Technology has never been more thoughtfully designed. But your office? Not so much. Start off the new year right by giving your work space an artistic--even futuristic--upgrade.--John Brandon
Designer Defne Koz may have created the Float desk a few years ago, but the concept still looks like something from the future. The design uses a large flat surface with a side area for storing your gear. Drawers to the side help you stash unseemly clutter away from visitors.
Remember that folding table you used for playing Scrabble as a kid? They are about to make a triumphant return. Designer Alexander Gendell created the Cricket folding table in response to a trend in urban locales like New York and Tokyo (where he had the original idea): Space is at a premium, so this table folds up to only .78 inches thick for easier storage. The workspace has an artsy, metallic look.
Someday soon, we’ll all be using speech technology to issue commands to our computers and holding video chats all day to connect with far-flung clients and employees. This concept, developed by Steelcase, is a more private work habitation where you can speak freely and hold a video conference, all without annoying everyone else in the office.
Designer Zhoujie Zhang created this office desk and chair, available at BUNDSHOP.com, after visiting London as a Chinese product design student. It has a futuristic but earthy appeal, without the commercial-industrial look of other office furniture. Both pieces are made of hand-folded steel.
The typical office desk is a sprawling, multifaceted piece of furniture. This more modern design has a sliding keyboard stand you can tuck underneath the desk, but for daily use offers a larger work area than a simple keyboard tray. There’s a hidden shelf on the back to deal with cable clutter.
Let there be light... especially a warm glow from this lamp's hidden bulb. It works well as a document lamp or for adding a little ambient light.
