June 25, 2024

These days I’m trying to simplify things, slow down, and enjoy the phase of life I’m in. It feels like everything is going too fast. I remind myself that I can find such pleasure and comfort in simple, routine things: a walk around my new neighborhood, the first sip of a cup of coffee, the way the warmth of the sun hits the back of my head, even a very basic dinner like pasta with butter. I’m saying yes unless I really need to say no to my daughter. I’m saying no unless I really want to say yes—a full-body yes—to a new opportunity at work. 

In my design practice, I’m creating simplicity where I can so that I have more room to dream, play, and be creative. When I can, I try to eliminate distractions and take things off my list that don’t have to get done. I build time into my week for making without as much of an agenda, so I can let ideas come at their own pace. 

I find so much joy in simple materials, simple marks, simple repeats. Creating something orderly is a pleasure all its own. Simplicity can be deceiving: Often simple things take a lot of intention to feel right: the right fabric, the right color. It’s magic, finding the right combination. Simple can be very impactful. 

Many of my designs look simple and I want that ease to be there – to make it easy to pick up a print and mix it with almost any scheme. But getting that just right takes thought. It might mean screen-printing with two tonal colors to achieve just the right feeling of a hue. Or it might mean switching the ground that a wallpaper is printed on so that the dark hues reflect less light. I hope this care helps you find more ease designing a space.

Thank you, Rebecca