In the 1950’s Charles & Ray Eames began a mission to create furniture for the masses, furniture that would be considered functional, elegant and affordable to common people. Their furniture has since proven longevity, but has become synonymous with high design at premium prices. With a new edition of commemorative stamps that honor their legacy, Eames has a real shot now at becoming the household name it has long deserved to be. Charles & Ray Eames stamps can be purchased online from the United States Postal Service. Affordable reproductions Charles and Ray Eames furniture can be purchased from Inmod.

I’ve always been a big fan of chairs that “plug in.” Chairs like the stereo Egg Chair by Thor Larsen, and recent productions of the Ball Chair that integrate iPod compatibility have revolutionize the way we spend our valuable lounging time. But here comes a chair, the Mind Chair that “plugs YOU in,” revolutionizing the way we learn. Based on the principles of sensory substitution, the Mind Chair by Beta Tank incorporates a video camera and a grid of 400 solenoids into the seat back, allowing you to close your eyes and experience information not through seeing, but by vibration. While this technology has been researched in helping the blind, the concept of seeing images internally opens up many questions. The Mind Chair currently a prototype, however, a polypropylene version has also been developed with the young ones in mind, “suggesting a future in which every class room makes use of our ability to see with our skin.”

Visit http://betatank.net

Nomad, from Mio Culture, is the ultimate modular architectural system. One set consists of 24 modules and is available in 9 different colors. By combining multiple sets of modules, one can build pretty much any type of free standing structure like sculptural screens, partitions and even rooms. After you’ve built a room, you can chill in it with a clear conscience, because on top of everything, these things are made of recycled double-wall cardboard.

A unique concept from Brooklyn based design firm, Big Prototype, Folding Table converts into a dining table or coffee table. The Transformers have nothing on Folding Table…at least when it comes to home furnishings.

Orange 22 launched their Botanist series benches / tables several years ago, carving really precise intricate floral patterns inside bent aluminum surfaces, and in turn, carving out a really interesting niche for their company. Next weekend, at ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair, NYC), they will be unveiling a new series within this collection designed by some of the world’s most renowned designers aimed to benefit their chosen foundations and charities. Here’s a sneak peek.

 Epigram series, Milton Glaser (to benefit the International Rescue Committee)

Pixel Burst series, Yves Behar (to benefit the Surfrider Foundation)

Flight series, Margo Chase (to benefit the Sierra Club)

Unlock the Cure series, Kahi Lee (to benefit the Cancer Research Institute)

Orikami series, Karim Rashid (to benefit the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS [DIFFA])

Albero Series, Joe Ricchio & Kara Larsen (to benefit the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS [DIFFA])

Now your goldfish can swim around in an endless infinity of utter confusion inside what could be perceived as a piece of sculptural modern art. The Infinity Aquarium by BCXSY was designed with the intention of suspending the concepts of time and space through creating a repetitive geometrical environment, founded on the same principles as the looping hallways of insane asylums.

I’m still scratching my head trying to decide if this is as genius as it sounds? Or is it just plain evil? What do you think?