October 26, 2011

we can see clearly now

Filed under: blog,living room,space saving — DwellWell @ 7:01 am

As space-starved New Yorkers, we love Lucite. When it comes to making a big splash in a small space Lucite is one of our go-to candidates for furniture. Since it is a clear product, it brings a light and airy quality to pieces that may otherwise be dense and heavy. By allowing the eye to “see through” the furniture, you can open up a small space with a functional and aesthetically pleasing piece.

Photo courtesy of Plexi-Craft



One of our favorites is this Magazine Table ($344) from Plexi-Craft. Talk about dual functionality. Displaying beautiful lines that are easy on the eye, this piece is both end table and magazine rack. Made from a single piece of ½” thick acrylic, the curves and angles provide storage and style. (Dimensions: 24″L x 16″D x 16½”H)

Photo courtesy of Plexi-Craft



Also from Plexi-Craft is this beautiful Grecian inspired Greek Key Scroll Table ($3,080). Greek keys are interlocking geometric designs arranged in repeating patterns.  We love it for what it symbolizes – bonds of love, friendship and devotion. And who doesn’t want a little of that in their home?  Made with 1 ¼” clear acrylic, you are getting a solid cocktail table that will inspire conversation (not to mention devotion) at your next party. (Dimensions: 48″L x 20″D x 16″H)

Photo courtesy of CB2.com



These clear tables piqued our interest not only because of the Lucite construct but because they incorporate one of our space saving principles – nesting. Easily disappearing into the background when not in use, this functional three piece set offers a host of possibilities for use. Employ them during a party for snack stations or place them next to bed as a convenient side stand. Extremely versatile, you are only limited by your imagination. (Dimensions: Set of three clear nesting tables: 13.75″Wx11.5″Dx15.75″H small, 15.5″Wx11.5″Dx17.5″H medium and 17.5″Wx11.5″Dx18″H large)

October 19, 2011

less stuff, more happiness

Filed under: blog,small spaces,space saving — DwellWell @ 10:46 am

Graham Hill really lit up our day with this TED talk! He asks the all important questions: Can having less – less stuff, less space – lead to more happiness? In our organizing world, we speak to people all the time who are trying to make the most out of their homes while maintaining a connection to the things that they’ve bought. In this talk, Graham asks us to stand back and really assess what we have, what we need, what can we do without. He challenges us to examine our lives and to edit out what isn’t necessary; and in doing so, the potential to gain a little more time, a little more freedom becomes available. And that in living with less, your footprint is smaller and sustainability is greater.

Watch the full video. It’s only 6 minutes long and his ideas are simple yet amazing, and you can see how he converted his 420 sq ft Manhattan apartment into an incredible home worthy of a DwellWell standing ovation.

But before we go, let us leave you with three rules Graham presents for editing your life.

1. Edit ruthlessly – cut out the extraneous and learn to stem the inflow.
2. Think small – small is sexy. Focus on things that stack, nest or can be digitized.
3. Multifunctional spaces and housewares – a sink combined with a toilet, a dining     table becomes a bed or a little side table that expands to seat 10.

October 15, 2011

making the most of your closet

Filed under: blog,closets,space saving — DwellWell @ 12:13 pm

We all know what a precious commodity space is in our NYC apartments and that we often have to “build up” to make the most of what we’ve got. This concept applies equally well in our closet space (if you’re lucky enough to have a closet!). Take advantage of these space saving approaches to hanging clothes in the closet from Ikea.

photo courtesy of ikea.com




Depending on you closet situation, the easiest way to get 5 pairs of pants in the space of one hanger is the Brallis clothes hanger. And priced at $3.99 it’s easy on your wallet as well.

photo courtesy of ikea.com




And how do you deal with all of your clothing accessories like scarves, ties, belts, etc? Ikea offers the Komplement multi-use hanger for only $7.99. With one simple “hanger” you can stack up to 28 different articles.

photo courtesy of ikea.com




And if you’ve got an inclination to build out your closet to create more space, then Komplement comes to the rescue again with their slide out pants hanger. It’s a little pricier than our other options ($40) but when placed under a shelf, this sliding hanger holds up to 14 pairs of pants. There’s a little tray built in where you can store cuff links, rings, or other such accessories. We like the example in the photo where shirts are stacked on top of the pants in the closet and the addition of a shelf is always a handy space saver.

October 11, 2011

¡viva la revolución!

Filed under: blog,living room,space saving — DwellWell @ 6:49 am

With Occupy Wall Street marching peacefully in the streets of our fair city, we turned to one of our favorite websites for inspiration – Seletti: (R)evolution is the only solution. Revolution…meet Revolution.

photo courtesy of Seletti


And truly, the Italian company Seletti offers some revolutionary ways to stack and store – and to do it with style. One of our favorites is the Assemblage designed by Selab. Not only do the storage units nestle nicely into each other when not in use, once you decide what you’re going to store in them, there’s no limit to how to stack and design them. The 10 modules are made of wood with a whimsical silkscreen print and come with 12 metal clips to help you defy gravity while building. The end result is the look and feel of a piece of art.

photo courtesy of Seletti


We also thought the Assemblage Tricot held a different appeal though the basic design and ability to build however you want is the same as the Assemblage. What is different is the material from which it is constructed. Starched tricot creates the patterned back pieces while the four sides of the module are made of white laquered MDF (medium-density fiber board). A laquered MDF construct is a bit superior over wood in that there is no grain, reducing splitting or splintering. It also resists warping when exposed to moisture. And since it can be made entirely from recycled wood, it’s a popular choice for the environmentally conscious.

photo courtesy of Seletti


Next up is the Stack. Wowza! Now here’s a fun way to spend the afternoon. The Stack system is completely customizable to fit your needs. And the Seletti website has a built in program called the “Stack Configurator” that allows you to play and create what you want your Stack to look like before you purchase. This is exactly the type of game we love to play here at DwellWell. You can build in color or in white. Oh yes, we love options. The system has five sizes as a support base to choose from and eight smaller pieces each with a different function: safe with combination lock, file cabinet, drawers, day closet, small wardrobe, and three different storage pieces; all for coordinated or singular use. We really enjoy the industrial feel of these metal pieces. Here’s a link to their entire catalogue. We have to say just thumbing through the pages is like a walk through an art museum but with some really great space saving ideas. ¡Viva la Revolución!

October 6, 2011

modern cat designs

Filed under: blog,pets,space saving — DwellWell @ 2:42 pm

photo courtesy of moderncatdesigns.com




While you might think you’re looking at a stereo speaker, the cat poking his head out is a bit confusing. Unless…you realize that this is actually a Contemporary Litter Box Hider. The folks at Modern Cat Designs have the perfect solution for keeping pet owners organized and kitties clean. And though we saw a few variations of this design, what we liked was the simple lines, chrome legs and the cute little “C” with cat ears on the front. All in all a stylish retro feel adds to the décor instead of subtracting from it.

photo courtesy of moderncatdesigns.com




And it’s not simply the outside design that makes this litter box cover so impressive. Open the inside, where you place your litter pan on the bottom, and you’ll discover 2 hooks on the walls. Hang your scooper out of sight on one of the hooks until you need it. When you need to clean the litter, remove the scooper, suspend your plastic bag from the two hooks and voila! You’ll discover an easy, no mess way to clean the litter. No longer will little bits of litter stray on the floor as you clean because it’s all contained over the litter pan.

For those of us with space issue, this will fit easily in any room and by turning the 8” entryway towards a wall (leaving room for kitty to enter and exit) it becomes a lovely stand where plants, books or other knick knacks can be displayed. And no one the wiser that it’s actually where kitty does his private business.

The Contemporary Kitty Litter Hider comes in two colors, brown and white, and retails for a little over $200. Pricey, we know, but worth the cost since it is made out of a high pressure laminate which is helpful when kitty has a little problem with aiming (cleans easily and urine won’t soak in). Made to assemble in under 20 minutes; can we hear a meow? MEOW!

Dimensions:
Front opening: 8″ wide, great for larger cats.
Outside Dimensions: 21.5″ L 18.5″ W 20.75″ H
Inside Dimensions: 20″ L 17″W 17.5″ H

photo courtesy of moderncatdesigns.com



October 5, 2011

Space saving chairs

Filed under: blog,entertaining,living room,space saving — DwellWell @ 10:52 am

We love entertaining but our NYC apartments are a bit shy on storage space, much less storage for extra chairs.  We’ve been on the hunt for space-saving versatile seating and this is what we’ve found.

Photo courtesy of fluxchairs.com



International Contemporary Furniture Fair last May.  It’s called the Flux Chair. The creators of Flux were thinking ‘ever-changing’, ‘flexible’ and ‘luxury’ when naming their products and that’s what these design-driven chairs promise.  When folded, 25 of these chairs stack up to about a foot.  That’s a lotta chair in a little space!

Photo courtesy of dripta.com



Magic Chair (above) is designer Dripta Roy’s nesting, rocking, eye-candy.  We’re major suckers for convertible furniture and Roy’s merges functional practicality with beauty and elegance.  We’re fans.

Photo courtesy of studiodror.com



Pick Chair, (above) by Dror Benshetrit. The Pick Chair is part art, part chair. In this case, form does follow function as Dror designs products to solve problems of our modern lifestyle – how apropos for space-crunched New Yorkers! With one-hand, wall art transforms to become a sturdy chair or side table. Looks good on the wall and on the floor.

December 29, 2010

nyc recycles electronics!

Filed under: home office,space saving,technology — DwellWell @ 4:52 pm

Photo courtesy of Tekserve

If Santa or the Hanukkah fairy brought you new toys in the form of electronics, then don’t let your older models clutter up precious closet space, or worse, wind up in a landfill.  Tekserve has partnered with the Lower East Side Ecology Center to host ten recycling events throughout all four NYC boroughs on weekends in January.  The event collected 28 tons of equipment last year.  And although electronics account for only 1% of what’s in our landfills, they cause 70% of toxins in the environment.  Check out the website for more information including dates and locations as well as information on how to clear data from both Mac and PC hard drives.  All participants are entered to win a MacBook Air.

January 7, 2010

Recycling Chic

Filed under: kitchen,space saving — DwellWell @ 8:16 am

Finally, a modern take on the recycling bin.                                                       photo courtesy of bouf.com

This 3-compartment bin was designed for Ovetto by Italian architect and product designer, Gianluca Soldi. Not only is it chic and modern and resembling something you might board to visit Venus, but it boasts a bottle and can compactor on the top that let’s you fit more in less space. It also rotates so you can put it in a corner and still have access to all three bins.

                                                        photo courtesy of inhabitat.com

And it is also eco-friendly itself, made with a high content of recycled materials.