5 Design Concept Websites To Get The Creative Juices Flowing

We all waste time online sometimes, don’t we? You’ve been there before, you log on to check your email and something catches your eye. Something strange, neat or really cool draws you away from whatever you were up to. Well, it happens to me. I’m not sure why, maybe I have a short attention span.  But sometimes, something blows my mind and drags me away!
Today, I want to share with you 5 different design concept websites that will get your sucked into the creative world of design.

(1) Toxel.com

Toxel.com is a blog that shares concept designs and products that are sure to turn your head! Most of the blog posts are lists of items or objects that are in the same or similar context. For instance, in the post titled 17 Most Unusual Vending Machines, there is a list of different unusual vending machines.

They highlight items from the everyday life also.  Sometimes when everyday mixes with the creative you come up with posts like 14 Unusual and Creative Slippers:

Another interesting topic that comes up often on Toxel.com is advertising.  Just any advertising technique is interesting but Toxel.com likes to share advertising that will blow your socks off.  For instance, they did a post listing creative and clever escalator advertisements.

(2) Vidafine.com

On first visit, you may be asking, “What in the WORLD does Vidafine mean, anyways?”

Pronounced (Vee-Da-Fine). The name Vidafine came about one sunny weekday afternoon by combining the words Vida (which means ‘life’ in Spanish) and Define (which means ‘define’…. in English) together. Essentially, Vidafine is a term that we believe, challenges the individual to proactively and positively define one’s lifestyle.

The Vidafine blog is “a visual exploration and emotional engagement of the vast ideas, design concepts and products from around the world that shape our modern culture.”  Sure enough, you will find some neat design concepts and products on this site.  This site is also a blog but unlike Toxel.com, Vidafine.com doesn’t rely on the list but usually focuses on one design or object at a time.  For instance, a few of the posts that caught MY eye were Wireless Charging Mat (I’ve gotta get one of these!) which is about a new product from Duracell which is a mat on which you place electronic devices and it recharges the batteries,

Bike to the Future, which is a really cool bicycle concept which would sport spoke-less wheels, fingerprint recognition for security, and self inflating tires.

And Cardboard Office (I’m not really sure what the point to this one is but it’s still really cool!)

(3) Tuvie.com

“This website is dedicated to talk about techs and gadgets in the future, some of them might still even a concept.”  Tuvie.com is the site for the techie in us.  Tuvie.com sports a darker site design with a black background and white font.  Once you get used to that, the rest is history (or should I say future!).  This site also takes a look at one design concept per post, unlike Toxel.com.  Some of the designs and concepts are more interesting than others but hey, you never know which ones will define our future gadgets!  Check out Insight Diabetic Foot Care Scale from FrogDesign.  Being a diabetic myself, I find this interesting.  We can use all the help we can get!

Also check out the “Mo”: Redefined Notebook PC.  One of the complaints avid book readers have about ebook readers, such as the Kindle, is that they don’t feel like a book when you hold them.  It seems this concept notebook can help in that area.  Not only does it fold like a book, it can also fold backwards and double as an alarm clock!

(4) Yankodesign.com

Yanko Design is a web magazine dedicated to introducing the best modern international design, covering from industrial design, concepts, technology, interior design, architecture, exhibition and fashion. It’s about the cutting edge and the classic, the new and the rediscovered. It’s all about the best.

Yankodesign.com also has the black background and white font look.  There are many designs that are still in the design concept stage that will keep your attention for a bit.  Hit the “related posts” section at the end of each post and the time just slips away!  Each post has a quick paragraph and usually several different pictures; for those of us who have always loved the books with little words and many pictures!  Check out the post about the Emotional Phone (an interesting little gadget that can detect the strength of your relationships and can even detect a friends emotional phone nearby and share tagged pics, etc. plus some!):

And the Nokia CLIPit Concept Mobile Phone (a phone which puts into use something called “smart fabric”)

Also the New Kinda Treasure Hunt

(5) Creativecloseup.com

This colorful blog highlighting all kinds of cool designs is a hard one to ignore.  For instance, who doesn’t remember Legos and all they brought into our lives?  Well, one post shares several designs inspired by the little toy building blocks!

Also check out Kitchen Gadgets and Appliances for True Geeks which shares a number of gadgets to geek up your kitchen (yes, it is possible!):

And read 15 Incredible Conceptual Designs You Wish Existed which shares several conceptual designs which do not (yet) exist:

There you have it, 5 sites that get you sucked in and your creative juices flowing!  Check out the coolness, but also let us know in the comments of any other cool design or tech-concept sites we may not have mentioned.