«Omnioutil»: a not-so-ordinary bucket
18.10.2021
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
The «Omnioutil» has flushed all the expectations I had for a cleaning utensil down the drain. This iconic bucket is more than just a container used for cleaning. It’s all in the details.
Pretty cleaning buckets are rare. That’s probably because they’re often seen only as a means to an end. They exist to make other things looks spiffy and then disappear behind the curtain. The «Omnioutil» bucket is different. In the world of designers, it’s considered a star. I wouldn’t quite go so far as to call it that. Although, since getting the «Omnioutil», it’s been the star of the show whenever my niece comes over.
It’s all in the details
The origins of the bucket’s design go back to the Japanese family company Hachiman and the year 1993. In addition to its pleasing aesthetics and award-winning material, the «Omnioutil» has since been hailed as a jack of all trades. Whether you use it as a bottle cooler, tool box or compost bin – this bucket is what you make of it with a little imagination.
There’s little competition when it comes to appearance and stackability. With the exception of one model from Rotho, most cleaning buckets out there are, frankly, ugly. Like my old bucket, the «Vario» (sorry, Rotho!)
And yet, the «Omnioutil» isn’t actually all that different from conventional buckets.
Put a lid on it
Details like the small opening on the handle turn the «Omnioutil» into a garden hose holder, while the lid makes it stackable. Alternatively, you can use the bucket as a coffee table or stool.
Buckets without lids, on the other hand, just lie around aimlessly.
My niece especially likes that she can hide her toys inside it. You name it – a teddy bear, wooden toy or my cell phone, anything in her vicinity goes in, then out, then back in. A pleasant side effect: it keeps my place tidy. I’m not complaining.
Imagination is key
Speaking of toys: I always offer my niece a bunch of them. But she prefers to play with all the buckets I own instead. She climbs up on them, then carries them around or pushes them from point A to point B. I can now say from field research that the «Omnioutil» has a load capacity of at least 13weightNiece, as you’d express it in JavaScript. And, sometimes, she uses the lids for target practice with balls or as a tray for her water bottle.
Making waves
From a distance, you might think the «Omnioutil» is made of paper. Especially the white variant. Its rippled surface is reminiscent of delicate Japanese lampshades and makes it more decorative than an ordinary bucket. My niece, who’s almost two years old, also likes its texture. She runs her little fingers over the waves over and over again, turning the bucket into her personal musical instrument.
The «Omnioutil» isn’t particularly smart, but it’s been designed with an eye for detail. Thanks to its aesthetic look, I don’t have to hide it away. And the lid adds functionality. Not to mention that my niece doesn’t need any new toys for the time being. She’s perfectly content drumming away on the bucket and twirling around with it. Designer Charles Eames didn’t design the «Omnioutil», but he did once say: «The details are not the details. They make the design.» Every item should be well thought out and versatile. Even a cleaning bucket.
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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