In an age plagued by overshare, few artists are producing works that invite viewers to find introspection rather than a photo opportunity. For Design Miami 2023, Rademakers Gallery presented Rive Roshan’s exhibit The Space in Between, whose solution – while fleeting – now echoes through upcoming shows and current commissions. The Amsterdam-based design duo behind the practice, Ruben de la Rive Box and Golnar Roshan, argue through pieces from their former installation that experiential art at any scale, and in a variety of contexts, is transformational.

The Space in Between Table

Color Shift Panels Nude, Sunstone, and Citrine

And the art of thinking couldn’t come at a better time. “We see that there is a lot of misinformation and that people are very quick to base their judgment on whichever input passes by. We want to stimulate people to trust their intuition and their internal motivations,” Rive Roshan says. “The Space in Between was designed to do this, to bring people from various viewpoints and ideas together and let them pause for a moment and reflect. We hope that this helps us all to reconnect.”

Vessel 3

Space in Between Table and Vessel 3

The objects, meticulously designed, consider the interplay of light, movement, reflection, and perception – all with the goal of stimulating the senses and engaging passersby. The dimensional tables include the show’s proprietary Space in Between Table – aptly named for the tension created in the pair’s contrast and relative placement – and the Rise table, employ a reflective, vibrant, textured glass that diffuses colored light with the effect of rippling water. Similarly are the Polarity Panels, a series of split-textured glass compositions nuanced in their duality. A line divides two richly tactile and colored components, while simultaneously being united as one holistic circle. The Color Shift Panels share a similar reflective, fluted glass but span across oblong shapes with a shifting color field in a radial gradient. The Shift Wall Light, however, takes all of those devices and repackages them into a tall, rectangular, wall-mounted luminaire, whose atmospheric effects are activated by electricity.

Side Table 1, V3 Vessel 3, and Polarity Panel 3

Polarity Panel 3

Side Table

Side Table

Grounding some of the more atmospheric elements is the Voices collection – a series of 3D-printed sand vessels that marry natural materials with technological innovation. The undulating, ribbed edges evoke imagery of the Japanese kirigami paper sculpture method, or an Iris van Herpen garment mid-pirouette. The very physical folds are an homage, an echo of voices from Iranian women calling for freedom. In addition are the Pebble Stool and Sand in Motion Pleat Side Table, two bronze artifacts that distill characteristics from Voices and present them in contrasting yet corresponding forms. Each permutation of pieces from The Space in Between creates a dialogue between the furnishings themselves and those whose eyes they catch.

Voices Vessels

Vessel 1

Vessel 2

Vessel 3

Vessel 4

As they wrap up one fair and prepare for the next, a smattering of their furnishings are being integrated into bespoke interior installations including a full wall-filling color shift installation at Penn1, a large development project in Manhattan, and a custom commission for an American corporate headquarters abroad. “Incorporating these moments into daily life – such as interior spaces, public spaces or institutions – we have the opportunity to connect with others and if that moment of connection sparks joy or evokes empathy then that is what we hope to have achieved.” Rive Roshan continues. “Through our work we aim to design objects and spaces that influence the mind – we have seen and learned that this is necessary, you do not just design the functionality of an object or a place but you design the influence it has on one’s current state in a moment of experience.”

The Space in Between Table

Polarity Panel 2 and Soft Bronze Stool

Polarity Panel 2

Polarity Panel 1

Soft Bronze Stool

Shift Wall Light

Golnar Roshan and Ruben de la Rive Box, the designers behind the artistic practice Rive Roshan

Golnar Roshan and Ruben de la Rive Box, the designers behind the artistic practice Rive Roshan

For more information about The Space in Between, head to Rive Roshan’s site here.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. A regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.

Concepts are rarely intended to be developed much beyond the exploratory phase, yet the projects still require precious time and valuable resources – both a blessing and bane. On the surface, the INFINITI Vision Qe concept is notable for its elegant and futuristic silhouette, one revealing the brand’s vision for their own EV fleet. Behind the scenes, and from a design perspective, the Vision Qe concept represents a quiet revolution – an example of the automotive industry’s migration away from physical clay modeling toward fully digital explorations intended to streamline both the development of concepts and production vehicles in the era of EVs.

Just like any other concept before it, the INFINITI Vision Qe concept began as a series of rough sketches, aggressively drawn with swept lines of aerodynamic purpose. “Everything is anchored around a single pure gesture,” said INFINITI Exterior Designer Kazuki Aoyama. A single line flows from the INFINITI emblem at the front, along the bodyside, and accelerates towards the rear, and everything follows that line,”

From those initial sketches, the INFINITI design team would explore new methodologies to transform drawings into a dimensional model. The quiet revolution was spearheaded by Kenji Yamauchi, a digital and clay modeler within the global INFINITI design team. With Yamauchi’s experience working in traditional clay and digital tools, the nine designers were able to establish a new “phy-gital” process allowing the INFINITI team to transform a digital render into physical 50cm concept model. This allowed the exterior design team to examine the concept’s character and proportions without the time and labor intensive requirements of modeling the vehicle from clay.

The early 3D-printed silhouette of the Vision Qe concept portrays a sinuous and streamlined form intended to capture the aerodynamic pose of an eagle diving for prey with its wings tucked back to reduce drag and maximize speed – more sculptural than typical automotive models.

Team members studied Japanese eagles in flight, resulting in a speed form model referencing avian silhouettes and the work of sculptor Constantin Brancusi, particularly his gesture of flight, Bird in Space (L’Oiseau dans l’espace).

“As designers, we aren’t seeking to create something that’s just beautiful, rather, we want to create something that evokes a deeper response,” said INFINITI Exterior Designer Masanobu Ino. “If people feel a sense of shock or intrigue when looking at the Vision Qe concept, that’s more in line with our intention and brings to life the philosophy of Kabuku. Pairing beauty with a deeper emotional response was our goal.” The resulting full-scale concept reveals a sleek fastback sedan that looks nearly ready for production (sans its immensely intricate and beautiful wheels).

Photos fail to capture the unique color chemistry explored in developing the concept’s Shadow blue paint, a hue that changes depending upon viewing distance thanks to its mixture of carbon nanotubes, glass, and gold flakes to bring a sense of depth and mystique. INFINITI says the paint is intended to evoke a sense of depth as one experiences while gazing out into “a distant galaxy.”

INFINITI designers also replaced the brand’s signature double arch radiator grille with a graphic front facia sculpted with lines further accentuated by LED lights.

The Vision Qe concept’s Shadow blue paint is further enhanced by the contrast against its dynamic and graphic golden spoked wheels, a design featuring a subtle gradation applied from the outer to innermost area of the spokes.

When parked in standby mode, the Vision Qe glows with a welcoming warm, golden light. Once the driver presses the car’s start button, switching the vehicle to the drive mode the frontal illumination switches to white, while the rear digital piano keys transform to a vibrant shade of red.

The Vision Qe concept is currently on display at INFINITI’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, and scheduled to make its public debut further along in 2024 at a yet to be announced motor show. We can only hope to see some of the sleek fastback sedan’s profile glide its way into the form of a production vehicle soon thereafter.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Petite and portable, the Pivot lamp by &Tradition explores the never-ending conversation that discusses the boundaries between form and function, shadow and sculpture. An interplay between natural and manmade light is what makes Pivot stand out from the masses. As a true hybrid product that checks both the “object” and “lamp” boxes, it appears distinctly different as day turns to night.

The geometric shade sits at a 45-degree angle to the base, creating a soft, inviting diffusion of light that “emulates the glow of a modern-day candle.” When natural light hits the lamp, its cubic shape and blocked colors act as an objet d’art. Once the sun begins its descent, Pivot comes to life as a luminaire, with light falling downward from the off-center shade and altering the tone of the base.

“Pivot is a true hybrid product that transcends the boundary between object and portable light, operating equally in the realms of art and functionality,” Els Van Hoorebeeck, Creative and Brand Director at &Tradition, says. “Each colorway brings a completely different nuance to Pivot’s aesthetic, while the warm glow it exudes will create a comforting atmosphere when placed anywhere from bedroom side tables to living room display cabinets.”

Compact and portable, Pivot can be moved from location to location – even outdoors, but only under a covered space. Users may experiment with light and shadow in various settings from residential to commercial spaces. The spirited lamp is available in two color combinations: Blue Silver and Rusty Mint. The cool-toned Blue Silver will look at home just about anywhere, while the warmer Rusty Mint is ideal for those in search of something moodier.

Crafted from powder-coated iron and mirror polished steel, the shade and base are bent and welded into the lamp’s cube shape. The components are then painted or chrome plated (for the mirror shade) to create Pivot’s hybrid appearance. The object is designed to fit &Tradition’s charging tray that can accommodate up to 12 portables at once.

To learn more about the Pivot Lamp, visit andtradition.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Long Weekend’s name says it all – those carefree days spent on road trips enjoying life’s small pleasures, all captured on camera to remember fondly long after a return home. Founded by photographers Willem Verbeeck and Allison Simon in 2021, the brand’s evocations of wanderlust-turned-photographic-memory made them the perfect collaborators for the gear brand Moment.

The collection of weatherproof travel gear is constructed from recycled nylon and ripstop material, and fashioned with an aesthetic clearly aimed at a generation of photographers with an eye for details beyond storage and functionality.

That’s not to say Long Weekend gear doesn’t feature both across the brand’s array of slings, backpacks, pouches, totes, and shoulder bags. But what makes them most memorable is the degree of fun fashionability expressed through a late 80s and early 90s-tinged combination of grid patterns, bright contrast zippers, and contrast logo badging that would look natural set beside a Trapper Keeper.

In stark contrast to traditionally inconspicuous photography carry gear, Long Weekend’s pieces, like their Monterey Sling, is meant to be noticed.

With many drawn to the allure of the analog era (or at least the physical), Long Weekend’s most recent announcement is the impending arrival of a 35mm Film Camera. Made of lightweight ABS plastic camera, the offering brings flashbacks of Lomography and seems attuned to the popularity of pre-smartphone, pocket-sized cameras coveted for their nostalgic images.

The camera is joined by the Long Weekend Morro Convertible Backpack (with a carrying capacity large enough for a 16” laptop), a matching Morro Camera Cube, and a trio of small, medium, and large sized Everyday Zip Pouches.

The entire Long Weekend Camera Line, starting at $15, is available for order via Moment’s Long Weekend page.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Jiminie Ha, founder of the award-winning creative agency, With Projects, Inc. didn’t experience a direct trajectory career-wise, which is what makes her story all the more compelling. “Despite growing up in an environment like Paris, I think my mom’s Italian Vogues laying around the house made the biggest impression on me,” she said. “I grew up looking at these incredible images created by photographers like Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and Helmut Newton, but then really got into Guy Bourdin, Wolfgang Tillmans, Juergen Teller…anything that would starkly contrast my immediate decorative surroundings.”

“Music was hugely influential on me as well,” she added. “I was playing piano and violin for decades at that point and yet… only listened to punk music – Fugazi was my soundtrack! My 200 page senior thesis in college was all on race and subcultures in the punk scene of the 70s!”

Launching in 2012, with a collective background in fine arts, curation, creative direction, design, publishing, and fashion, With Projects, Inc. has developed relationships with a dynamic range of clients and collaborators as a result of its multidisciplinary practice. Their client list includes everything from large global rebrands to developing new brand strategies and systems for up and coming brands in the arts, culture, beauty, lifestyle, and fashion sectors.

Jiminie is also currently the Senior Director of Graphic Design at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, overseeing the global re-branding of the Guggenheim Constellation and its new location in Abu Dhabi, as well as co-founder of a new art space built by Philip Johnson in 1949, Wolfhouse, located in a historic Philip Johnson house in Newburgh, New York. She’s a design talent, and busily spreading her expertise far and wide – to say the least.

As if three positions weren’t enough, Jiminie is the publisher of a limited-edition arts book series, White Zinfandel, which the New York Times described as “imagine if Marcel Duchamps guest edited Bon Appetit.” The book series can be found in permanent collections throughout the country.

“My career trajectory wasn’t an obvious one. Growing up in France, my parents were constantly taking us to museums and art institutions whenever they had the chance. My mother studied fashion and art, and was deeply passionate about her own creativity, but as a first generation immigrant, of course, that wasn’t the recommended path for my brother and I (ironically my brother too, went into architecture,)” Ha shared. “I was on a pre-law trajectory, double majored in International Relations and Ethnic Studies. During some time off, I ended up taking photography courses back home in Paris, fell in love with the medium, and kept taking classes back in college while finishing my degree.”

“After a couple years working in publishing, odd freelance jobs, internships, I landed an internship at 2×4 to work under Susan Sellers’ mentorship – it was definitely luck at that point since I had no formal training in graphic design, and had mostly been self-taught over the years working in NYC,” Ha continued. “That internship turned into a full-time job, and led to study at Yale School of Art’s three year graphic design MFA program. I learned a tremendous amount at 2×4 in those formative years, and coupled with art school, I began to really thrive in a setting I had always wanted to explore since I was a kid… There was a moment that I tried to fit the mold, but Susan gave some sage advice not forget my past experiences, but rather integrate them into my process to enrich and personalize the work I was producing. It was a turning point for me in how I began to develop my own voice, and in turn, started to gain recognition for my body of work.”

Jiminie has come a long way in her career and shows no signs of slowing down. Today, we’re happy to have her join us for Friday Five!

Going Dark exhibition visual identity at Guggenheim Museum, curated by Ashley James. Neon Green artwork in background © Sandra Mujinga Spectral Keepers, 2020. Photo: Jiminie Ha

As Senior Director of Graphic Design, it feels like I’ve come full circle and am returning to my roots by combining my love for art and design as I oversee exhibition identities, advertising, and the rebranding of the global brand.

Photo: Jiminie Ha

2. Neko

“Neko” means cat in Japanese. I hope one day I can develop a children’s book series called “Neko the Dog Named Cat” and celebrate being different.

Photo courtesy BBC

An incredible documentary by Adam Curtis that explores the hidden forces behind this era of sociopolitical chaos. I watch this once a year at this point to remind myself of how we got here.

Photo: Jiminie Ha

I am a water sign, and feel most at peace when I am nearby a body of water. It is where I can recharge. Recently, I went to this incredible boutique hotel with amazing sustainable architecture and food, and we made it just in time to whale watch.

Photo: Jiminie Ha

Best shelving system – changed my life for the better.

Work and Commentary by Jiminie Ha:

The Sterns are Listening by Jonathan Wells. Published by Ze Books, 2023. Designed in 2022. Working on a novel set in a time when CBGB’s was still around felt very close to my own passion for music and punk. I had interviewed Hilly Kristal, Ivan Julian/Voidoids, John Holmstrom/Punk Magazine in college for my thesis on race and subcultures in punk, so the manuscript inspired old punk flyers and collages. Collecting the ears of famous musicians for the cover art was a super fun process since the premise of the book revolves around a family saga and hearing loss.

Crozier 2018 Redesign and rebrand of Crozier, a global arts logistics company, recently acquired by Iron Mountain, one of the largest data storage companies in the US. The initial phase of the brand rollout of the entire rebrand covers Crozier’s overall identity, print collateral, wayfinding, digital, marketing, and strategy. The second brand rollout will strategize blockchain technology incorporation to the site and brand seamlessly.

Dazed Korea, 2017 Concept and art direction for Venus in Drapes, story shot by Catherine Servel. Due to South Korean censorship, nudity was not permitted in the publication. With Projects conceived of “censoring” the anatomy by sourcing public artworks that could cover the areas that were in question.

Harvard Design Magazine 2013-2021 Launched at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2014, with Jennifer Sigler at the helm as Editor-in-Chief and Leah Whitman-Salkin as Deputy Editor. The rebrand included HDM identity, digital presence, and on-going creative direction for 8 years.

Nonfiction 2018 Uncover Your Story We created a new beauty brand from scratch. In the sea of beauty products being launched everyday in South Korea, Nonfiction is one of the most recent success stories, reaching the pinnacle of KBeauty. The difference: A focus on the brand’s core narrative, developing a seamless connection between naming, brand strategy, product development, and creative execution.

Creative direction for Nonfiction, fall of 2019 in Seoul, South Korea With Projects, Inc. was appointed creative partner to develop the product line in its entirety, from concept to execution (naming, branding, creative direction, storytelling, packaging, and digital executions). With Projects, Inc. was integral in every aspect of the brand’s creation, production, and launch.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Danish brand Vipp, renowned for its 85-year tradition of metalwork and most notably their iconic trash bins, introduces their latest kitchen design that’s a perfect testament to the company’s legacy. Crafted with aluminum, the V3 kitchen is a modular masterpiece that seamlessly merges functionality with minimalist aesthetics, marking a new chapter in Vipp’s storied journey. Wrapped in naturally anodized aluminum, the freestanding modules boast vertically extruded profiles that gracefully curve, infusing a light elegance into the metallic landscape. Vipp CEO Kasper Egelund describes it as “a unique kitchen that feels like a sculptural piece on its own.”

The V3 kitchen pays homage to Vipp’s heritage, tracing back to founder Holger Nielsen’s entrepreneurial spirit. Inspired by the legacy of their notable stainless-steel pedal bin, the V3 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the V1 kitchen made of black powder-coated steel, introduced in 2011. While maintaining the principles of the V1, the V3 takes a departure, introducing an aluminum-first appearance that breathes freshness into Vipp’s longstanding metalwork legacy.

True to Vipp’s philosophy that “a kitchen is a tool, not a decoration,” the V3 is designed for everyday use. Discreetly integrated pulls, long handles with rounded rubber inner edges on fridge and freezer cabinets, and a four-millimeter stainless-steel countertop are thoughtful details that underscore Vipp’s commitment to form, function, and durability. The kitchen is envisioned to be a lifelong companion, celebrating thoughtful design and premium materials. Kasper Egelund sums up Vipp’s approach, stating, “Our kitchens are based on everything we’ve learned about metalwork since Vipp was founded in 1939.”

The V3 kitchen offers versatility with three distinct modules – island, wall, and tall – and the choice of integrated gas hobs or an induction option.

While Vipp’s metalwork history revolves mostly around steel, their latest design introduces a lighter option inspired by the use of aluminum in the brand’s Shelter and Chimney guesthouses.

From afar, the cabinets appear to have a fresh, light gray color exterior. Upon closer inspection, the metallic hue and tactile quality of the fluted panels makes for an elevated and unique kitchen design.

For those eager to learn more or experience the V3 kitchen, further details can be found on Vipp.com.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

In a case of “better late than never,” auto manufacturer Honda has finally joined the EV race, using the stage at CES 2024 to unveil a pair of all-electric concept models featuring the brand’s new electrified Honda 0 Series. It marks a first for the brand, an aerodynamic raked flagship concept model outfitted with automatic posture control seating and some wildly mesmerizing spoked wheels, while the the other is a form-follows-function people mover offering living room comforts on four wheels.

Looking something like the progeny of the Lotus Turbo Esprit, the Lamborghini Huracán from the side, some TRON-like lighting, and maybe just a hint of an 80s-era Dustbuster hand vac, the low and wide aerodynamic Saloon concept makes for Honda’s dramatic entrance into the EV market, a category they had previously tippy-toed around until now. The concept’s steep raked windshield paired with an extremely abbreviated bonnet and the inherent space-saving characteristics of an EV platform results in a car with an enormous interior cabin… and one hard to ignore backside.

The Saloon also debuts advancements of new steer-by-wire and motion control management systems connected to a yoke-style steering wheel.  Of course, no new tech is quite new unless AI is included. The Saloon’s “human-centric” safety concept is outfitted with advanced AI, sensing, recognition, and driver monitoring technologies to achieve more human-like, natural and high-precision risk predictions. Eventually Honda intends to expand some hands-off features for certain lower risk driving conditions across highways and city streets.

That spacious interior is outfitted with sustainable materials and a human-machine interface (HMI) instrument panel designed to make operating the next-gen ride as simple as operating a smartphone. The Saloon also features a posture control system that assists the driver to be seated in the most ergonomic and comfortable position while driving, adjusted automatically dependent upon driving conditions.

To further emphasize Honda’s EV forward looking plans, the company designed a new “H” mark for the Honda 0 Series and future EV models symbolizing two outstretched hands to represent “Honda’s commitment to expand the possibilities of mobility and continue to meet the needs of its customers.”

The second concept unveiled at CES 2024 is the Space-Hub, a more spacious take on the EV. The futuristic minivan is designed around the theme of “augmenting people’s daily lives” – noting such augmentation likely means allowing drivers and passengers to revel in a cabin of conversation-pit proportions, paired with greater visibility to take in the scenery. The Space-Hub’s “Thin, Light, and Wise” approach is here to emphasize the vehicle’s connection between passengers and the world outside its capacious interior. It also features a rear that is far more generous than the Saloon.

“We have gone back to basics and formulated the Honda 0 Series with a design for the new era,” says Shinji Aoyama, Global EVP of Honda. “A bold and pure proportion that from the first glance is overwhelmingly different from other EVs to evoke a new perspective for people.”

A new zero logo and “H” logotype signifying Honda’s electrified intentions ahead of the 2026 model year, when Honda intends to cross from concept to offering a full featured EV production model, was also revealed on-stage at CES 2024.

Integrating sustainable materials and futuristic silhouettes with tech-laden interiors, the two new models are both platforms to showcase Honda’s efforts in engineering a new stable of electric vehicles inspired by “the environment, society, and users in harmony” with some AI thrown in for good measure.

Honda also announced the development of improved battery technology to address the public’s concerns about charging times. For the Honda 0 Series models launching in the late-2020s, fast-charging from 15% to 80% of battery capacity will be shortened to just 10-15 minutes. Compared to the hours required during our recent holiday travels by EV, this development sounds particularly essential for mass adoption of this type of automobile.

.

While Honda did not provide any details about either vehicle’s powertrain, specs, or pricing, as is par for the course of automotive show concepts, the automaker did officially say a production vehicle based on the Saloon concept is expected to come to the North American market in 2026.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Even if you have an ophidiophobia (the fear of snakes,) you’ll find yourself attracted to artist and designer Lorien Stern’s latest assorted rug release. While her larger body of work consists of ceramics, the medium of tufted rugs as a canvas provided her an opportunity for artistic exploration. Stern plays with the idea of a vantage point when designing the collection because areas of tufting can be produced at a variety of lengths. For the Snakes in the Grass rug, the grass elements are higher than the snakes, giving the illusion of hidden critters slithering through the greenery. Conversely, the tufted snakes on Snakes in the Sand sit higher as if there were real creatures moving about your home.

Stern also pays homage to her ceramic art with the Test Tile rug, inspired by cherished pieces of ceramic that she has used to test different glazes over the past several years. One test tile developed a large crack through the middle during its last firing, so Stern turned it into a rug commemorating its unique design.

The smaller, Little Garden Rug fits compact spaces, like a doorway, but echos the same grassy theme. Also included in the new offerings is the Snail in the Grass throw pillow, Stern’s first in the collection. The whimsical caricature is a fitting addition to all the garden motifs found throughout the additional home furnishings.

To shop Lorien Stern’s new rug collection, visit lorienstern.com.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

We can’t say LG Electronics’ announcement of the world’s first wireless transparent 4K OLED TV at CES 2024 arrived as a complete surprise, as we got a peek of an earlier iteration of the see-through display technology several years ago at InfoComm 2019 at the LG Business Solutions booth. But LG has clearly been working on the technology and refining the concept, resulting in a 77-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED T television that seems very close to becoming an option for viewers seeking one that seamlessly blends into home decor.

Powered by the company’s new Alpha 11 AI processor, and dubbed the LG OLED T, the unit’s wow factor is first and foremost its see-through display. Originally conceived as a technology for retail, where the see-through technology has countless applications, the OLED T now is being angled toward consumers seeking a transparent OLED screen that subtracts the presence of a big black rectangle from a room. And it does so with a feature that deserves some attention.

You may be wondering what content looks like displayed across a transparent screen, specifically in regards to contrast. To address this challenge, LG’s engineers incorporated the option to switch over to more vibrant color screen experiences at the click of a button. This particular mode reintroduces a more conventional opaque background for high contrast viewing using a thin film, which rolls up and down with a bit of cinema theater drama.

Decorative objects can be placed directly behind the display, allowing owners to view items through a completely transparent window, add treatments like the “rippled window” effect above, or block them from view entirely using the OLED display. Additionally, an Always-On-Display (AOD) feature allows the set to become a photo or art gallery.

Beyond its see-through design, the LG OLED T is presented set within an open air shelf-like apparatus that can be positioned near a wall, as a divider, or according to LG, propped “against the window without blocking the view outside.” The OLED is actually not limited to this specific shelf-style design as LG will be offering it as a standalone and wall-mount television.

The OLED T includes LG’s Zero Connect Box, which allows the option to wirelessly transmit 4K images and sound to the OLED T from across the room, meaning although the television will still need a nearby outlet, you won’t have to worry about the clutter of other cables snaking from behind or beneath the television.

LG says their new processor provides a 70 percent improvement in graphic performance and a 30 percent faster processing speed compared to its predecessor. But if we were to guess, while the average consumer might be drawn to the novelty of LG’s “now you see it, now you don’t” effect, alongside interior designers who will welcome another option to please client needs with transparency. It is likely that the OLED T is a first adopter technology that will likely improve in brightness, contrast, and detail as thinner displays evolve.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Patina Maldives is a minimalist luxury resort located in the Fari Islands, Maldives, designed by Studio MK27. Comprising 90 modern, one-to-three-bedroom Beach and Water Pool Villas and 20 Fari Studios, the property emphasizes a harmonious blend with its natural environment. The resort’s design focuses on integrating the living spaces into the vibrant ecosystem while maintaining a sense of privacy and connection.

The island’s architecture promotes a fluid interaction between indoor and outdoor programming. Public areas are designed to be open and welcoming, forming the core of the community at the Fari Marina Village and Fari Beach Club. These spaces offer a variety of retail and dining experiences, along with a significant pavilion by James Turrell.

A notable feature of the villas is the “Panoramah!” sliding window systems, which allow for an immersive experience with nature. These can be fully opened on three sides, while custom-made blackout blinds provide privacy when needed. The interior design extends this natural integration, with earthy color palettes and subtle textures, enhancing the connection to the outdoors.

Custom-designed furniture by Studio MK27 adds both functional and aesthetic significance to the villas. These include bed frames with integrated control panels and hidden device charging areas. Other furnishings include pieces from renowned designers like Bassam Fellows, Lin Brasil, Gervasoni, and Vitra.

Photography courtesy of Patina Maldives, Fari Islands.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.