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Top 5 Design Principles I’ve Learned from Apartment Therapy
Posted on April 04, 2008 by Kathryn Regina.
1. White is in.
More than any other design trend, I think the prevalence of white will be what marks our era. Should we attribute this to Apple’s iMac or is it some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy from the white-clad “space age” imagery of thirty years ago (think Buck Rogers)? I do not know. Here’s what I do know: White totally makes everything look better. In fact, one woman brought her entire 80’s-lookin’ home up to date simply by painting her floors and fixtures white, and then adding splashes of vibrant color.
2. Parameters invite creativity.
Apartment Therapy’s showcase of small apartments illustrates that limitations support creativity. Self-imposed restriction in art has become a postmodern doctrine. One popular example is Gadsby, Ernest Vincent Wright’s lipogrammatic novel written without the use of the letter “e.” Restrictions like size or budget (see number 3) may not be by choice, but if you find yourself in this situation, seize the opportunity to create something you may have never discovered otherwise.
3. Scrappy is cool.
AT’s numerous DIY (do it yourself) projects prove just how stylish thriftiness can be. Anyone with money can hire a stylist, but the beauty you create with your ingenuity will be uniquely yours. Scrappy companies are lean, strong and full of rare perspectives.
4. The unexpected is usually the most satisfying.
Whether it’s a chalkboard in the kitchen or a table lamp in the bathroom, AT reminds me that the surprising juxtaposition of colors, words and objects can produce inspired results. And while symmetry is our natural tendency, some argue that asymmetry holds the eye longer.
5. De-cluttering is essential.
No matter how brilliant your company’s design, if it’s yucked up with a lot of text or an overload of images, it’s not going to get the attention it deserves. Today’s viewer favors minimalist text, plenty of white space and clean design.
Note: BeTuitive is in the midst of a Web site overhaul. Stay tuned to see how these design principles inform our new look!
p>tags: design | good design | white | scrappiness design principles |corporate design |branding |creativity |What's a tag?
April 4, 2008 | Permalink
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Comments
that is absolutely amazing! I am curious how this works. I saw that he puts a hole in the blacked out window, but how do the imabines get cast into the room?
Posted by: andy vanakin | May 14, 2008 11:13:48 AM
