This missive is a bit of a part two to my recent article “Heirloom Items Your Children Will Fight Over.” Though an heirloom is always special, ‘special’ is not always an heirloom. It might become one, sure, but it doesn’t begin that way. One of the jobs designers are tasked with is finding or even creating that special item that a client wants to pass down to the next generation. If a designer does not include “special” in their work, they will not have a career in design.
But who defines special? Two parties decide— the designer and the client. They must agree, or there is an impasse. Relationships end over much less all the time.
How do we uncover the special? How do we discover— or even invent — a trend? The answer is easy: energy, handcrafted originals, and the unusual.
Energy
Locating handmade furniture, art, and objects is becoming more challenging. I have my places. I have found that anything made by indigenous people across the planet includes a human energy that is easy to recognize and appreciate. Anything in nature has an energy that reaches back through time and the cosmos. Energy resonates. A client may not like the energy present in an item, and that is proof of existence.
Fresh flowers are one of my favorite forms of energy in a room. We all seem to gravitate towards and love fresh-cut flowers. They glow. You will be hard-pressed to walk into a luxury hotel or a high-rise condominium and not find fresh flowers in the lobby. It’s a given. In my next life, I wish to source and sell flowers.
That brings me straight to original art, a staple for high-end lobbies. The best art flourishes with energy. The artist’s vitality and talent flow into the art they create— paintings, sculptures, film, poetry, etc. This is why I love to develop and evolve as a visual artist and poet. My energy flows into the creations. My next furniture line will be called “Wood Metal Bone.” The bone will be represented through ceramic. I now have a kiln. The hardwood will be American-sourced. Yes, the furniture will be made in Texas.
Handcrafted originals
There is something undeniable about the touch of a human or any living creature. I believe that humans have a need to dig their hands in the dirt. We used to run barefoot with abandon in the 1970s— cutoffs, no shirts, and barefoot. What a decade. Every decade is memorable for reasons unknown until we look back. In your next project, include a chunk of wood clawed by a bear. Now that is pawcrafted and original. That possesses energy. Any item made by hand is special— carved masks, massive clay monstrosities, beastly paintings, etchings, etc. Artisans rule the world. Include something only a set of hands, or paws, could craft. You’ll have original every time.
The unusual
The unusual always resonates. It catches us off guard, and we immediately decide whether to like it. Some creations become accepted by the masses over time—Van Gogh. Vincent did not sell a painting in his lifetime. Emily Dickinson, with her slashes and dashes, did not publish during her lifetime. Sometimes obscurity and the unrecognized scare us. That is a good thing as it challenges us. We deserve to be challenged. Humans move forward. Artisans and Designers even more. Consider the bizarre and unusual in your next project or creation. Create furtive meaning. The energy will translate through time. Even if it is just a small item stashed in an obscure area of a room, I guarantee it will be noticed. The bizarre conjures energy and reaction from the viewer. The unusual is special.
Remember that the client defines what is special in their world. Also, know, without question, that a client chooses you due to your body of work. They want your “brand of special.” I know some artists and designers who will only take on a project if they have absolute and total say in the creative ambition. As for those who might be just starting in our wild petunia business, remember that “special” combines energy, YOUR undeniable touch, and the unusual.
Emily Dickinson once wrote, “I dwell in possibility.” Let us all forge forward in the unique and endless possibilities of design.
