Print Patrol  Take inspiration from the following print pieces:

• Automotive personalization via Beetle Art (vinyl stickers used to customize Volkswagen bugs) and appliqués for other automobiles from Blik Autographic and Photofiddle.com.
• Out-of-the-box books, e.g. “Come Alive! The Spirited Art of Sister Corita” (a famous nun-artist), “Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century” (thought-provoking), “The Playbook” (a photographic look at work and play in America).
• Trends in stationery e.g., baroque patterns and flock finishes, quirky conversational prints, decorative (trims, embossing, elegant shades), floral patterns and silhouettes. Great resources? Kate’s Paperie (NY), Paperchase (London) and Bookbinders Design (Stockholm).
• The popularity of Blackletter script (Gothic) and the modifications of Mexican Blackletter.
• The creative, typographer recruitment ad put out by Lunar BBDO, written in code via Webdings, Dingbats and Wingdings – typographer-specific picture and symbol fonts.
• Unique illustrations via Israeli comic books, designed by Actus. Check out “Victor” and “Happy End”.
• Xerox Corporations environmentally-friendly innovation: erasable paper.

Source: springwise.com, 10/30/06; Yankelovich MONITOR, 12/11/06; Step Inside Design, Jan/Feb, 2007; wgsn.com (what’s in store & materials report), 1/04/07; Creative Review, 1/07; The I.D., Jan/Feb 2007

 
Minister of the Interior  Here’s what they’re preaching from the interior design pulpit:

• Designer, made-to-order garages by Vault and Premier Garages. Here’s to hoping he’ll spend more time out there…
• Bubble glass block by SeaScapes. For that total “fish tank” experience.
• It’s a wall hanging, it’s a chair, it’s Pick chairs for Sintesi. Another great idea ripped from the Amish.
• 100-year old, Centarian designer Eva Zeisel’s tea-kettle. Surely a “limited edition”.
• Murphy beds from funstufffordogs.com. Whoops! Sorry Peaches, Mommy didn’t see you in there!
• Transparent, Magino Lucite bar stools. Really ups the entertainment factor with drunken party guests.
• Gold accents. Think Bombay Company, not Snoop Dog’s crib.
• Hip hues: pewter gray and heritage brown. From the “Somber Pilgrim” collection.
• Pantone’s amazing color matching gizmo called “Color Cue”, with the ability to match paint to any item you hold up to it. Finally! A way to outsmart them! Give me a gallon each of “Scuff Mark”, “Jelly Fingerprint” and “Red Crayon”.

Sources: springwise.com, 11/01/06; Architectural Record, 10/06; Surface #62; Metropolis, 11/06; NYT, 1/04/07; HFN

 
Commercial Property Designers, Builders and Merchandisers  Having “been there and done that” for years, folks are looking for unusual opportunities to make an impression, here are a few of those efforts:

• A visual merchandising reality TV show on the Oxygen Network, called “Making it Big” calling for contestants to design and create a display space.
• Fashion designer Marc Jacob’s website featuring a video of his catwalk construction.
• The hiring of artists to illustrate store windows for Hermes and Kiehl’s.
• Interactive in-store technology, e.g. Polo Ralph Lauren “internet window” touch screens, after hours info touch panels at Porsche, and screen walls at Nokia.
• The Hotel of Tomorrow design contest, which envisioned things like a “living wall” containing indoor ivy (bringing the outside in), “lifestyle window shades” that triple as wake-up calls, video screens and privacy devices.
• 21st century makeovers of English manor houses as luxury hotels.