It basically turned from a 1970’s brown box to an expensive pebble. And Apple still pretends it’s only a single button mouse – keeping up that old idiotic paradigm of fake simplicity.

Some “instruments” have a certain complexity to them: a computer keyboard needs all keys to work. And the Mac OS has been supporting right-clicks for a long time – but Apple still wants users to perceive the Mac as especially “simple” to use.

But it’s new multitouch mouse isn’t simple at all. It takes some training to get it right.

Early design is terribly dry and frugal, don’t be fooled by the flowers (to make it look nicer and more organic). But still today most designs are straight lines and boxes. Designers love right angles. How boring!

Click image for a larger view.

This is a great a advertising idea for tooth paste: tell the consumer to brush his teeth after consuming a sweetie.

More health tips should be advertised in this way.

In the last thirty years packaging has developed from a necessity to a wasteful threat. Plastic trash from retail packaging create huge mountains of trash on land and huge garbage patches in our oceans.

Especially modern convenience food is one of the greatest sin: small portions sealed in a huge amount of plastic. In the old days the butches simply wrapped your bacon in same paper …

Designers and the industry have to come up with better sustainable solutions. And we consumers have to support more sensible solutions as well …

Eyewear looked a bit like the end of cars these days.

I love it.

Click images for more gold.

The interior of the Opera Garnier opened 1875 shows was real splendour and richness means.

Buildings like these – mostly created in the final days of "old Europe" – show all the might, culture and richness of these old imperial nations.

In these days the splendour of the nation was no longer just a privilege of Royals and the ruling elite. Opera houses and museums were opened to the public – which meant mostly the emerging bourgeois middle class.

This amazing design is from Verner Panton and one of his Environments (check the page for this design and search for the video link). He designed this 1970 for a furniture fair in Cologne titled "How will we be living tomorrow".

So funny how all that futuristic concept art from the 1960’s and 1970’s all got it so wrong – except for Mr Kubrick’s amazing movie "2001". His conservative and dry Bauhaus-like vision prevailed.

Still I like the design above. Looks groovy and comfy, should be a great hit in a nightclub or chill out area. No drugs needed, just some nice ambient music and a few drinks to drift off …

Some Fashion choices are just wrong, but at least they kept us safe in the dark.

The Recession hasn’t started this trend – but it certainly will push it ahead. More and more consumer products don’t include more and more features – but less. They go for a new minimalism that is just enough to finish the task at hand.

I think it’s an excellent trend. We need smaller, smarter und simpler products – in addition to over-engineered thingies like the iPhone and the Hummer.

Small is beautiful was always a design mantra, but “This will do” should be another one. Products that will do the job without any bells and whistles – which save cost, material and energy.

There is no such thing as a "neutral" design – or a design without a message. Design always happens in a context and is based on decisions against or for something.

Many designers love to masturbate to "simple beauty", but even there is a message and a judgment involved.

Just making something nice and honest is boring and naive. Take a stand you touchy designers and don’t hide behind the thin veil of aesthetics and beauty.

As much as I dislike advertising at least it doesn’t hide it’s true intentions of trying to sell you something.

No, it’s not my new office. This is just a painful design accident. All these organic designs have almost all disappeared by now. Round shapes are mostly useless and very unpractical in a square world.

And plastic is such an ugly material for daily use and work on. Wooden desks at least suck away your sweat and age beautifully. But I am sure that plastic monstrosity above was a great mouse pad – even before mice were invented.

*Thanks to Edosan for giving me eye cancer*

I never understood the fascination of oversized glasses. They make you look like a clown and distort the proportions of your face.

Most of all: they tell everyone that you are willing to do anything to belong to the hip crowd – which is a crime by itself.

I had many bedrooms like this: simple, humble, practical and most of all quiet. I like the clarity it has – so my mind it not distracted.

Anyone remember these sweet little cameras and their huge success? Like today’s digital cameras these old snappers brought easy photography to the masses. Although they were hardly as instant as modern cameras their simple design and cheap manufacturing process made them affordable to almost anyone.

I still love the design of many of these old cams – very classic with the box-like elements, rounded corners and mostly black finish.

More? Kodak Instamatic @ Wikipedia

Click image for more ornaments.

When you visit Europe’s old feudal palaces and houses one is overwhelmed by the lushness and pomp of their interior designs. The Baroque epoch was certainly the most playful period in that respect -  and there were certainly "quieter periods" in European history. Especially northern European protestants dimmed all that crazy ornaments seriously down.

But overall there was never such a thing as "feudal minimalism" in European interior design before movements like Futurism, Modernism and Bauhaus arrived.

I think such a place as the one pictured above would drive any Feng Shui or Zen master mad.

Click image for a closer look.

Honestly – I still thing the 1991 is the sexiest version of them all. Coke out of a plastic bottle is just not the same physical sensation as holding a nice cold glass bottle.

Bikini + Burka = Bikini.

Now you know why Baywatch was such a hit in Muslim countries – and why there never will be a real Arab remake.

I always liked British currency – although it’s coins were always on the heavy side. If you had several one pound coins in your pocket you would walk in an awkward way.

So the British got some new designs – and these are butt ugly. The look like extra cool … I think the designer still had that early Blair period mantra “Cool Britannia” still in his head.

Instead of using established symbols and emblems in sound way, the designs try to be extra hip. But money shouldn’t be hip, but easy to “understand”, visually easy to separate and have unique tactile characteristics (which the British coins certainly have – hence the very different shapes for 50 and 20 pence).

I find the 20 pence piece especially odd – only showing the arse and tail of the English Lion. I think now would be the best time to get the Euro my dear Brits …

This design from the 50/60’s is once again modern in it’s simplicity and naturalistic approach. I wonder if minimalism can ever run out of fashion?

Human is amazing – we spend huge amounts of resources designing, producing and than selecting minute details of our lives. Who actually gives a crap about hundreds of different knobs? Snobs!

I am sure this is where you want to read books about GOOD interior design and a horror stories …

If you like Ikea you might buy more than your furniture or cake next time you visit the Swedes. They offer a wide range of homes made from pre-fabricated parts.

I am not sure if you assemble the whole thing with just a screwdriver? How big is the manual? And what to do when some part are missing?

More? Official Site and the Ikea Wikipedia entry

In such a swimming pool you won’t realize if you are on or off drugs. I think this would make a great set for a nasty porn movie.

Taken from here. What a nightmare of a room! That was definitely before Ikea was hip all over the world.

Thank you Lisa for that mad catch!

London City Hall is a great landmark and worth a visit. It looks like a spaceship from a Japanese SciFi flick – crashed near the river. But it’s round shape makes it even more intriguing.

I like the great difference between the modern look and the old places of power – which were usually styled to impress and intimidate people.

Visit this Gallery and these great 3d panoramas for more.

It’s hard to put my finger on it, but it looks like some designer cutlery from the 60’s or 70’s? At least something people would have considered back then as modern or even space design. Today it just looks weird and out of touch.

Somehow the design of the 60’s totally eludes me – it’s ugly, it’s impractical and simply weird. Like these bubble chairs – space age meets Lego?!

The only way to take over the world … when you are a kid. Too bad they really can do it today with their computers.

I never quiet understood the attitude behind ‘country style’ and reading something like ‘House & Garden’?! Is it an old historical thing to imitate the lifestyle of rich aristocratic bastards? A bedroom like this would give me serious nightmares …

Click image for a larger version.

Old European Opera houses are the pinnacle of old nationalist countries. Exquisite design for the upper class and later the emerging rich bourgeoisie. But also the different levels, boxes and seating’s reflect the societies at that time: the king / ruler gets the center of attention and most space – while the prols have to stand somewhere in the back. Design as a reflection of society …

Think this is 60’s / 70’s design. Weird colors. Weird composition. Weird Guy – and I am sure pretty weird music as well.

This is such a great combination of hippie statement and ugly 70’s design. Although banning bras might be a good thing …

Brilliant photo set on Flickr. Thank god Petromyzon saved these images from the trash. Sure it brings back many memories – but also gives some historic insights in the craziness of the video game revolution. I mean it’s crazy – you spent huge amount of money in a dark, beeping and blinking cave – for nothing but FUN.

I wonder whatever happened to all these hand painted buses and cars – you hardly see them anymore. Apart from a cup holder people hardly customize their vehicles – I wonder why? We humans normally try to make almost anything our ‘own’ by adding something personal. Just look at computer screens in your company – everyone glues something on them.

Orange Rock Gurus – seventies styling. PAIN! PAIN! PAIN!

If your life started in such a colour nightmare you are entitled to at least two good therapists! I think a lot of interior designers of the seventies deserve to be shot.

With a fainting horror I remember wearing something similar in my youth. Fashion sucks – when your mom buys it …

Addicted to Oil? Use smaller cars to reduce consumption and traffic jams. You don’t need a huge Hummer or Minivan to drive around the blog. Little cars are very popular in Europe and Japan – let’s hope Americans learn that lesson as well – plus let’s hope that India and China never develops a hunger for MegaCars.

More? Isetta @ Wikipedia

Big Jim was huge in the 1970’s till early 1980’s – finally a more sophisticated doll for the guys. An action hero – not just a military figure (toy soldiers had been around forever). Big Jim and his ‘offsprings’ could do amazing stuff – like there karate chops when you pressed the button on his back and the bulging biceps.

Today Big Jim seems completely forgotten and compared to todays superpowered robots and combat creatures he looks almost like a pacifist.

More? Big Jim @ Wikipedia and article on BigRedToyBox.com

I need one of these – maybe including the yummy content with a more decent haircut. Maybe it’s simply a big tennis ball with a female midget. How knows? The seventies were a strange decade. I have not much love for designer chairs. Most of them suck, are overpriced and very uncomfy. I prefer a simple old school chair or a bit more modern knee chair (you sit in a kneeling position – very nice for the back).