Found another excellent designer

*Sigh* Sometimes I come along a designer's site who absolutely floors me.

This happened when I stumbled upon her web site via front.bc.ca for which the layout and typography I really really liked.

I love this designer's 60s aesthetic and fabulous typography, not to mention her illustration skills, use of color, clever imagery, ...

Check out http://courtenaywebber.com

Design Vigilantism

I love this idea!

These folks are out to change the world one sign, poster, flyer at a time.

Beautiful Signage in Portland

OK, so I'm posting about design in another city other than Vancouver again, but I had to remark about the beautiful signage in Portland, Oregon and how I feel Vancouver is lacking in this department.

It was especially notable in the Pearl District, where I saw so many beautiful signs with beautiful typography and detail. They coaxed me into the shops well before I was in front of them. The architecture was also new and funky, and the store fronts very appealing.

Some great examples are:

• Oblation Papers & Press (granted they are a paper and printing company so their design should be awesome)
• Olivia Belle Clothing
  
• Relish Designs
  

Interestingly, I just went to Google to do a search on for "portland pearl district" to find some photos to show you. Of course the first three sites in the Google SERPs are beautiful and well designed. So I thought I'd compare the results of the Vancouver SERPs for "yaletown vancouver" and what did I come up with? Some totally ugly sites that induce my gag reflex.

Is this just chance that it goes along with my observations that Vancouver has such poor signage, window display and weak design overall?

Could it be that Vancouver relies heavily on the naturally beautiful physical surroundings and therefore places less importance on design?

Or worse yet, are more of our designers here less skilled? There was definitely just a heated debate on Vancouver Craigslist about this!

I don't know the answers, but the questions are definitely worth further investigation!

Window shopping in Amsterdam!

I just went to Amsterdam and have to say that I fell in love. It's a visual feast for the eyes! There is some much vibrant color everywhere, so much on display in beautiful little windows, so many new inspiring sights!

Firstly the buildings are old and ornate and beautiful, and make a nice palette for shopkeepers to display their wares. But they really do a fabulous job of taking advantage of the window as their way to lure customers in and get attention even when they aren't open.

Coming back I am soooo disappointed in the stores here that don't seem to use windows as best they should. Plenty at Broadway and McDonald has done pretty well with their window design and I applaud Lulu lemon in Kits for their conversation starting windows. I'm sure Main Street and Commercial also have a few great ones, but overall Vancouver could do so much more!


My jaw was in a state of permanent dropped-ness as I rode around the quaint winding streets of Amsterdam. So many new sites, I felt like I was a kid again discovering a new world. The dutch love their color and so do I!

I wish my photos did justice to the sights I saw, but I bet there are more on Flickr. I'll have to look there.

great local artist-designer!

Someone just pointed out a site to me that I just love. It's called Bittersweet Genevieve and I am in love with her style.

Her artwork makes me sigh. It's got that glorious juxtaposition of decorative elegance and that nostalgic CMYK overprinting. Check out the artwork here.

Clean lines at a Caban

Well, the weather hasn't been all that hospitable so it's not surprising that I haven't been out more taking photos of great design.

But I have been into Caban a number of times and everytime I sigh because I love the presentation and the merchandise of that store. They've got a great interior and a color feast for the eyes.

A love for design

This blog will feature examples of great design that I come across in my beautiful city on Vancouver, British Columbia.

There will be no limit to the mediums that will featured here -- Architecture, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Posters, Furniture Design, and more!