AUGE Design is a branch of an agency that describes itself as “a new generation…creating full-fledged projects across every contemporary communication discipline.” Their design work is on the more future-side of modern – it involves “design with something to say”, creating laser cut plastic tables and wall decor with cutout words. They produce social statements, such as the first table pictured above, or gift ideas such as the table pictured below. These pieces are edgy and creative, and their use of negative and positive space to create not only words but concepts and ideas is intriguing. AUGE also specializes in advertisement, typography, fashion, and more.

Three students of design got together and formed Hubero Kororo in 2005. Since then, they have been striving to bring out the unique expression of every piece they create, be it a product brand, a package, a shelving unit, or an outdoor space. They use their skills to craft unique interpretations of form and function that are amiable to the user but still complex and unique. They have won many awards and nominations, including being a final selection for Global Warming for Droog Design in 2008. The above pictured Drawerment uses old office drawers and affixes them to the wall, making it a light, poetic reinterpretation of a once cold office.

Inoda + Sveje is a duo consosting of Japanese-born Kyoko Inoda and Danish-born Nils Sveje. They bring educational backgrounds from ISAD in Milan and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture respectively. Their awards include first prize in the Pure Design Awards in 2002, a finalist for the International Furniture Design, Asahikawa, and a selected entry for the Hokkaido Good Design Competition. Their pieces have been on exhibit throughout Japan, Italy, Sweden, Germany and the UK. The minimalism and simplicity of their organic furniture is inspired by both of their backgrounds, and the duo is sure to have a bright future in design if things continue the way they are.

With humble beginnings as a cabinet maker, Gry Holmskov has expanded her skills to include design and creation. She graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture in 2009, and has had many grants and traveling scholarships during her time as a student, including a sponsored DIS summerschool program. She is now both a freelance designer as well as a teacher at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. Her piece pictured above is titled Angel, and incorporates a minimalistic seat with no backrest and fanned out base. The silhouette is the inspiration for the divine name, and exemplifies all of Holmskov’s work – simple, industrial, and beautiful.

Clayton Oxford is a man with a mission. He is not only an inspired designer and entrapreneur, but he is also environmentally and socially conscious. His designs are crafted out of local material from his many sources of inspiration, from the Philippines to Indonesia, from Vietnam to Africa. He uses only sustainable materials and purchases these at fair market values, using profits to help struggling economies and local craftsmen in many regions of the world. The designs themselves are simply stunning, each one displaying an aspect of the locale in which it was born, but also embodying a rustic post-modern vibe that appears ahead of its time.

Enoc Armengol is a designer to watch. He has recently won the ADI Medal for recognition of the best industrial design. His work displays a classy urban vibe, and it is clear that he experiments with placing tradition and a future-outlook side-by-side in many of his pieces. The above pictured Folded Chair is inspired by origami paper folded into elegant patterns, while at the same time exhibiting highly polished black and white finish that is in tune with modern design. He is eco-friendly in his approach to design, combining new, recycled, and sustainable materials in order to minimize his impact on the environment.

Lee J. Rowland is all about creativity. He uses industrial engineering to create art in his work, and enjoys freeforming – creating shape from imagination, without a pattern, and infusing life into it. He isn’t one to chase anything but the perfect form. His above pictured Ripple Series is a case in point. Rowland is meticulous in his use of high-powered machinery to produce the highly polished yet natural appearance of a mercury-like substance rippling out from the center of his pieces. He is fascinated by the end product, and strives to incorporate the beautiful elements of engineering into his furniture and his art.

Maciek Wojcicki has a Degree in Design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, Poland, and has been putting it to good use. He has been a finalist for several awards since graduation, including the President of the Republic of Poland Design Award competition. He has recently graduated from the Design Products department at London’s Royal College of Art, and is continuing his budding career by allowing several concepts to germinate. The above pictured L.O.F.T workstation was shorlisted for the Helen Hamlyn Design Award in 2009. It features a customizable workstation that can be adjusted to the demands of any space and task. The all-in-one unit consists of work surfaces, shelves, lighting, screens, boards and other accessories.

The two designers that make up the soul of Biuro-K are enthusiastic and lively in their approach to living spaces, public areas, and scenographies. Both Sylwia Kowalczyk-Gajda and Dorota Terlecka graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, and have been working together ever since. They have clearly developed a rhythm, as all of their pieces are cohesive, elegant, and natural. The above pictured KOKO hanger is a versatile clothing rack made for smaller spaces, while the lower pictured KOKO table is highlighted by vibrant pink lacquered cutout pieces that enhance the modern appeal of this otherwise natural toned surface.

Paris Lowitz is a young designer on the scene, just in his junior year at Carnegie Mellon University studying Industrial Design. He creates pieces that are emotionally evocative, and that are sensitive to both form and function. The user is always at the front of his mind when creating his pieces. The above pictured modular faucet is an complete redesign of the traditional faucet, based on movie theater inspirations. Each section can be attached to another, and water flow and temperature is activated by a touch interface on the surface. The below pictured household item is a spatula, made out of a single piece of maple cut four times to give it a natural, organic, smooth flow.

Studio Ditte produces small household items with a twist. Each product has a whimsical, carefree appeal that makes it ideal for any modern home looking for a splash of fun. They also work with clients to bring concept to reality, whether that is a large or small task. They are inspired by people, emotions, and dreams, and do not want to push a heavy design philosophy onto their products or their customers. The above pictured Bookcase Kwan is inspired by the way that Chinese laundry is dried, on hooks; the below pictured Trivets Farm are made from natural felt in an all-woman factory dedicated to emancipation and autonomy.

Diplomat Design is a team consisting of Ashley Hall and Matthew Kavanagh. Together they have years of experience in furniture, lighting, product and retail design. This has given them an edge, and they use their diverse experience in the design world to their advantage. Their work has been manufactured in Italy, and they have acted as consultants in the US, the UK and Australia, with their headquarters currently located in London. Their furniture comes in all shapes and sizes, being crafted out of a variety of materials, including iron, aluminum, plastic, wood and foam.