Four Examples of Stylish Product Design

Are you a stickler for following function or is the sheer beauty of a product enough to deserve a place of prominence in your home? Does the designer’s name need to be recognizable when their piece sparks a conversation at your next cocktail party or can an anonymous creator produce that special item that is the apple of your eye? Either way, the question of “What is good design?” is hardly something that can be answered objectively. Yet there are some product design icons that have risen head and shoulders above their peers. Here are four that we find worthy of your space whether you already own them or decide to add them to your interior design bucket list. Surely, they all bring a little (or a lot) of pizzaz to your home.

1. This first design is most certainly unexpected and therefore even more special. Weston Table’s gorgeous collection of stylish fire extinguishers elevates what was previously a utilitarian necessity and eyesore, making you want to put it front and center. Who wouldn’t be thrilled to receive one of these conscientious and surprisingly stylish pieces as a hostess or housewarming gift? Which one would you choose for yourself? Having the choice of so many styles opens these items up to so many different recipients. Don’t think of them just for the kitchen — how about one for your boat, another with your camping supplies, one with your grilling paraphernalia? Enjoy this something special that’s both safe and snazzy.

2. Sometimes design is so striking, the fact that the item is comically poor at handling its intended task is easily overlooked. Part space-age slick, part creature from a far-off planet, the Juicy Salif lemon squeezer by Philippe Starck for Alessi will unquestionably stand out from any toaster or microwave that shares counter space with it. “I am very happy with this project because I consider it a big joke to everybody,” says Alberto Alessi, the president of the Italian design brand. “It is the most controversial squeezer of the century I must say, but one of the most amusing projects I have done in my career.” French industrial architect and designer, Philippe Starck delightfully conceptualized the squid-like structure while squeezing lemon on calamari.

3. The retailer Design within Reach does just that, even if you’re looking to bring a little bit of Paris to your maison. The Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair, also iconically known as the Eiffel chair, imparts a little je-ne-sais-quoi to your kitchen seating. The Eameses certainly took comfort into account when envisioning their seating and this is one comfy chair as well as being a looker. Intrigued with materials that were new to manufacturing in the mid-nineteenth century, they originally designed the chair in fiberglass. This icon is now available in several seat options including eco-friendly and quite a few materials and color choices for the legs to make your own statement.

4. Certainly the most multi-functional of this good-looking group, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is for so much more than baking. Quite the substantial addition to your culinary arsenal, this sturdy device will have you making your own pasta or sausage just as easily as it helps you pull together a birthday cake or batch of cookies. This design has certainly stood the test of time and looks as if it just came from June Cleaver’s house while also fitting into any sleek, contemporary setting with ease. This investment piece will be around for you for decades and maybe even pass on to your next generation – all while coming in dozens of colors from canary to cobalt, yet always quintessentially chromed.

Start curating your own collection of clever and conversation-worthy tchotchkes that brighten up your living spaces and may even help get a job or two done around the house. Hopefully, one or more of these designs resonated with your own aesthetic and has you thinking of how you can fit it into your budget. Hunt for something that simply spruces up a corner of your kitchen – think the Juicy Salif – or does the job it was intended to do with style – think the Weston Table fire extinguishers. Make sure it is a source of joy, or pride, or both.

Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash