color palette: summer's end yellow green & white

// photo: Beatrice Firm

The rich, saturated color palette here reminds me that summer’s end is around the corner. There is something overripe and sticky hot sweet about this photo. Maybe it’s just that the deep forest, white and freesia yellows remind me of magnolia blossoms and sticky hot Charleston summers. My mom snapped the photo a few weeks ago at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. 

nice package: japanese fish snacks

Sometimes when I’m seeking a quick, “sure thing” jolt of design inspiration I head to Ranch 99, our local Asian food market. It’s full of visual treats like the restrained packaging of these fish strips. (So restrained, they held off on using a “s” in the word Fishnacks).

Some of my other go-to spots for inspiration are the beach, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, my back yard, indie boutiques shops, and my local park. I just noticed that none of these spots are plugged in. Where do you go to get a quick fix of inspiration?

root beer kegger part 2: color

Our son’s 7th birthday party is coming up (see part 1 for the inspiration), and we’re having a Root Beer Kegger!

Here’s a little inspiration board I have pulled together as I plan the root beer kegger party. I started with the Virgil’s Root Beer Keg as the main inspiration, then came up with a color palette: dark green, root beer brown, vanilla, white; and some textures: wood grain, burlap and foam.

design crush: trussardi

I'm crushin' on the Trussardi logo. The Italian company is counting down the seconds to their 100th anniversary (literally — check it out on the Trussardi.com homepage).

The brand encompasses fashion, art, design and cuisine (they have a few restaurants including one with two Michelin stars). The Trussardi group makes lots of luxury products: chic sunglasses and premium denim; classic, elegant cologne and divine candles; ladies and mens leathergoods; clothing; and more.

For a company nearly a century old, with such a varied product and service line, they have a remarkably cohesive brand identity. Each product and service line has a slightly different logo, but they all work together and tie back to the main brand identity in some way. I particularly like their main logomark (the top one shown above). I think the logo is a perfectly modern, tongue in cheek allusion to traditional shield motifs, which, for a *nearly* 100 year old company, is quite extraordinary, don't you think?

studio makeover

white ceramic owl and green ceramic "chinese lion" foo dogs from z gallerie

WANTED for the studio (we're planning a little makeover): white ceramic owl and green ceramic "chinese lion" foo dogs (both from Z Gallerie).

chic wedding lanterns

photo and lanterns: West Elm

Loving these modern lanterns from West Elm. I can see them at a chic, modern WHITE + COBALT poolside (cabanas!) affair. Perhaps the bride wears a cotton eyelet gown ... and everyone sips mojitos ... and the band plays sweet samba rhythms ... and the air is warm and the stars are bright ... and waiters serve ice cream sandwiches at midnight.