Meet Herbie- my most recent love of a modern-made-vintage-inspired typeface. I found Herbie through GrainEdit, and it is available to be purchased at http://cargocollective.com/infamousfoundry/Herbie.
Herbie is a uppercase display font with alternates on every character (lowercase), based only on circles and geometric lines. Herbie is inspired by, as the name might indicate, Herb Lubalin’s work and the decorative style and kerning of his era.
Per usual I’ve recently stumbled up the blog How to Start a Fire by Canopy Brand Group. They’ve got some great stuff on there, so check it out when you get a chance. Today I found this branding implementation on a neat idea: black water? Why black water? Why not? Remember when green ketchup was made? The point of the creative industry is to push boundries and make people think – and to expand.
I love this idea because it’s not so much new as it is undesirable. People have been adding flavor to their water for years and years, causing color change to pink, purple, green, etc. Actually, when you think of it, soda pop is colored water with a cup or 6 of sugar stirred in. But why not naturally colored pure water? No artificial dyes, no preservatives, just water – that doesn’t look like water. I like it. And the branding, of course.
Architectural Digest spans the globe to spotlight a dozen eye-catching eateries where the architecture and interiors are as exciting as the food. I love following the hubs they choose to feature. The architecture is of course always amazing, and the interior design in the below featured makes my heart skip a beat. MmmMmm.
TWENTY FIVE LUSK, SAN FRANCISCO
TORI TORI, MEXICO CITY
PAULY SAAL, BERLIN
OZONE, HONG KONG
PUMP ROOM, CHICAGO
BAMA LOHAS CAFÉ, TOKYO
ISA, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
Multi-talented “brand author” Margot Elena is the mastermind behind high concept bath and beauty brands Lollia,TokyoMilk, Bloom, Archive and her latest - Love & Toast.
Lauded for her approach to the creative process, Margot Elena is known for her uncanny ability to develop beautifully designed and commercially successful brands from concept to market. Her collections are sophisticated and fabulous and are known for the superior formulations she develops as well as the full of life personalities she specifically crafts for each of her brands. Margot Elena designs every product to have a distinct something extra to make it personal and intriguing.
Love & Toast is a naturals line which had its premiere at Urban Outfitters. Conceptually, Margot Elena was envisioning a loose creative vibe with Love & Toast, what she refers to as “Brit Pop Folk Art.” Drawing influences from Japanese design, Love & Toast also has a Swedish feel about it with its bright colors and simple iconography with a nod to the ‘80’s.
Well it is 2012 and all, and the world is about to end, according to some incredibly dead ancients. What better way to go- than to go out in good taste? Design studio MENOSUNOCEROUNO created Just In Case, “an end-of-the-world survival kit” or “the perfect brand for the end of times”. The kit contains six iconic products from Mexico re-packaged in bold yellow including dark chocolate, a classic notebook, a simple knife, 40 black matches, liqueur and a bottle of water. This collection may not ensure long-term survival but you certainly will enjoy your final hours… (Read more about the kit here)
Renovating old furniture is possibly the greatest gift on the earth. Nothing beats the feeling you get when you make something beautiful out of nothing. The best part about touching up your old furniture, is that it doesn’t require a ton of skill to get through it. Literally, all you need is a little time, dedication, and TLC and you can make something wonderful. Whether you love bright hues, or prefer a country-chic color palate, see below for some awesome inspirations!
Image above: Michael’s pastel and warm wood hutch is perfect for a modern country kitchen.
Emily’s bold, retro style cabinet redo
Bonnie’s modern and colorful stereo cabinet
Barb’s mod orange hutch makeover
A confectionary hutch makeover from Bethany and Maddy for Nonpareil Magazine.
Alder & Co. is a store in Portland, Oregon that features thoughtfully and beautifully made items. They’ve got loads of awesome things, but I mostly love the packaging design on these incense cases.
Imaginista is a branding firm out of Vancouver that I’ve recently come across and have absolutely fallen in love with. They have a great way of tailoring each branding identity to the client, as opposed to themselves. Check them out at http://www.imaginista.ca/ but first, bask in the glory of this super duper branding line of toiletries:
After 15 years as a graphic designer, Venezuelan-born Valentina Ramos began creating designs for herself, and just like that Valentina Design was born. This collection of Valentina’s prints feature a mixed color palette and subjects that range from birds to the God Ganesh, all in her dazzling signature pen-work.
Check out these awesome re-purposed yo-yos made from recycled skateboard scraps from branchhome.com:
