Georgia Alliston is designing a bathroom storage system to address issues with existing standard storage methods. These issues include lack of organization leading to clutter, safety risks of children accessing dangerous items, and lack of innovation in designs. Alliston's storage system will have multiple compartments to organize items. It will have an interesting shape and high quality materials. Alliston gathered feedback from family members who expressed issues with safety, organization and lack of innovation in current products. This feedback and influences from modern art, furniture and storage solutions will inform Alliston's design of an innovative bathroom storage system.

1. F523 – DESIGN, MAKE
AND EVALUATE
Candidate Number: 2004 Centre Number: 16339 A2 Product DesignGeorgia Alliston

2. Introduction
For my project, I have decided to design a suitable bathroom storage system that holds common items found in a bathroom cupboard,
this would include toothbrushes, shower gel, razorblades and any other products that might be needed by the consumer for their
bathroom. My plan is to design several compartments for the objects to fit inside of. The market of bathroom storage is not very
innovative or competitive because most storage methods for a bathroom are standard boxes and cupboards. This will give me the
opportunity to produce a more creative product in comparison to every other storage method on the market for bathrooms. Some of
the existing issues are displayed on the right in comparison to similar, existing products. Some of these issues I have encountered
when I have previously used a storage compartment that I have at home. Due to the gap in the market, I am aiming to produce
something that can function differently in comparison to just standard drawers, this could include shape, colour or installing speakers.
Design Brief Plain, Boring Box
shape, too standard.
Hygiene risks if placed near
sinks or toilets.
Not a suitable scale for all
users, storage
compartments too
close together so people
can grab them.
Toothbrushes can be easily
mixed up and cluttered.
You will also find that
storing items in cupboards
can cause unnecessary
clutter and mess, especially
bottles of shower gel,
toothbrushes and makeup.Products can easily get mixed up
and children may be going near
unsafe items such as razors or
bathroom cleaning facilities like
bleach.
Initial Design Brief
• The bathroom storage system should be much more aesthetically pleasing with a high quality finish so that users and consumers will want
to store all of their bathroom necessities into my storage compartment. I want the product to have a more interesting shape than a box,
however there must be sufficient space to store all of the products inside.
• The overall height and shape depends on what size bathroom I am intending to store it in. Preferably, a full size bathroom would be the
best place due to the amount of items I want to store inside. I am also using several compartments to store different types of bathroom
items in them, such as a designated drawer/compartment for toothbrushes etc. This will solve the overall clutter issue.
• The materials to produce them should be highly durable so that it can free stand and hold all the items inside securely. It should also be
able to hold the pressure of consumers leaning on it, touching it etc.
• Sharp edges must be kept to a minimum, especially on corners and compartments so that they don’t cause harm to anyone using it, and
reduces the risk of injury.
• The materials used must be waterproof and easy to clean due to some of the harsh chemicals or shower items that might be accidentally
spilt in a bathroom such as bleach, toothpaste, shower gel etc.
Commercial Opportunities
Although bathroom storage is a limited market and range, creating something different will allow me to have a wide range of commercial opportunities. For instance, different size storage units can be designed for
different bathroom sizes. A smaller one could be produced for a simple downstairs bathroom to store hand gel, toilet paper etc. Or a larger one can be produced for anyone who made need it in a public bathroom at a
restaurant so it can be used in a wide variety of areas. Alternatively, it can be multipurpose as the storage unit doesn’t just have to store bathroom items. It could also be used in other areas around the house such as
the kitchen, living room or bedroom to store necessities. The product can also be marketed over social media or the internet to make the product more accessible and available to all types of consumers. My idea could
also be pitched to some larger furniture retail stores such as “Ikea” or more independent furniture stores like “Habitat” or “Furnitureland” so that it also becomes an availability in stores.
Themes and aesthetics can also be adapted to make it suitable for a younger audience, such as using more familiar shapes or colours which would appeal to them. Decoration and patterns are also a consideration as
having one singular colour may not suit the style of every bodies bathroom style. If I was to sell a singular white coloured storage unit and some people have dark brown as their furniture theme, I am not reaching out
to a wide enough audience, having a more available colour and style range will suit the needs of the consumer significantly more than a singular range of the product,

3. Issues with Existing Bathroom Storage
Important/Relevant Issues
Safety
This is one of the biggest issues when designing the
product because if the consumer feels unsafe or feels
like they are putting others at risk with my products,
it doesn’t make it marketable or meet adequate
safety standards, therefore less likely to sell. Safety
issues revolving around bathroom storage involve:
- Children having easy access to dangerous items
and substances such as bleach, medicine or razor
blades.
- Users who want to listen to music have to take
electronic devices into the bathroom which is a
major safety issue in regards to the mixture of
water and electricity.
Function/Purpose
Every product must have an ability to work and a purpose. The
initial product’s purpose is to hold items found in a bathroom such
as cleaning utensils and personal hygiene products such as soap,
toothpaste and shower gel. Most bathroom storage products
function using cupboards or drawers to store all of the items. The
functionality problems that revolve around using cupboards and
drawers are:
- Can easily become cluttered and messy as all the items inside
can be jumbled up. There are no specific compartments except
for the drawer itself.
- Cluttered mess can also lead to items getting easily mixed up
so users might not be able to find the specific products they
need in a particular situation.
- No innovation. Most bathroom storage compartments are just
standard cupboards and drawers which users might not find
particularly interesting or engaging. Using other techniques to
store items that will be more interesting than having just
drawer compartments.
Aesthetics
Although it may seem aesthetics are not overly
important, I want to give my product a Unique Selling
Point meaning that considering the overall appearance
is necessary. One of the main issues I have encountered
is that drawers and compartments often appear bulky
and simple which is what I am aiming to change. Using
bolder colours and surface graphics will be important to
consider so that they stand out to the consumer.
Materials & Manufacture
I need to decide on materials that are durable enough to survive
human consumption, so it must not be fragile or break under any
pressure, therefore being impact resistance. For instance, if a user
opens a compartment with greater force, the handle should not fall
off or break and the items inside can still remain there. Another
consideration includes ensuring the materials that I am using are
waterproof as this is the style of environment it will be placed in.
Using materials that are not water resistance do not belong into a
bathroom where there are a multiple number of plumbing systems
installed in a bathroom.
I would also aim to keep making costs relatively cheap so by user
cheaper materials, this will keep manufacturing costs low.
Furthermore, it can be retailed at an affordable price for customers.
I will need to ensure that the product has a high quality finish so that
product attracts those who want to consume it. I would like to make
my materials recyclable so that it can improve the sustainability of
my product as well as making it out of durable materials. I would
most likely use some form of wood to construct the storage item.
The amount of energy inputted for the manufacturing processes
must also be considered and kept to a minimum as this increases
cost and value. The products may need to be mass produced so a
larger batch can be created whilst keeping costs low.
Environment
In regards to the environment, I would like to use as many recyclable materials
as possible so that if the systems wears over time, it can be disposed of in an
environmentally friendly manner. Since I am aiming to make my product out
of some form of wood, I should ensure that the wood I chose came from a
sustainable forest. MDF is a very environmentally friendly wood as it is
produced from wood chippings from the production of other types of wood,
which saves energy and trees.
As well as this, I should try and aim to keep the different amounts of materials
used to a minimum so the separate materials can be easily recycled as well as
keeping manufacturing costs low.
End User
My main target audience for my product is very broad, as
everybody can make use of bathroom storage in their
own way. However, in articular, house wives or busy
mothers may find that my product would be particularly
useful to store items in a better, organised way.
The end user will benefit from a reliable product that will
be reasonably priced.
Since the target audience is very broad, it can be hard to
set a particular price range but if I aim to make it similar
to the prices of Ikea, a huge furniture organisation, they
keep prices particularly low. This means that users won’t
have to spend too much money on the storage system as
well as the items inside.

4. Client Input
Possible Consumers
In terms of client input, I have spoken to members of my family who are busy housewives with children of their own and many of them have issues dealing
with keeping bathroom cupboards organised and tidy. Many , including myself have also found issues with keeping the cupboard in a designated order so that
it is easy to find things and it is a big issue we encounter. Furthermore, one of my family members doesn’t particularly like keeping toothbrushes by the side
of the sink due to the possible spread of germs and others have concerns about younger users at risk from dangerous substances such as bleach, window
cleaner and razor blades. There are several cases over the years where children as young as three years old have been taken to hospital for ingesting harmful
substances and in some instances, has lead them to have terminal complications. Parents class this as one of the biggest issues in storing items in a bathroom
and that it should be addressed.
Alternatively, I can go and speak to sales assistances in department stores such as “Ikea” at Lakeside Shopping Centre, Thurrock to see whether they think my
bathroom storage compartment has potential and if it would sell well in regards to my target audience. “Ikea” is one of the biggest leading brands in the
furniture industry that sells a wide range of different storage items such as chest of drawers, cupboards and wardrobes. These tend to all be the standard
shape of a box shape, so by explaining my ideas of creating something more unique, they might take my unique selling point to their advantage.
Video Feedback
from Possible
Consumer
Feedback Summary of Existing Product
The existing product is a unit from Beta Bathrooms, a bathroom enterprise and
supplier in the UK. It is placed under the sink of my bathroom at home and it is
similarly installed to the storage unit in the picture below. The size of the
product is roughly 1.5m x 1m in length and width and overall, the compartment
fits well into the bathroom. However, given the feedback I was given in the
video above with my client, Lana Alliston, there are some faults with the
existing product. Firstly, lots of her products have divided into different bags,
for instance, the toothbrushes don’t have a designated area or holder to stand
in, so they are scattered all around the cabinet which causes unnecessary
clutter. As well as this, there are many items that her youngest child should not
have access to, such as the razor blades or the bathroom cleaning items which
could cause harm. Therefore it makes it much more of a safety risk to
those making use if it. She also feels as if the storage
methods of the products are not particularly innovative
as her shampoo bottles are just placed into the product.
This is one of the biggest storage issues that I will have
to tackle in regards to keeping the cupboard neat and
tidy. She would also like to see a more innovative shape
or decoration rather than just a standard box cupboard.
Needs of the Consumer/Manufacture
• Consumer: An example of a consumer of my product is Lana Alliston. I have chosen her to be my client
because she makes use of her bathroom storage system everyday due to her being at home most of the time
as a house wife. She agrees with my opinion on the annoyance of storing items in a cluttered matter and the
safety risk of children having access to dangerous chemicals. Everyday, she has to reorganise the cupboard in
which has all of the issues and constantly has to ensure her youngest child doesn’t get to the sharp razor
blades. She would take lots of interest in helping me succeed to innovate an original bathroom storage
method which differs from everything currently on the market. As a consumer, ways of making the product
suitable for everyone would be having mechanisms pre assembled as furniture construction can take hours to
do. Therefore, those who find it difficult to assemble furniture have it much easier for themselves. Another
consumer need could be that everybody has a different themed bathroom, so producing one style with a
singular decoration on it might not fit with the styles of other peoples bathroom. This can be solved by
producing a range of different styles of the product in terms of colour and surface graphics to fit everybody's
needs.
• Manufacturer: The product itself is from Beta Bathrooms, a supplier in the UK which receives all of its
products from UK bathroom manufacturers. This means that the product hasn’t been imported by other
countries and it makes the manufacturing process cheaper, which is an important need of the manufacturer.
Lots of bathroom products are constructed from wood which means that sharp tools such as saws are used to
construct certain nets and shapes. This can make those using it at risk of having an accident which in some
cases at workshops have resulted in life threatening injuries. As a manufacturer need, all employers should be
trained how to use the equipment correctly to prevent injury.

5. Information, Inspirations and Influences
These are examples of some of the influences I
have found based on the way I will store things
for my product and examples of types of
materials/items/shapes I would like to
incorporate my design.
Inspirations
To give my product more of an innovative twist to it, I
have considered using a Lazy Susan. This is a metal
plate that rotates in a full 360º circle and slices of
material can be fixed on top of it, allowing the full
structure to spin. I could use this feature to my
advantage, because the main structure could have a
centre piece which holds all the products.Then, certain
products may not be accessible unless you spin the
main body around to get to certain compartments. I
feel as if this adds a more interesting function to my
product, making it differ from existing cabinets on the
market. The video on the right shows myself testing a
Lazy Susan provided by my sixth form.
Click to Play
Something I find
inspirational is Modular
Furniture. This is where
items of furniture can be
broken up and put back
together without any
advanced assembly. For
instance, the table and
chairs are all made out of
solid wood and they can be
constructed back together
to make one shape.This
will be particularly helpful
when deciding on how to
make my product’s
storage efficiency high.
All the images on the right and below are
examples of interesting storage methods I can
implement into my designs. Fabric drawers
with a sliding mechanism with different
compartments for certain items is one
example and hanging items on pegs is
another.
Cup Holders is something that
inspires me in terms of
organisation. One of my ideas of
storing the bathroom essentials in
the most efficient way possible was
to use holders designed similar to
the one above on the shelves.This
will be a solution to one of the
issues I have when storing items
such as shower gel, shampoo and
conditioners as they won’t just be
placed in a cluttered way on the
shelves.

6. Information, Inspirations and Influences Inspirations
The surrounding images are pieces of
modern and contemporary art that have
acted as inspirations for the appearance and
aesthetics of my bathroom cabinet. Marc
Newson’sVoronoi Shelf has an edgy,
ellipses look using curved lines to portray an
abstract honeycomb texture.These could
act as storage compartments for my design.
Dali’s Melting Clocks is an example of an
amorphous shape which has inspired me to
take a more unique approach to shaping my
product. Mondrian’s art of the cubes has
not only given me a colour scheme
influence, but also structuring storage
compartments with different shaped cubes
inside them to give it more of a modern,
stylish look. Articulated Arms is the final
design influence used which contributes to
functionality ideas I have.These include
using it to hold items in place (towels??) or
having items attached to it (mirror??).
The image on the right shows an
example of drawers which have
been colour coded, which is an
idea I would like to use in my
product. It would make my
design a bit more vibrant in
comparison to existing cabinets
on the market.The colours are
also fairly neutral meaning that it
would suit the target audience.
These are some more images of aesthetics
and shape inspirations for my cabinet.The
sketch drawing shows some spherical shapes
(similar to the Melting Clock), appearing
amorphous. Using more adventurous shaping
and finishes will allow me to achieve my
unique selling point, which is designing a
product with more of an abstract shape to
attract clients to a different style of storage
product.The other piece of art is called
Boomerangs and Flying Saucers, which is a
combination of both technological and
traditional elements.The shapes in this also
appear abstract which is what I want to base
my products appearance around. I also like
the colour combination of the neutral beiges,
reds, whites and greens, which would make a
good colour scheme.

7. Information, Inspirations and Influences
Criteria Storage System 1 Storage System 2 Storage System 3
Product
LILLÅNGEN
Mirror cabinet 2 door
White
600 x 210 x 640 mm
(Ikea) £29.90
Cooke and Lewis
Over Door Storage Unit,
Chrome
680 x 465 x 230 mm
(B&Q) £8.99
Kartell 3-drawer componibili
module
White
900 x 750 mm
(abchome.com) £190
Function/Purpose
The product is fixed to the wall which has a hinge
opening mechanism to get inside and items are
placed on shelves.This is very similar to the existing
product, the items inside are just shelves so there is
no distinct organisation method.
This product has two hooks at the top of the
product that can fit around the top of the door.
Saves lots of space as it is hangs behind the door.
It will have a maximum capacity of weight to hold
items as it is designed to hang behind a door.
The product consists of three different
compartments which have sliding doors that
open. It would be easy to categorise items due to
the quantity of storage areas.They are just
shelves so there is no method of organisation.
End User
The product is fixed to the wall by the purchaser and
it needs to be assembled.This makes it more
difficult for the clients need constructing it
themselves and it may be too high to reach items
kept in the cupboards.
The product arrives preassembled which means
that users wont have to interact with
construction.This is definitely a consumer need
as one of the biggest issues is the time taken to
assemble.
Like storage system two, it arrives preassembled.
This means that users wont have to interact with
construction.This is definitely a consumer need as
one of the biggest issues is the time taken to
assemble.
Suitability of Materials
Constructed from ABS plastic, glass and
particleboard.ABS is very strong and rigid which is
durable enough to belong into a bathroom. It does
cost twice as much to produce than polystyrene.
The product is purely made from chrome. In
terms of the material it provides colour, hardness
and hygiene permanence which makes it suitable
to place in a bathroom.
This product is purely made from ABS plastic and
its positive properties include being very strong
and surviving human pressure. It is very expensive
to manufacture unfortunately.
Aesthetics
The surface of the product is coated in white and is
available in different colours as well as having a
mirror on the surface.This makes the product
multipurpose as well as having a range to meet
consumers needs.
Overall, the product has quite simple aesthetics ,
there isn’t much colour or shape complexity to it
which doesn’t make it particularly innovative or
unique. It does have a solid, durable finish to it
which will keep it in good condition.
The colours are neutral which is what I would need
the product to look like aesthetically.The
shape is also a cylinder and curved
which gives it more of a stylish,
contemporary appearance.
Safety
Safety risks include broken glass and children
accessing harmful items. However, the mirror
comes with safety film on the back, which reduces
the risk of injury if the glass is broken.
Although chrome is a durable material, there is a
chance that the hooks that secure the product in
the door could wear overtime, which means that
it could fall off the door and cause injury.
All of the edges are rounded
and curved so there is no risk
of grazing skin on sharp
edges.
Strength and WeaknessesTable
Weakness
Strengths

8. Cost
Since the item is meant to have a long life in
service, this will be a cost implication on the
production of my product, so it will cost more.
However, I don’t want the product to be too
expensive so that it put’s users off purchasing my
products in retail.TheTYNGEN product is
roughly £150 which is quite cost worthy
considering the simplicity of the function. I want
to keep my product between a £50 - £100 budget
which means that it isn’t too much for
the client to purchase.
Since the product I want to
make will probably be
constructed from wood, I want
it to appear high quality so that
it is good money value.
Information, Inspirations and Influences Constraints in Existing Products
Weakness
Solutions
Function
The general function for my bathroom storage system is to keep items inside stored as
efficient as possible, and there should be an efficient amount of storage space for
these items. However, I don’t want my cabinet to appear too bulky so that it doesn’t
take up too much space in the bathroom as a whole, so I need to consider the most
efficient storage methods.A bulky cabinet could also reduce the aesthetics of the
product as it may not appeal to the target audience if it doesn’t look visually pleasing.
This means I will have to look at more unique ways of storing items rather than just
using a standard shelf. I could also consider using pull out mechanisms in my design so
that items can be tucked away, rather than being on show. I could also use
compartments in my design to increase the organisation of the items in my product.
Like theTYNGEN bathroom cabinet from IKEA on the right, all that stands as a storage
method is the shelves and cupboards which I believe is too simplistic in function, which
is what I would want to change about my design.
Ergonomics
The storage cabinet needs to be reasonably large so that
all of the items can fit inside correctly, but the handles
that are required to gain access to the drawers need to
meet human anthropometrics otherwise it may be
uncomfortable to grip when opening the cabinets.The
TYNGEN cabinet doesn’t have any handles to open the
bottom cupboards which doesn’t make it very
ergonomically suitable for the users to open, and this
could cause injury to the hands.This is a severe constraint
in the existing cabinet which I would want to change. A
solution to this issue would be moulding a handle around
human hand measurements so that the curved grips can
be gripped easily by those interacting with the product.
Aesthetics
I need to ensure my design stands out from competitors but
most bathroom cabinets are the same as those that currently
exist on the market.The cabinet above is the standard box
shape which really doesn’t show any innovative shape
development. I want to try and avoid using dull colours such as
the one above as it doesn’t have a unique selling point, so I
want to aim to use decorative colours but not ones that are
too jarring as it may not match with anything else in the
bathroom environment and it could make it look tacky. I want
it to also have more of a contemporary, modern appearance
as most bathrooms have been designed to look more modern
than traditional.This will include using curves on the edges to
give it the modern look.
Safety
The corners of the product should be smoothed out so that injury is
avoided when users interact with it. If I was going to use wood as
the final material to manufacture my product, I would need to
insure the wood is sanded down so that it doesn’t splinter.To meet
the requirement of children not having access to the items inside, I
will need to include a secure lock and key mechanism so that any
dangerous items can be locked away so children don’t have access
to it.This is a flaw in the existing cabinet on the left as all of the
cabinets are on show with the items exposed, which doesn’t meet
the safety requirement I want.

9. Information, Inspirations and Influences Materials & Manufacturing
Weakness
Strengths
Medium Density Fibreboard
MDF is generally cheaper than plywood.The surface of MDF is very smooth which
makes it great surface for painting. MDF is very consistent throughout, so cut
edges appear smooth and won’t have voids or splinters. Because of the smooth
edges, you can use a router to create decorative edges.The consistency and
smoothness of MDF allows for easy cutting of detailed designs (such as scrolled
or scalloped designs) using a scroll saw, band saw or jigsaw. However, MDF will
soak up water and other liquids like a sponge and swell unless it’s very well sealed
on all sides and edges. Because it consists of such fine particles, MDF doesn’t hold
screws very well. MDF can’t be stained. Not only does it soak up stain like a
sponge but because there’s no wood grain on MDF, it doesn’t have a good
appearance when stained.
Plywood
Plywood is made from multiple layers of wood veneer, plywood is a very strong
material to work with. It won’t soak up water and liquids as quickly or easily as
MDF does so it’s less susceptible to water damage. Because it carries a grain,
plywood is stainable.Which makes it perfect for kitchen cabinets, table tops and
other projects where you want a large stained wood surface. It holds screws very
tightly since the varying grains of wood on each layer give the screws something
to hold onto. Plywood is more expensive than MDF and of course, the higher the
grade and depending on the species of wood, it can increase in price. Because of
the layers that show on the edge, plywood needs finishing with iron-on edge
banding, pieces of timber or decorative mouldings. It’s harder to get a perfectly
smooth cut with plywood than it is with MDF .
Privacy Glass
My original idea would have been to
use this on the cabinet I wanted to
keep locked and secure
from children to store the
high risk items. However,
due to the cost
implication, this resource
isn't available to me.
Oak Wood
This is another example of a high quality finish wood that would
have been great to construct my product from. Oak furniture
demands attention and can overwhelm other lighter, less
visually impactful pieces of furniture, and lots of these are found
in a common household bathroom.
Wood Joining Methods
There are three types of wood joining methods I am have looked into using for my
storage cabinet.The Butt Joint (1), Corner Brackets (2) and Biscuit Joint (3). Joint 1 would
probably be the least suitable as it is simply just two nails which have been fastened
together. It is also the weakest because unless some form of reinforcement is used and it
relies upon glue alone to hold it together.
Joint 2 and 3 will probably be the most suitable for my product because they involve
more studier and durable methods of connecting pieces of wood together, ensuring the
products life cycle remains high and that it lasts through any bathroom pressures.
1 2 3

10. Information, Inspirations and Influences Ergonomics and Anthropometrics
This diagram shows the required
anthropometrics of my target audience
users that will make use of my product
on a daily basis.When it comes to
designing a product, I need to think
about whether my product is going to be
ergonomically suitable for everybody.
Further research will be conducted to
improve handheld items that will be
found in my bathroom cabinet.
It is important for me consider different people’s
height in comparison to the product I will be designing
so that it is ergonomically suitable. For instance,
toothbrushes are used by every member of a family
household, so placing these on a high work surface will
prevent children for accessing their essentials which
doesn’t make it user friendly at all.This is why I must
ensure that sizes are based around all of my possible
users so that I can develop a product suitable for all
members of the target audience.
The most frequent way users will be accessing items is by pulling handles to reveal
compartments where items will be stored.This is why I have displayed two different types of
handles I could use on my bathroom cabinet.The first image is a standard stainless steel
handle.There are several reasons why this may not be the best handle option for my product:
Firstly, it has been designed to remain flat, so there are no hand grips to provide any
comfortability when opening a drawer or cupboard.The gap between the metal bar and where
it will be attached may not be big enough for everybody's hand to fit around, which means that
it isn’t meeting the correct anthropometric standards I want it to be meeting.
After some further research, I found these handles which would be a much more suitable choice
to use as handles for my product.This is because the handles have been bent so that the load
applied to the handle is aligned with the arm, rather than at a straight angle which will reduce
muscle fatigue when opening the compartments. It has also been shaped so that it is
comfortable and easy to use without any problems.There are several grips on the surface of the
handle which are made to fit the human fingers in.This increases the hand tool ergonomically
as it will prevent and reduce any existing strains on the hand that could result in a long term
problem, if excessively used to put items inside. It should also be easy to open and close and the
simple pull mechanism allows this which further reduces any repetitive straining injury.

11. Information, Inspirations and Influences Client and Market Survey
Clients Influences Influences Taken Influences Merged Added Cost and Work
Required
“When I buy/look for a
bathroom cabinet, I want a high
quality, durable material that
ensures there is a long life in
service.”
When selecting what materials
I want for my product, I must
make sure I only consider high
impact materials such as wood
and plastic.
I could merge the influence into
my design by choosing
materials appropriate for the
task such as making sure the
compartments are wooden so
they don’t break or smash.
Different materials cost more
than others, so depending on
the thickness of the wood or
plastic, the cost will increase,
eg: high impact polystyrene
costs more than polypropylene.
“For me, I like to see storage
cabinets that don’t have bright
colours so that it is fairly neutral
with other furniture, and has a
modern appearance.”
I must make sure that I do not
use a mix of bright colours that
may be too jarring and
dramatic and use more neutral,
nude colours such as browns.
Since most bathroom furniture
colours are the same, I will need
to merge this idea with my final
product so that it matches
items in the bathroom.
This could add extra price as
the wood may need to be
painted to the colour I want.
“I want the cabinet drawers and
compartments to be easy to
use and function so that I can
access the items easily.”
I need to use storage methods
that are commonly used in
industry so it is not too difficult
for my audience to use such as
drawers and grooves.
I could use rails as well as
drawers and grooves to hold
items such as towels and
toothbrushes so that it can be
functioned with easily.
This will add some additional
work and cost as the bathroom
drawers and grooves will need
to be manually attached to the
product.
“When I am buying a cabinet to
store my bathroom items, I
want something unique that
differs from cabinets on the
existing market”.
I have to make sure that the
design is ‘eye catching’ and I
have to make sure that the
storage method is aesthetically
pleasing.
I will merge this influence into
my product by carrying out
research on interesting ways of
holding items in a cabinet.
No added costs will be required
because I do not have to
change anything as I still need
to create the storage method.
“I want the product to be
durable and resistant and that
does not have to be replaced
for several years.”
I will have to make sure that the
product is durable and resistant
enough to last under bathroom
pressures (eg. moisture)
I will use this influence to make
sure I give my product a high
quality varnish finish so that it
remains in good condition.
This may add a price as the
varnish will be an added cost to
the product design.
The table above shows some of the client input received from some of the students in my class.They stated what influences
them when looking for the cabinet they want, and I was able to use these influences as key points in my designing process as
the best way to design is asking members of the target audience what they like to see in a bathroom cabinet.
Do you own a bathroom cabinet?
Yes
No
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 - 50 50 - 100 100 - 150 150 - 200
How much would you spend on a
storage cabinet?
What do you look for in a product?
Sustainability
Cost Effective
Aesthetics
Using the same audience, I asked a few basic
questions about the bathroom cabinet and
graphed what responses they gave me after
asking the questions.These are the results:

12. Conclusion of Research
Inspirations
• Most of my influences have been
based on designers originals work
and their aesthetic appearance.This
is what I want to take further when
incorporating some of these
influences into my design. Since most
of my inspiration research was based
off of models or paintings, they will
only serve as an appearance and
shape inspiration. I will also take
forward the idea of making my
product modular.
Materials and School Constraints
• My conclusion showed both the advantages and disadvantages of
two woods that are common in this particular industry, and I have
decided to use MDF over plywood.This is because it is reasonably
cheaper than plywood, so I can ensure I have plenty without
having to worry about any financial implications. It has also
proven to work better with varnish, which is what my product will
have to be coated in so that it doesn’t get water damaged.
• I also looked at the types of wood joining’s that would be required
to keep my product together and as a result of my research, I have
concluded that the corner brackets and biscuit joints would be
most suitable for my project as they are guaranteed to be more
durable.
Strengths and Weaknesses Table
• Since I compared three products which were similar
to the existing cabinet, I will use the weaknesses as
guidelines and problems that need to be solved. I felt
as if the third cabinet was going to be the most useful
to use as an influence for my final product as it has
the most unique selling point with the sliding doors.
It also has the most strengths as a cabinet in
comparison to the rest of the items on the table.The
storage system that is least useful is the mirrored
cabinet that hangs on the wall because there are
more safety risks with this cabinet such as it falling
off the wall and the glass smashing.
Ergonomics and Anthropometrics
• From this slide, I was able to collect some basic people
measurements as these are required when deciding on the
dimensions of my product. My target audience is very
broad as different ages will need to store items in the
cabinet. I will have to take an average measurement based
on the male, female and children hand dimensions into
consideration as all of these users will be in my target
audience.
• As well as this, I have discovered that using curved handles
make a much better solution than straight edge handles as
they have more ergonomic support for the users
Constraints in Existing Products
• I studied an existing cabinet on the market and pointed out some
of the flaws it has.The different aspects I focused on included
safety, aesthetics, function, ergonomics and cost. I took into
consideration these existing constraints and made sure that I
wouldn’t include any of these in my final design.
• I also came to conclusion with some of the design solutions I had
for these issues which I am planning to use in my final design. I will
need to ensure I implement and incorporate these into my design
ideas.
Client and Market Survey
• I was able to collect a wide
range of influences for my
cabinet by asking an audience
on what they look for in this
particular design industry.The
key point I found from this
research was that the materials
must be durable and the
functioning must be simple
enough for my audience to
understand.

13. Design Specification
 Aesthetics: The overall design needs to differ from existing cabinets on the market, meaning that I need to move away from the standard box shape style. I also want some of the drawers or storage
devices to be colour co ordinated so that cabinet items can be distinguished easily. The colours need to be fairly neutral so that it can suit the style of the majority of bathrooms, using colours too
bright may not be aesthetically pleasing. The product should also have a smooth finish to make it look more appealing and high quality.
 Ergonomics: For the drawer compartments, I want to design a suitable shaped handle, similar to the ones in my ergonomics research. They should have a curved integrated grip so that it is more
comfortable to hold. Having more curved, bent handles will align better with the arm rather than tilting the arm when opening the drawers which will reduce the strain and injury.
 Size: As I discovered in my strengths and weaknesses table, I found out that the average, freestanding cabinet is 600mm x 400 mm so I will use these measurements as guidelines for my bathroom
cabinet. This is also much bigger in comparison to the items that will be stored inside such as storage bottles for shower gel, toothbrushes etc. so the size of the cabinet must be bigger than these
items. I also don’t want the product to be too bulky and square as it may not be able to fit in everybody’s bathroom if it is too bulky. For the storage methods, they must match the size of the items I
want to store. For example, any toothbrushes, shampoo bottles.
 Materials: To increase the durability of my product, I want to use Medium Density Fibreboard for the main body of the product, it needs to have quite a large thickness so that there is enough
durability to have a long life in service. The product needs to be reasonably strong with a smooth varnish finish so that the MDF is resistant to the moisture in the bathroom. Any other mechanisms
required such as hinges for the cabinet doors and metal sliders for the drawers will be made from brass hopefully so that it doesn’t rust and lasts longer. I may also construct some of the drawers or
compartments from a high impact plastic, as these can be easily moulded to create different size compartments. The handles should also be slightly padded so that it is comfortable for the user to
grip the handles when opening any compartments.
 Manufacturing: To attach the base of the product to the sides of the cabinet, I am aiming to use a range of joints to ensure the product remains strong enough to last as long as intended. The hinges
and metal sliders will need to be attached using screws, the handle will also need to be screwed into place. Since I want the bottom of my product to spin in a certain way, a Lazy Susan will also be
fixed to the wood using screws. Any plastic moulding required to create the product will be vacuum formed.
 Cost: The product will need to be reasonably cheap but not so it drops value and puts people off buying a product that appears tacky. It will need to be a suitable price that will ensure it lasts as long
as I want it to. The materials involved in the manufacturing of the product are quite expensive so the product value will be quite expensive so a decent profit will be needed. If it appears cheap, then
it may look unreliable and not appeal to the target market. I want to sell my product between the £50-£100 budget so that it is an affordable storage method. Having it at this price also means that it
will appear to be good quality.
 Target Market: The target audience for my product is primarily busy house wives/mothers or house husbands/fathers, as I feel they are primarily keeping bathroom items organised and tidy. To
make it suitable for this target audience, I need to ensure that it has a unique selling point so that the client has a chance to purchase something more unique and innovative to have in their
bathroom. I will also make it affordable for the audience to buy which can be achieved by lowering manufacturing costs and by making the functioning of it simple enough for everybody to
understand.
 Function / Purpose: The main function of the product is to store a reasonable range of bathroom essentials such as toothbrushes, shampoo bottles and cleaning chemicals. To achieve this I will need
to have different sized storage compartments to suit certain items (such as having a large compartment for shower gel bottles). I would preferably like to hold the toothbrushes in a groove with
holes in to act as a stand. It should also be effective in it’s function so that it isn’t too fiddly or complicated to use, and I want the capacity of storage to be quite large so that all of the items can fit
inside.
 Safety: The product should be rounded off on the corners to give it a smooth finish, so that there isn’t a risk of the consumer causing injury to themselves. Any compartments edges should also be
smoothed. To decrease the risk of splintering, I will need to make sure that any wood compartments need to be sanded down properly and varnished. I should also limit the amount of components
in my final design as these could pose as a chocking hazard to children if there are multiple small pieces used. To keep children away from any dangerous chemicals used in my final product, I should
also consider keeping a compartment locked only for parental access so that they don’t have access to dangerous chemicals that could be consumed.

14. Design, Development and Making Initial Ideas
My first design is the one on the left, it involves having
three levels of storage in the cubular format.There are
lots of storage methods used in this product such as the
revolving pillar which will match the sizes of the
shampoo bottles I want to store.There are also grooves
which have been placed on the outside, middle shelf
which is how I would like the toothbrushes to be stored.
Although it is an innovative idea, it follows the basic box
shape which is what I am trying to move away from.
There are also lots of complex functions which may
cause confusion with the target audience on where to
put certain items.
My second design is more modular, and the product can
be disassembled to open different compartments.This
makes the aesthetics and function much more
innovative than the standard storage method. One of
the biggest difficulties would be that the modular
furniture is more prone to damage, since the items can
be moved about, meaning that they can be dropped.
This design has a lot more
aesthetic appeal in comparison
to the other two, and I would
like to implement the top half
of this design into my final
idea.
The fourth design idea below
has some clever storage
methods however I feel as if it
doesn’t meet the innovative
standard in comparison to the
rest of my ideas.The
appearance is too bulky and
square like which is what I am
moving away from.

15. Design, Development and Making Initial Ideas
Design Five
I had the idea of using a tray that opens
from the inside which can store all of the
items properly.The drawer opens
towards the user with a metal sliding
mechanism to remain durable.
I also placed an additional storage
drawer at the bottom.The aesthetics on
the box structure was based on the
amorphous appearance used in my
inspirations which gives it the unique
selling point I want.This will differ from
lots of different cabinets already on the
market.
Design Six
The idea behind this product was to implement the storage into a
ceiling, and using a handle, you could access all of the items
inside by pulling the rectangular item down towards the floor.
There would be several storage compartments such as smaller
cut holes which will fit items depending on their size and drawers
will also keep the items in place.This would be a really good idea
however, I would have to build a modular room for this to work
which is very time consuming and some of the mechanisms
involved would be far too complex to produce and manufacture
in a school environment.As well as this, it wouldn’t be very
suitable for people in the younger target audience as they
wouldn’t be able to reach the top of the ceiling to open it.
Design Seven
The final design idea is a collection of cylinders which have the
ability to rotate, allowing different access to different objects. Some
of them have drawers whereas others have hole compartments
again to store items such as shampoo bottles, deodorant etc.
The idea of making the pillars moveable is possible, although it may
include some complicated mechanisms, I will need to look into this
in more depth. In terms of aesthetics and shape, I really like the idea
of using rounded shapes rather than cubular. I feel as if I can take
this design further for the modelling process.

16. Design, Development and Making Development of Ideas
Model One
ModelTwo
The Base
I want the base to act as a storage compartment as well as the top half so I added
some modular drawers which can store a few other items other than bottles of
items and toothbrushes.The bottom of this model was made using Styrofoam
which was cut out in the circular shape.This idea was taken from design idea 3,
except I moved the top half of the product towards the bottom.This gives it a
much more sturdier base in comparison to the original design with the
rectangular style. I also want these three items to rotate to reveal different
storage compartments, which I can use the Lazy Susan for.
The Cabinet
This prototype was made using card, it acts
as a single storage method with a shelf that
opens up towards the user.A curved handle
will be placed on the outside of the product
to enable more ergonomic support. I would
like the cabinet shape to be amorphous to
give it more of a contemporary, modern
appearance. I used the influence of Dali’s
melting clocks to help me with this design.
As a development, I added little holders on
the shelf which will match the diameter of
the bottles I want to store in the cabinet. The Pillars
They have been slightly altered in terms of
design, rather than having the cylinders
longer and one pillar on each end, they have
been designed to stand side by side so that
they provide more support to the cabinets
above.There are also storage holes shown
which meets the requirement of storing as
many items as possible and using up all of the
space. I used the influence of Mondrian’s
design with the rectangles to come up with
the design of the storage compartments in
this pillar. I constructed it using foam board as
it was an easy representation of what my idea
will look like.
The Spherical Cabinets
I decided to use card to construct these pillars and as a simple development to the
product, I made them shorter in length and taller in height so that more could be
stored. I also added a range of adjustable shelves which will store items.Yet again, I
feel as if the aesthetics are more appealing and do not look the same as most other
cabinets that appear on the market.The amount of storage available on the shelves
is also quite large. However, this model doesn’t particularly demonstrate storage
methods well or have anything interesting or innovative as they are just standard
shelves.The cabinets are also open which means that there isn’t any ergonomic
improvements to the design which is part of my specification.
After looking at all of my designs, I decided to take a few of them forward, and experiment with different elements from each design.After the process, I came up with two ideas
which I was then able to model based on my sketches. Model One is a combination of designs 1 and 3. ModelTwo is a development of design 7.

17. Design, Development and Making Evaluation of Ideas
Click to Play Click to Play
User Feedback
My test user for the bathroom cabinet is Amy Bradley.She
gave me some feedback based on both of the ideas I
produced in a model form. She stated that she preferred my
first model in comparison to the second model. She believed
that the amorphous cabinet had much more storage room to
offer in comparison to the other one, and that it will be much
more achievable for me to produce in school. She also stated
as a weakness that both of the ideas lack in ergonomic
support which is what she would like to see as a development
in my further work.
Strengths Weaknesses
The cabinets on the top are
aesthetically innovative.
Many more materials will be needed
in order to construct it.
Rotating cabinets at the top makes it
innovative.
More materials needed means a
higher cost.
Not ergonomically suitable, no
curved handles, opening functions.
The cubular pillars are commonly
used, not innovative enough.
Makes the items higher, not
everyone can reach the cabinets.
Strengths Weaknesses
Demonstrates efficient storage
methods in the shelf.
No ergonomic information or curved
handles shown.
Amorphous shape gives it a modern,
innovative appearance.
Suitable size and height, ideal for all
my target audience.
Less materials required so much
more cost efficient.
Rotating cabinets at the bottom
have no constraints to construct.

18. Design, Development and Making Further Development
After evaluating both models and listening to the feedback I received from Amy, I decided that my first model is the best idea to take further because of the strengths outweighing the
weaknesses massively. Below is some further development carried out into achieving the final product I will be making.