Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from 7Side Design

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. Have been traveling and spending time with friends and family which is why I have not been posting as much as I would like. Santa brought tools and inspiring magazines and I cannot wait to get back to the work bench.

2010 is upon us and I am very excited for the future of 7Side Design. Here's to a great year and many more projects and posts coming your way.

Retail Inspiration

With Christmas and and the gift giving season here it is all but impossible to avoid a trip to the mall. These trips I would generally loathe, especially this time of year, if it were not for the great display and interior design that goes into many of these retail spaces. Every trip I am pulling inspiration on colors, materials, textures, patterns and the results of what is likely a very nice budget to work with.

Our local mall is full of great inspiration including the likes of Puma and Lucky Brand, but I also keep up with The Cool Hunter (www.coolhunter.net/stores) for the latest retail design from around the world.

(image from http://www.thecoolhunter.net/)

Also worth a look is Wallpaper's (www.wallpaper.com/directory/retail/2009) Retail Directory 2009 for the most happenin' stores of the past year.

(image from http://www.wallpaper.com/)

Hackin' and Recyclin'

All 7Side products use the best quality material possible, but that doesn't mean it came right off the shelf.

I make a conscious effort to recycle seconds and seek out scrap material that would otherwise be wasted. I will never hide the fact that something has been repurposed, in fact I think materials that get a second lease on life add unique character to the clean modern look that is 7Side. Look for more on the new life we are bringing to this dresser in the near future.



I am also working on some small projects that are in the spirit of the "IKEA Hacking" phenomenon inspired by those design savvy Swedes that will bring affordable, modern furniture into your home as long as it can break down to be 4" thick or less (that's not a knock). It is fun to utilize materials from existing products and transform them with your own style and purpose. Modifications range from mild and clever to unrecognizable and absolutely impressive. Check http:/ikeahacker.blogspot.com/ for examples from the hacking community.

Crafting for Christmas

Somehow this time of year people seem to take extra time to think of others and I have been busy doing just that. Creating gifts for family and friends. Its great working with the materials all the while thinking of the special person that the final product will be going to. I will share some of these projects after the new year (don't want to ruin the surprise!) but here is a teaser pic for now.

7Side Clock

I designed this clock that is reminiscent of the 7Side logo back in the early days of the 7Side endeavour. The intention was to give it as a gift and it now sits happily atop a dresser. The size, weight and materials make this small piece a joy to handle. The smooth Poplar case gives it that substantial weight and the detail of the deep blue vinyl face compliments the natural wood finish. A custom piece is a great gift to give because the recipient knows they have a truely unique and thoughtful item.

7Side on Etsy

Although there has not been much to show on the surface, there has been quite a bit going on at 7Side the last couple of days. The work space has been getting a much needed overhaul. I have some unique work surfaces and will be showcasing them and thier recent upgrades in the near future.

The really big news is that the 7Side shop is now open on Esty.com! Right now the only piece for sale is the Sanguine Dresser. Customers can purchase the Sanguine Dresser I have shown here or specify custom size, materials and finish. Click here to check it out now! I am very excited to take this next step with 7Side and look forward to some feedback.

Product Plan

Sometimes one of the biggest challenges can be determining which project to work on next. In an effort to focus my efforts on actually creating the new product, I made myself a product plan or sorts. No spreadsheets or Gantt charts here. Just some thumbnails representing all the great products I want to bring to life.

The Sanguine Dresser of course was part of that product plan.

One of the next projects coming to you from 7Side will be a mirror from my "Stretch" collection. More details on those products coming soon. I laid out a handful of other projects and no doubt there will be other inspired pieces along the way. Perhaps I will provide some more sneak peeks in the coming days.

Typography with "A Breath of Frake-Air"

Alison of "A Breath of Frake-Air" came to me with an idea for a typographic display piece she wanted to do as a gift. This piece of Oak, found cut down by lawn crews and left at the site, fit our needs perfectly.

The wood was sealed with a white wash stain. One large crack and other features in the slab lent themselves perfectly to the "e".

Approximate dimensions are 24"x22"x3"

Nest Box I

The Nest Box I is not a new concept but a nice use of some Birch ply with especially beautiful grain.

These three boxes were filled with reeds found at IKEA. Any straw, grass, tree limbs or natural material would add a dramatic and natural element to the room.

As the name implies, there are already plans for a Nest Box II with different materials and slightly different construction.

7Side Updates

If you would like to recieve email updates from 7Side Design just send an email to sevensidedesign@gmail.com! We'll let you know whats the latest and maybe even shoot you a nice little personal note.

We are also Twitter-ers. Follow www.twitter.com/7side for even more updates on our inspiration, project progress and sneak peeks on future offerings.

We look forward to hearing from you! Matt

Sanguine Dresser

The Sanguine Dresser is one of the original 7Side pieces. A high gloss laminate skins the MDF structure that appears to float above the floor. A variety of laminates are available and would give the Sanguine the distinctive look to either stand out or compliment any style.

Five cavernous drawers on smooth drawer slides provide ample storage. Poplar drawer faces are finished with an Ebony stain as are all other poplar pieces of the Sanguine. Alternative finishes and materials could be applied in place of the poplar.

Below the hanging area an illuminated sub floor provides storage for enough shoes to complete any outfit.

The backside of the Sanguine is finished making it a great headboard and center piece for the room.

Introduction

The 7Side Design label was conceived back in December of 2008 as a creative outlet and tool to progress my interest in furniture design and construction. Almost a year later, I am sharing it with you as the next step of that development.


Currently at 7Side Design the focus is on furniture and lighting design which will cover a variety of products. These products share a modern aesthetic and a simple honesty about them; Bauhaus inspired traits I hope become synonymous with 7Side. I will post images very soon of pieces I have built over the last year. I promise to do my best to keep the blog rolling with rich "behind the design" perspective on furniture, lighting, graphics and whatever else 7Side may encompass.


In the near future I will offer some handmade furniture items through Etsy.com. I will keep you posted on when that becomes available. Check back to the blog for regular updates or follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/7Side.


Thanks, Matt