Companies like Nest are trying to jazz up boring products by adding cool, new features but also by giving them a design makeover. Normally that means a glowing screen, but Big Ass Solutions, founders of the Haiku fan, is looking to give its smart household object a more low-tech overhaul.
Haiku Home has unveiled The Artisan Collection: a selection of Haiku smart fans that feature hand-painted designs by two Kentucky-based artists, Caper West and Luke Achterberg. The first design, painted by West, is called “Phantom Pains Support Group,” and it pays homage to those who have suffered a loss of a limb. On the other design, Achterberg took a minimalist and structured approach for the red and white “Dapper Delineation.” The artwork is sealed with a top coat to prevent chipping.
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The company behind the smart fans felt it was a “no brainer” to design its fans with cool, abstract art, and it isn’t done with the project yet. Big Ass Solutions is currently accepting artist applications and submissions for all types of art. The artist whose design gets selected for production will receive royalties on each fan — original and replica — that features their work. Though the option of personally customizing your Haiku fan isn’t available at the moment, the company says it could possibly let customers have a say in the design sometime in the future, depending on demand.
The original Haiku smart fan has SenseMe technology, which turns the fan on and off after detecting if someone has entered or left a room. The fan also monitors temperature conditions, increasing or decreasing the fan’s speed depending on how warm a room is.
Although Dolce & Gabbana will charge you a small fortune ($34,000) for its hand-painted fridges, Big Ass Solutions just tacks on a slightly smaller fee. For a $2,995, you can claim your own Haiku artisan collection fan. It will take approximately four to eight weeks for the painted fan to be finished and delivered to your home.
