Fab...ric

Occasionally, along with branding, product, and packaging projects, I work on interior design/decorating projects. I am currently working on redecorating two bedrooms for a client.

Most design work I do involves creation of something from nothing. Decorating, however, is often more of a curation process; combining disparate elements (some of which you have more or less visual control over) to create the final design. The fabric is one of the more important elements of a room design that is often the "jumping-off" point that will define the direction of a room.

Of course, there are many fabric designs available out there. However, if you are a graphic designer (as I am), the impulse to create your own prints for fabric is really hard to resist. Shown here is a print I designed for a boys room that was inspired by the work of painter Paul Klee.

Like all creative challenges, the excitment of a solution is usually in the combination of elements that may not be expected to go together. To show the flexibility of the print for more sophisticated applications, I've combined the new print's boldness with the more traditional romantic profile of an 18th century Louis XV fauteuil. I think the combo is rather chic.

House in House

Shuffling through the archive, I came across this shot from an article in Veranda magazine a couple of years ago. Because I don't really have a "press page" or show promotional tear sheets of any kind, this seems the right venue to share the photo above. The featured room was designed by Charlotte Moss and in the center of the photograph is the potpourri box I designed for Argaria. You can see more on the series of boxes on the studio site.

H2Ohhh.

For a number of months we have been conducting an experiment based on the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto. Dr. Emoto discovered he could alter the molecular structure of water by means of exposing it to different kinds of music as well as with the mere act of labeling it with certain words. By applying certain emotionally charged words, a particular intent is applied to the water by those who label it and those who view it. His studies are related to the power of human thought. You can click his name above to read more about it. It is really quite amazing.

For someone in the world of product and packaging, such as myself, this has some monumental implications. I'm well aware of the power of good packaging but this takes it to another level entirely.

All that in mind, we started a much less scientific experiment here at home. Impossible to prove the results but, well... it can't hurt. We started filling bottles with drinking water and labeling them with attributes we could all use more of... Love, Health, Prosperity... and drink it everyday.

The shot above is of the "Health" bottle. It was sitting on the pantry counter and the way the sunlight was beaming through the window, illuminating the air bubbles in the water was kinda magical.

I feel healthier already.

Cologne

In the previous post "Branding Bath" I talked about redesigning the bath and body packaging for Agraria. Included in that adventure was a redesign of the cologne spray bottle. Shown here is my concept for the new bottle that features the spherical "bottle stopper" cap and octagonal crystal body. An etched gold metallic neck band cinches this slimmer more elegant sister to the bath bottle.