yoy design studio

Although the Tokyo-based design studio YOY has only been around since 2011, founders Naoki Ono and Yuki Yamamoto clearly have something good going on. The above works are some examples of their fun takes on lighting, both of which illustrate what YOY is best at: combining the clever with the practical to create some really wonderful design solutions. The first, Peel, is a light that looks as if a corner of a wall were peeling to reveal light behind it, while Swing is a pendant light that give the illusion of motion. Then, there's Canvas, below, which really blew my mind.

That's right, Canvas is an actual usable piece of furniture with the appearance of a two-dimensional drawing. It can be used by leaning the piece against a wall, but can just as easily be hung as an artwork/storage solution. Brilliant, no? See more of YOY's fantastic designs on their website.

(Photos by Yasuko Furukawa)