From the digital portfolio of Japanese design firm, Wonder-wall INC, this exquisite retail design has more style and nerve than any American shop I’ve seen. The unique layout of the space offers it’s shoppers an experience with-in an experience. By creating several product display area’s the company has created a map for customers to travel.

The brand, And A, has created this store to delve into the menswear world. One of the key words for the design concept of this store is “decorative”. The entrance is like an introduction to various zoned areas giving the impression as if there are several individual shops within this shop.

The various zones are divided by glass partitions with printed Greek style columns to parlay with the idea of “fake” vs. “real” with decorative Greek columns against the back wall . The color palette base is black and gold. The shelving units are sunken in the wall to frame the products like artwork.

Wonder-wall’s treatment of the space goes against what we in America classically define as retail. The store displays individual items for it’s consumers to droll over and keeps it’s stock in the back in order to give the idea of individuality and promotes customer service and interaction between the customer and the sales associate.

These round tables almost become portals in which the goods are on display. The mirrored shape in the ceiling encloses the space and continues the theme of unique product sales. This theme is also seen along the shelving display wall where product is displayed like art also promoted unique characteristics to what is most likely mass produced apparel.

A key element in the space is this X-form walk way that takes the customer through the space and deposits them in different areas of interest. Wonder-wall has creatively engaged the end user, or customer by almost forcing them through this clear tunnel. By doing this the shopper will see all the product on the floor while being directed there subconsciously.

Because this is a men’s wear store the repetition of the corintian order of columns makes perfect sense as classic greece was ruled by men. The translation from traditional to modern is seemless and lets the interaction in the space become more appriciated.

Like what you see? Leave a comment below.

I recently was at a friends house and he has a really cool silver ring with a small semiautomatic gun shaped charm where the stone should be and I wanted it really bad (see image below). But I am wondering why? Why are we so infatuated with Guns? As American’s we feature guns, alot, in our movies, television, literature, and now even our fashion, graphic design, and interiors. This kind of baffles me because I’m not exactly a big gun fan, yet I keep finding myself drawn to the style that comes from being a gun slinger.

Some of our greatest movie icons have been filmed using a gun in one film or another. John Wayne is pretty much a poster boy for the NRA. I guess I was raised with the stigma that “Guns Kill” and now I find myself more and more attracted to the shape, color, and style of the gun rather than the actual use. (I also have a brother-in-law who is a cop and feel that if there is going to be a gun in the house while I am babysitting shouldn’t I know how to use it?)

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Gun shaped objects are found in many different mediums including the ones shown here. Click on the pictures in order to find more information on your favorite gun shaped item. My favorite is the gian chandelier seen at the bottom of the post.

To see more Gun shaped Stuff Follow the link HERE

So if you are unaware of Eddie Ross then you are seriously missing out on a true design talent. Take a minuet to vote for his window display in the Bloomingdale’s Big Window Challenge! His work is creative and unique. I for one make sure to check out his blog daily for inspiration and to see what new American traditional interiors are all about. Here are the images of his window for Bloomingdale’s in New York.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

After four years of working side by side with undoubtedly some of the best and brightest designers of my generation, I have grown an extreme case of work envy. This is definitely the case when it comes to my good friend Heather Harmston. Her work shows a creative expression of modern design and a very focused point of view. I have had the pleasure of working with Heather on our recent Dining By Design table and look  forward to what else she has in store. This is a look at her Senior Thesis…

“In August 2009, during my semester break from college, I flew back to Fort Wainwright, Alaska where I had once lived for a year and a half, to welcome home my husband from Iraq. It was then that I had started to notice the poor living conditions that some of our single soldiers had to come home too. After doing research in the form of surveys, interviews, on site documentation, cold weather and environmental issues, army standards and so on, I realized that I needed to design a change …..

So I put the previous 15 weeks of performing arts center research on hold and focused on constructing  a modern Army barracks. My main goal was to increase a single soldiers quality of life, while holding true to the Army’s standards on building. Below is the thesis statement that defines my project.”

Macarthur Barracks takes a standard Army barracks as a point of departure and through a series of repeating shapes and patterns, achieves a new order. This building serves to increase the quality of life for single soldiers while considering low cost solutions to the United States government.

“My concept derived from the honeycomb shape found naturally in bee hives. After research, I felt that the way a bee lives and works within its hive parallels that of the way a soldier lives and works in the military. The actual shape of the hexagon (derived from the honeycomb) also provided me with a unique and visually interesting way to design the individual sleeping and living areas, which I like to call pods.”

“The barracks building is three stories high. Each floor has a central hub of amenities which includes bar/billiards club, swimming pool and gym, library and dining facilities. Each personnel quarters contains two secured  bedrooms, a shared kitchen/dining area and a full bath.”

“Other considerations and due diligence for this project consisted of the cold weather conditions of Alaska, staying true to Army standards, low cost building solutions, etc. Although the project is a work in progress, I am proud of not only the work that developed from it, but how much I learned about the United States military, the state of Alaska and the job my husband does day in and day out.”

A little bit about Heather right now:
As a military wife its hard to say or even know how long I’m going to be in one place. Right now I’m in Fairbanks, AK, where it is not only beautiful but it is a great conversation starter in the lower 48 states. Six months from now I might be in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, the possibilities are endless, so for the time being I have been redeveloping my portfolio and resume and doing research on the available job market. If I could choose my ideal field of work it would be a toss up between Event Design and International Design work.

I have always been inspired and intrigued by third world countries, after going to Latin America a couple of years ago. I fell in love with the idea of cultural design and working on projects that benefit entire communities. Unfortunately there is not much of a design market up here in Alaska so I have begun offering free lance design services. If one day  I decide to open my own design business it may be called HNH Design Studios. So keep an eye out for it in the future! But if anyone is in the Fairbanks, Alaska area is in need of a design consultation, feel free to contact me at h.harmston@hotmail.com

Find Heather on Facebook to see more of her great work!

So, color dictator, Pantone released their pick for color of 2010 and with no surprise it is the very fashionable turquoise, which I called as being the HOT color back in September when Christian Siriano sent this turquoise colored frock down the runway. Well like any good interior design blogger I too have fallen for the  gem stone and look for inspiration on how we can incorporate the trend into our homes. Luckily the Blogiverse has been seduced by the color and has been littered with a sea of turquoise colored collections. Here are the best of the best found on the web.

Image collection  from WHORANGE

{turquoise items, left to right from top: pantone mug (14.00); pantone espresso cups set of four (48.00); ball clock (29.99); eames elephant (290.00); braided bikini top (78.00) and bikini bottoms (68.00);  mid-century chair (ebay); silkcreened posters $24.00; terrier pillow (24.00);  wall balls (29.00);  pantone color swatch;  a cute triangle heel (44.99);  bullet planter(170.00).

Image set from ColourLovers.com

Turquoise – Interior Design by Jordan Clarke on Polyvore.com

Image Collection from MyDeco.com

Any of these objects are a great way to bring the color into your home. You can also paint a wall with the color to add an accent to your room or choose wall decals that have to color as a predominate shade. Now that you have been given the products how about a look at interiors that make great use of the tone in multiple applications.

Image from House Beautiful

Image from House Beautiful

Image from House Beautiful

Image from Olga Cherednikova’s… Portfolio

Image from riverdan morgan’s Portfolio

What do you think about Turquoise? Leave a comment below!

From the portfolio of Photographer Soon Tong

Here are just a couple of the cool images from Soon Tong’s creative portfolio. These images were featured in the Singapore Home Concepts magazine and feature furniture from multiple sources. I find these images to be haunting and magical. It goes to show you that with a creative mind anything can become more unusual and interesting. To see more great Furniture Shots from Soon Tong Click HERE

From the portfolio of Photographer Soon Tong

This great Architectural study from the team at D’arc Studio was presented in the European 9 competition. To see more from D’arc Studio please visit their website by CLICKING HERE!

Stockholm Nordic Crescent
“Nacka Forum is a peripheral area to Stockholm. Its main limit to a future development is that it is placed beside a highway border. But this is now impossible to renounce and, waiting for a possible cover of the highway, we have to plan an integrated system between the area and the highway, connecting the north side with the south side by a “social” bridge that will be a part of a new infrastructural system. This is not only a transit bridge; it is a focal element for social exchange, it is a kind of narrow square where it is possible to walk, riding a bike, or to take a rest on the wooden surface. This bridge is part of the main building, Multiarena, that is an urban sign, giving a strong character to the area that now is anonymous.”

“This character means an identity, a social personality since all the functions that are housed there involve social relations: ice rink and sports hall, library, youth and elderly centres, football fields (on Ryssbergen area) and, in front of the Multiarena building, the main square, divided in three parts by various functions and a ground pattern. This new public space will be placed by the foot of the new city Park of Järlahöjden: from the south it is linked by pedestrian road and bike tracks and from the eastern part of the square the dwelling part with private green areas will be placed as so it will be integrated in the public space, mostly consisting of green spaces and equipped tracks for bikes and people.”

“There will be two new areas for shopping and a workshop on the south side, close to Nacka Energy building, but a shopping mall is not the only way to create interest in people, instead government and private companies have to collaborate to create a mix of functions that can attract the customers for different reasons. As an example to this the new Museum and conference hall will house not only the traditional activities linked to a museum (bookshop, cafeteria etc.) but even an art school, a dance school, two restaurants and a shopping galleria. The spaces in this building are planned to house various activities so in the future it is possible to change function. In the south east part, we expect to realize an office building 18 floors tall where studios for private professionals, private companies, and social services can be placed.”

Do you have great digital design work and you’d like to post it on Design Right Now submit your work to designrightnow1@gmail.com

Garfield Park in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

So the other day I’m searching Google Maps looking for the best route from school to a favorite restaurant when I start looking at the satellite images that show the entire city of Chicago. I mean every major city has satellite imagery via Google but Chicago is really kind of amazing. Looking down from above the earth you can see how genius the city planners were when developing the area. I think my next conceptual design project is going to start by trying to incorporate aerial photographs as a parti for my floor plan. This is just a collection of some of the cooler areas in the city but you should go explore your favorite city to discover other interesting urban landscapes.

Midway Airfeild in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

This satellite image of Chicago’s smaller Airport shows off a great design and gives you a better understanding of how the air strips are laid out. The design of the commercial airport is quite impressive. I particularly like the X shape that was created in order to allow for more landings at timed intervals.

Millennium Park in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

You can’t live in the city of Chicago with out taking in the sculptural garden that is Millennium Park. Home to Cloud Gate or The Bean as people often call it, this park was designed by some of the worlds leading architects and designers. The Frank Gehry band shell has become the crown jewel of Chicago. The layout of the park is so dynamic and well thought out. I particularly enjoy the snaking waking path and bridge that connects the park to Buckley Field.

Montrose Harbor in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

One of Chicago’s many harbors this smaller boat slip in one of my favorites from the sky. The inlet created to house the boats was designed to almost hug the sporting vehicles which I find rather pleasant. The beach on the other side was created by developing the retaining wall which ends in Lake Michigan in a circle.

Navy Pier in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

A look down onto one of Chicago’s main attractions, The Navy Pier Farris Wheel. The pier has become one of the city’s best summertime hang offering weekly firework shows and other activities. The shot of the pier is a nice representation of entertainment design that can only be topped by the view of the Six Flags Theme park in Gurnee, IL.

Wrigleyville in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

Chicago’s favorite Neighborhood and home to the Cubs, Wrigley is an icon. Tucked away in a residential burrow of the city is Chicago’s untouched sports arenas. Soldier Field has become home to the space ship landing of 2003 and with Comiskey taken over by U.S. Cellular Wrigley connects with Chicagoan’s like no other place could.

The Loop in Chicago, IL via Google Maps

Finally we have the center of Chicago, the Loop. Home to trade and business, theater and education this is where the city starts it’s day. More than a million people shuffle through these streets daily and thanks to the Burnham plan it’s pretty easy to navigate.

So that is a brief look at Chicago from the sky. Now it’s your turn to find some interesting landscapes of your own with the help of Google Maps.

Take a look at the work of Penny Feuerstein, an artist whose work has been featured in Chicago Magazine. The following statement comes from Penny’s professional site where you can see the rest of her great work.

“Nature occurs in bits and pieces…interacting and integrating to create infinite possibilities and opportunities within a single moment. Conceptually the computer mirrors the mind, working in a continuous flux where the only constant is constant change….

…. I scan objects from the analog world into my computer—rocks, branches, scarves, blankets, my photos, drawings, and paintings. These, in turn, become my digital ‘paintbrushes’ as I use the computer to replicate, generate, and integrate. As I move between the analog and digital worlds, I feel a centripetal force accelerating and intertwining with my life.”

“The computer mirrors my desire to visualize the subconscious layering and re-layering of my own mind. …..

…. How does analog talk to digital? The bit give voice to the atom? I often compare the generation of digital DNA to our biological DNA, which is the essence of life itself. And I become the messenger moving between these worlds.”

“Using the approach of generative art, I create a new image from the original “DNA” source of a primary image, and then replicate it as many times as the artwork needs….

…. From one section of digital DNA I generated an infinite amount of new information – layers of images created by changing the transparency and size of the selection.”

To learn more about Penny’s Artwork or if you’d like to purchase one of the works seen here please contact Penny at penny@pennyfeuerstein.com

Launching this February is my new Online Interior Design Magazine that will be featuring work from new talent and cutting edge design in furniture, Interior, Architecture and product design. The main goal of the magazine is to promote emerging design talent which might not have any other outlet for exposure. The first issue of the magazine will cover a great new lighting designer with an eye for modern style, an interior designer whose work reflects more than just Design Right Now but what’s happening in Russia and textiles that will turn any piece of furniture into a show stopper.

These images are previews of content that is in process and are subject to change. Bookmark this page and come back Sunday, January 31st 2010 to see the first full issue of the new Design Right Now Magazine.