Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

You've probably seen welds, on stainless steel, that have changed the color of the metal around them. That happens because the heat causes a thin layer of chromium-oxide film to form on the surface.

When light passes through this film, the eye sees different colors, depending on how thick the film is. (Same principle as light passing through seemingly clear soap bubbles, yielding multiple colors.) Well, here's some wild news.

Turns out that with certain laser engravers, like this xTool F1 , you can actually dial in the amount of color you'd like, on stainless steel and titanium: That is mind-blowing. (The question for you is, whether that's $1,400's worth of blown mind.)

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

As amazing as smartphone cameras have become, their UX still kind of sucks. Trying to zoom in by pinching a screen, or adjust focus by tapping a screen, is awkward and rarely produces the desired results on the first try.

Good UX design was once Apple's domain, but they've long since ceded that title. A new innovation in the phone-as-camera realm comes from Xiaomi, with their 17 Ultra by Leica model.

The phone comes with plenty of Leica glass: - 23 mm-equivalent 50 MP main camera - 75–100 mm-equivalent 200 MP telephoto - 14 mm-equivalent 50 MP ultra-wide The most notable design innovation, however, is the Master Zoom Ring. This physical ring can be used to manipulate the lenses in the way you would with a traditional SLR.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

Late last year, industrial designer Adam Miklosi embarked on a self-directed project, creating primitive cars out of aluminum extrusions. Here in the new year, he's seeking a role for the leftover extrusions.

After spying DesignWanted's Rethink the Coat Rack competition, Miklosi came up with an idea: "After the first ideation rounds, I made some early 3D-printed prototypes before diving deeper into render visualizations. Testing proportions, attachment logic, and the character of the hooks on real aluminium profiles." "I'm genuinely happy with how these turned out.

A bit rough, very early-stage, but already showing the balance I'm aiming for: industrial structure + playful, customizable elements. Also couldn't resist arranging them into a small, fun composition." Competition aside, I think Miklosi could easily get a side hustle going by selling these.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

Croatian inventor Luka Buljan was seeking to add a hideaway guest bed to his home. Unsatisfied with the existing options—sofabed, Murphy bed, air mattress—he had a thought: "Most mattresses today are shipped rolled up — vacuum-sealed, compressed, and coiled.

I wondered: If we can roll a mattress once, why not again? Why not after every use?

I casually shared this thought with a friend who works on industrial mattress rolling machines — and the idea clicked. What if we could build a compact, electric version for home use?" Buljan has successfully prototyped this Roll bed , which must have one heckuva powerful motor to compress all of that foam: Details are light, but Buljan says he's planning a Kickstarter.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

Andries & Hiroko Van Onck were a husband-and-wife industrial design duo, active in the 20th century and based in Milan. In 1985, they designed this LEM table for Magis: It may not look like much, but it's got a neat trick: This secondhand unit (which looks to have been modified with a non-standard top) gives you a slightly better look at the components, but I still can't figure out how it works.

Surely there's more than just the friction of the rubber balls holding it in place?

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

This unique piece of furniture, called Bookmarker , is by Japanese design firm StudioYO . Made from a minimum of materials, it's meant to be both a functional piece and a love letter to books.

This is a "bookmark." It may sound like an exaggeration, but this piece of furniture functions as a bookmark for those who love to read or wish to enjoy reading more. By making the act of reading visually tangible, it provides a dedicated space for a novel you are about to start, a book you want to finish, or an art book you wish to keep within reach at all times.

Bookmarker is crafted from three parts, cut efficiently from a single piece of vertically laminated Japanese cypress wood, allowing for flat packing.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

Here's what we looked at this week: Puzzle Bomb's form-follows-function jigsaw puzzles. Better if you want your kid to go into ID?

The rise of manual bread slicers. Hoto's designey Flashlight Duo.

The tool manufacturer continues to offer a vision of original Chinese industrial design. A rare Mid-Century Modern design for a space-saving bed.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

We live in a strange time, where toys are sold to adults. It's as if we can't quite let go of our childhoods--even if we become successful enough to buy an expensive car.

For those who experience separation anxiety from their rides, Chinese company Nikola Toys makes this Infinite Space Garage Car Key Hanger. The wall mounted box accepts a 1:64 scale car model.

You can choose to have the built-in sensor activate the interior lights when you hang a key from the hook. You can also just leave it on.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

This delightfully bizarre Penguin Donkey was designed in 1939 by Viennese architect Egon Riss. It was commissioned by the then-new Penguin Books, a British publishing house that had been founded just four years earlier, and would be produced by British furniture company Isokon.

The idea was that the piece would perfectly fit Penguin-sized paperbacks in its sides in several orientations, while the center channel would hold periodicals. The piece's name came from both its corporate sponsor and its ungainly shape.

The timing of the project was lousy: 1939 was also the year that Hitler decided to invade Poland, and before long, wartime shortages of plywood cause production to cease. Less than 100 units were produced.

Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

This Momentum Calendar is "A physical manifestation of time," says German design firm Momentum Studio. "This concept explores the calendar as a daily haptic ritual rather than a passive display." I'm not sure about the utility of the dot indicator on the flower-shaped piece.

I suppose you're meant to aim it for Friday, or perhaps Sunday, if you're religious? The firm says the design will be going into production, though they have not yet announced a release date nor price.

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