Following a Supreme Court of India ruling that bars must be a minimum of 500 meters away from highways, one intrepid watering hole wrapped itself in a 250-meter maze to effectively circumvent the law. Handed down earlier this month, the ruling has closed down liquor-serving establishments across the country prompting some to get creative.

Owners of the Aishwarya Bar in North Paravoor, a Kochi suburb, maintain: “We have done nothing illegal. The plot behind the bar also belongs to the owner and we have constructed an extended way to reach the bar. Now it is 520 meters from the highway. We are set to approach the circle inspector of excise with the new route map to authorize the reopening of the bar.”

Perhaps most remarkably: since the purpose of the law relates to walking distance (rather than linear), officials have given their blessing to this unusual solution — he intent of the legislation, after all, is to reduce intoxicated driving accidents. With that potential code violation remedied, the only accusation left leveled against the establishment related to changing around the property without a building permit, resulting in a small fine.

The solid-walled fence shaping the labyrinth was installed at minimal cost in a matter of days, expanding into adjacent property also owned by the bar’s manager. Pub crawlers, meanwhile, may find themselves somewhat lost when loaded, but at least there are no dead ends. However, bars like this one may still find themselves with fewer customers since the federal ruling also prohibits roadside signage directing drinkers to pubs. Other specific exceptions have been granted on a case-by-case basis, but this particular solution may lead to a series of similar approaches.

Has doodling ever been more creative than this? While most people wouldn’t give a second’s thought to the shape an everyday object’s shadow casts upon adjacent surfaces, artist Vincent Bal looks at them and sees the beginnings of a character or scene. It might be a phone charger, a fallen leaf, a drinking glass or a Christmas ornament, but in its shadow, Bal sees far more than the object itself.

Each of Bal’s quick and clever illustrations is a testament to the creativity of an artist’s brain. Calling his work ‘shadowology,’ Bal plays around with silhouettes and light sources to find inspiration for sketches most people would never dream up. It takes the game of finding shapes in the clouds and applies an artist’s hand to the process, embellishing the shapes into something more.

Calling himself a ‘filmmaker and doodler and procrastinator from Belgium’, Bal shares his work on his popular Instagram account and sells prints on Etsy.

Like tableware or sliced bread, the umbrella is the subject of many reinvention attempts but few approach the sheer cleverness and ingenious simplicity of this design solution, which tackles drips, winds, crowds and compactness in one product.

Created by engineer and inventor Jenan Kazim, the KAZbrella solves the core everyday issue of umbrellas bringing water into your home or vehicle, while also making them easy and safe to open in crowds as well as resistant to high winds (able to pop out then back into shape without breaking). When the umbrella is closed, a strap around the top seals the water inside, keeping it from dripping.

“The patented design includes a string and pulley mechanism that allows the frame to open the opposite way to a traditional umbrella, though the action of pushing the slider up until the upper latch is engaged remains the same. It still looks and functions like a traditional umbrella when open, but when closed the spokes fold in so they point away from the handle and the outer surface is hidden inside.”

The KAZbrella also employs materials for lightweight durability, from its fiberglass spokes and aluminum frame to its double layer of woven polyester. It can be opened and closed through smaller gaps than its ungainly cousins, making it easier to keep dry while entering or exiting spaces. It can then be set down against a wall, in a stand or on your car seat without getting things wet.

Making a tiny living space comfortable and practical means integrating multi-purpose furniture, custom built-ins and lots of other clever space-saving tricks. These 14 (more) small space hacks include a few DIY projects that can be achieved with components purchased at Ikea.

Incredibly Compact Kitchen

Starting as a narrow dining table, this ultra-compact kitchen swings open to reveal an induction cooktop, oven, refrigerator and storage space with a sink and a work surface. Slide it under the white table unit when not in use or pull it out into its own little island – perfect for the minimalist cook working in a small space. Check out 15 more modular & multipurpose kitchens for small spaces.

Spaceflavor Mobile Cube: Office/Tea House in One

Feng Shui expert Liu Ming created the Mobile Cube to compartmentalize his personal space in a live/work apartment that has to accommodate over 30 students during classes. The entire cube is on wheels, with a lower portion that can contain a bedroom or an office, and a loft that functions as meditation space, a sleeping area or a tea room (as he uses it.) It measures just eight feet square and has hidden stairs that double as drawers, as well as cabinets, closet space and translucent roller shades.

Fold-Out Picnic Table

This picnic table offered by a Brazilian furniture store has enough seating for six people, yet folds completely flat against the wall when not in use, opening up the floor for other purposes.

IKEA Closet Makeover

A cluttered closet in a small Brooklyn apartment now has a dedicated space for everything from shoes to handbags courtesy of an IKEA makeover. While the overall size of this closet would be luxurious in most small spaces, the setup could easily be customized to your own needs while maintaining organization.

DIY Murphy Bed

If you’re an ambitious DIYer, you can attempt your own murphy bed, like this one at a sustainability camp in Maryland. DIY Network has plans for a simpler version, or you can try an Ikea hack with sliding doors over at Instructables.

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When Every Inch Counts 14 More Clever Small Space Hacks

Made of rubber, metal, glass and wood, these dynamic flip panel doors tackle perhaps the world’s original architectural invention in a series in a fresh, new and interactive fashion.

Each member of the Evolution Door set by Austrian artist, designer and builder Klemens Torggler involves a multi-panel contraption the flips open and re-closes in a fantastic feat of kinetic motion.

The steel version of the door is particularly ingenious as its space-saving method of action. Like its sliding cousins, it avoids the in-and-out motions of a typical doorway to minimize the space you need to set aside in front of or behind it.

The glass design uses a minimalist framework of structural supports, all of which then disappears entirely into a secret wall space hidden alongside it.

With steel and glass variants in particular, though, viewers are sure to wonder how one avoids getting a finger pinched if they are not paying full attention,  hence this short video regarding benefits of the softest member of the Evolution family.

Aside from the finger-friendly end result, there is something brilliant in the common approach of these works: each bypasses all positions outside of the binary ones – these doors are either opened or closed between uses, never resting anywhere in between.