All an illusion: Storage design distorts perspective

08 : 04 : 2013 Office : Tables : Iceland

Iceland – Icelandic designer Thorunn Arnadottir has created a set of storage units that look natural and yet are made from artificial materials, causing disorientation.

Designers are increasingly playing with different textures and materials, masquerading them as something they are not, as we reported in our Haptic Illusion Inspire. They are also embracing simple materials and utilitarian designs as we reported in our Uni-Forms Inspire.

The items in Arnadottir’s Berg collection are in three sizes and can be used as storage boxes, stools or low tables. They all have a geometric shape that resembles the rough structure of icebergs and the basalt columns that are common in Iceland. The three shades of grey used on the boxes accentuate the geometric shapes and create a disorientating effect whereby the viewer does not know exactly what the objects are or what they are made of. 

The grey colouring also gives the items a marble effect, creating the illusion of a natural aesthetic when in fact they are made from MDF and fake-stone veneer.

Discover More Daily Signals
Nike and Palace build a new playground for London’s creative youth

Daily Signals

Nike and Palace build a new playground for London’s creative youth

Nike and Palace have joined forces to launch Manor Place, a free cultural and sporting hub in South London that brings skateboarding, football and ...
Sport : Community : Fashion
Instagram tests algorithm hyper-personalisation to give users more control

Daily Signals

Instagram tests algorithm hyper-personalisation to give users more control

Instagram is experimenting with a new feature that lets users fine-tune what appears in their Reels and Explore feeds by selecting specific topics ...
Technology : Instagram : Social Media
Stat: Health drives brand-switching in South Africa

Daily Signals

Stat: Health drives brand-switching in South Africa

South African consumers are increasingly health-conscious, with 42% of respondents in PwC’s 2025 Voice of the Consumer report citing health benefit...
Health : Statistic : Food
How&How embeds humanity into AI-driven maternal health platform Trellis

Daily Signals

How&How embeds humanity into AI-driven maternal health platform Trellis

xxx
Health : Parenting : Technology
Grey Goose elevates the late-night chippy

Daily Signals

Grey Goose elevates the late-night chippy

Grey Goose is set to reimagine the classic British chip shop, pairing martini cocktails with indulgent French fries in a high-low, late-night ...
Drinks : Food : Luxury
Stat: Gen Alpha’s screen time soars as parents rely on them using digital devices

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Alpha’s screen time soars as parents rely on them using digital devices

Gen Alpha is redefining what it means to grow up online. According to new research from Morning Consult, children born after 2013 are spending...
Gen Alpha : Technology : Statistic
Carlo Ratti Associati debuts biomimetic Alpine bivouac at 2026 Winter Olympics

Daily Signals

Carlo Ratti Associati debuts biomimetic Alpine bivouac at 2026 Winter Olympics

For the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italian design studio Carlo Ratti Associati and Salone del Mobile are debuting a sustainable Alpine bi...
Design : Sustainability : Biomimicry
Foresight Friday: Olivia Houghton, insights and engagement director

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Olivia Houghton, insights and engagement director

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, insights and engagement d...
Advertisement : Marketing : Technology
Stat: Gen Z’s taste for low- and no-alcohol drinks set to shape Christmas spending

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z’s taste for low- and no-alcohol drinks set to shape Christmas spending

Retailers should expand and elevate their low- and no-alcohol ranges this Christmas to capture a greater share of young consumers’ festive spending...
Drinks : Health & Wellbeing : Statistic
Stat: Health and wellbeing drive women’s essential purchases

Daily Signals

Stat: Health and wellbeing drive women’s essential purchases

Women are increasingly choosing ‘essential’ purchases through the lens of comfort, self-care and wellbeing, according to a new survey by Think Styl...
Statistic : Health : Wellness
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN