There is something I am working on that I need a term or short phrase for and I am at a total loss. Some of you are much more creative than I am so I figured I’d post for help. If I end up using your term I’ll give you one of my pens or wine stoppers for free as a token of my appreciation.
Here it is:
“beautiful yet/and functional”
I need a phrase, preferrably 1-2 words that represents this without using the phrase above verbatim It can be in any language (preferrable if it uses the latin character set) and just has to mean this.
I’ve got a stock of pens and wine stoppers that I will let the winner pick from.
I would go for a variation on the italian expression “Bella, ma non funziona” (It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t work… a common refrain in Italy)
You could use “Bella, ma funziona?!?!”
it’s beautiful… but it works?!?!
although I must say @Craig Brown has something there with Shibui
See also: http://catb.org/jargon/html/E/elegant.html
Elegant
Chuck Norris is awesome. If I could use it for this I absolutely would. I’ll just have to hope he will understand.
“Chuck Norris”
lets see you survive not picking this one.
form follows function
“Nifty, huh?”
This expression says it all 😛
“valuable”
“clever design”
“efficient design”
“proper style”
“style in use”
“practical art”
“pillared with style”
Elegant
elegantly functional
Jason
I read this and I knew Japan had the answer, so I headed over to Garr Reynold’s site ready to spend a while searching and waht do I find?
Three days ago he posted this, including the word “Shibui” (or “Shibumi”)
“Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon.”
I suggest “Girl”, every girl is beautiful yet/and functional 🙂
Chris said, “How about ‘elegant, yet practical’?” – Off the same idea, how about “Practical Elegance”?
Using Indonesian words you could say “Indah Berguna” which means something along the lines of “Useful Beauty.”
I hope you find a phrase you like!
What about (I am also not native English, but I like this blog question 😉 ):
Exclusive & Convenient
especially useful
outstanding helpful
natural helpers
pretty handy
wooden service
inimitable & feasible
one-of-a-kind gadget
I vote for German:
Nützlich und hübsch – useful and pretty
Schön nützlich – beautiful, useful
Schön Werke
I’m not english speaker, but here goes my two cents anyway:
– pragmatically cute
– smart and handy
– cute and handy
here it goes another brazilian word:
FotossÃntese (“Photosynthesis”)
Thanks – while there is one I like on here it just doesn’t have the ring I am looking for (aka it doesn’t feel right). Keep them coming!
As u said it could be in any language, use “Amanhecer” …
it’s looks like “become light” expression.
best regards!
How about “elegant, yet practical”?
Symmetrical Utility. Something is usually beautiful because it has symmetry. Functional usually means it has some degree of utility.
Thanks for all the comments – keep ’em coming…
Or “functional splendor”
How about “pragmatic style”?
Thanks, Chuck. Good suggestion but it doesn’t have that ring that I am looking for. I want to to be a title/name/section header for something and need something concise yet perfectly descriptive of those two words.
I am thinking “Aged nicely” or “great shape.”
I am thinking “Aged nicely” or “in great shape.”