On my online workbook this week: Canned right after harvest

Dear

This week's inspiration is making the mundane precious.

A vital part of my design philosophy is to treat everything that I bring into my design room with respect so that I take care of it and have an end of life plan… preferably other than trashing it.

You see, it is often thought that something “minimal” is simply not having stuff. But what it really is (for me) is not needing more stuff. That is where the value lies. If you have one great design knife (or scissors) that you always reach for and rely on to do the job you do not need a few more, just in case. Or to add something to it, just in case. You just need to take care of it. No matter how expensive it was or inexpensive or cheap... or mundane. It is now precious beyond measure because it works for you.

The same goes for design details. Look at the scarcity principle: The scarcer something is, the more we tend to value it. This is a great way to add perceived value to even upcycled design details. Treat them as you would a scarce or rare… something. Don’t hide the cans with clever tricks but rather turn them into the clever trick you use in your design. Now they are valuable- don’t you want a few anchovy cans?

Simply, from a design perspective, add an unexpected contemporary twist to your work by designing as if your most expensive vase is a can and your can is the most expensive vase possible.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine

ps: You can read more about my design philosophy in my book. The Effortless Floral Craftsman