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Ideal Home • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
All of my friends are jealous of the faux fur heated throw I've been staying cosy under during the cold snap – and it's now on sale
I won't gatekeep. This is where it's from
Ideal Home • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
Stacey Dooley’s living room is effortlessly cool – this one Scandi feature truly makes it stand out
She's reminded me there's a lot to love about paper lampshades
Ideal Home • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
The White Company just dropped some of the best-looking wireless wall lights I've ever seen – they're simple, stylish and effortlessly chic
Minimalists are about to go crazy for this new lighting range
Ideal Home • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
Aldi has loads of clever cleaning products hitting the middle aisle – but it’s this £17 handheld vacuum that impressed me the most
Grab it while you can
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
Industrial Designer Sabine Marcelis Upgrade's Ikea's Hot-Selling Lamp
The VARMBLIXT , Ikea's donut-shaped lamp, was designed three years ago by Rotterdam-based industrial designer Sabine Marcelis. Since then, it's been selling like hotcakes; the company says they sell one every five minutes.
Now the design's getting an upgrade, courtesy of Marcelis. The finish has been switched from glossy to matte, and instead of only coming in orange, she's added color variability: The lamp switches between twelve preset colours carefully curated by Sabine Marcelis.
The sequence moves through different temperatures of white light, into glowing amber and warm red, through soft pink, cool lavender and turquoise, and on to gentle yellow tones, before circling back to white light. Each colour is chosen to transition smoothly into the next, allowing the atmosphere to shift gradually to another, without disrupting the feeling of a room.
Now the design's getting an upgrade, courtesy of Marcelis. The finish has been switched from glossy to matte, and instead of only coming in orange, she's added color variability: The lamp switches between twelve preset colours carefully curated by Sabine Marcelis.
The sequence moves through different temperatures of white light, into glowing amber and warm red, through soft pink, cool lavender and turquoise, and on to gentle yellow tones, before circling back to white light. Each colour is chosen to transition smoothly into the next, allowing the atmosphere to shift gradually to another, without disrupting the feeling of a room.
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
Rimowa and Vitra's Luggage-like Aluminum Stool
This unusual object is the Aluminum Stool , by Rimowa and Vitra. The German luggage manufacturer and the Swiss design furniture company collaborated to create just 1,000 of these; and while the overall look is pure Rimowa, the piece is meant to be storage furniture, not luggage.
"It is almost a typology of its own," says Christian Grosen, Vitra's Chief Design Officer. "While the cube format might not be so practical for a suitcase, it's ideal for sitting and storage." "During the design process, we decided to leave out the handles so that the stool wouldn't closely resemble a trolley or a transport container.
There is a seat cushion and the inside is also padded; we deliberately left the wheels, as they are emblematic of both furniture and suitcases. The Multiwheel system is a RIMOWA trademark, as are the grooves in the aluminium.
"It is almost a typology of its own," says Christian Grosen, Vitra's Chief Design Officer. "While the cube format might not be so practical for a suitcase, it's ideal for sitting and storage." "During the design process, we decided to leave out the handles so that the stool wouldn't closely resemble a trolley or a transport container.
There is a seat cushion and the inside is also padded; we deliberately left the wheels, as they are emblematic of both furniture and suitcases. The Multiwheel system is a RIMOWA trademark, as are the grooves in the aluminium.
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
Design Criticism: Are These Transitions Good or Bad?
In design, the transitions between surfaces are everything. And in a perfect world, those surfaces are designed at the same time, giving the designer the luxury of thinking things through.
Sometimes, however, things need to be retrofit. And then it's up to someone who may not have any design training at all to come up with a coping solution.
What do you think of these four executions: 1 2 3 4 My opinions: 1. Way too busy, and distracts from the original molding, which is meant to be a design feature; downspouts are not.
Sometimes, however, things need to be retrofit. And then it's up to someone who may not have any design training at all to come up with a coping solution.
What do you think of these four executions: 1 2 3 4 My opinions: 1. Way too busy, and distracts from the original molding, which is meant to be a design feature; downspouts are not.
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
A Vertical Wind Turbine for Sailboat Masts
The beauty of sailboats is that they don't require power in order to move. However, modern-day sailboats have a host of onboard electronics that do require power: Navigation lights, radar, a VHF radio, a GPS unit, the navigation console, interior lighting.
These are typically powered by batteries, which are charged by an auxiliary motor if the boat has one, or the boat can be plugged in at the dock. However, a Belgian startup called Phileole has invented an alternative: This Grain Blanc wind turbine.
This can be bolted to the mast. Because of its vertical orientation, it can capture wind from any direction.
These are typically powered by batteries, which are charged by an auxiliary motor if the boat has one, or the boat can be plugged in at the dock. However, a Belgian startup called Phileole has invented an alternative: This Grain Blanc wind turbine.
This can be bolted to the mast. Because of its vertical orientation, it can capture wind from any direction.
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
A Stylish, More Functional Update to the Granny Cart
This Roulette Cart , by a Belgian company of the same name, is designed to make grocery shopping easier in urban environments. It was designed by Belgian industrial design firm Futurewave (though at press time it wasn't yet on their website).
It's sized for the city, at 64.5 cm H × 34 cm W × 24.5 cm D (25.4" x 13.4" x 9.6"). The frame is powder-coated aluminum, and the bag is waterproof nylon.
The skateboard-like wheels are made out of TPU. The bag has a 40L (10.6 gallon) capacity and features several interior pockets.
It's sized for the city, at 64.5 cm H × 34 cm W × 24.5 cm D (25.4" x 13.4" x 9.6"). The frame is powder-coated aluminum, and the bag is waterproof nylon.
The skateboard-like wheels are made out of TPU. The bag has a 40L (10.6 gallon) capacity and features several interior pockets.
Core77 - Blog • Jan. 18, 2026, 5:36 p.m.
When Beautiful Design Crashes Into Reality
This beautiful Topos Chair and Sunlounger were designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. They're in production by Spanish furniture manufacturer iSiMAR.
The indoor/outdoor pieces are made out of galvanized steel and offered with powder-coated finishes in multiple colors. Alas, you can't really sit on the wire frames (if comfort is a concern), and the pieces look rather less good once the seat cushions are on them.
The indoor/outdoor pieces are made out of galvanized steel and offered with powder-coated finishes in multiple colors. Alas, you can't really sit on the wire frames (if comfort is a concern), and the pieces look rather less good once the seat cushions are on them.
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