Designer Death: The Design-Savvy Afterlife

An entire blog post about Death? Call it morbid, but I call it Designer Death. By 18 I had a Last Will & Testament that outlined every detail of my funeral arrangements. Although some of my ideas have changed since then, I still want the basics: Hello Kitty coffin, carved pink granite headstone, extravagant funeral at the creepiest, oldest, and most beautiful church available. Oh, and Stoli + Cran served during the Funeral Procession. And probably some gift bags to take home.

So I'm here to nudge you in the right direction when it comes to making out your final arrangements. It doesn't matter what your age is, but accidents take more young people's lives than anything else. So take a night, figure out what you want, costs, burial grounds, etc., and put it somewhere safe. It will give you piece of mind, and your family can be assured that they will acting out your final wishes.
PS And wear your damn seatbelt.

Memento Coffee Table Coffin

After seeing this coffin designed by Pratt Institute student Charles Constantine, I've decided on my new coffin choice. Constantine's Memento Coffee Table Coffin doubles as a stylish coffee table. Opening up the coffin reveals a storage space for books, games and magazines, and eventually a place to store the body, to which the designer says "mimics the human skeleton". The eco-friendly pine wood Memento Coffee Table Coffin has biodegradable slats that are made without the use of harmful chemicals.


Constantine designed the Memento Coffin so that a family could come to terms with the idea of someone close to them dying. As the Memento Table becomes a part of their everyday life, death becomes a part of their everyday life. When the table transforms into the coffin, the sentimental attachment to the table keeps the family close to the deceased family member, burying their love for both the person and the piece of furniture they've grown to love.

Constantine describes his design as a way “to promote a more personal way of dealing with death, and help us, as a culture, confront an issue that is universally denied.”

Egg Casket

Crazy Caskets has created, well, crazy caskets. This egg casket was created for a woman who wanted to be buried in the fetal position. The beautiful detail on this casket, plus the idea of leaving life in an egg, which symbolizes birth, is just so organic and shit.

Kitty Cat Urn

Eternal Image created the Cat Fancier Urn, which is supposed to be for your furry feline friend, but if I shall pass before Gucche (my little buddy) he would probably prefer this urn on his mantel. Oh and they are coming out with a Precious Moments casket...ironic in so many ways.

Last Supper Casket

Tribute Direct has created some of the most beautiful caskets for the religious kitsch lover in all of us! They also have a beautiful Lady of Guadalupe that is absolutely stunning.

Fester Coffin End Tables
Casket Furniture makes beautiful handcrafted coffin-inspired furniture. Don't wait till your afterlife to enjoy your Designer Death! "The Fester" Coffin End Tables pictured above start at $299).

And just an fyi, for all you frugal shoppers, you can pick up a Guadalupe coffin at Costco for $1299.