Initially it was the title of this article that caught my eye in my email inbox—I saw the words Florence and New York in the same phrase and there was no need to look further. Then I clicked through the slideshow.
Oh my.
There are so many reasons why I love this:
• the use of white—I think this should be an intentional design choice, as white changes the effect of light and influences other colors used with it. When used thoughtfully, white completely transforms a space. Otherwise, it just becomes a backdrop for the rest of the things happening in the space (which is also fine—I just particularly love when it is intentional and well-done).
I guess what is so great about its use here is that the walls and ceilings are not completely flat surfaces. Rather, they are made up of several planes, so the shadows break up the otherwise flat surfaces and give visual dimension.
• the use of line—the high ceiling doesn't feel so high due to the use of line. The horizontal lines elongate the space and the vertical lines connect the ceiling so it doesn't feel so distant.
• the way black and white are used here—rather than having lots of/only black and white patterns in the same space, there is a lot of black and white, but also subtle neutrals and some deep purple. I love this because I think the use of only black and white can strain one's eyes, as there is no relief in the change of hues and intensity. By introducing these other neutrals and little bit of color, the black and white stand out without being so bold as to give one a headache.
• patterns—I absolutely love the patterns in this space, and I love even more that they were influenced by the heritage of the people who live in the space. Not only are they beautiful, but I love when objects or artwork in a space tell a personal story and have this element of real life.
Articulating why I love a particular design helps me to better understand good design and what makes it good. I think it also helps me identify my own tastes and will allow me to make small and intentional design choices more effortlessly.
also: this song has been on repeat ever since I found out about it (thank you Layne!). I love Zooey Deschanel, both her style and her music.
photographs: from the New York Times slideshow
i watched
(500) days of summer last night with my friends
melissa and ashley. good thing all 3 of us have seen it before, because we talked through nearly all of it. we paused the conversation momentarily when our favorite parts came up, though. ("just because some cute girl likes the same bizarro crap you do, doesn't make her your soulmate!")
i love that you want it to end a certain way, yet when it doesn't (as you knew it wouldn't all along) the ending is still satisfying, and possibly even better than the cliché expected ending would have been. and it's because this movie is so real.
