This is sick and wrong. And hilarious. The Beard Font.
April 23, 2008
Gather around all you Fu Man Chu loving designers…
This week in Prefab: MKLotus
April 14, 2008
The MKLotus from Michelle Kauffman.
This is a brilliant little prefab model starting at $125,000. The basic floorplan is fantastic with upfront living space open to the kitchen than back to the bed/bath.
I really love it; I love the built in veranda and the grassy knoll on the roof. I love the accordian wall of glass and the open floor plan with tons of glass.
Inhabitat featured it last fall.
I don’t know about you, but viewing blogs in a newsreader is ok, but I at least try to be a designer so I need a little more.
I use the built-in newsreader in Safari. I primarily use it to so if there is anything interesting to read…if so, I actually click in. Reading all content through the lens of the same basic RSS page isn’t enough. Design lends itself to the character, personality and style of the individual. So when I read your blog through the backdrop of an RSS page or the backdrop of your flower page or your clutter free page or your web 2.0 page…it makes a difference in how the content affects me.
Don’t be satisfied by bloglines, google reader, rss bandit or the rest. Taste your content with a little extra flavor. It makes a difference.
All that to say, in May, before I leave for France at the end of the month, I will be moving to a new domain, new design, and hopefully leave you with a new way to frame the content you see here.
I’ll let you know when the big launch will be…big to me at least. or fun I should say…
This week in Prefab…I freakin’ love the kithaus.
April 7, 2008
I so wish I could have my garage bulldozed, and have one of these delivered to my backyard…I’m not sure it would totally fit in to my north-side ghetto-ish alley.
I’ve always imagined having some sort of structure detached from the house where I could office and lounge…and maybe have a gameroom…
The Kithaus would be perfect, if not for the location and likelihood of having it broken into and everything valuable stripped…
3 Ways to Maintain Your Identity.
February 28, 2008
Last week I shared 3 Easy Ways to Lose Your Identity. This week, I thought I’d flip it around.
Maintaining your identity essentially means you will be intentional about looking on the outside like you really are on the inside.
1. In the words of Buddha, “Be One With Everything.”
In everything you do, maintain one front, one ethos, one spirit that is supported by the overall purpose of your organization. Don’t stray from your purpose. What drives your organization? That should drive your identity too. Remember that identity design is simply about making your outside appearance match the inner heartbeat of the organization. Don’t let the two go in different directions.
2. In the words of Outkast, “So Fresh, So Clean.”
Maintaining your identity doesn’t mean that the same look you had back in ‘88 should still be lingering in ‘08. Your audience changes and so should you. Freshen up. Clean out. Your logo might stay the same, but you can modernize your logo without changing everything. Subtle shifts in color to keep the palette current or even font variations can help you keep your look familiar to your long-term audience while growing and reaching new markets. Don’t be afraid to freshen up a bit.
3. In the words of Madonna, “Express Yourself!”
What’s brilliant and innovative about you. What do you do that sets you apart from the next organization? Your Identity should express yourself. Take all that is unique about you and let your audience know about it and celebrate it. If hip hop is your sound and your culture, then don’t be trendy and scenester. If you use flashy media in your worship services, don’t dilute your print materials by keeping them mundane. Your potential audience needs a reason to choose you over everything else in their lives. Show them why you’re unique and you just might give them a good enough reason.
The new blog design is done…
February 27, 2008
Still looking for someone to slice it up into a WordPress Template for me.
I’ll trade design work if you’re interested…
Wee House – Totally PreFabulous
February 26, 2008
Wouldn’t this make a great cabin retreat?
I love the emergence of modern prefab housing. My wife, well, she loves Shabby Chic…Maybe there will be a compromise there someday…
Anyway…check out the weehouse…
Sustainable, clutter-free, simple, beautiful, delivered to your lakeshore.
I can’t take it anymore.
February 24, 2008
I’m such a nimrod with css, but I can’t stand these wordpress templates… I’m designing my blog tonight.
Anybody want to cut up the css for a WordPress Template from an Illustrator file for me? I don’t want to pay for it. But maybe I figure out how to do it myself…much faster if you help me though…
3 Easy ways to lose your identity.
February 20, 2008
1. Have too many of them.
Not everything in your organization needs a name, logo and stylesheet all to itself. When you overbrand, you dilute your core message. When everything has it’s own identity, you end up competing with yourself. It’s like Fight Club all over again.
2. Borrow it from Someone else.
It’s easy to get inspired by design. Somethings are just drop dead beautiful. But it’s hard to be yourself, if you’re trying to be somebody else. Be inspired, but design yourself, don’t design to be somebody else.
3. All Sparkle, No Substance.
Design is great, when it communicates truth. if you’re trying to sell yourself as more than you really are, eventually, people will figure you out. You can only fool people for so long. A candy coated brussels sprout isn’t going to hide the bitter taste when you bite into the core.
As a designer, I’ve been guilty of all of these, but I always strive to be a better communicator.
a thing called redwire
February 19, 2008
Neeraj wrote a little about Redwire and being an entrepreneur.
He pointed to this piece we just did for a good friend and client with a great business model and skills to match. 
