A Whole Lotta White...

It's Friday! And today "White Space" is the topic for "Bridging Design Friday" between Visual Communications, Events + Interiors.

Quite a few individuals see White space as a negative, emptiness, basically a blank canvas that needs to be filled with stuff. A creative person, on the other hand, sees and uses it as a tool to balance and enhance details. White space, when used right, is the perfect backdrop to showcase + accent good design.

[Business]

Subtraction.com Website
Yellow Duck PR Corporate Identity via Design With Chon
Hotel Ambrose Corporate Identity via Miklos Kiss
NY Times Style Magazine Website

White can represent a lot of things, and the qualities that I love most is its sense of purity, freshness, timelessness, and it brings about a chic factor that you can't get with any other hue.

A good trick with white is, embrace it in abundance. Say about 95% of your visual playing field is white, and in the other 5%, use one or two colors strategically in a graphic design layout or in an environment, and it will make a simple, but bold visual statement. For good examples of this, see the Yellow Duck PR brochure above, Red Rose Petals in the Ceremony Aisle below or the Grey + Gold Decor Accessories in the Bedroom shots below.

[Wedding + Private Events]

Wedding/Reception images via Storied Locations Blog

[Interiors]

Bedroom via Elle Decor

Remember White Space can be your friend, and it can be friendly on your budget, too. For Wedding/Private Events, most reception venues always have white linens in-stock for table covers/ napkins, and it's available to you as part of your booking. Use it to your advantage, save a buck on the linens, and invest in gorgeous florals for your table that will pop off of the White backdrop of the linens. If you're looking for a dramatic mood shift for the reception, cheat the space with colored environmental lighting. And coincidentally, "White" fabric is the go-to backdrop to bounce the full spectrum of light rays.

The World is Full of Typography

Friday is quite possibly my favorite day of the week for two reasons. Not only because it signifies the end of the week, and the beginning of the weekend, but I do enjoy blogging on my Friday topic, "Bridging Design Friday". I get to find, share + focus on all three design facets that I love to do.

I was going to share this "Bridging Design Friday" topic last week, but couldn't manage to get all the research and images collaged together in time. So today's topic is "The World is Full of Typography + I love it!"

Most of us don't realize how much of our life is surrounded with type on a daily basis. It may be as mundane as an email, a text, instruction manual or traffic signage. And there is the creative type, too; a treatment on a package design that sits on a shelf that is calling out to you to "buy it". Either way, we need type otherwise we wouldn't be able to go about our daily routines, and there would be true chaos. Typography will always be around, it's a necessity of life, and I am celebrating it today by bridging it between business, private events + interiors. See what typography does for us + why I choose to embrace it in my own designs whether on paper or in a visual environment.

[Business]

Whiskey Label + Business Cards via Blush Publishing

[Wedding]

Illustrated Silhouette + Type Invite via Rudi De Wit
Card Signage Event Day Collateral via Design With Chon
Black + Grey Type Only Invite via Invitation Crush
Blind Deboss Invite - Source Unknown

[Interiors]

I have this exact teal colored Chicago Neighborhood Poster (above) in my home + love it. It's in my front entry hallway. Love Ork Posters + it has other major cities, too. Do check them out to adorn your wall for home or office. 

Sculptural Cast Metal Letters via Restoration Hardware
"Chicago" Neighborhood Typographic Poster via Ork Posters
Wood Block Letter Wallpaper via Wall and Deco
Customized Black + White Typographic Wall Covering via Mr. Perswall

What's Your Pattern in Life?

Today's "Bridging Design on Friday". When it comes to your business, events or interiors, we all have a pattern that defines our personality even if you don't know it. Look in your wardrobe, scarf, handbag, or your living space from the rug to the throw pillows. It can be subtle + simple to the bold + blunt.

I personally like to take that pattern by branding it all the way down to the little details. I do this by pulling out the colors + textures and create an overall design that compliments + balances it. I have taken DWC's design focuses (business, wedding + interiors) and compiled three different inspiration moodboards for each to showcase how a good pattern can be featured in each case.

What's your pattern in life + what do you want it to say about you or your company?

[Visual Communications]

Corporate Identity + Branding designed by Roger Oddone

[Wedding + Private Events]

Wedding Invitation shared via FPO

[Interiors]

Room Interior via Elle Decor

Throw Pillows via Burke Decor

Vivienne Westwood Striped Dress + Christian Louboutin Patent Pumps via Net-A-Porter

Hope you all enjoyed today's "Bridging Design on Friday" highlights — continuing to narrowing the design gap between business + lifestyle because they are all connected. Have a good Friday everyone!

The Power of Color

It's Spring! It's Friday! And it's Easter Weekend! I hope everyone has a good, eventful and colorful weekend. We all know Easter for it's array of assorted colors, and it communicates to us all as being fun. So if you are looking to bring a playful nature and inviting quality to your special event, the branding of your business, or interiors, be sure to embrace these wonderful hues.

You can never go wrong with a good color combo if you use it right like these visual samples. Love the bold, color blocking in the Anthropologie dress, the painted edges on the business card, and the multicolored Eames chairs in the dining space.