Broadly, there are two ways to approach design. Either through a utilitarian lens, or through an emotional lens. Ideally, great design balances both these approaches well, but here’s the catch. Not every design is supposed to ‘solve a problem’. Sometimes a product’s purpose can be to just evoke a response, a sense of whimsy, of happiness. Michiru’s Pet Paw Bottle does just that.
Most bottles, cups, glasses, or mugs have a tendency to leave a ring of water/liquid condensate if kept on a surface. It’s why we use coasters or table mats, so these rings don’t destroy our furniture or leave stains. Except, Michiru’s bottle was designed to make those ‘stains’ desirable. Unlike most bottles that leave rings of water or florets (especially the carbonated bottles), Michiru’s Pet Paw Bottle leaves pawprints. The underside of the bottle comes with a unique design that turns condensation or water into a unique little stamp that looks adorable… although keep it off your mum’s teakwood furniture if you know what’s best for you!
Designer: Michiru
Plastic bottles come with two bases – the regular base (which you see on most non-carbonated bottles) also called the champagne base after the fact that it was modeled after the base of champagne bottles, and the petal base (popular for fizzy beverages) designed to provide stability while also counteracting the pressure of the liquid inside the bottle. The Pet Paw Bottle takes the petal base but abstracts it for the sake of aesthetics. It can do so because the water inside isn’t carbonated, which means there’s really no engineering drawback. The result, however, is adorable.
Keep the Pet Paw Bottle on any surface, and if there’s condensate, it’ll leave a print in the shape of a paw. This is cute, but the broader implications for this are incredible. We all grumble about coffee rings being left by cups lying around on tables – why not employ a similar strategy to turn those rings into art? Maybe a brand logo, maybe a whimsical emoji, maybe the literal opposite of latte art! Do you have any other ideas?
The post Adorable ‘Pet Paw’ bottle leaves cute pawprints instead of ugly water rings first appeared on Yanko Design.