Ekaterina
Tomilov
2ND YEAR PROJECT
UP-TEE
modular tea organizer
1 MONTH
Design Brief
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Design a declutter for tea bag organization and display for the household kitchen, using minimal material with only flat-stock.
I added an additional challenge for myself of having a wall mounted storage.
UP-TEE is a tea organizer product made to utilize space in the kitchen while keeping the accessibility and aesthetic appearance in the kitchen environment. The product is made to counter the tea bag shape and to display it to the user.
Research: Market​
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Initial research was conducted to determine the problems of current hot beverage storage,
focusing on tea bags and existing solutions
Identified Issues
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Different variety of flavored stored together making it hard to pull 1 tea bag out​
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Not all flavors are seen and therefore are not used​
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If stored in a cabinet the user is engaging in multiple smaller tasks to get a single tea bag out​
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Stored in a closed cabinet, not inviting
Industry Solutions​
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Existing storage designs occupy horizontal counter space and require additional step of opening and closing of product
to reach the tea bag.
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Have a similar shape and material choice of clear Polypropylene.
Initial Ideation​
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Prototype Iterations:
Shape iterations focused on wall mounting to use unused space in kitchen
1st prototype
Found a problem with having no support from the sides, tea bags tipped over
After peer review, triangle concept was chosen with extended exploration of form individualization and ways of attachment to wall surface.
Leading to 2 main concepts
Concept Development & Ideation​
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Exploration of:
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Minimum size needed to support max amount of tea bags without being too protruding from the wall
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Attachment mechanism to be easy to attach to the wall without damage
1st attempt
Suction cups to attach to cabinets, fridge or tiles. Suction cups required smooth surface and would fall eventually
2nd attempt
"Command Damage Free" stickers, which can be glued on any surface, smooth or porous without loosing grip over time, as well as removable without damage
Final prototype- Chosen materials: Popsicle sticks and hot glue
Unclutters kitchen-
Doesn't occupy cabinet and counter space
Display-
Can showcase multiple tea bags, as well as heavier hot chocolate bags etc.
Modular set -
Consumer can make their own pattern or layout
Final Concept & Use Cycle​
