Young Japanese design studio MicroWorks recently got in touch with us here at M.E. to tell us about their new 'Note' salt and pepper shakers - a product designed to add a little more fun to dining, and set to be produced by MicroWorks under the name of the newly launched MicroWorks Label this summer.

A nice playful concept, but we then began looking through the whole MicroWorks' portfolio and kept on liking what we saw...

MicroWorks is Shunsuke Umiyama, a designer born in Tokyo in 1981. Involved in original design and production while in design school, he established MicroWorks in 2003 at the time of his graduation and has continued to engage himself in producing a wide range of designs, from products to furniture, accessories, and spatial design.

Here's a mini gallery of some of the past work to come out of his studio; and there's quite a bit more to be seen on the website.

The company name implies a smallness, but there's some great big ideas here.