UrbanDesk
Web and SaaS
furniture design
SHOW HN2012
171points
76comments
#103of 1,677 in 2012
Top 7%of 2012 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
8 positive, 19 neutral or asking, 3 mixed, 22 critical, out of 52 comments about the project. Thread score -0.30.
Idea: 4 for, 10 againstDesign: 3 for, 9 againstPricing: 1 for, 1 againstExecution: 0 for, 1 againstDocs: 0 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Clever woodworking and design
From 2 comments
I do have one very important question about your design. How does the UrbanDesk currently hold up to nasty, aggressive sex? On the bed? On the desk? This might sound like a joke,…
verisimilidude on HNso much room for activities!
ryanpers on HN
Good idea for dorms and student housing
From 2 comments
Apart from selling it to individual customers, that would be a good idea to employ on a bigger scale in cheap university halls. There are some big companies renting rooms for…
pawelwentpawel on HNYou could imagine a few startups putting these into their offices :)
smiler on HN
Objections
Desk cannot keep monitors or equipment set up between uses
From 2 comments
It looks cool, but the marketing doesn't address the fact that most people have laptops and desktop monitors on their desks. Nobody will want to take their desktop+laptop off the…
ssebro on HNSome similar designs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAa6bOWB8qY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4yJGTPUR_0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=juWaO5TJS00 As others…
dredmorbius on HN
Very similar products already exist (Resource Furniture, Murphy beds)
From 4 comments
This design looks remarkably like Resource Furniture's bed+desk combo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dAa6bOWB8qY#t=58s
michaelbuckbee on HNAnother company had these for sale at our local home show 3 weeks ago, functionality and movement is identical.
51Cards on HNThis problem has already been solved. I wish people would do a little more searching before starting a kickstarter project. http://bredacomponents.com/shop/hiddenbed.html
centro on HNSuperior Wall Beds has something very similar, albeit much more expensive: http://calgarywallbeds.com/products/desk-bed.cfm
ew on HN
Kickstarter is a risky way to pre-buy furniture
From 1 comment
A question that has come up more and more lately with similar Kickstarter projects: Is crowd funding a good way to go about this project? And specifically, is crowd funding…
jawns on HN
Stability and safety of the mechanism are doubtful
From 3 comments
Some super quick comments. What is the mechanical engineering behind this? Did you do all the calcs? Simulate it in CAD or something? Gas struts need to be tuned to the weight…
willyt on HNHere is what I think about it. Why are you flipping the bed to the wall? 1. The cot will slip down, will be a mess and I will have to fix it everyday. BAD 2. Unstable structure -…
jaseemabid on HNAre you going to implement any safety features such as a locking mechanism to prevent the bed from falling on someone sitting at the desk?
mattbot5000 on HN
Requests
Sell cheaper plans or instructions
From 3 comments
How much (or free/open source?) for simply the instructions? Maybe I'd like a different size, material, standing option, or other modification.
FootballMuse on HNI'd like to see a medium pricepoint of, say, $50 or $75 that would include schematics for the bed (so you can build one for yourself if you desire).
warfangle on HNI'd buy the designs for $50+ because I will most definitely want to build it myself.
reustle on HN
Add a monitor mount
From 2 comments
Really cool idea! Maybe add a monitor frame, rigged to the underside of the bed, so the user can have a monitor "on" the desk?
Nimi on HNA nice touch would be a flat screen mount on the bottom of the bed that is at the correct height.
wtvanhest on HN
Add adjustable height
From 1 comment
Since it's already elevating, how hard would be to make it adjustable height up to a standing position?
bryanlarsen on HN
Questions
Is the mechanism safe and does it fail safe?
From 2 comments
Some super quick comments. What is the mechanical engineering behind this? Did you do all the calcs? Simulate it in CAD or something? Gas struts need to be tuned to the weight…
willyt on HNAre you going to implement any safety features such as a locking mechanism to prevent the bed from falling on someone sitting at the desk?
mattbot5000 on HN
How does the bed hold up to rough use?
From 1 comment
I do have one very important question about your design. How does the UrbanDesk currently hold up to nasty, aggressive sex? On the bed? On the desk? This might sound like a joke,…
verisimilidude on HN
Alternatives named
Resource Furniture bed-desk
From 2 comments
This design looks remarkably like Resource Furniture's bed+desk combo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dAa6bOWB8qY#t=58s
michaelbuckbee on HNYep, Italian-made and super cool. They are certainly expensive but very well made. Not only durable but counter-balanced such that a just a light touch is needed to pull down the…
pbreit on HN
IKEA Tromso loft bed and desk
From 2 comments
For small room, there's always the Ikea's Tromso loft bed and desk is only $220 (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59872897/). It' is not as elegant as the kickstarter…
codequickly on HNhttp://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59872897/
rabidsnail on HN
Breda hidden bed
From 1 comment
This problem has already been solved. I wish people would do a little more searching before starting a kickstarter project. http://bredacomponents.com/shop/hiddenbed.html
centro on HN
Superior Wall Beds desk bed
From 1 comment
Superior Wall Beds has something very similar, albeit much more expensive: http://calgarywallbeds.com/products/desk-bed.cfm
ew on HN