flight. Adrenaline pumping, heart racing, muscles tightening stress. But what if an icon of that act- the brass knuckle, could become the signal to relax? That was the goal of this product. The brass knuckle is made of silicone and works as a stress ball, getting your hand to squeeze and relax. Switch hands or get two so you can ease into the fuzzy zone faster. Just putting them on, there is a sense of relief. So, before you go letting your anger get the best of you, get the Stress Beater or two and maybe a few for your co-workers.

Stress Beater from Fred and Friends by Donald Corey

Today’s bad idea is courtesy of Colin Jones. This was his completely original, yet utterly useless idea for Inflatable Cat Clothes. Why? Inflatable Cat Clothes, supposedly to contain the shedding fur and at the same time, keep the cat from scratching the furniture. Thanks for this Colin.

Have a great weekend.

Being a Gemini, I have very contradicting stances on design. Half of me is all about design democracy, and the other half is enamored with luxury. For those that haven’t been exposed to Phillipe Starck’s early design manifesto, design democracy is the idea that everyone should be able to afford and be surrounded by good design. Luxury on the other hand is the opposite, it is exclusive, hard to find and is priced at a premium.  Design democracy requires everyone is able to participate and product itself to become commonplace. Luxury, by definition, is not always a necessity, but it helps define the person that owns or uses it. Paradoxically, luxury items often become commoditized by knock-offs and demand – just look at Louis Vuitton handbags. As a designer, I want my designs to be special and last, be passed down and admired by all groups. I want them to be loved by those that own them and coveted by those that don’t. In the business world, we are directed to “design for the masses, not the classes”, so in my personal designs, I enjoy designing for the select few, I enjoy designing for luxury. In short, “I don’t want my products to fill your home; I want them to fill your heart.” (Is this cheesy enough for you, Brian?)

The group of icons called Totems really captures the idea of deep luxury. They are hand formed, gold plated, silver leafed, and embellished with high-end crystals, but most of all, they are there to motivate and make the user think. They are intended to question “how you can ‘package’ ideals or qualities.”
The collection of three objects: a cricket, spider and firefly, each represent hard to possess and define characteristics and traits. The cricket is viewed as a symbol of luck in many cultures, with the added meaning of rebirth in a few. Its peaceful song helps comfort and relaxes the mind, creating a positively charged environment. The ‘firefly’ represents creativity. producing light naturally without heat, reminds us to approach creativity as a free and natural process without the need to burn-out. The spider is an ancient symbol of power, mystery and growth. Their webs help remind us to carefully construct our lives and pay attention to our life choices. The packaging is translucent take-away boxes, to allude to the idea that these totems are available at a modern apothecary where you can find interesting remedies to life’s problems.

©2010 Donald Corey

One of the joys I have as a professor is seeing my students win awards for their designs. This summer, one of my students, Joe Palmer (now known as “Joe Loco”), entered a the Inhabitat.com Spring Greening Design Competition with a design he completed in my Product Design II studio. Below, a write up by Michael Rall on the Appalachian State’s Industrial Design website sums it up perfectly. Congratulations Joe Loco!

“Last semester, Industrial Design student, Joe Palmer, placed in the Inhabitat Spring Greening Design Competition. The design was initially conceived to fulfill the latest requirement of developing an eco friendly design in Product Studio II taught by Donald Corey, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design. Almost immediately, Joe, a junior at the time, thought of using chop sticks while enjoying fresh sushi on a warm spring day. After noticing the numerous flip flop wearing students on campus Joe developed the Chop Flops by making use of the readily available supply of recycled chop sticks.

After revising the design and presenting his concept to the class, Joe decided to submit it to the Inhabitat Spring Greening Design Competition. While studying in Prague this past summer as part of North Carolina State’s study abroad program, Joe was notified that he was amongst 20 finalists from over 1500 entries. There would be two categories for the finalist to place in; first, the readers’ choice would be decided completely by an online voting system. The second would be the editors’ choice, which was voted on by a panel of judges.

Joe Palmer placed 2nd amongst the editors’ choice. Since the competition’s conclusion the Chop Flops were shown at Dwell on Design in Los Angles as part of TOUCH’s Booth whom partnered with Inhabitat. Additionally, the Chop Flops were featured on several internet design magazines and eco-conscious websites.”

Let me apologize for being a day late….this idea might actually be somewhat valid now, in light of the recent events in Chile. These are glow-in-the-dark sunglasses. I could not see the need for these until last week when the miners were released after 69 days underground in low light. But besides a few individuals, the market is a bit limited.

©2010 Donald Corey

What is the future of transportation? Is it the car? Or the bus? A flying car, the Segway? Or the Shweeb?

Designers often address the future of transportation future as individual items for moving people. Rarely, do they look at how goods are transported. However, in my opinion, this is where innovation should occur and what should shape the future. I agree, designing cargo ships, trains, or trucks is not as glamorous  as  designing futuristic people movers. But the impact of decisions made by designers and planners surrounding how we economically move produce, products, and raw materials will be what shapes new transportation systems.

The first steam trains were not meant to improve the journeys of people traveling from Oxford to London–they were to meant to move iron ore from Pen-y-Darron to Merthyr Tydfil (Wales), thereby reducing transport costs. The idea that you could move things easier and cheaper by train than by cart was revolutionary!

Here’s a challenge for the designers of today: stop looking at moving people and focus first on freight, and you will lead the next transportation revolution.

What is the most annoying thing about using tea lights as candles? They run out fairly quickly, right? Then you have to get up and dig through the drawer for another. Well, I have designed and produced a better option.  These are T-lites and they come in sets of three. The stainless steel tubes are industrial in feel and look and have the added bonus of tea light storage. Why three per set? First, “three” is the magic number. Second, there is more visual tension created with three pieces than if there were just two which is the usual context for candle sticks. It allows and encourages a cluster formation. Each candle stick has a rubber stopper that when removed reveals extra tea lights, saving some effort and frustration when they burn out. A limited edition series of 8 (eight) sets have been created by yours truly and will sell for $50.00 a set (just in time for the holidays). Comment if you are interested.

©2010 Donald Corey

Brainstorming is a wonderful part of the creative process that helps stretch the search for a good idea. During a brainstorming session, ideas are meant to be free from discrimination or evaluation. In this exercise of “stream of conscious mind farming”,  ideas often spark other ideas. At the end of the session, ideas that have merit and promise are promoted and cultivated. But during that process many a “questionable” and “convoluted” idea emerge only to be discarded unceremoniously.

Every other Friday, I will bring to you some of the lesser gems that have come out of these sessions. Imagine what could have spurred some of these “genius moments”–after all, they could be a good jumping off point for a discussion.

Here is the first: the underwater cigarette lighter.

©2010 Donald Corey