Exciting times, this is my first post from my iPhone! Full Beard goes mobile!! I wanted to get this one up before it slipped out of my mind again. I'd come across Alexander Hulme's musical tableware a couple of months back at the RCA graduate show, and had intended to post about it back then. I never did get round to doing it and had kind of forgotten all about it until I had my memory was jogged when I recognised his name on another piece of his work at the YCN design festival (more about the Design Festival coming soon).

So let me begin by saying that THESE ARE AMAZING!!! The concept is each piece of crockery in the set makes a different note when struck. That means that with the full set of tableware each note is covered. So you can be sitting at the table, tucking in to your breakfast and if the mood takes you, you can grab a spoon and tap out the Eastenders theme (or any other tune for that matter) on your bowls and mugs to entertain your fellow diners. Is that not a genius idea?

I would imagine that these have massive marketing potential. I can see these flying off the shelves at stores like Muji or Magma, not least because the set has a lovely minimal aesthetic with the just the letter of the note rendered in gold on to the china. I'd be first in line to put an order in for the set.

I mentioned that I first saw these at the RCA graduate show this summer, which I've been to for the last couple of years, each time time leaving feeling pretty inspired. The works on show ranges from fashion, graphics, fine art to vehicle design, but it has been the product design that has impressed me the most, Jon Harrison's 'Dual Purpose' pieces the first time round and Mr Hulme's this year. Make sure you make it there for 2010's show.