Harvey Norman and Courts:

Vacuum cleaners used to be large and heavy, making the experience of using it extremely clumsy. Moreover, the long cords often get tangled or caught around the furniture, hence the user would have to backtrack to unravel this mess. With the rise of smart technology, smart robotic vacuum cleaners can now save us from the hassle of having to drag a heavy machine around the house. These smart vacuum cleaners are light, discreet, and get the same job done. The best part is that one can set the smart vacuum cleaner to clean the house while they are gone for day. Hence, they can return to a clean home after a long day.

In terms of aesthetic, it has a simple and non-intrusive design. It can discretely vacuum the house without distracting the homeowners. I personally feel that this is an important aspect to consider because nobody would fancy a device that would disrupt/distract their attention.

 

Who would have thought that this is a standing fan? Unlike conventional fans, this fan is bladeless. The bladeless-ness allows several features. Firstly, it’s obvious that this is a safe fan to put around the house without having to worry that children would be injured by the fan blades. Secondly, the breeze generated by this fan is more consistent and steady than one from a standard fan with blades. Thirdly, the sleek design makes it easy and fuss-free to shift around the house. This bladeless technology is indeed unique and useful, it has even been adapted to other products such as hairdryers.

 

IKEA:

About Sarah Fager:

One of IKEA’s in-house designers, Sarah Fager has worked at IKEA for more than 10 years. She is the mastermind behind IKEA’s iconic products such as PRICKIG microwave lid, STRÅLA Christmas collection, FRASERA glass tumblers, and more.

Frager specialised in furniture design during her study in Swedish design schools. When she applied for an internship at IKEA, she expected herself to be given a brief that dealt with wood since that was the material that she was trained to work with. However, her first assignment was to design the PRICKIG microwave lid. This experience at IKEA taught her to expand her horizons and be a versatile designer who explores working with different kinds of materials.

As IKEA is a huge corporation, it would be common for designers to adhere to certain design guidelines to ensure that IKEA’s ranges of products look cohesive as a whole. Hence, it would be difficult for designers to inject their own style into the products that are designed for the IKEA brand. However, Frager still manages to bring her style to the table by being aware of what IKEA products lack and solving the problem in her own unique way. To her, it is about creating an experience for the users rather than simply designing a product.

 

PRICKIG microwave lid:

PRICKIG  is a dome-shaped plastic cover to prevent food from splattering the interior of microwaves. Several small holes are incorporated on the top of the cover to allow steam to be released. This helps to warm the food properly, preventing the food from gaining a hard or rubbery texture. It has garnered a rating of 4.2/5 on IKEA’s website, making it one of the IKEA’s bestsellers. Many praise it for its usefulness and fuss-free design.

 

STRÅLA Christmas collection:

The STRÅLA Christmas collection features natural materials such as linen, rope, paper and wood. These materials exude warm and cosy feelings, perfect for the chilly Christmas season.

 

FRASERA glass tumblers:

Each of the glass tumblers is specifically designed to bring out the flavours of the beverage that they are containing. For example, the whiskey glass has a generous shape and weight which makes it pleasant to hold and helps the scents and flavours of the whiskey to develop better, enhancing the experience of the drink.

“There was a soap opera on TV when I was young and the characters drank whisky from big, heavy whisky glasses. FRASERA whisky glass is inspired by what those glasses looked like. Large, so there’s room for several ice cubes to clink around and with facet cuts in the glass that sparkle when the light hits them. FRASERA is a glass that feels nice to hold because of its weight and a glass to keep for a long time because of its high quality feeling. Even though it’s a whisky glass I can imagine using it to drink just about anything from. Like milk, for instance.” – Sarah Frager

 

FLISAT children’s collection:

This collection is catered to children from ages 3 to 12. As this is quite a big age range, the collection is designed with high-quality, sturdy pine that ages with grace. According to IKEA, ‘FLISAT breathes Swedish design tradition but also has a modern look thanks to the accent colours. New production methods make it possible to create sustainable children’s furniture that can be used year after year’. This collection meets children’s growing needs and it also saves parents the hassle of having to change the children’s furniture regularly.

 

Final thoughts:

Sarah Frager is a designer whom we can look up to because of her willingness to explore beyond what she had learned in school. She could have stayed in her comfort zone and work with wood only. Not only did she explore new materials, but she also took the experience of her users into consideration.