Brabantia - Retro Home Research.

I have decided to look into how retro design and print can be incorporated into the home environment. I think this will be useful as I can get to see how the patterns are applied onto the products rather than just a flat design with no context. This will help when I am creating my own prints as I will have a better understanding of how they can be applied successfully.

Simplified Leaves

I really like this wallpaper print, I think the bright lime and turquoise colours really compliment each other. The style is also really interesting I like the sharp and angled edges and also how lines have been used to create form and texture in a simplistic way.

Quirky Pots

I find these pots very interesting to look at and I think they would be great in a home because of this. Seeing that the form of the pots themselves is very decorative the use of a simple, repeat pattern is a good technique to not over power the design. This has led me to consider the form of objects before I design. Although most of Brabantia's products are quite simple shapes so there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Bright Geometric Drawers

This set of drawers is a great example of how a simple piece of furniture can be turned into a focal piece in a room, how the print has been applied makes it look more like a piece of art. The shapes fit perfectly into the structure, creating a clean appearance. The bright, contrasting colour really compliment each other and add to the retro vibe.

Yellow and Grey Plate Set

I am a big fan of these plate designs, they all take a slightly different approach but stick with a linear theme meaning they work great as a set. I like the contrast between the hand rendered look and the more specific lines of the other plate. I also like the use of mustard and grey, this could be a colour scheme I experiment with myself.

Floral Duvet

I love the rich and vibrant tones of colour on this duvet and I think they work well with the simplistic floral design. The use of white breaks up the surface and is food for highlighting areas of the design. I like how the main print has been combined with the circular design on the cushions as it adds more interest and shows that by maintaining a colour scheme multiple prints can be introduced.

Crockery Selection

This group of crockery demonstrates how simple designs can be very effective. Each piece uses only one colour and white and incorporates very basic shapes, but still they all create impact and work well together. Sometimes less is definitely more and can create successful results.

Geometric Sofa

This pattern has a very collaged look like the pieces have been cut and stuck to create the composition. I like how each aspect is totally different with no repeat which gives something interesting to look at. Again it is the mustard and grey colour scheme that really appeals to me. I also like how thinner white lines have been incorporated to break up the blocky shapes.

 Linear Wallpaper

This wallpaper shows how print can be used to add interest and highlight other aspects of a room. The design consists of thin lines on white which makes it quite subtle but still brings out the orange and blue  that is incorporated in the rest of the room.

Print Mix Match

This selection of items demonstrates how successful clashing prints can be. All of the designs are so different but are brought together by a consistent use of colour and tone to tie everything together.

Retro Kitchen Blind

Finally I love how this vibrant blind as injected colour into this very white and clinical kitchen. The colours are very bold and strong which adds to the impact, I think that if they were more pastel tones it wouldn't have had the same effect. The print has also been tied in to the surroundings with the use of matching accessories.