Stream of Consciousness I

Classy Ladies

Chinese Home Decor Expo 2011

Typically in the world of contemporary textiles, the United States designs it and China manufactures it. Recently China has taken the initiative to design and manufacture for its own people. My professors got a chance to go to China to the Home Decor Expo, and were kind enough to let me look through the catalogs upon their return. The following images are from those magazines, most are Chinese designed and manufactures, but a few are designed by foreigners. It's neat to see what's trending in another culture's home design. Here are some highlights.

Detail shot of pixelated wallpaper. Something I'm crushing on now.

This deer motif is larger than one would expect to find in American design. Notice most motifs are larger, bolder and brighter than seen in American Home Design.





See the fluorescent bulb in the room above? I've heard fluorescent lighting in the home is more accepted in Asia than it is in America, and it really alters the decor's color palette. The catalog was filled with acid greens and blood oranges and I wondered it if had to do with how it looked under fluorescent light.

Milwaukee Road trip

Street style

Julia Rothman

While exploring Design*Sponge I've come across some Julia Rothman designs. While she has a bit too much of the domino (as in the magazine) aesthetic, there are aspects of her work that like, such as her attempt to bring a children's book illustration look into current design, her simplified color palette and not-overly-obvious-but-not-overly-complex pattern repeats.

All images are from her website:

http://www.juliarothman.com/

If you want to learn more about her or her joint business visit:

her blog at http://www.book-by-its-cover.com/

and her business, Also http://www.also-online.com/

As breakfast's number one fan, she got me with this one. I like the children's book illustration quality of her drawing and color. I also like the unexpected items, champagne for breakfast. She uses a limited color palette to bring cohesion to the composition, like the pink of the ham is the pink on the jellied toast, and the tan of the toast is on the muffin and pancakes as well.

Limiting palette pinks and browns, I like the reference to women's magazines of yesteryear. I like the illustration actually provides clear instructions.

I can't look at this one without thinking of one of my favorite illustrated movies, Disney's 101 Dalmatians. Maybe its the black outline and line weight?

This was the first Julia Rothman illustration I saw. I was drawn to the pattern repeat and colors which strongly reference children's books. There is a specific book that it recalls, but I can't put my finger on it, so if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them.