Connor Renwick

Thursday, January 28, 2021

CES 2021: Dell Aims at Graphic Designers With UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor

If there’s one thing everyone learns quickly while working from home – especially anyone limited to the screen real estate of a laptop – is there’s never such thing as too much workspace. This year’s CES delivered more than a few display solutions aimed at design professionals looking for breathing room, most notably with Dell’s announcement of their expansive 5K2K UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor delivering 5,120 x 2,160 pixels of resolution.

Dell calls this the world’s first 40-inch ultrawide curved monitor, offering 33% more pixels when compared to a 16:9 32″ 4K monitor. The design is kept simple, with a plastic case finished with a simulated brushed metal finish.

In real world use, the UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD’s output delivers almost too much of a good thing. In our testing using both a Windows-powered Surface Pro X and the new M1-powered Apple MacBook Air, we found ourselves having to tail back the resolution to half using the Surface Pro X (no fault of the display itself; output was hampered by the device’s underpowered graphics output) or down to 4608 x 1944 scaled resolution in macOS to make the OS usable for everyday tasks while keeping a multitude of application and browser windows concurrently open. But even at a scaled resolution, the opportunity to work across one large display rather than two delivers an efficient/proficient desktop experience that is all too easy to get comfortable with.

In person the curve of the display is (thankfully) subtle over the expanse of its 40-inch screen, improving legibility of UI elements pushed to the outer edges.

One concern we came into testing with migrating from a 2014 5K iMac was whether the difference in brightness between the two displays would be noticeable. We’re relieved to report the UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD’s 300 nits of brightness is perfectly usable even from a desk set beside a window (for comparison, our 2014 5K iMac is rated 461 nits). Similarly the difference between pixel density while noticeable was not so pronounced to be distracting while switching between photo editing apps, reading and writing text.

While total screen size is the monitor’s immediate selling point, the Dell is rated for up to 1.07 billion colors for 100% of sRGB, 100% of Rec. 709, 98% DCI-P3 color accuracy, with a 5-millisecond response time at 60Hz refresh rate.

But what makes the Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD a monitor to rule them all is the display’s parade of ports behind and underneath. Most users will not be found wanting for options, thanks to the monitor’s array of ports that essentially operate as its own hub. Connecting and powering our M1 MacBook Air is made simple thanks to the inclusion of a Thunderbolt 3 port supporting 90W power charging. Additionally, the monitor hosts another Thunderbolt 3/DisplayPort, two HDMI 2.0 ports (10-bit color at 30Hz), a DisplayPort (10 bit color at 60Hz), an audio line-out, four USB Type-A 10 GBps, a USB upstream port, USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, an RJ45 ethernet port, one USB Type-C 10Gbps port, and a USB-C downstream port. The plethora of ports should eliminate the need for an additional hub for the majority of users, in turn liberating desk space from clutter.

One important warning for anyone switching to an ultrawide display of this size for the first time is the possibility of eye fatigue. Dell includes ComfortView Plus, an always-on built-in low blue light screen that reduces harmful blue light emissions. Still, sufficient amount of distance between user and display is advisable to mitigate the effects of working behind such a large screen at high resolution.

There are a pair of quibbles. An inconsistent distance between the millimeter gap separating the monitor’s bevel and the display panel can be spotted along the edges, a detail most pronounced at the monitor’s bottom center. The gap is admittedly subtle and disappears in day to day use, but may bother those demanding a perfect fit and finish. The second issue is much more minor, and par for the course for almost all monitors of this size: the built-in 9-watt speakers are tinny at best and would be best replaced with external speakers. Still, for a $2,100 investment, the audio output leaves room for improvement.

Overall, Dell’s beautiful beast of a display delivers a convincing argument that bigger can be better, one that may convince users – whether they be Windows or macOS devotees – that working from a single large display can do the work of two screens more proficiently. While $2,100 isn’t a budget option by any measure, Dell’s UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor checks off nearly every mark we’d want working from a display while working from home.

The UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor is available starting today.

via http://design-milk.com/

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Adrenalina’s Postmodern LEO Sofa Collection Goes Green

It’s becoming easier and easier to see which brands use transparency in their manufacturing process – and which don’t. Renowned upholstery manufacturer Adrenalina is taking steps in the right direction with their furniture. Always looking for new eco-sustainable materials, their updated LEO sofa collection uses SEAQUAL materials.

Sofas and armchairs, brought to life by Russian designer Daria Zinovatnaya, are now upholstered with the new Oceanic material by Camira Fabrics, a 100% recycled polyester fabric made from plastic waste that pollutes beaches and oceans. It was developed as part of the SEAQUAL project, an initiative involving brands from all over the world that aim to keep seas and oceans clean. The high-tech material is wear-resistant and available in a palette of pastel colors.

The LEO sofa collection appears elegant and balanced, between a rigid metal frame and softly padded cushions. Zinovatnaya’s design style focuses on the relationship between color and geometry, finding inspiration in Russian avant-gardes of the early 1900s and postmodern design of the early 1980s. The postmodernist shapes of the LEO series will meet the needs of those looking for a corner to unwind and those who appreciate comfort in a waiting area.

Daria Zinovatnaya

To learn more about the LEO sofa collection, visit adrenalina.it.

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Drink Up! Radiant Red Pepper Cooler Cocktail Recipe

Even though most people observe a dry January, ours came to a halt six days in. Figured we weren’t the only ones…

Our Red Pepper Cooler is a simple four-ingredient recipe that is far from a basic cocktail. Gin is the foundation to many great and iconic cocktails. Its unique botanical characteristics are surprisingly versatile when it comes to flavor profiles. In this recipe we temper the sharpness of the gin with sweet simple syrup and tart fresh lemon juice.

However, the star ingredient of this drink is red pepper. Bringing much more than fire power, this nightshades’ distinct aromatic flavors – fruity, floral, herbal, sweet – add nuance and depth. The fragrant and crisp notes of the fresh pepper are unexpected and delicious. Poured over ice and topped with a wispy pinch of shredded red pepper strands that look like giant saffron stamens.

The diamond-shaped faceted edges in Danish design studio Puik’s radiant glass not only provides a pleasant ergonomic form to grip, but allows the glass to be set down in a variety of ways, creating interesting reflections of liquid and light from different angles, making any cocktail a show stopper.

Ingredients – makes 6 oz serving
3 oz gin
0.5 oz sweet red pepper juice (seeded/blended)
1.5 oz lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup (50/50 water/sugar)
………………….
Combine and stir ingredients together in a chilled mixing glass. Pour over large ice cube and garnish with a pinch of Korean shredded red pepper strands.

>>> To purchase the Radiant Crystal Water Glasses by Puik, click here! <<<

Photos by TJ Girard of Pinch Food Design.

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The Minimalist Patricia Residence in Montreal by Dupont Blouin Architectes

Patricia Residence is a minimal home located in Montreal, Canada, designed by Dupont Blouin Architectes. The renovation sought to integrate an extension on three levels of the building, creating space for a large dining area and multifunctional space on the upper level.

The kitchen, surrounded by two volumes, is opened up and includes integrated appliances, which purposefully hides the staircase. At the heart of the project, the kitchen sets the tone for the rest of the adjacent spaces. An L-shaped counter provides additional counter space while slightly enclosing the area, but maintains visual transparency throughout.

On the upper level, the extension has created a new multifunctional program that serves as an office space, yoga room or living room. As described by the architects, “A bright office that makes working at home pleasant and contrasts with the small room in which the old one stood, and where the architects have fitted out a bathroom for the master bedroom.”

Photography by Olivier Blouin.

via http://design-milk.com/

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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

DMTV Milkshake: Creating Better Conversations With Carly Ayres

This week’s DMTV Milkshake guest is writer and designer Carly Ayres, who’s currently focused on community and culture at Google.

Ayres is an exceptionally original thinker: on design, on branding, on conversation and community. Having closed doors at HAWRAF, an interactive design and development studio, she’s since returned to Google, where she’s working on a team focused on UX Community & Culture: “A big part of what I wanted to learn next was who I wanted to learn from, alongside people who’ve been in the industry a really long time,” she says.

In this episode of Milkshake, Ayres shares her chief ambition outside of the office and a few favorite titles from her bookshelf, including Victor Papanek’s Design for the Real World: “It’s about why the things you buy are too expensive and break easily and ruin the world and will lead to the end of everything we know, [plus] a few proposals to not have that happen,” she says. “It’s a delightful read, especially for those looking to rethink how they think about design.”

Ayres also delves into the future of brand-centric “conversations” in a post-social media world, an evolution she says is already taking place, especially with luxury retailers. “What does that conversation look like beyond social media?” she says. “We talk to brands on social media, but where else can that dialogue take place? Do we see it with events, or ways of meeting people in person? Maybe there’s new platforms. Maybe we’re going to see brands really get into personal letter writing and scrapbooking. I think there’s a lot of opportunity there to have that two-way conversation.”

Diana Ostrom, who has written for Wallpaper, Interior Design, ID, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets, is also the author of Faraway Places, a newsletter about travel.

Milkshake, DMTV (Design Milk TV)’s first regular series, shakes up the traditional interview format by asking designers, creatives, educators and industry professionals to select interview questions at random from their favorite bowl or vessel. During their candid discussions, you’ll not only gain a peek into their personal homeware collections, but also valuable insights into their work, life and passions.

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Meet the Newest Addition to W&P: Charcoal Terrazzo

We love W&P’s Porter Terrazzo Collection, so you can imagine how excited we were when we found out they were releasing a new addition! Meet the new Charcoal Terrazzo Collection. Contrasting the bright colors of the previous releases, this one is sleek, sophisticated and timeless.
This chic and sustainable option is the perfect complement to any others from the Porter Collection you have — or a great first piece for your eco-friendly drink and dining collection. The pattern comes in the Porter Bottle, a 12oz and 16oz Porter Mug, the Porter Glass and the Porter Utensil Set.