Designer & Visual Strategist
Surprise! This time, my Pinterest obsessions have nothing to do with monochromatic colors, dramatic patterns or bold stripes. Today, I’m simply enthralled with the abstract shapes, rough textures and understated beauty of these two gorgeous photographs:
The juxtaposition between these two absolutely amazes me. Their similarities are incredibly striking, but their content is radically different. Evocative and artistic, these images are driving my design work today.
Keeping in line with the monochromatic theme of last week’s Pinterest post, today I’m completely consumed by black, white and ruby red. Usually I’m not particularly drawn to crimson shades, but this bright hue is absolutely stunning. I could get lost in this color:
With work ramping up this week, I haven’t been able to pin to my heart’s content. The good news is that I’m in the process of launching an account for the design team at Cyclonix, so my passion for Pinterest will carry over into work. Now I’ll be curating inspiring images here too!
During the past few weeks, I’ve been absolutely enamored with bright hues and vibrant color combinations, but this week I’m swaying the opposite direction. Throughout the past few days, I’ve been drawn to more subdued, monochromatic color schemes and striking abstract patterns. Today I wanted to share some appropriate imagery from Pinterest, so I dug deep down in my pinboards and retrieved these black and white beauties:
I’m completely enthralled with the stark contrast between images here – the elegant juxtaposition of strong lines and geometric angles with glittering sparks and delicate star trails. And boy, I’m such a sucker for a bold pop of yellow in a sea of black and white. It’s just the right dose of whimsy to electrify an ordinary Thursday.
This week, my pinboards are alive with every shade and tint of teal and yellow. I can’t seem to help it! The sun is shining, and for the first time since I arrived in the Bay Area — exactly two weeks ago! – I’m finally basking in that warm California breeze. My life is undergoing some very happy changes, and these colors seem to mirror exactly what I’m feeling – bounding energy, a thirst for adventure, and some welcome unease. Lately I’ve also been drawn to simple patterns of all shapes and sizes – especially the delicate dots and brazen stripes embraced here:
Though I haven’t officially spilled the details, I can happily announce that after less than two weeks in California, I’ve accepted a formal job offer at a small branding agency with strong roots in event and environment design. The projects I’ll be undertaking are unlike anything I’ve worked on in the past, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be diving into something so fresh and unexpected. But more on that later…
As a result of my new gig, Greg and I went apartment shopping in downtown San Jose on Saturday. Our marathon hunt for housing came to an end when we found the most amazing loft. We immediately fell in love. We ran some math to make sure we could afford such a stellar place, started the paperwork process and scheduled our move-in for next weekend!
And as a result of our successful apartment outing, we spent Sunday trekking through San Jose and Palo Alto on the quest for well-designed, high-quality, affordable living room furniture. Unfortunately, our second search was less successful. We didn’t find the perfect loveseat, but I did manage to capture a few architectural details as we scoured shops in Palo Alto:
I’ve been a long-time admirer of the sharp lines, diverse materials and intricate details manifested in urban buildings. I never felt compelled to pursue architecture as a career – too many equations and calculations for my liking! – but I embrace it as a truly influential art form. There’s a wealth of inspiration to be drawn from the complex shapes and patterns incorporated in architecture all over the world, and I love discovering subtle ways that other artistic disciplines inform my graphic design work.
All images are original.
Last week’s post on my most recent Pinterest adorations was so much fun to produce that today I’m opting to share another post with this week’s lovelies. Throughout the past few days, I’ve been drawing all kinds of inspiration from the clean lines, vivid pops of color and spirited patterns seen in images like these:
As always, join me on Pinterest for more inspiration! It’s growing into quite the community for individuals and brands alike. Some still resist jumping on the pinning bandwagon, but I think it’s absolutely worth the recent hype it’s been receiving.
My first weekend in California was commemorated with another first – my maiden voyage to Los Angeles. I reunited with old friends and celebrated new ones, and the time in between was spent navigating through the bustling chaos of LA.
I’ve always loved metropolitan life. So many eclectic neighborhoods alive with activity. Streets surging with boundless energy, culture and color. A wealth of patterns, shapes and hues to embrace. I kept the lens cap on for most of the trip, but I had to capture a few inspirational goodies in West Hollywood:
Having just moved to the Golden State last week, I reveled in the simple, sunny pleasures of California living – the feeling of sand between my toes on Venice Beach, the open-air glory of driving down Sunset Boulevard with the windows down, the utter satisfaction of sleeveless weather in February. Of course, my first adventure in LA wouldn’t have been complete without some stereotypical sightseeing. Never one to forgo the classics, I had to take in a few local treasures:
All images are original.
If you haven’t already figured it out, I have an itty bitty (read: ridiculously huge) love affair with Pinterest. Beyond the obvious relevance to interior designers and crafters, it’s an amazing resource for artists and designers to collect, curate and share inspiration. In my opinion, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be achieved with Pinterest; we’re already seeing new applications in the realm of retail and social commerce, and I can hardly contain myself when I think of what’s to come.
In regards to my own design work, Pinterest is a place to stockpile and organize objects and images that emit innovation, artistry and creative flair:
My pinboards reflect a phenomenal intersection between interior design, typography, small-business branding, product packaging, fashion and textile design, and food styling. Lately, my eye has been gravitating toward unusual color combinations, crooked patterns and bold juxtaposition. Follow me on Pinterest and watch as my tastes evolve regularly!
I hope I don’t completely throw you for a loop here, but for once, I’m going to skip the text-heavy post in favor of a few lovely visuals.
First and foremost, this holiday season was all about quality time, comfort food and a much-needed breath of fresh air. But beyond that, it was about subtle design details – the brilliant shine of patent lather, the bold look of all-over glitter, the sparkle of Swarovski, the incredible usability of Apple, the ombre fade of French stoneware and the power-packed pages of the year’s hottest design book. It’s here, deep in these details, where I’m digging up all kinds of inspiration for my latest design endeavors.
Soak it up.
Throughout my job search, I’ve found that it’s all too easy to become jaded; sometimes, I find myself struggling to reignite my passion for design and remember why I chose advertising as a viable career in the first place.
And while it’s true that my hunt for employment has been taxing, there are brief, liberating moments each week — often, each day — that remind me why I ventured down this path.
Since the September 6th launch of her new book, Grace Bonney has unknowingly given me many of these wonderful reminders. Bonney and the rest of the lovely ladies behind Design*Sponge are all about seizing opportunities, solving problems, sharing perspectives and curating a comprehensive collection of some of the best design work — interior, graphic and otherwise — on the planet.
Many in the design world have anxiously anticipated the arrival of Design*Sponge at Home, and now that it’s here, Bonney and her team have given us all something to cheer about. Absolutely gorgeous from cover to cover, the book showcases countless examples of innovative and creative design and artistry. Both a resource and work of art, it is a rare fusion of design inspiration, education and appreciation. Watch the Design*Sponge promo video below:
Beyond the book, Bonney herself is a true inspiration. I’ve been following her blog for years, but only since embarking on a somewhat unsuccessful job search have I truly begun to appreciate her work. She — along with many others like her — has inadvertently taught me that in the field of design, agency life isn’t the only life. She’s shown me that with a commitment to my craft, a clear vision, some serious dedication and remarkable time management skills, I can build my own successful — and independent — career from the ground up.
Since the book’s launch, Design*Sponge at Home has received rave reviews. And each time I read an encouraging comment, see another photo of the book displayed in a reader’s home or hear about the creative process that resulted in such an amazing product, I remember why I entered this amazing field:
I wanted to inspire people. To create and collaborate. To see projects from conception to completion. To uncover beauty in the most ordinary of objects. To strategize. To really hunker down with a thought, a concept or a vision, massage it again and again, and emerge with something greater. Then finally, to bring that idea into reality — to turn the intangible into something tangible and make the world just a little brighter.
