As simple as that: Designs take us back to basics

Boekel, Netherlands – In this day and age we have become used to the quick and easy; but sometimes we need to slow down to enjoy a more emotional experience.

‘Usuals’, a series of six utilitarian pieces by Dutch design duo Niels van Eijk and Miriam van der Lubbe, aims to make us do just that. The project deliberately emphasises everyday processes that we take for granted; its basic, domestic products remind users that there is a alternative to faster, easier processes.

A wooden lunch box with a leather strap to hold a drink aims to encourage users to make their own lunch and avoid relying on fast food, while a foot stove, popped into the oven for 20 minutes, absorbs the warmth of a kitchen after cooking and relaxes chilly feet. An indoor greenhouse encourages users to grow their own herbs and vegetables, rather than buying produce from the supermarket, swathed in unnecessary packaging.

For more on the increasing desire to slow down, read our micro market report on Wild Things, the individuals who are disconnecting from the trappings of consumerist society.