Design Debate

Our 2026 Art Nouveau calendar. We’re well into 2026 now, which means our Art Nouveau poster calendar has been hanging on walls for a good few months. At Pickle Design we create a free wall planner every year to give to our clients and local businesses, always on a theme. We have covered so many in the past – from classic chair design to Cornish food , collective nouns for birds and even times of the day . Even the image at the top of Design Debate came from a calendar we created about graphic design . Some of the Art Nouveau and 1970s-inspired imagery I remember from home growing up. For 2026 our theme has been Art Nouveau , a design style I love. I think, though, that the filter through which I first enjoyed it was a retro reinvention. My parents brought the 1970s vibe into our family home and Art Nouveau fitted right in. I grew up in the 1980s, but really it often felt like the 1970s – from Dad’s vinyl records to the clothing hand-me-downs. Mum lo...

Today I have been enjoying the work of Walter Hunt Everett (1880–1946), whose nearly 40-year career spanned what is known as America's Golden Age of Illustration. His paintings graced the pages of popular magazines including The Saturday Evening Post , Ladies' Home Journal and Collier's . A student of the famed Howard Pyle, Everett grew out of the Brandywine tradition of American illustration. He was clearly an extraordinary painter, but what draws me in most is his use of colour and light. His illustrations are full of colour and life. I particularly like his ‘Couple in a Canoe’ and ‘The Sycamores’. Pulling at the heartstrings of a nation, he worked in vibrant blocks of sun-drenched colour, but could also tell stories in the shadows with wonderfully atmospheric monochrome oils. It is a collection that is now being rediscovered, heartily shared and preserved by the Walter H Everett Fo...

Hello and welcome to the new year! I wander what 2024 has in store for us, currently for me it's a heavy cold, but that aside I am full of hope for this next chapter in our lives. At Pickle Design , where I work, every year we create a limited edition printed calendar with monthly downloads for screen backgrounds. We have been that for 16 years now (eek) with themes such as classic chair design , time travel , Cornish food and famous author's houses ! This year though we opted to pause and consider time , as it is a leap year after all. I wanted to share our latest creation with you, you check out all our previous exploits here . 'Golden Hours' has a linocut feel, capturing the phases of the day, from 'The Crack of Dawn' to the 'Small Hours' (John Martyn was very much in mind as I drew that one, love that song). I do like doing our calendars, something that's a little fun, a chance to illustrate and to explore some intriguing theme. I always lea...

Sorry guys, it's been a while! Life at Pickle Design has been proper busy, all good things. So, today the sun is shining and I am full of the joys of Spring so I thought I would share with you an artist and printmaker who loves to bring her travels back for us to enjoy. Yorkshire located Clare Caulfield has a lovely free style, she captures the vibe of great cities, think New York, London, Paris, Istanbul, Venice.  Fluidly she captures architecture and street scenes giving that bussle we have come to miss during this pandemic. It seems a distant dream, sitting outside Parisian cafes and people watching over the brim of chocolat chaud. She exhibits all over England and you can buy her works from her Etsy shop .  Originally spotted at Miss Moss . 

Martin Reznick has provided the perfect setting for furniture designer Marc Krusin's pieces, moody film noir. Not the usual way to capture a collection but Krusin wanted to commision imagery he could use to promote his beautiful pieces. Reznick had a free-rein and I love what he has come up with. Comfortable with intricate illustrations, Reznick chose only black for his series of drawings. With the feeling of a crime scene, the tables and chairs cast shadows and pieces of everyday life are set for us to observe.  Reznick also created a poster, just to tie the narrative together. A really fresh way to present furniture design. Krusin's timeless pieces brilliantly play their part, rendered with all the nuisances of line.      Originally found at Creative Boom .  

A noble goal, but quite a challenge, UnLtd is a social organisation based in Australia who wanted to created a range of teas to help children's mental health. Perhaps not the most logical fit, youth and herbal tea, but with this generation's mental health at an all time low the not-for-profit wanted to create a positive drinking experience as well as raising some cash for mental health charities. Sidney-based agency Maud came up with some lovely vibrant designs. The teas have names like 'Sweet Lullaby', a blend of Rooibos, liquorice and vanilla, designed to calm and relax.  The illustrations are colourful but definitely reflect the brand name, Mood, each with a distinct feel and personality.  I think it's a great initiative, I'm partial to a cup of peppermint tea myself. There is something quite rewarding taking a moment to enjoy a brew, with an extra layer of comfort knowing it is actually doing you good.  Originally foun...

Book design is something I have always enjoyed, especially children's books. I still fondly remember my favourites, the illustrations are crystallised in my memory along with the pleasure I felt slowly turning pages and sounding the words to myself. It's that quality time with a parent or just enjoying the happy solitude discovering a new favourite brings.  Choosing books for kids today is an absolute pleasure, such a wealth of talent to pick from. For me it is all about the illustrations, bringing words to life and making something I struggled with quite a bit being dyslexic, actually fun.     I shared the work of graphic artist Jorey Hurley  on the Pickle Blog a few years back. The San Francisco based artist creates beautiful artwork, you can really see her past-life as a textile designer shining through. Bold, modern and colourful, they'd look great in a nursery - though grown-ups love them just as much as kids.  Today though I wanted to focus ...