Whether hand building a one-off piece of furniture from reclaimed wood scraps, developing a makeup tester unit for high-end beauty brands, or creating a work of art to plant in your garden, industrial design is all about how it’s seen, how it’s made, and how it’s used. Below are a few samples of my many projects in this diverse field.
IN THE NEWS: The Kaleidoscope plant support has won a 2018 Green Thumb Award!
When Vermont-based Gardener's Supply Co. reached out about designing a line of plant supports for their expansive catalog, the goals were clear: design a collection of modern structures that would ship flat, be easily assembled by customers, and look sculptural enough to enjoy year round. The multi-colored glass panes and architecturally-inspired structures of the Kaleidoscope collection are forms that can be left in the garden all year long and still garner attention even without their leafy counterparts, and are sturdy enough to last for decades to come.
Gardener's Supply Co. is an employee-owned company that donates 8% of its profits to local organizations. Read more about their certified B corp status and support of the gardening community here.
Key tasks: concepting and development, design for KD shipping, design for manufacturing, reviewing manufacturing specifications.
When your clients are medical patients, some with serious afflictions, designing a welcoming space with effective communication and education capabilities is the top priority. When the space you are designing is a new flagship retail concept for the first medical marijuana dispensary in NYC, maximizing usability for its clients without compromising the security of a highly controlled substance adds another level of design and planning. By adapting the usual retail environment design process to ensure the various stakeholders and regulators would be satisfied, without compromising the needs of the users, we were able to deliver a high-end designed space that provides treatments to those in need of aid.
The Columbia Care medical marijuana dispensaries were designed with RPG, a leader in high-end retail display and store design for the health and beauty market.
Key tasks: concepting and development, interior, environmental & way-finding design, furniture/fixture design, furniture & accessory sourcing & procurement.
Bliss Spas has long been a destination for skincare products, body-perfecting tools, spa services, and the happiness and well-being that goes along with their brand. When they decided to move into the cosmetics market, a natural extension for the good-for-your-skin company, Bliss not only needed a new home for their product line but a whole new presentation of their brand. A reimagined vision of the Bliss brand allows the products and spa services to take the lead while keeping the same reliable service and cheeky branding that Bliss is known for.
The Bliss shop-in-shop was designed with RPG, a leader in high-end retail display and store design for the health and beauty market. Read more about Bliss' reinvention here.
Key tasks: concepting and development, modular design, design for manufacturing, CFM specifications, reviewing engineering drawings, reviewing prototypes, supervising installation.
A cosmetic counter standard for over 30 years, Fashion Fair, a cosmetic company focusing on multi-ethnic skin tones, needed a face lift. Their design was inconsistent and they needed to solidify their branding both in their on-counter cosmetic and skincare tester displays as well as for the launch of their "shop-in-shop" inside the newly renovated Macy's flagship store at Herald Square, NYC. The success of this store launch determined the design of the brand's new and existing shops globally.
The Fashion Fair shop and displays were designed with RPG, a leader in high-end retail display and store design for the health and beauty market.
Key tasks: concepting and development, CFM specifications, furniture/fixture design, retail design, design for manufacturing, reviewing engineering drawings.
The prestigious UK based skincare brand that started with a basic facial cleanser over 25 years ago, EVE LOM still has a cult following today for its award-winning products. The task at hand was to design and execute a luxury counter top tester to enhance their high-end cosmetic and skincare lines within their existing brand language. The first tester we created was met with such success that it was soon followed by others, as well as wall bays, in-line bays, and a shop-in-shop.
The EVE LOM display series was designed with RPG, a leader in high-end retail display and store design for the health and beauty market.
Key tasks: concepting and development, modular design, design for manufacturing, CFM specifications, reviewing engineering drawings, reviewing prototypes.
Juara is a spa & skincare line inspired directly by the traditional Indonesian practice of herbal medicine called Jamu. Along with modern technologies, they bring their customers a natural and effective line of skin and bath products to bring out your skin's natural radiance.
Newly introduced to spas and retail locations around the world, Juara was in need of a flexible yet simple and elegant set of displays that would further elevate their products while allowing the ingredients to steal the spotlight.
The Juara family of counter testers was designed with RPG, a leader in high-end retail display and store design for the health and beauty market.
Key tasks: concepting and development, modular design, design for manufacturing, CFM specifications, reviewing engineering drawings, reviewing prototypes.
'Ark' reading chair was hand made (by me!) in Denmark under the guidance of local, seasoned experts. A one-of-a-kind piece, the shape for this chair was inspired by furniture and architecture found throughout a tour of Scandinavia, and shaped by traditional Danish production methods.
Key tasks: cultural & production research, concepting & development, troubleshooting materials and build methods, woodworking and bent wood lamination.
The Tree of Life coffee table's form is inspired by the Acacia tree, known in its native African Savanah as the Tree of Life. This table was made entirely from scrap wood and offcuts destined for the discard pile, giving substance to its namesake; the tree symbolizes how all living things are connected and share responsibility for one another, and the Tree of Life table strives to do its part.
Key tasks: concepting and development, model making, sourcing reclaimed materials, woodworking.
Made from pre-consumer discarded sandwich bags removed from the waste stream and delayed their fate in a landfill, the Doggie Bag is tough, water resistant, recyclable, and an easy way to take any laptop on the go.
Key tasks: concepting and development, material research, model making, prototype creation.
Jewelry making has long been a hobby of mine, ever since I first got my hands on a soldering torch in the eighth grade. Crafting functional, wearable pieces of art from metal (and fire!) still fascinates me to this day, and will continue to be a lifelong interest and form of expression.
Key tasks: design & development of each piece, metalworking & silversmithing.
