Great designs by Klooftique

I generally love everything in this amazing little furniture shop on Kloof Street in Cape Town.  Their designs are elegant and simplistic and at the same time comfortable and functional.  This coffee table is great, it is so simple and yet the zigzag element makes it original and adds visual appeal.  This chair looks like the chair you'd like to sit in at the end of every long day!  It could appear bulky but the fact that it is lifted off the ground gives it the added appeal of elegance.

Situ Diamonds Set in Resin

I love these diamonds set in resin designed and manufactured by Ida Elsje and Philippa Green in collaboration with architect Greogory Katz from Situ.  They are original and highlight the stones beautifully!

Infecting the City

Spier recently sponsored this art initiative in the City of Cape Town.  We went down to the new Cape Town station to see what was going on there (great new station!).  Artworks were being displayed and there was also a live bank from the Democratic Republic of Congo playing while we were there.  It was great to watch people stopping to listen to the music on their way, taking time out of their normal routine to appreciate the music. 

The feeling I was left with after viewing most of the art was one of confusion!  One of the artists had displayed grass, chocolate, Kruger rands, live crickets and a picture of Africa, as well as a little blood for good measure!  I found it a little odd and on the whole very confusing.  In hindsight however, I think that was exactly the point of the artwork, that the history of Africa is confusing and that it does illicit mixed feelings and feelings of confusion.  Well, that’s my take on it anyway! 

Overall I thought the Spier Infecting the City initiative was really a great tool to bring art and culture to people who don’t get the opportunity to see it in their normal walk of life.  The people using the station were definitely “infected” by the music.  A great initiative in the Mother City!

What is good design

Design can be viewed in many different ways, depending on what the object being designed is.  Looking around I often think it would be useful for people in all types of industry to understand design as good design is pleasing to look at and unfortunatley many people get it wrong. 
For me, design has many aspects.  Firstly you need to understand the item that you are designing, its use and functionality is important.  Secondly, who are you designing it for as it will need to appeal to them aesthetically.  Thirdly, if the item is being worn, as in the case of jewellery and clothes, it will need to be practical and comfortable. 
Good design needs to take into consideration all of these aspects and then create an item that fits into this profile.  However, this is sounding a little boring and good design is certainly not boring!  It has the ‘edge’, it is unique or original and it is clever.  Clever design = good design.  Understand the object, a ring per say,  know it needs to be comfortable, balanced and not too heavy, do something different and original with it, all the while staying within the boundary lines of the design aspects and finally, appeal to your target market – that is good design!  Beautiful, original, practical and functional.