I doubt that many people think as much about design as those of us who are in the field. But for many of us, the concepts, words, and ideas become a bit repetitious. So when I was planning a trip to London with one of my grandsons and my husband, I wondered what it would be like to talk “design” with an 11 year old boy. Here are some interesting observations and comments from him … no jargon, just observations.

After at least an hour spent at the Niketown store on Oxford Street, looking at every color combination that Nike displayed and then some that we created on the computer, he commented that the “purple shoe with the red swoosh and green laces and eyelets, looked a lot like the flower bed at Hampton Court, the one with the little purple flowers and the red taller ones poking around”. The he asked me why I thought people liked purple and red together.

 I wonder how many people see a similarity between the Eye and the Liberty Store on Regent Street. Maybe spending about ½ hour inside the pod, while viewing most of London far above the ground, gave him time to stare at the construction of the Eye … all the supports and mechanics that are beautiful and functional at the same time. He saw that same concept again while running into the Liberty building, in the pouring rain. Beauty and function … a concept that he hadn’t thought of before.

Viewing the Eye and London

The Liberty store remains the same

And window shopping … although I expected him to be bored, he was a sport and began to talk about different ways that displays can get your attention …

Humour ....(we were in Britain):

Even the Queens Corgi gussies up for the Jubliee 

Clean and Simple:

Egg, elegant simplicity

Clever:

Chairs and Table @ Margaret Howell

No design jargon, just a simple reinstatement of what I think about a lot. Thanks, Daniel.

I go to Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, Swaziland ... but why Iceland. Because we promised our grandchildren we would take them on a trip, minus siblings, when they turn 12. And the oldest chose Iceland. He loves science, is interested in the geothermal activity in Iceland and wanted to see, very badly, the Northern Lights. So did I.

I look for new products, new designs, inspiration, for Creative Women, my textile business. Glaciers, waterfalls, incredible vistas, folk musems? What a treat to be in a country that has both ... wonderful stores and young designers, a fantastic concert hall, lovely old metal clad houses, and the scenery that rivals my home state ... Vermont.

No words needed ... a few of the sites we enjoyed.

Awaterfall

ConcertHall2

CityHallPond

Geyser1

Gullfuss3

We saw so much, but we never saw the Northern Lights. Maybe I'll see them on my next trip to Ethiopia.