Ten years ago this month I started Design Crush as a place to gather inspiration for my day job as a graphic designer, and five years ago it became my full-time job. To thank you all, as well as highlight some of my favorite sponsors from over the years, we’ll be hosting ten days of giveaways in celebration of ten years of this little site that could.
I’ve followed Rebecca Atwood and her creative process for several years now, and her collection is forever expanding and getting better. Pillows, bedding, dining, wallpaper, art, and fabric by the yard in her signature colors and prints are the perfect pieces to mix in with what you already have to achieve that effortless vibe that so many find elusive.
The latest addition to Rebecca Atwood‘s line is embroidered fabric in seven different colors and patterns that were inspired by a trip to Mexico. Each look was thought out in her sketchbook before being realized and woven in India, then spot-embroidered. The line is ethically-made, just like everything Rebecca makes. And while undeniably beautiful, every single piece is also functional and meant to get better with use.
Aside from a set of Rebecca‘s cobalt shibori pillows that have been a mainstay on my bed for years, I’ve also had the pleasure of using her line of wallpaper. Rather than putting it on the walls, I decked out the back wall of my non-functioning fireplace with the marble in clay-blue for a bit of unexpected pattern in an otherwise dark spot.
Have you read her book, Living with Pattern? It’s one of my recent favorite home decor books, in it Rebecca covers how to work with patterns you may already own, how to add pattern to unexpected places, and the use of pattern in homes across the country. I highly recommend picking it up if you’re drawn to interiors, pattern, or a bohemian aesthetic.
Chris Wood describes her profession as light artist, which is pretty badass. Using both high and low tech optical materials to create her simple kinetic sculptures, Wood is able to harness light. She often uses a material invented by NASA, dichroic is a colorless material that filters and reflects wavelengths of light, creating a huge variety of rainbow shadows and projections in the process.
A cycling helmet that actually looks decent? Sign me up. We all know how important it is to wear one, but but most are so unappealing. Thousand saw the problem and created a solution – The Epoch Collection. A modern look that’s the opposite of the bulky headgear you’re likely used to, an innovative design fit for commuters and urban explorers alike. There’s also the Secret Poplock System that allows you to secure your helmet to your bike, Thousand will actually replace your helmet if it gets stolen while attached. Add in the seven vents, three cooling channels, and vegan leather straps and I dare you to find a more appealing helmet.
Ten years ago this month I started Design Crush as a place to gather inspiration for my day job as a graphic designer, and five years ago it became my full-time job. To thank you all, as well as highlight some of my favorite sponsors from over the years, we’ll be hosting ten days of giveaways in celebration of ten years of this little site that could.
I have two favorite jewelry designers in Austin, Texas and this is one of them – meet Fail. After working for two internationally renowned jewelry designers, Christine Fail (yes, that’s her actual last name) decided to strike out and put her stamp on the world. I had the chance to meet her in person a few years ago and she’s just the absolute embodiment of her brand and the pieces she creates – understated elegance, delicate yet strong, a modern classic.
Christine is also a smart businesswoman and split Fail into three categories – Fail, Epic Fail, and a home line. Fail offers designs in 14K gold fill and sterling silver, Epic Fail‘s line is full of timeless designs in 14K gold and diamonds, and the home collection is stocked with unique metal accessories.
I wear this 14K Open Ring in yellow gold from the Epic Fail line on my left hand every day. It’s so perfectly thin that I barely feel it, yet sturdy enough that it doesn’t feel precious which is a balance that I really look for in all jewelry I wear regularly. (It’s also available in rose gold and white gold.)
I hung one of Christine’s organic spirit chains on the curtain rod above my bed before even knowing that’s where it’s supposed to go! These hand-cut and hammered brass beauties come in three different lengths, and are meant to be hung next to a window or in a curtain to keep bad dreams at bay. It’s one of my very favorite things.
All three of Fail‘s lines are always expanding, which means I’ve got my eye out for new pieces to add to my own collection. After the latest round of additions I’m eyeing the Graphite Ridge Ring, the 14K Lightning Stud, the Aeon Earrings, and the Saros Necklace (that stone!).
Oh, and guess what! You have a chance to win a $250 gift card to spoil yourself or someone you love with Fail goodies! There are 18 chances to enter but only 48-hours to do it, so get going. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Uta Barth has a wide breadth of work that is ever-evolving with influences of painting, sculpture, photography, and installation. Engagement and perception play big roles in her work, exploring the way the human eye might view something versus the camera, and Barth’s latest two projects – In the Light and Shadow of Morandi and Untitled 2017 – press her forward on that journey. In the first she pays homage to Morandi’s love of repetition, light, and form, while in the second Barth’s focus is on attention to detail in photography.
Ten years ago this month I started Design Crush as a place to gather inspiration for my day job as a graphic designer, and five years ago it became my full-time job. To thank you all, as well as highlight some of my favorite sponsors from over the years, we’ll be hosting ten days of giveaways in celebration of ten years of this little site that could.
While we’re busy celebrating 10 years of Design Crush this month, independent book publisher Chronicle Books is over in San Francisco celebrating 50 years! Every cover they touch is perfectly designed and every book completely on target, leaving no question that Chronicle had a hand in its creation. They’ve been one of my favorite partners throughout the years simply because they do what we here at Design Crush strive to accomplish as well – foster the growth and passion that creativity sparks.
They’ve published some of my favorite books on my bookshelves, and to help us celebrate Chronicle Books is gifting one reader with a selection of eight amazing titles. Pop down below for 18 chances to win! But act fast – you’ve only got 48 hours.
Explorers’ Sketchbooks – This remarkable book showcases 70 sketchbooks, kept by intrepid men and women as they journeyed perilous and unknown environments – frozen wastelands, high mountains, barren deserts, and dense rainforests – with their senses wide open. Here are profiles, expedition details, and the artwork of pioneering explorers and mapmakers, botanists and artists, ecologists and anthropologists, eccentrics and visionaries.
Letter of Note: Volume 2 – Each turn of the page brings delight and discovery in a collection of 125 correspondences that spans centuries and place, written by the famous, the not-so-famous, and the downright infamous. Entries are accompanied by a transcript of the letter, a short contextual introduction, and a spirited illustration – in most cases, a facsimile of the letter itself.
Ducksoup: The Wisdom of Simple Cooking – The debut cookbook from Clare Lattin and Tom Hill, chefs of London’s popular restaurant Ducksoup, featuring more than 130 seasonal, simple, clean recipes. Organized into seven chapters, Ducksoup takes the reader through the restaurants “clean” cooking philosophy and shares the inspiration for the restaurant.
Card Catalog: 30 Notecards from the Library of Congress – Enclosed in a keepsake replica card catalog box with tabbed dividers, each card features a different beloved work of literature straight from the storied collection of the Library of Congress.
Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (in That Order) – Art historian Bridget Quinn delves into the lives and careers of 15 brilliant female artists in text that’s smart, feisty, educational, and an enjoyable read. Replete with beautiful reproductions of the artists’ works and contemporary portraits of each artist by renowned illustrator Lisa Congdon, this is art history from 1600 to the present day for the modern art lover, reader, and feminist.
Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home Cooking Triumphs – The process of truly great home cooking is demystified via more than a hundred lessons called out as “small victories” through a lifetime of cooking thousands of meals. This beautifully curated, deeply personal collection emphasizes bold-flavored, honest food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.
Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms – Equal parts instruction and inspiration – a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. This beautiful guide to growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round gives readers vital tools to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms to create showstopping arrangements.
Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World – The 100 revolutionary women highlighted in this gorgeously illustrated book were bad in the best sense of the word: they challenged the status quo and changed the rules for all who followed. From pirates to artists, warriors, daredevils, scientists, activists, and spies, the accomplishments of these incredible women vary as much as the eras and places in which they effected change.
My introduction to incense was by way of a hippie-ish store I used to visit in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh during high school. To say, it was horrible. That generic smell that I’m sure you can bring to mind if you think about it only a little. The holder I used (sat atop a trunk covered in skateboarding stickers and candles) was one of the wooden ski-shaped variety. In college I finally discovered the better smelling stuff, but to this day I still have that same holder. I’d say it’s far past time for an upgrade…
Ten years ago this month I started Design Crush as a place to gather inspiration for my day job as a graphic designer, and five years ago it became my full-time job. To thank you all, as well as highlight some of my favorite sponsors from over the years, we’ll be hosting ten days of giveaways in celebration of ten years of this little site that could.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sherwin-Williams more than any other sponsor, and this giveaway was the perfect reason to look back at all of the magic we’ve created together with their top-notch paint and my imagination!
First up was the front door at my house in Oklahoma City – did you know there’s a correct way to paint a door? I took the entry from builder beige to Energetic Orange in one spring afternoon and was thrilled with the outcome. It made my home stand out in a neighborhood full of blah.
The next year, as I was preparing to make my move halfway across the country, I was in the process of getting my home ready to put on the market. I partnered with Sherwin-Williams to downgrade the level of blue in the hall bath with a gallon of Mountain Air. The house sold in SIX DAYS, and I just know that relaxing spa-like space had something to do with it.
When I bought my home in Pennsylvania that fall, I reached out to Sherwin-Williams for their expertise once again. After living in a home with rooms painted several colors I knew I wanted this space to be the exact opposite – as in all the same. I had a vision of a gallery-like space in my mind, one that would let my collection of art do the talking and fade away beautifully into the background. I was able to take a chip of paint from the baseboards into a Sherwin-Williams store, where they spent half an hour patiently helping me color match an end result that’s as unique as my 117 year old home.
Two springs ago we partnered once again, this time to give my home office a modern update. It had already been painted the aforementioned Sherwin-Williams customized color and I wanted to give it a pop of personality that felt like Design Crush’s brand. I settled on a diagonal accent wall in Cosmetic Pink, which is similar to the pink of this site and love the spike of energy it can give during afternoon slumps.
Last fall we took Sherwin-Williams‘ Color of the Year – Poised Taupe – off the walls and put it in some unexpected places instead, namely on the legs of an end table and a pattern on a seagrass basket.
In select markets Sherwin-Williams has a team of ColorSnap Consultants who do in-home consultations to help you select the right color palette and products for the projects you’re dreaming of taking on. In addition to five gallons of paint, they’re offering one reader a free ColorSnap consultation if he/she lives in a consultation market. (If not, they’ll provide a gift card for design services.) A value of over $500. a Rafflecopter giveaway
