The most creative designers don’t miss an opportunity to transform an ordinary object into one of extraordinary style elevating everyday experiences into ones that are more pleasurable.
One of the many things I love about design is making ordinary objects beautiful. It inspires me to see people reject commonality replacing it with a unique surprising alternative. One of my clients is extraordinary at doing just this. She goes to great pains to ban the ordinary within her home because it is a haven for those she loves most. She opts for european light switches, custom registers, and beautiful containers for everyday objects. Her pantry is well-organized with glass containers for food, woven storage bins, and marble lazy susans preventing items from being unreachable. She has given me much to think about causing the realization that I can and should do better.
A little research will provide beautiful alternatives to the ordinary features found in all of our homes.
My aesthetically-minded client specified these unlacquered brass toggle switches from Forbes and Lomax. (Photo: Forbes and Lomax)
She even went a step further by engraving the plates to identify locations. A genius idea eliminating repeated pushing of the wrong buttons. (Photo: Forbes and Lomax)
Restaurants that go the extra mile by offering aesthetics in addition to good food get high marks.
No ordinary objects allowed in this upscale Madrid restaurant.
One small but appreciated habit I witnessed on a recent trip to Spain was the creative ways of delivering the bill at the end of a meal. A Michelin starred restaurant where we dined served theirs in a silver metal cowboy hat. This elaborate gesture matched the level of the restaurant and was quite eye-catching.
Even a moderately priced Asian restaurant where we ate lunch delivered the bill in a wooden box. Its simplicity matched that of the decor. The wood was repeated in a lattice that disguised an unsightly column into a tree stretching up to the ceiling. A marvelous example of turning an eyesore into a design statement.
Lastly, another cute lunch spot brought the bill inside a colorful glass votive. This gesture wasn’t particularly innovative but rather one of making an effort to follow through with providing a nice experience to the end.
This personalized ashtray in the Lyford Cay Club shows the touch of the talented Tom Sheerer is everywhere. No ordinary objects permitted. (Photo: Pieter Estersohn)
In a previous post here, I mentioned the leaf shaped ashtrays designed by Tom Sheerer for the Lyford Cay Club in the Bahamas. This detail makes a special place all the more so by offering a unique feel in large and small gestures. I recently noticed a Winter Park store was selling a replica of this dish. Apparently, I was not the only one noticing this lovely detail.
Casa V can bring extraordinary ordinary objects to your home.