Category Archives:Art + Design

06
Sep

The Bloombox: So You and Your Plants Can Rock Out

Simple materials and technology combined make for a fun and plant-friendly iPhone/iPod dock.

As an urban ag enthusiast and a green-thumbed gal, I love to see plants incorporated into products, especially when it's not over-thought or complicated. In the age of Portlandia and urban ag proliferation, where "put a bird on it" has become "put a plant in it" some plant-centered products take the simple act of growing at home a bit too far. The Bloombox manages to keep it simple. Most iPhone/iPod docking stations leave something to be desired, but the minimalist design of the ceramic Bloombox is enticing. The Bloombox both amplifies your phone's speakers up to 30% and provides a home for your favorite succulents.

Created by Nicholas Hyde and Brennan Conroy of Portland, OR, the Bloombox has just over two weeks to go before completing their Kickstarter campaign. With only $304 left to hit their goal, I'm fairly certain they will join the ranks of thousands of successfully backed projects via crowdsourced funding.

To support Bloombox please visit Kickstarter here.

Posted:   |   Categories: amplify sound, Art + Design, bloombox, Gadgets, Gardening, green thumb, iPhone, ipod, kickstarter, News, plants, speaker, succulents
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16
Jul

Self-Watering Planter Conserves Water & Your Sanity


Designer Joey Roth introduces a clever planter made out of terracotta that naturally irrigates plants.

Roth was inspired by the "olla" an ancient irrigation tool that farmers still use to conserve water in arid climates. A user simply pours water in the center chamber and the planter’s porous earthenware material allows water to gradually seep into the surrounding soil. It is an efficient system because virtually no water is lost to evaporation or run-off.

The planter is 8 inches in diameter and 6 inches tall and is designed to hold three herbs or six succulents. The vessel can hold up to 2.5 liters of soil and 0.4 liters of water and it is suitable for indoor or outdoor use. For indoor gardeners, this self irrigating planter means you won't need to worry about a puddle of water accumulating on your floor if you over water.


Roth's design philosophy is to combine simple functionality with honest, unfinished materials. His planter isn't available for sale yet, but you an pre-order it at JoeyRoth.com for $45.

Sources: Joey Roth & Core77

Posted:   |   Categories: agriculture, Art + Design, design, ecodesign, Gardening, irrigation, Materials, sustainable design
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