Flat Vernacular – Custom Wallpaper from Brooklyn

Flat Vernacular Sunset Floral Print

While perusing through my usual blogs, I stumbled across Flat Vernacular, a Brooklyn-based design studio specializing in hand-drawn, hand-printed, and one of a kind wallpapers. The studio was started by Payton Turner and Brian Kasper, two designers that have fully embraced their love for patterns and started Flat Vernacular. All the patterned prints are 100% made in the USA featuring custom details with some made of 3D elements. I’m in love with their sticker wallpapers, created by placing hundreds or thousands of stickers meticulously by hand. Flat Vernacular’s patterns blur the line between fine art and design while not taking themselves too seriously. For a few more days, they have a pop-up shop on Pier 17 in NYC’s South Street Seaport. I got to see a bunch of their work last night and I’m so impressed. I’m dying to get my hands on the Sunset Floral print (above). To see all of their work, check out their site, or follow them on Instagram + Twitter. Get into the patterns yall.

The designers, Brian and Payton.

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Brooklyn Nets Logos

Official Brooklyn Nets Logo (above).

By now we’ve all seen the official Brooklyn Nets logo, which may or may not have been designed by Jay-Z himself, old news right? I don’t particularly care much about sports logos, but I’m doing a freelance job that relates, so this has renewed my interest in this great debate. I like the simple B&W colors (or lack there of) as it feels right for Brooklyn. The “Nets” typography is awful, too generic and looks stretched and distorted to fit the space (i.e. not drawn to fit the space).  There are a million simple typefaces that could have been used instead. But oh well. While researching for this new design project, I found a few Brooklyn Nets logo alternatives that are pretty cool. This is a nice glimpse into the practice of logo designing. So let’s get into some Nets bball (logos)!

No sleep till Brooklyn!

Hip-hop mogul and logo designer Jay-Z!

Official white versions of logo (above).

I saw these posters around Brooklyn when the season started, really LOVE these.
See the “NY” at the bottom of the net?

So let’s get to the variations!

Andrew Guirguis (above)- 9 more of his Nets logos here.

Brooklyn Nets Logo by Jeremy Loyd (above)- probably my favorite!

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Spring 2013 x Marais USA

I just stumbled across the Spring 2013 Lookbook for Marais USA, a women’s shoe brand with offices in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I’m so in love with these photos! I think this campaign is so fun, inventive and youthful.

Their blog is also pretty cool and their Brooklyn offices look neat too.

Check out the video for their Spring 2013 Lookbook here. Get into it!

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Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel

Today as I was enjoying my morning coffee and browsing Tumblr, I stumbled across the image above from the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg Brooklyn. As coincidence would have it, I visited the Wythe Hotel last week for dinner + drinks and fell in love with the place, but I’d only seen the lobby and restaurant. Freshome, a design and architecture blog, recently featured the hotel on their website showing a bunch of beautiful photos. I love that the building was a textile mill in its former life and was renovated into a beautiful modern day hotel with much of its original character intact. After spending so long designing for a hotel company, I can really appreciate all the design and details that go into these projects.

The Hotel’s press release states, “Built in 1901, this former textile factory has been meticulously converted into a 72-room hotel offering service and amenities yet to be seen in the borough, while the building’s industrial character – like its concave corner entrance, original pine beams, masonry, arched windows and cast-iron columns – has been beautifully preserved.  Renowned Brooklyn restaurateur Andrew Tarlow, of Marlow & Sons, Diner, and Roman’s, manages the hotel’s expansive food and beverage program. Venues include Reynards – a ground floor restaurant and bar with a wood-fired oven and grill, courtyard seating, and a daily menu featuring market-driven American fare and seasonal cocktails, and Ides – a 6th floor bar and terrace with stunning Manhattan and Brooklyn views.”

Beautiful view right?

Library.

Lobby.

Guestroom.

Love the headboard wall detail.

Beautiful pattern.

Bathroom.

Really like their logo and the design of their website, beautiful really.

These simply line drawings of the room layouts are really quite nice.

They have a custom-made neon sign outside. Absolutely STUNNING at night.

The map.

For more information, visit their website here.

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Something rare

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New Apt

Last week I signed a lease at my first NYC apartment (I’m not counting graduate housing as my first). I’m moving with Jessica and Stephen to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The building is BEAUTIFUL, I can’t believe I’m living somewhere like this. We’re on the 10th floor (there are 12 in the building), our apartment has floor to ceiling windows with Manhattan views, AC, Washer and Dryer, dishwasher, balconies, a 24 hour gym, and the most amazing roof I’ve ever seen. I think we’re moving this week, so once we’re all settled, I’ll take more pics.

It’s hard to believe I’ve almost been here a year, seems like yesterday I moved in. So much has changed in a year, it’s really hard to believe. As I go into my final year in school, I’m excited to start planning for my post-college future. Even though I took a year off, I was saving for Pratt, and it had never been my plan to do go/do anywhere else. I feel like this will be a very important year for me, writing and presenting my thesis, finishing up my last classes, and looking for jobs. I’m still not 100% sure how “in love” i am with NYC, living here is rough, but I’m going to give it another shot once I’m out of school. I feel like NYC will be a new experience once I’m done with Pratt. It’s not that NYC has been a bad experience, I still don’t feel like NY is home, and I still feel like I’m in a transition period. Once I start to lay down some roots here, I believe things will be different.

Our new apartment, the living room will become Stephen’s room, so this room will change a bit.

The Master bedroom (Jessica’s room).

Another shot.

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