In the 17 years since Singer Vehicle Design was founded, the California-based company has become one of the most recognizable names in the world of restomods, restoring and modifying classic Porsche 911s through what it calls “reimagining.” At Monterey Car Week 2026, Singer took that approach somewhere new, revealing its first collaboration with Louis Vuitton.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The partnership produced two distinctly different cars. The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic combines Louis Vuitton’s saffron, cobalt blue, and yellow with the fashion house’s long history of travel, luggage, and watchmaking. Its counterpart, the Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo, was conceived with Louis Vuitton Artistic Director of Women’s Collections Nicolas Ghesquière and takes a more unexpected nautical turn.

The Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic. Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design.

According to Singer’s founder and executive chairman Rob Dickinson, the twin 911s were years in the making, with teams traveling between Paris, California, and England throughout the process.

Sketch courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

“We were constantly exchanging ideas, with an enormous volume of renderings, digital design data, paint, and leather samples, and then photographs of the cars as they evolved,” he says. “Our two houses brought different expertise to the project, but we share the same standards and the same ambition. Every major decision was made together.”

Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer – Classic Turbo. Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design.

What became an unusually comprehensive collaboration began with something much smaller: a Singer client wanted a Louis Vuitton clock installed in their car. Louis Vuitton approached Singer about creating it, and Singer chief strategy officer Mazen Fawaz says the conversation quickly expanded until “the collaboration was extended to encompass every element of the car.”

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

Word of the project also traveled within Louis Vuitton, eventually reaching Ghesquière. “This in turn led to a collaboration on a second car, which became the turbocharged cabriolet,” Fawaz explains.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The original coupe shows just how far the project moved beyond a dashboard accessory. La Fabrique du Temps, Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking workshop in Switzerland, developed a removable mechanical clock inspired by the house’s signature Tambour watch, but integrating it convincingly meant Singer couldn’t simply drop the timepiece into the existing dashboard. The surrounding speedometer, tachometer, and gauges were ultimately redesigned to speak the same visual language, turning what began as one new component into a roughly year-long exercise in rethinking the instrument panel.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

That same level of attention extends throughout the cabin. Natural-toned leather references the cowhide associated with Louis Vuitton luggage, with yellow stitching and diamond embossing adding subtler connections to the house’s leatherwork. Even the hardware received attention: Plastic components that might normally go unnoticed gave way to metal switches, locks, vents, and controls, finished with techniques borrowed from watchmaking.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

Outside, the saffron bodywork is paired with cobalt blue accents and a specially designed roof rack that can carry luggage, skis, or a surfboard. That emphasis on packing for the road reaches surprisingly far back into Louis Vuitton’s history, as the house began making automobile-specific trunks in the late 19th century.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The drop-top Classic Turbo takes the collaboration in an entirely different direction. Conceived with Ghesquière, the Calcaire Lutétien white cabriolet looks to classic motorboats for many of its cues. Wood becomes a defining material, appearing on the bumpers and throughout the storage areas, including a rear luggage deck whose varnished finish recalls the deck of a runabout. Even the lightweight white roof contributes to the nautical character, its stretched form evoking a sail.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The clock is also handled differently, with the timepiece positioned in the center console. Gold-toned gauges and natural leather continue the material palette, while the varnished wood compartment behind the seats has been shaped around both the car’s luggage and removable roof. One of the more playful references appears at the gearshift, where a leather drawstring borrows the familiar closure of Louis Vuitton’s Noé bag.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

Both cars are accompanied by bespoke capsule collections that carry their individual design languages beyond the vehicles themselves. Clothing, helmets, driving accessories, and luggage were developed around each car, with some pieces designed specifically around how they would be transported. For the coupe, that means a Louis Vuitton surfboard and a pair of skis that can ride on the roof rack.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

“Witnessing the absolute confidence of an organization like Louis Vuitton at the peak of its powers, and channeling that focus through Singer’s own unique lens was pretty thrilling and also challenging,” Dickinson says. “This was an incredible joint effort from the team, which I think highlights the celebration not just of cars but of the human element—the craftsmanship, art, and engineering that lies at the heart of both companies.”

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The two cars mark the first collaboration between Singer and Louis Vuitton, but perhaps not the last. “If the opportunity arose to work with the team at Louis Vuitton again,” Fawaz says, “we’d be up for the challenge.”

For now, the brands are planning to take the cars—and elements of their accompanying collections—to additional locations around the world in the coming months.

Photography courtesy of Singer Vehicle Design

The rise in retro-style tech signals a significant shift in consumer electronics, as both established brands and startups move away from all-in-one devices and embrace more purpose-built alternatives. This trend is driven by more than just nostalgia: These gadgets reflect a growing desire to reduce screen fatigue, combat social media addiction, and return to a simpler time before the constant noise of online connectivity and digital saturation. 

Aesthetically, the market is pushing back against the uniformity of modern smartphones that conceal everything behind sleek, opaque shells. In contrast, the resurgence of transparent and semi-transparent designs from the 1980s and ’90s offers a sense of distinction and authenticity. Being able to see an instrument’s inner mechanics, even without technical understanding, can create a greater sense of connection to the object itself. Rather than hiding how a device works, transparency makes its components part of the design.

The following eight products integrate contemporary functions—such as Bluetooth connectivity and high-capacity power support—within the familiar formal language of a bygone era. Wrapped in translucent shells of icy blue, neon green, and clear polycarbonate, these gadgets turn internal components into visible design elements. Whether shaping a standalone keyboard or handheld console, this transparent aesthetic offers a tactile counterpoint to our increasingly screen-based lives without sacrificing contemporary performance.

8 Transparent Tech Gadgets Bringing Retro Design Back

Photography courtesy of Beats by Dre

1. Beats Studio Buds +

The transparent version of Beats Studio Buds + arrives as a striking example of mechanics-forward design. By shedding the opaque, monolithic casings typical of contemporary, increasingly infinitesimal audio, Beats has put the earbuds’ inner workings on display. The frosted aesthetic takes on the minimalist yet organic quality of space-age design, perhaps even the shifting interior backdrop of a Jamiroquai music video. With up to 36 hours of listening time with the charging case, this product proves the transparent retro-tech trend hasn’t come at the cost of the latest performance advancements.

Photography courtesy of Analogue

2. Analogue3D Prototype Limited Edition

A modern console designed to play original Nintendo 64 cartridges, the Analogue 3D Prototype Limited Edition is a high-fidelity homage to the golden age of gaming. It pairs compatibility with original N64 cartridges with 4K output and contemporary hardware. Wrapped in a limited-edition semi-transparent shell available in Ghost, Glacier, Atomic Purple, Extreme Green, and Ocean,, the console evokes the tactile thrill of Saturday mornings for many millennials.  That’s what it offers, nothing more. No chat notifications pop up, and no split video-call screens show opponents in faraway places chiming in. 

Photography courtesy of MoMA Design Store

3. Holo Digital V2 Camera by Manual

This transparent camera by Manual embraces the intentional imperfections of early digital, lo-fi photography, a welcome alternative to the hyper-processed, over-enhanced images of contemporary smartphones. Housed in a clear, revealing chassis that highlights its internal circuitry, the Holo Digital V2 nods to a more considered mode of image-making, even if the result is grainier than what is deemed acceptable these days. It strips away the digital noise, focusing instead on the tactile experience of the click and capture. The V2 is set for release at MoMA Design Store in September. 

Photography courtesy of Mondo

4. Mondo Freestyle Transparent Headphones

The Mondo Freestyle Transparent Headphones harness the zany postmodern aesthetics of ’80s audio gear with contemporary, crystalline updates. Bright orange ear cushions contrast with the transparent earcups, revealing the drivers within and turning the functional act of listening into sartorial spectacle. Beyond nostalgia, the decidedly old-school set pairs 36mm drivers with Bluetooth 5.3 and up to 22 hours of playtime. It’s a playful, hardware-forward accessory that prioritizes the visceral experience of music over the invisible, often slippery, software-locked passivity of standard earbuds.

Photography courtesy of Lofree

5. 1% Transparent Mechanical Keyboard by Lofree

Lofree makes perhaps the ultimate expression of the “clear” trend with the 1% Transparent Mechanical Keyboard, rendering every keycap, switch, and chassis component in crystal-clear, ice-like polycarbonate. Typing becomes a rhythmic, mechanical performance, exposing the underlying circuit board and the precise movement of every stroke. Each keystroke takes on more visceral and technical weight. It’s a far cry from the sterile, silent surfaces of standard office equipment. 

Photography courtesy of MoMA Design Store

6. Retro Beeper Portable Power Bank

For a time, beepers (also known as pagers) were an essential communication device, a step in the call-and-response process that has now been collapsed into smartphones and altogether replaced by text messaging. “Calling back” the small, hip-mounted accessory in what can only be described as an unabashed nostalgic exercise, the Retro Beeper—available through MoMA Design Store—has taken on new relevance by powering other digital devices. But it isn’t merely pager-shaped: The 10,000mAh power bank can also exchange 86 preset messages with other Retro Beepers within range, complete with an audible beep. Its credit-card-sized form packs 30W fast charging, proof of how far portable power has come.

Photography courtesy of Sharge

7. Shargeek 170 Transparent Power Bank

The Shargeek 170 Transparent Power Bank turns the mundane necessity of portable charging into a high-tech design statement. By revealing its internal battery cells and circuit board through a transparent, prism-like form, it turns the engineering behind its 24,000mAh capacity and 170W maximum output into part of the aesthetic. A clear departure from the nostalgia of other retro-tech novelties, the device still borrows from the efficacy of transparent design to achieve a degree of authenticity.

Photography courtesy of MoMA Design Store

8. Seletti BIC Pen Lamp

With sculptural wit, the Seletti BIC Pen Lamp transforms the familiar BIC Cristal into a functional luminaire, scaled up 12 times. With this release, the Italian brand is playing up the fact that there’s potential in formally code-switching one typology into another. The pen’s clear body houses an LED tube where its ink cylinder would normally sit, while the familiar cap completes the oversized silhouette. Designed by Mario Paroli, the lamp can be mounted to a wall or suspended from the ceiling.

The Silver Cross stroller has been around since 1877, but its latest iteration borrows from a considerably faster form of transportation. The British brand has teamed up with Automobili Lamborghini for the Reef AL Giallo, a limited-edition stroller that translates details from the Italian automaker’s supercars into a four-wheeled design of a different sort.

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

The collaboration follows the earlier Reef AL Arancio, trading that model’s orange accents for Lamborghini’s signature giallo yellow against a predominantly matte-black frame. But it doesn’t stop at color and branding: The stroller pulls from automotive forms and materials throughout.

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

An angular, high-gloss polycarbonate carrycot (or a “stroller bassinet,” as we call it in the U.S.) takes cues from the sculpted lines of a supercar hood, while automotive-grade suede, genuine leather, and bamboo fibers appear across the carrycot and reversible seat.

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

Lamborghini references become more granular in the details. A debossed Y pattern on the seat comes directly from the automaker’s interiors, while the hand-finished handlebar, brake pedal, and exposed spring suspension borrow from automotive hardware. Even the storage basket gets a more engineered treatment, using origami-like folds to maintain the stroller’s angular geometry.

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

Those visual references sit atop the functional requirements of a stroller: puncture-proof multi-terrain wheels, a reversible lie-flat seat, integrated bassinet ventilation, and a chassis that folds with the seat facing in either direction. The complete package also includes a footmuff, rain covers, car-seat adapters, a cup holder, a sun sail, and a mosquito net.

Photography courtesy of Silver Cross

Only 500 individually numbered Reef AL Giallo strollers will be produced worldwide. Priced at $4,999, the limited edition launches Aug. 27 through select retailers—making Lamborghini ownership marginally more attainable, even if this one tops out at walking speed.

Editorial Transparency: This article was developed with the assistance of AI tools, which may have been used for research, outlining, editing, or copy refinement. Reporting, fact-checking, and editorial decisions were made by the Design Milk editorial team.

For a brand built around delivery and takeout, Goop Kitchen’s latest opening marks a significant shift. On Aug. 31, the company will open its first dedicated dine-in restaurant at One Paseo in Del Mar, California, giving its previously off-premise concept a 92-seat home.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture worked closely with Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow on the restaurant, translating the brand’s familiar visual language into its first dedicated dining environment. Paltrow was involved in details ranging from the marble selections to the music.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford

A dramatically veined marble wall anchors the dining room, balanced by walnut millwork, black-and-white tile, sculptural pendant lights, and greenery. Steel-framed windows bring in ample California light and open the interior to views of the surrounding landscaping, while striped upholstered banquettes add pattern to an otherwise warm, restrained material palette. Indoor and outdoor seating further connects the restaurant to its Southern California setting.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford

The shift to a permanent dining room also creates new menu possibilities. Alongside Goop Kitchen staples (like the Brentwood Chinese Chicken Salad and Miso Salmon Salad), the Del Mar location introduces new dishes and drinks. Restaurant-exclusive items include the Field of Greens, a salad pizza layered with pesto, garlic confit, mozzarella, Parmesan, and arugula salad, as well as a strawberry-goji berry Palmer and passion fruit lemonade.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford

Del Mar marks the start of a larger San Diego expansion for Goop Kitchen, with future locations planned for La Jolla and Downtown San Diego.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford

Editorial Transparency: This article was developed with the assistance of AI tools, which may have been used for research, outlining, editing, or copy refinement. Reporting, fact-checking, and editorial decisions were made by the Design Milk editorial team.

“Two years ago, Lidan Sfadia and I sketched what at the time felt like a dream on paper,” says developer Edward Grigoryan. “A year ago, it was just dirt. Today, it’s a reality that still leaves me breathless.”

The subject? A sprawling, 7,300-square-foot, U-shaped single-story home located in Tarzana, a San Fernando Valley neighborhood known for its quieter residential character and indoor-outdoor lifestyle. Combining Craftsman influences with elements of Tuscan architecture, the residence is organized around a central courtyard and a close connection to the landscape.

Photography by Nils Timm

As the home comes into view, its Tuscan influences begin with the landscape. Olive trees imported from Napa Valley punctuate the grounds, while limestone-clad walls draped in climbing vines set the scene. To enter the home, visitors pass through French iron-framed doors and step into a space defined by tumbled limestone floors, 12-foot-high ceilings, and Belgian linen drapery that softens the architecture’s substantial scale.

Photography by Nils Timm

Throughout, hand-applied plaster in a warm greige lines the walls, providing a serene neutral backdrop for the natural material palette. The home’s U-shaped layout, meanwhile, separates the private quarters from the public gathering spaces into opposite wings while maximizing ambient light and outdoor views. Nestled within the central garden, the pool is edged with fragrant rosemary, further blurring the distinction between the architecture and landscape.

Photography by Nils Timm

“From the outset, the home was designed around the concept of a massive central courtyard—so we created a 35-foot bridge at the entrance,” says Sfadia, an LA-based developer and the home’s co-creator. Yet that isn’t even its most dramatic—or Zen-like—feature of the home. An imported Bonsai tree was placed directly into a central atrium with a crane. Framed by the surrounding architecture, the tree turns the atrium into a contemplative pause within the home.

Photography by Nils Timm

Adjacent to the atrium, an understated kitchen features custom oak cabinetry, a La Cornue oven, and an island finished in what the designers identify as Bonsai marble—creating what Sfadia and Grigoryan call a “full circle moment.”

Photography by Nils Timm

Drawing inspiration from European architecture—especially Tuscan villas—where materials tend to age gracefully over time, Sfadia and Grigoryan sought to create deeply tactile, atmospheric interiors built to last.

“We wanted to create a calm and relaxing environment but with wow moments created by scale,” the duo explains. Case in point: The family room features a floor-to-ceiling fireplace that functions as a sculptural anchor between two generously sized Belgian linen sofas from RH. A jute rug from Lulu and Georgia, two hair-on-hide Pierre Jeanneret-inspired accent chairs, and a custom artwork by local artist Zack Bayati complete the room.

The neighboring breakfast nook pairs a custom travertine table with woven dining chairs and accessories from Berber Imports. The formal living room also centers on a commanding fireplace, this time complemented by a lighter-hued Lulu and Georgia wool rug, a custom brown suede sofa from a local furniture maker, and a Crate & Barrel lounge chair and coffee table.

Photography by Nils Timm

In the home theater, olive-toned limewash walls create a subtle yet cohesive departure from the home’s overall palette. The dining room returns to the Tuscan-inspired vernacular with an RH brown reclaimed oak table and Belgian linen slipcover dining chairs; an early 1900s antique Persian rug adds another layer of pattern and history underfoot.

Photography by Nils Timm

The private rooms continue the material language established in the shared spaces. The primary bedroom—which offers views of the garden alongside its own fireplace—features a Jenni Kayne linen slipcover bed covered in bedding from Parachute Home, along with a jute rug and a seating area with two Belgian linen chairs from RH flanking a Zara Home side table.

Photography by Nils Timm

The en-suite bathroom continues the emphasis on natural and handcrafted materials with handmade Moroccan tiles, a freestanding tub, an expansive walk-in shower with brass-clad glass doors, and a private outdoor space.

Photo courtesy of Nils Timm

“It’s a resort-like home designed to infuse its inhabitants with a sense of peace and serenity,” Sfadia says. “Building a big, one-story home has always been a dream, and this one really brought that dream to life. With 12-foot ceilings and 10-foot-tall windows, the scale is dramatic, yet despite the proportions, the house remains deeply livable—that was always the ultimate goal.”

That balance of scale and livability ultimately found an audience before the project formally entered the market: A creative couple relocating from Malibu in search of privacy, a slower pace, and a sense of permanence purchased the home before it was listed.

Photography by Nils Timm

Green certainly isn’t revolutionary in interiors, but Behr’s 2027 Color of the Year makes the case that there is still plenty of territory to explore. Grounded (T27-01) sits somewhere between moss and olive, tempered by brown undertones that give the shade a noticeably earthier character.

“In clear morning light, its mossy green feels freshest,” Kayla Kratz, head of color at Behr, says of Grounded’s shifting character. “Through the middle of the day, the olive becomes more pronounced; by evening, the brown undertones surface and the room feels deeper, warmer and more enveloping.”

Photography courtesy of Behr

That responsiveness to light was intentional. Behr’s Color Lab worked through dozens of formulations to arrive at Grounded, adjusting the relationship between green and brown until each component played a distinct role.

“We wanted the moss to keep the color feeling alive, the olive to carry the warmth, and the brown to add depth without pulling the shade too far away from green,” Kratz explains.

Photography courtesy of Behr

The result reflects a larger shift Behr has been tracking across fashion, furniture, materials, and décor: a move toward richer earth tones, tactile materials, and spaces that feel connected to the natural world. Nature itself offered a reference point for how those colors and materials could coexist.

“Beneath a tree canopy, green exists beside bark, soil, and shadow; it changes with the light, yet everything still feels connected,” Kratz says. “Grounded translates that relationship into a single color—the vitality of moss, the warmth of olive, and an earthy depth underneath.”

Photography courtesy of Behr

It’s also a departure from the idea that restorative interiors need to retreat entirely into pale neutrals. Behr sees comfort becoming “warmer, earthier and more expressive” in 2027, with deeper color and natural materials bringing more character to spaces designed for rest.

Grounded anchors Behr’s broader 2027 Color Trends Palette, which extends that nature-driven approach through warm neutrals, layered greens, muted pinks and clay tones, soft blues, and deeper shades such as Nightfall, Sarsaparilla, Smokey Claret, and Mozart. Seven colors from Behr’s archive—Coastal Beige, Wheat Grass, Environmental, Denim Light, Smokey Claret, Sarsaparilla, and Mozart—return to the palette as well.

Photography courtesy of Behr

Editorial Transparency: This article was developed with the assistance of AI tools, which may have been used for research, outlining, editing, or copy refinement. Reporting, fact-checking, and editorial decisions were made by the Design Milk editorial team.

Although Agatha Christie’s seminal murder mystery Death on the Nile unfolds aboard a clunkier, noisier steamer, an earlier generation of Nile travelers made the journey by dahabeah. The quieter, more graceful traditional two-masted passenger sailboats were a fixture of 19th-century travel along the Egyptian river before steamers took over. Today, the waterway is flooded with supercharged, overly amenitized cruise vessels. A reimagined dahabeah, Kemetale seeks to bring back that style of elegant travel—and it’s a welcome change on the Nile.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

Today, between Luxor and Aswan (a less populated and naturally preserved stretch of the Nile), larger cruise ships typically follow fixed itineraries between ancient temples like Philae, Kom Ombo, and Edfu. They don’t have the flexibility to stop along the way for candle-lit barbeques, traditional dance parties, impromptu bird-watching excursions, or drop-in visits with local mango farmers.

On the other hand, Kemetale—with just eight suites outfitted like a five-star boutique hotel—embraces the “drift” down the Nile, not the “dash.”

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

There’s an ease to this bespoke cruise. Days spent slowly covering significant distances can be spent lounging in the glass wall-enclosed lounge, sunbathing on the roof deck, or reading a book on ancient history in the intimate library.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

A conventional dahabeah layout would have two suites at the end of an enfilade of 12 tight cabins. The lounge would have been cramped into the front of the ship, away from the uninterrupted views that bring everyone to this part of the world.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

Co-owners Mohamed Hassan and Ahmed El Leissy cut their teeth in the travel and hospitality industry organizing authentic and intimate desert experiences. The decision to start Kemetale a few years back was a natural progression; a way of tying together everything they were offering their discerning clientele.

“We know what our guests are looking for and designed the ship to meet those needs,” El Leissy explains.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

He and Hassan tapped Cairo-based interiors studio Eklego to stage the ship with a nuanced, contemporary evocation of history: both the early 20th-century style of their precursors and the much older archaeological sites it stops at during sailings. There’s a timeless quality to the white-washed wainscoting and ship-lapped walls of the lower deck corridor.

“The space is meant to unfold like the sequence of a temple,” El Leissy describes. “One moves from larger to smaller halls through arched passageways.”

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

The bedrooms are an exercise in texture, restraint, and minimalist configuration, with sleek en suite bathrooms. Each carefully placed custom furnishing interprets rather than replicates an age-old Egyptian object typology. They’re all produced locally.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

The name Kemetale begins with “Kemet,” the ancient Egyptian name for the “Black Land”—the fertile soil deposited along the Nile. Sycamore fig, date palm, and acacia trees have long grown along its banks, and their woods crop up throughout the interior—but every reference is subtle.

“We didn’t want the space to impose on the stunning surroundings we sail past,” El Leissy says.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

One distinct feature is the Indian Jaali carved wooden screens, which were salvaged from a junkyard and turned into sun-shielding louvers in the main lounge. Despite their intricate carving, the screens sit comfortably within the otherwise restrained interior. Though they don’t directly reference any specific Egyptian craft tradition, these decorative, functional partition walls hint at the fact that some cultural tendencies transcend borders, especially across the Global South.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

This sentiment carries through details large and small, even the eclectic collection of dinnerware the ship carries: bespoke ceramic plates and bowls produced by artisans across Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe.

Photography courtesy of Kemetale

At each meal—where the 16 or so guests gather around a single table to indulge in abundant family-style dishes that reinterpret Egyptian staples—a different set is pulled out. Kemetale is often chartered, but it also runs cruises where unaffiliated travelers quickly become acquainted.

It’s a fitting conclusion to the design philosophy that shapes the entire boat. Kemet doesn’t attempt to recreate the golden age of Nile travel so much as borrow its pace, intimacy, and sense of discovery.

Portable speakers tend to look like … well, portable speakers. They have conspicuous details that make it immediately clear it’s designed to survive a trip outdoors. Andover Audio wanted to change that with FreePlay, its first portable Bluetooth speaker: The goal was to build in durability while leaving most of the visual evidence behind.

“We didn’t overcook the design with multiple folds, excessive protective elements, or extraneous features typically found on ruggedized audio products,” explains Bob Hazelwood, Andover Audio’s Director of Engineering and Product Management. Instead, the Boston-based company gave the nine-pound speaker a relatively restrained silhouette, fold-down handle, and earth-toned finishes in Ivory, Olive, and Slate. It’s an aesthetic intended to move as comfortably between a bookshelf and a backyard as the speaker does.

Photography courtesy of Andover Audio

FreePlay’s curved front is punctuated by radial grilles that expose the arrangement of its four front-facing drivers rather than concealing them behind a continuous grille. Hazelwood sees something familiar in the decision: the compact home audio systems of the late 1990s and early 2000s, when speakers and their components were meant to be seen. Here, that Y2K-era reference has been pared back into a decidedly simpler portable form.

The restraint is deliberate. Rather than pointing to a particular object as inspiration, Hazelwood cites Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles for Good Design, and especially the idea that good design should involve as little design as possible. The team tested new ideas against Rams’ principles during development.

That simplicity on the outside belies one decision that shaped nearly everything inside: Andover refused to abandon stereo sound simply because the speaker was going portable. FreePlay uses two 25mm dome tweeters, two 5.25-inch woofers, and a 160mm rear-mounted passive radiator, with its voicing informed by the company’s home audio systems.

Photography courtesy of Andover Audio

“Stereo was the big one,” Hazelwood says of the engineering compromises the team refused to make. “That decision defined the format more than any other.” While the drivers sit too close together to create the expansive separation of a traditional stereo setup, he argues that maintaining two channels preserves a sense of depth and reality that can disappear when a stereo recording is electronically summed into mono.

The same thinking informed how the speaker was tuned. Rather than emphasizing bass and volume as its default character, Andover applied the standards for frequency balance and dynamic linearity it uses for its home products. For occasions when projection matters more than neutrality, a dedicated Loud Mode adds 6dB of output.

Developing a speaker that could preserve those priorities outside the home proved to be one of the project’s more difficult challenges. FreePlay carries an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating, but Hazelwood says conventional methods of reaching that standard introduced acoustic compromises the team wasn’t willing to accept. Finding and testing materials and construction techniques that could provide the necessary protection without sacrificing the desired sound became a significant part of the roughly two-year development process.

Photography courtesy of Andover Audio

Andover had some experience to draw from. The company previously developed speakers for a major motorcycle manufacturer, work that required rigorous testing for environmental exposure, dust, and vibration. That knowledge helped shape FreePlay’s testing approach.

The resulting speaker can run for up to 24 hours at moderate listening levels and includes Bluetooth 6.0 and LE Audio support, a USB-C port with bidirectional charging, Qi-compatible wireless phone charging, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input. Physical controls on top handle the essentials without requiring an app, while side-mounted utility bars provide attachment points for straps or clips. Multiple speakers can also be linked through Party Mode, which supports synchronized playback across as many as 100 FreePlay units.

Even its subdued colors reflect Andover’s ambition for longevity. Rather than following the brighter palettes often associated with portable electronics, the team chose natural shades intended to live quietly alongside interiors and outdoor spaces. As Hazelwood puts it, “Natural tones are aesthetic comfort food.”

It all comes back to a fairly straightforward proposition: What happens when a home-audio company makes something meant to leave home? For Andover, the answer wasn’t to redesign hi-fi around the visual language of outdoor gear, but to make its existing principles more portable—or, as Hazelwood describes the idea, to put “a handle on your Hi-Fi.”

Photography courtesy of Andover Audio

The Andover Audio FreePlay is available from Andover Audio and Amazon for $429.

Move over beige—there’s a new take on neutral. Valspar has named Cottage Door 8004-38E its 2027 Color of the Year, a mid-tone blue that balances warm and cool undertones, offering a little more personality without sacrificing versatility.

The selection taps into a growing desire for interiors that feel personal and lived-in rather than overly perfected. Valspar describes Cottage Door as a response to that desire for comfort and authenticity, drawing on soft minimalism, organic layering, and tactile materials.

Photography courtesy of Valspar

“Cottage Door captures blue’s natural sense of security and trust while serving as a colorful new neutral that layers effortlessly into the home,” says Sue Kim, Valspar’s director of color marketing. “It creates spaces that feel balanced, comforting and inviting.”

Photography courtesy of Valspar

That “colorful neutral” designation is perhaps the shade’s most interesting quality. Neither an airy pastel nor a dramatic navy, Cottage Door sits somewhere in between, giving it enough presence to define a room while remaining subdued enough to work across different materials and palettes.

Photography courtesy of Valspar

Valspar pairs the blue with two supporting shades: Moon Shot 8005-2B, a warm gray, and Apricot Blush 8003-8A, a muted creamy pink. Light wood tones add another layer of warmth, creating a palette that feels soft without becoming overly sweet.

Valspar is making Cottage Door available across a range of interior and exterior paints, stains, and specialty finishes, allowing the blue to carry from cabinetry and furniture to exterior surfaces.

Photography courtesy of Valspar

For 2027, at least, Valspar’s version of the neutral home isn’t devoid of color. It’s simply a little quieter about it.

Editorial Transparency: This article was developed with the assistance of AI tools, which may have been used for research, outlining, editing, or copy refinement. Reporting, fact-checking, and editorial decisions were made by the Design Milk editorial team.

A chair may be one of the most familiar forms in furniture design, but there are still plenty of ways to rethink it. The latest chair designs span new introductions, updated classics, and seating made for an increasingly blurry divide between home, work, and hospitality spaces. Some reconsider how a chair moves with the body, while others focus on circular materials, craftsmanship, flexibility, or simply giving a familiar silhouette new character.

From Mario Bellini’s newly colorful MB 1 Lounge Chair to Ineke Hans’ circular Rex and a refreshed Eames classic, these eight modern chairs offer a snapshot of where seating design is headed in 2026.

Photography courtesy of Teknion

1. Blink by Teknion

Designed in partnership with Formway, Blink by Teknion delivers ergonomic support with minimal adjustment required. A precision-molded shell with more than 1,000 perforations forms a breathable, flexible surface for all-day comfort. Its Keel mechanism uses body weight as a counterbalance, automatically calibrating support as the user moves. Internal gears ensure controlled movement, while the high-performance springs offer a smooth sit. Made of regenerated nylon and recycled polypropylene, the chair also puts material efficiency at the center of its design. Color-matched components create a cohesive look that complements a range of interiors.

Photography courtesy of Olive Ateliers

2. Livery Dining Side Chair by Olive Ateliers

Los Angeles-based design house Olive Ateliers presents the Livery Dining Side Chair, a solid hardwood design inspired by antique furniture. Made in India and hand-finished by skilled artisans, it evokes the classic beauty and character of a piece passed down from generation to generation. The hand-turned back rail enhances the chair’s rustic charm, while a 16-inch-deep saddle seat completes the pared-back form.

Photography courtesy of Heller

3. MB1 Lounge Chair by Heller

Designed by Mario Bellini, the MB 1 Lounge Chair by Heller is made of a self-cushioning polymer and includes an integrated channel along its perimeter for easy water drainage when used outdoors. The sculptural chair now comes in five additional nature-inspired shades: Olive, a verdant green; Cookie, a deep golden hue; Slate and Silver, two stone-like neutrals; and Terra Cotta, a rich earthen hue. The expanded palette gives the established design new possibilities across indoor and outdoor spaces.

Photography courtesy of Hightower

4. Rex

Rex from Hightower, in partnership with Circuform, is a chair made with circularity in mind. Produced in European facilities using green energy, it is made from 98% recycled ECONYL, derived in part from waste including fishing nets and carpets. Designed by Ineke Hans, the chair’s unique form allows for stacking, which means easy storage. It also has individual parts that can be replaced or repaired to extend its life. A matte seat finish prevents sliding, while the slightly flexible back allows micro-movements. With 80 possible color combinations, users can personalize Rex to suit a range of spaces.

Photography courtesy of Room & Board

5. Penny

Penny by Room & Board for Business brings a more residential sensibility to the office chair. Upholstered in North Carolina, its semi-attached cushions and soft, tailored silhouette bring warmth to corporate workspaces. Designed for everyday use, Penny features a 360-degree swivel base and adjustable height for ease of movement. The 18-inch seat depth adds to its relaxed proportions, while casters glide smoothly on hardwood or carpeted floors. Specifiers can choose from a range of performance fabrics suited to high-traffic environments. A top-grain Pesaro leather option gives the chair a more traditional finish.

Photography courtesy of Madheke

6. Odyssey

Madheke introduces Odyssey, an office chair with a high-backed, two-tone silhouette. Smooth leather upholstery is paired with textured fabric along the wings, while a quilted backrest and integrated armrests give the chair its enveloping form. Wood veneers like gray oak and walnut add an organic touch, while brushed nickel and antique brass finishes provide just enough sheen. A leather-wrapped swivel base and chrome-accented casters complete the design.

Photography courtesy of Allseating

7. Gemelli

Allseating presents Gemelli, designed in collaboration with Carl Gustav Magnusson. Inspired by evolving commercial interiors, this polypropylene stackable chair—with or without arms—balances sculpted comfort with performance. The single-shell form is gently contoured to support the body’s natural seated position. A cufflink-inspired connection detail and racetrack leg profile give the chair its distinct visual signature. Even the name reinforces the reference: Gemelli translates to “cufflinks.” Six shell colors and six coordinating painted frame finishes (plus a chrome frame option) are available. An optional upholstered pad can be added, allowing the chair to move easily among hospitality settings, workplaces, and education spaces.

Photography courtesy of Herman Miller

8. Eames Molded Plastic Dining Chair

The Eames Molded Plastic Dining Chair brings a more sustainable material palette to a design Charles and Ray Eames originally introduced as the EC-127 in 1970. The latest version uses 99% post-industrial recycled plastic for its molded seat and back. Its curved seat and back provide support while retaining the familiar Eames silhouette. Legs can be specified in chrome or powder-coated primary shades to bring splashes of vibrant color indoors. Upholstered versions add another layer of color and texture to the enduring design.

In the early 1990s, Ford’s then-new Explorer stood out from the growing pack of sport-utility vehicles with a particularly unusual feature: a trim level. Specifically, an upscale one called “Eddie Bauer,” inspired by the outdoor clothing company that was then in vogue. It proved quite the success, with the trim going on to become a staple of the carmaker’s lineup for more than a decade. More than 30 years later, Ford is once again teaming up with a fashionable maker of outerwear—Seattle-based Filson—to give one of its off-roaders an edge in a crowded, cutthroat market.

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The Ford Bronco Filson has been thoroughly remastered, adding everything from a specially tuned version of the Bronco Raptor’s 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 to fabrics and materials not found in any of the carmaker’s other vehicles. It even boasts additional sound insulation that reduces perceived wind noise by a fifth. It’s a more premium Bronco, although not a compromised one.

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

The collaboration between the 123-year-old carmaker and the 129-year-old outfitter on a version of the legendary off-roader came about somewhat serendipitously. Ford’s designers had pictures of Filson jackets and bags on their mood boards when penning the vehicle. When they called up the outfitter to start a conversation, Filson’s reply was unexpected: They were in the midst of rebuilding their own brand book and had said, “If Filson were a car, we’d be a vintage Bronco.”

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

When the two teams sat down to discuss a collaboration, it felt, according to Ford Global Design Director Paul Wraith, like a meeting of the minds. “We had already been thinking about what a higher-end Bronco could be, but we knew it couldn’t simply mean chrome, polished surfaces, or a traditional luxury treatment,” he says. “It had to feel true to Bronco.”

The Filson team felt the same way, Wraith explains. “That’s when it became clear this wasn’t two brands forcing something together. It was two brands recognizing a shared point of view.”

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Tradition runs strong in the automotive world, though, so breaking away from some of the more clichéd signals of a premium trim level, such as shiny metal or piano-black plastic, took a little time. Wraith says renderings alone weren’t enough to convince everyone inside Ford that luxury could take a different form. The breakthrough came when the team built a physical vehicle. “Once people saw it, the debate changed,” he says. “They understood it immediately.”

That exercise helped establish a distinctly Bronco take on luxury. “The whole idea was that this vehicle should feel better with use, not worse,” Wraith says.

New Ford Bronco Filson saddle bag.

The most evident pieces of the team-up are inside the vehicle, where Ford has paired perforated quilted leather with woven fabric inspired by Filson’s rugged twill, along with leather-wrapped surfaces and brass accents. Rather than simply signaling luxury, the materials are meant to feel substantial and functional, not just decorative, much like the bags and clothing that outdoorspeople have turned to for over a century.

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

That thinking also extends to the Bronco’s storage, including removable door-mounted saddlebags that transform an existing utilitarian feature into something more considered.

“Their gear has this honesty to it,” Wraith notes. He points to the vehicle’s fitted door bag as a clear example of breaking from the norm in favor of something more functional, yet distinct: “It came from looking at Bronco’s existing door netting and asking, ‘What if this became something more useful, more crafted and more Filson?’”

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Wraith says maintaining those core shared qualities would be essential to any future work between the brands. “The power of this collaboration is that it doesn’t feel like a one-off marketing exercise,” he says. “It feels like two brands that genuinely understand each other.”

Photography courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Could the F-150 pickup or the Expedition SUV see their own such variants in time? For now, Wraith says, the focus is on bringing the Bronco Filson to market; he isn’t revealing what might come next. But this sort of collaboration, he adds, “naturally opens the door to more thinking.”

“The important thing,” Wraith adds, “is that anything we do has to be as genuine as this.”

After more than a decade working in hospitality development and collaborating with industry icons like Kelly Wearstler and Philippe Starck, Kevin Klein had a realization: “I was being paid to provide design insight to the same people that I was actively looking to for their own perspectives,” he says. That pivot to interior design led him to found Kevin Klein Design in 2020.

The California native’s first client at his eponymous firm was a childhood friend who wanted his home designed from top to bottom. A project of that scope was an invaluable opportunity that still influences his approach today.

Klein creates spaces he hopes will inspire—but his approach is anything but style-centric. With an architecture degree from the University of Southern California, he approaches design holistically, emphasizing construction, operations, and long-term functionality. Whether working in hospitality, residential, or multifamily design, he gives each project a distinct identity.

Klein says his favorite part of the process is when a job is complete and he sees the before-and-after photos. That’s when he sees the tangible, lasting impact of a design—a moment he says is particularly gratifying for him and his team.

Today, Kevin Klein joins us for Friday Five! Below, he shares five items that inspire him and five projects that reflect his work.

Kevin Klein’s 5 Inspirations

Photography by Kevin Klein

1. Gladding, McBean Ceramics Company

I first worked with Gladding, McBean during the restoration of the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles, where historic terra-cotta elements were key to bringing the original 1920s Bank of Italy building back to life. What fascinated me was discovering just how rare this craft has become: Gladding, McBean is one of only two companies in the country still capable of producing architectural terra cotta at this level. They meticulously replicate deteriorated or missing historic pieces by combining scanning and fabrication technology with traditional handcraft.

I toured their 150-year-old facility in Northern California and was completely blown away by the process: sculpting, molding, glazing, firing, color matching, and essentially reverse-engineering architectural elements that may have been made a century ago. It completely changed the way I look at restoration—not as recreating the past, but as keeping an extraordinary material language alive.

Photography by Kevin Klein

2. Park Hotel Vitznau

I’m fascinated by hotels that feel inseparable from their setting, and Park Hotel Vitznau in Switzerland is one of the best examples. The original hotel opened in 1903 on the edge of Lake Lucerne. I love the tension between this almost fantastical, old-world Swiss architecture and the extraordinary clarity of the surrounding landscape: the lake, the mountains, and the intensity of the light and water.

Inside, the hotel combines contemporary technology and amenities with a sense of honest nostalgia. It’s a great example of how history and modern luxury don’t need to compete. The architecture provides the romance and permanence, while the contemporary interventions provide comfort and relevance. Ultimately, though, the most powerful design element is something no designer put there: the setting. Everything feels secondary to Lake Lucerne, which is exactly what makes the hotel so memorable.

Photography by Kevin Klein

3. Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela

I traveled to Lake Maracaibo in 2012, and I still think about the visuals of that trip today. It’s a strange, incredibly visceral place: the enormous body of water, the density of the surrounding rainforest, the humidity, and an almost constant electrical energy in the sky. The region is famous for its lightning, and seeing that amount of light and energy against such a dark, tropical landscape felt almost artificial. Something about it felt cinematic, and it has stayed in my head for more than a decade. I think designers are constantly building a subconscious library of places, colors, light, textures, and experiences, and Lake Maracaibo found a permanent place in mine.

Photography by Kevin Klein

4. Ferrari 575M Maranello

The Ferrari 575M Maranello sits at an intersection of tradition and modernity that I find incredibly appealing. The V12 has all of the sound, tactility, proportion, and theater you want from an old Italian grand tourer. The long hood, physical controls, and relatively restrained technology give it a vintage allure without actually being a vintage car. I also love that its beauty feels like a strange version of form following function. Nothing about it is gratuitous, yet the result is incredibly stylized. To me, it’s almost the perfect middle ground between romance and performance. Hopefully, one day soon I’ll be able to find one for myself.

Changdeokgung, the former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea, features Dancheong. Photography by Kevin Klein.

5. Korean Dancheong

I’m fascinated by Dancheong—the traditional Korean system of decorative painting—because of how much ornamentation, color, and playfulness can exist within such a rigid underlying system. At first glance, it can feel almost exuberant, with reds, greens, blues, intricate florals, and geometric patterns layered across an architectural surface. But the more you look at it, the more you realize how structured everything actually is. Rules, repetition, hierarchy, and rhythm run underneath all that decoration. I’m generally drawn to design that can hold opposing ideas at the same time, and Dancheong does that beautifully. It’s disciplined without being serious, decorative without feeling arbitrary, and colorful without losing architectural clarity.

5 Projects by Kevin Klein

Photography by Elizabeth Carababas

1. SYRN Brand Studio

I loved the challenge of designing a space for SYRN, Sydney Sweeney’s lingerie brand. It had to function as a workplace, a creative laboratory, and a physical expression of a brand still defining itself. Rather than defaulting to the expected language of a fashion showroom, we leaned into something more intimate and residential. Warm woods, vintage pieces, sculptural forms, and moments of unexpected color create a space that feels collected rather than prescribed. For me, the most interesting commercial spaces are the ones that don’t immediately read as commercial; they create a world you want to spend time in, and the brand’s identity emerges almost subconsciously through the experience of being there.

Photography by Elizabeth Carababas

2. Walkers’ Bar and Market

I’ve always been drawn to spaces that can shift throughout the day, and Walkers’ Bar and Market in Dallas gave us the chance to design something that feels like a neighborhood market in the afternoon and an intimate wine bar at night. We focused on a kind of quiet luxury—beautiful Italian woods and marble, vintage European lighting, restored furniture, and custom pieces—but deliberately kept everything approachable and a little playful. Ultimately, I wanted the space to feel less like a “designed” restaurant and more like somewhere that had evolved over time: personal, layered, slightly imperfect, and deeply connected to the personalities of the siblings behind it.

Photography by Adrian Gaut

3. The Hollywood Roosevelt Gable & Lombard Penthouse and Johnny Grant Apartment

Working within a place as storied as The Hollywood Roosevelt, the goal was never to recreate some idealized version of Old Hollywood, but to make the spaces feel as though they had simply evolved over the past 100 years. We sourced furniture and objects from more than 25 countries and layered them with Italian marble, dark walnut, oak, and warm plaster, allowing age and imperfection to become part of the design rather than something to disguise. During construction, we even uncovered a partially finished hand-painted ceiling mural hidden behind drywall; instead of restoring or completing it, we left it exactly as we found it. That discovery really encapsulated the project for me. Sometimes the most compelling thing a designer can do is recognize when something already has more character than anything you could add.

Photography by Stefan Merriweather

4. West Hollywood Home

This project started with a pretty simple idea: create a room designed almost entirely around hanging out. What emerged was this immersive, slightly hedonistic entertainment space centered on an oversized sunken “cuddle pit,” where the distinction between furniture and architecture starts to disappear. I loved the opportunity to be a little less serious here by layering pattern, texture, vintage pieces, art, and unexpected objects into something eclectic and deliberately difficult to categorize. It’s a good reminder for me that great residential design doesn’t always need to be precious or overly composed; sometimes the rooms people remember most are simply the ones that give them permission to have fun.

Photography by Elizabeth Carababas

5. Chit Chat Coffee & Matcha

With Chit Chat, I wanted to take the familiarity and casualness of a neighborhood coffee shop and give it a more considered architectural identity. The design pulls from mid-century detailing and materiality, but we were careful not to let that reference become nostalgic or overly precious—the space still needed to feel comfortable, social, and genuinely useful. The proportions and detailing lend the space an elegance, balanced by warmth and an inherent informality. I love projects like this because they demonstrate that thoughtful design doesn’t have to announce itself; sometimes its greatest success is simply making an everyday ritual feel a little more special.