Though a seemingly eclectic mix of blog posts about design, there is indeed a method to this blogging madness for if you look closely, you’ll notice that a few subtle themes guided our stories this week. While a handful products are suggestive of time transport (both forwards and backwards), we also note new and inventive designs for parents and a couple of others that promise to enhance the quotient of your design intelligence.

1. The movie Back To The Future provides an interesting paradigm in which to consider a few of our design selections. To start, the Issit Public Seating concept by Swedish design studio ADDI is a fascinating and theatrical take on the infinite potential of public seating systems. As a team that is always on the go, the 3rings staffers love the Issit for completely re-inventing the typically drab and formulaic approach to the way we spend our layovers in airports, train stations and the like.

2. In a similar vein, Melting Light by German designer Daniel Becker offers a extraterrestrial interpretation of a ceiling pendant. As described in this week’s post, the LED bulb that descends from the slick, rippling diffusion plate reminds us an exploratory emissary departing from its mother ship.

3. Instead of looking forward, Smeg’s 50’s Style refrigerator takes us back with a retro-inspired appliance that guarantees to reinvigorate your kitchen and to infuse it with a little dose of Pleasantville chic.

4. A few posts this week also spoke to the rapid proliferation these days of better-designed products for parents. We started with with Constance Guisset’s Dancing Chair (recently exhibited at Paris’ Maison Object), a lightweight and ergonomic rocking chair that is one of the few dynamic rockers out there with both cushions and a complimentary ottoman (for a similar furniture design, see Finnish design firm Colmio’s Woodpecker and Grasshopper Rocking Chairs.)

5. Another innovative design concept featured this week was Danish start-up A Real Cool World’s Flexi Bath. A flat-packed portable tub for toddlers equipped with a temperature sensitive drain plug and non-slip traction, the Flexi Bath is also composed of hazard-free TPE and PP rubber. Splish splash!

6. Sticking to the 3rings mission to always bring you the best of the brand new, we had to pay tribute to these two tables which blew up the design blogosphere. First was the Novanta workstation by Luke Riggall, a hyper-efficient desk boasting a clean, minimalist lines and maximum storage space.

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Super fresh in the way of tables was also Copenhagen-based FurnID’s Propeller Table, an expandable and highly functional design piece supported by flight propeller-inspired legs. For more aerodynamically-oriented design, also take a look at the Il Sole Conference Table by Giancarlo de Astis.

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And last but not least, 3rings brought our loyal readers the Woollight by Ellen Seeger and Arno Tummers of Dutch studio Beelden Bouwers. For those of us who won’t get the opportunity to do a ski trip this season, the Woollight helps us to conjure our own authentic “apres” atmosphere sans those ugly ski sweaters, smoky fireplaces and sticky fondue.

Here is hoping that this healthy dose of product design “propels” you into a fantastic weekend and “lights” up the night!