Design Debate

When I saw these beautiful water bottles I just fell in love. So often when using the visual language of purity in design we look at absence, white, blue. I just love how the Mount Franklin sparkling water bottle uses nature, colour and tropical flowers to communicate purity.  The illustrations are by fashion designer  Akira Isogawa . He created a water colour print on silk called Bird Garden which wraps round the bottle in such confident expression. The idea being to create a premium water for high-end restaurants that when produced would create that sense of occasion. The limited addition bottle was produced as a collaboration between Coco-Cola Amatil, design agency Creative Platform and Akira Isogawa. Isogawa, originally from Japan, now lives in Australia and is one of their most celebrated designers. His collections use beautiful illustrations that are so elegant, mixing oriental and western styles effortlessly.  Read more about these...

I think its great when a brand can really be applied to every aspect of a company. I love it when elements can be pulled out so when you enter a space it feels purposeful and not accidental. Thats exactly what designers Mode:lina Architekci successfully managed to do with the Run Colors trainer store in Poznań, Poland. The Run Colors logo is very strong with shoelaces forming an integral part. The idea for this colourful installation is taken from the fast movement of the runner. The colourful lines bounce from wall to floor creating prismatic shapes.  I think the best decision though was the charcoal coloured backdrop. White would have reflected and opened the space, but the dark walls and furniture I feel focus the mind on the product. Very smart! Found via Plenty of Colour . 

I came across this creative collaboration on a favourite blog of mine, Bloesem . Paint and diy company Histor organised a competition in the Netherlands called 101Karakters . The brief was to customise a cabinet designed by Piet Hein Eek, and they had 2000 entires!  The chosen 101 designers were invited to Piet Hein 's workshop to bring these designs to life. What a great idea! The cabinet itself is beautifully proportioned and full of character, but with the addition of the individual designer's artwork these pieces of furniture take on a new personality. It makes me want to get painting, I wonder what I would have submitted! Here are some images, I'm sure more will be available to see here shortly, see what you think. 

As you may know that I am a graphic designer at Pickle Design, and every year we design a calendar for our clients and we always like to do something different. In the past we have used our signature style of illustration on concertina formats or even pin badges!  This year we have designed an A2 poster celebrating chair design. I have illustrated 12 of our favourites in layers of red and blue to create a bold and quite retro piece of artwork.  It is quite hard to work out my favourite chair, I am quite partial to the Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe or perhaps the Molded Plastic Dowel-leg side chair (they need a catchier name!) by Eames. Which do you like?

I was very happy when I stumbled across The Smallest Printing Company . Small things are always so intriguing, miniature cakes are more delicious (albeit I just eat more) and I just love little notebooks, to write little notes. The people behind this mobile printing installation is Letterproeftuin. Based in Rotterdam, they are a traveling open-source design studio. They emphasise the creative process and exhibit its results. A counter-action to todays fast design tools and an invitation for designers to get their hands dirty in order to inspire, discuss and share knowledge!  This project brings out their passion for printmaking, combining craftsmanship and technology with inspiration, collaboration, hard work and, well, a sense of fun! The Smallest Printing Company is a mobile printing installation for small posters and books and is part of the International Poster and Graphic Design Festival Chaumont 2013. Smaller things are by their nature more tangibl...

Chiswick House Whilst perusing This is Glamorous , a blog which is such a joy to feast your eyes on, I came across the work of Derry Moore . To give him his proper title, Henry Dermot Ponsonby Moore, 12th Earl of Drogheda (born 1937). A British photographer of style and substance.  Leeds Castle Michael Casey, Dublin His work is split into 3 themes on his website, India, Portraits and Architecture; namely that of stately homes. I just love wondering round British grand houses, every room echoing with history. Still ringing with secret conversations, family life and pivotal moments of change.  Clouds Hill, T.E. Lawrence Villa d'Este Bernard Steinitz What Moore manages to capture is that atmosphere. I especially like how he uses the light in his landscape shots.  Protestant Cemetery, Calcutta Villa Gamberaia Moore's work his been used in Vogue, Country Life and Architectural Digest. He has photographed the Queen, Indira Gandhi, Ron...

Some of you may remember a post I wrote back in April about new Dutch company By Mölle . Their honest textiles made with natural wool and linen use traditional methods to create lovely contemporary homewares. The latest addition to their ethically minded collection is Chunky Denim.  Taking old jeans and removing zips and buttons, the fibres are spun into a double thread creating these chunky and irresistibly soft throws and cushions.  The sisters's ethos has always been to help you dress your home in a responsible manner. By Mölle work in collaboration with European artisans and craftsmen to create something quite unique.