Oh, I'd love to be a designer for Muji but it must be really difficult. How do you come up with new ideas for such plain stuff? Looking around the corners of my rooms all I seem to keep there are waste paper baskets, standard lamps or those little piles of dust that collect on the laminate floors. I hope we get to see some of the designs.

隅　2006年の公募テーマ “SUMI”-corner/edge/end

Entry period:15th may -31st August 2006

Muji is launching an international design competition. A project calling for entries from all over the world of designs that shake up and stir people. The results will be announced at the Milan Salone. Our first theme is “SUMI”, We're asking you to focus your design, not on the major pieces that are central to a room, rather to observe the extremes of the space, the unexplored areas of consciousness. We invite anyone in the world to propose a new Muji product!

Theme
“SUMI” - corner / edge / end
The objective is not to design something that is placed in the middle of the room, but towards the edges, not at the centre and not directly around the centre; you should look for somewhere that evades the eye, send us an object designed for that place, and name it as you wish.
We are not asking for any particular genre, it could be anything from furniture, stationery and office equipment, to everyday items.
Entry period From 15th May 2006, Entries must arrive by 31st August
Prize money
Gold prize winner (1 award) 20,000 US dollars
Silver prize winners (3 awards) 3,000 US dollars
Bronze prize winners (6 awards) 1,000 US dollars

http://www.muji.net/award/eng_essentials.html