This is Part 2 of the issue on how to spaces design for your stuff. You can read Part 1 – Where do you put your bag? – here. Here we look at two bag storage solutions for when you’re out and about.
BAG-IN Chair (and Stool) from LABOT
This Japanese furniture brand has chairs and stools with a built-in bag solution — unlike the bag hooks and bag baskets discussed in Part 1, no action needed from the interior designer and nothing to buy or attach! All is built into the furniture the restaurant buys.
While the stylistic options are limited, it is an interesting way to rethink the chair as an ergonomic instrument not just for the body, but also for our stuff, which are extensions of our bodies and capabilities.
JUMBO, the bag hook for Alessi
This is a delightful and charming bag hook from Alessi, the Italian houseware + kitchen utensil company behind iconic designs like the 9093 bird kettle.
Jumbo handbag table hook designed by Frédéric Gooris. It is a little performing elephant balancing on a ball. Its trunk lengthens and curls up to form a hook under the table ready to hold bags of all shapes and sizes. The silhouette of this graceful elephant stays on top of the table, perfectly balanced while in use.
While I’m typically all about functionality and minimalism, I love the whimsy of this hook that makes you think of Jumbo at the circus. The metal looks smooth and hefty, inviting to hold and fidget with.
There are many options for bag hooks, including ones that are cheaper, smaller and more portable, like this example below. Some are designed to look like an accessory on your handbag, or part of its hardware design.
However, for a topic that is already quite utilitarian, I wanted to share a reminder that even small functional items can be joyful, without being designed solely to maximize utility.
After all, the Jumbo bag hook is part of this fun collection, Objets-Bijoux:
A selection of small household objects made with a particularly refined metal-working process and an ironic and detailed exploration of functional objects that play a minor role in the houseware.
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🦐 In the next issue, you will learn about the history and craft behind traditional Taiwan shrimp plates.
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