Lively Merchandising

Check out the pop-up store that I helped my boss with!  More interior pics on the link.

Outside... So unassuming...

Inside.

Hello racks!

A Little Residential Design on a Thursday Morning

I just started helping my dear friend configure the space of her UES studio.  Where to begin certain rooms when there are no walls, and how to create delineations yet a cohesiveness.  I definitely deal with the same issues in my own house, and I feel like it's a common conundrum in this city.  (Real estate in general is a class of its own here... 1.5 bedrooms anyone? 4th floor walk up?)  I suppose location really is the main driving factor of where people choose to live here, which makes for more people settling for interior spaces that they do not love!  Is this the key to being a successful designer here- knowing that fact?? For that reason, I'm very excited to help turn the space into a place my friend will enjoy both visually and functionally.
Schematic design to kick things off- our first ideas:

Haunted Denim

The other day I was in the park, and amidst the crisp wind -that reminded me to dig out my winter clothes- there was a particular rustle of leaves that made me realize it was Halloween season.  Time for pumpkin seeds and Frankenfurter's mansion... which I can't seem to find a good picture of.  But I did find an appropriately spooky installation at the Diesel Denim Gallery in Tokyo. 

Nature Factory created the surreal forest using various types of plumbing.  I'm pretty much obsessed with the contrast of the dark ceiling with the pristine pipes.  It's always interesting to me when you can see a change happen in the materials, and the transition from rectilinear to controlled chaos is done really well.  It helps to keep the attention on the clothes, while being visually stimulated by what is above.
It gives the whole store a new experience, entering a mysterious forest with only the jeans to guide your way.  Would you make it out unscathed?

September, you minx!

I blink for one second and the month is nearly gone.
Alas, lots to discuss. I went to the New Island Festival on Governor's Island earlier in the month. For being only an 8-minute ferry from Manhattan, its got a whole different feel. Kind of like historic suburban Philadelphia. The main action was in (eight?) historic houses that surrounded a central grassy area. In each house was a different design or cultural group, and in the middle were sculptures or installations (left). All in celebration of Dutch design. The organization and design of the event was very cohesive and intriguing from day one, including the humorously disorienting signs during the event. And another point- each group of people coming off the boat was required to witness a nonchalant ribbon-cutting ceremony, complete with full Dutch fanfare. Make what you wish of that.
I'm getting increasingly interested in honing my graphic design skills. At work I've been learning tips and tricks, though I am looking for some means of lessons to get a solid education. Maybe a podcast? I want to explore typography first.
Speaking of podcasts, I've devoured almost every episode of NYC History by the Bowery Boys. The intro is enough to get you hooked. Coney Island part I and II are my favorites.
And lastly, progress on the loft-front. Long-set concrete columns and beams have posed a problem in several areas. By means of crafty C-clamps and spare bamboo, we were able to devise a way to hang our curtains off the mullions of our 18' x 10' window. Since our housewarming, we've been edging the house into better shape. It is difficult with three different tastes- minimalist, eclectic, and functional- and opposing schedules. But we're making it work, and I'm getting increasingly proud of my new domesticity. Here's to Red Hook.