The biggest challenge of contemporary design is to give new aesthetics and functions under a certain tactical familiarity. Therefore, some designers choose to opt out on recreating nostalgia at all and completely offer a new experience altogether.

Swedish brand Tingest recently released a series of minimalist training equipment that also act as objets d’art—giving these often-overlooked homewares a new function as well as suggesting new ways for people to exercise. The collection includes marble dumbbells, cleverly linking their appearance and usage; a bamboo hula hoop, which can be utilised as a picture frame; a lifeline kettlebell that represents a silhouette of a modern vase. By revamping the looks of this training equipment, the designers hope to eliminate the obligation to store them and encourage users to blend these objects into their living space as decorations rather than extraneous matters.

Accessibility is often key for those who workout, which is why exercising at home is a popular activity. One problem for those of us that live in a limited space, however, is finding somewhere to store equipment when it's not in use, says Tingest founder Alexander Lervik. In a smart way, Tingest did not eliminate any important elements of the equipment, but simply reduced aesthetics to give way for conveniency and accessibility, especially during the time when space allowance is restricted.

There are always disconnections when one tries to replicate something old. However, when designers are able to deconstruct, filter, and only bring forth the main contributes of a normative object to elevate its value, that’s when beautiful and minimal designs are born.