To Grid, or Not to Grid?
This funky wall treatment
caught my eye as I was walking past a shoe store in Florence, Italy.
As I casually glanced at the front window display to browse the shoe selection in passing, my eyes immediately went to this textured wall treatment behind the display. I know it’s nothing mind-blowing or even that unique, but it sure did stand out in Florence as an unusual design decision for what I am assuming is not a cheap store (are there *any* cheap stores in Florence? I’m going to say “No.”).
This wall treatment in a Florence shoe store struck me as unusual for the area.
The bold, red-orange colour of the wall is what caught my attention initially. I did a double-take and then walked into the store to get a closer look at the mystery material of the grid. Is it rope? Is it straw? Hemp? String?
It’s a very unusual type of decor for a street that is otherwise lined with high-end shops that all have a more conservative and sophisticated approach to design. The colour is not very typical for a Florentine shoe store either, and as you can see from the basic display table draped in a thin, messy drop sheet, this store seems a little haphazardly thrown together (check out the strange metal staircase at the back that is supposed to look “industrial” but actually only looks dangerous).
Do you think the lighting needs work? I do. An even distribution of the lighting would make this wall treatment impressive. The strange, glowy strip of lighting that runs along the upper portion of half of the wall seems out of place. There needs to be more of this lighting technique for the wall to look cohesive (or it needs to be removed altogether). One or the other….it’s a “do your thing… or get off the pot” scenario (I don’t want to swear).
A closer look at the mystery material - have you reached a verdict? I'm voting for twine.
Criticisms aside, I must say, I like how unrefined and rustic the treatment is on its own. The woven squares have plenty of texture that demands to be touched – I like how each segment is woven in a different pattern. The unpredictable sequence of textured squares and the tension created through the positive and negative use of space is pretty intriguing. I think this wall resembles a piece of art…regardless of the fact that it is distracting from the actual product being sold in the store, I still like to look at it.
The grid-work is a little uneven - was this an oversight of the artist's? Or was it intentional? I think the difference in grid depth should either be more exaggerated or equal...this just looks like accidental oversight.
Wait a minute…I just realized my opinion about this wall is completely tainted and biased. I should have mentioned earlier that I have a serious love for grid-work. I have used grids in my own designs in the past. I like how grids represent structure and balance; I also love the general aesthetic they create. Check out this grid-based feature wall I rendered for a retail project in design school (or how I miss you, design school):
I designed and rendered a Louis Vuitton store while in design school - my love for grids was apparent back then too! This is a sectional elevation that depicts the cash register area at the back of the store.
As I come to the end of this post, I am more confused than ever about the Florentine shoe store wall treatment. What do you think? Are you a fan? Does this wall treatment seem out of place? If the wall “takes away” from the product on display, does that make it “bad design“? What would make this wall treatment look more sophisticated to you? Does it even need to look more sophisticated?
So many questions, so many answers.
Have a great weekend, happy traveling; happy designing.
13 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- White Design at the Blue Pumpkin | Passport To Design - [...] will knock your socks off (or so I hope). Last Friday’s post, To Grid or Not to Grid? got ...
Leave a Reply
A Little Bit About Me
Welcome to Passport To Design! My name is Tania. I love Design almost as much as I love Travel, and here is where my two loves collide. Check out the "About Me" page for more info. Thanks for reading. Happy travels, my dear design-loving friends.
Social Bling:
See My Articles On:
AWARD WINNER
Featured On:
Official Sponsors
Interesting… I think this would look good as artwork in an mostly white room… white walls, white sofa, sisal rug with either pink & tan pillows or green & tan pillows for a little colour. For a more glam look black & white pillows with a cowride rug overtop the sisal rug and a black garden stool. :)
With that, not liking it for the shoe store.
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 15, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Way to go, Wendy, you read my mind. “Something” just isn’t right with the overall design, but I still do like the piece itself. I think you should take a trip to Florence and fix it up! :) Thanks for commenting, have a great weekend!
Twitter: MaureenCmodecor
| October 15, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Don’t like overall effect at all in this application…didn’t realize it was a shoe store at first. Have a real dislike for design that is done simply because it can be done…..function before form. Could have used occasional block as backdrop for shoes on small support. Love the varying textures alone and together, not crazy about the wall colour…neutral colour wold be better. Nor sure where to look and would have left store before even looking at shoes.
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 15, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Thanks for your comment, Maureen. As I mentioned in my post, I didn’t realize there were shoes here either…I was drawn to the wall. I didn’t even look at the shoe prices! ;) I think the orange-red colour is a little overwhelming and a lighter wall could create a much more open and brighter space, but I also think things could be done to improve on the space with the existing wall colour in place. Strategic lighting and some better display cases could help showcase the product more. So glad you stopped by, thanks for reading :)
Looks awkward and unfinished to me. I don’t know much about design but this looks, like Maureen says, design for the sake of doing something different. I do like the orange and it could work in a “cleaner” design. I definitely think those “holes” in the pattern don’t work. Not to mention the metal stairs and the randomly placed mirror. This should have mirrors on a stand and lights hanging from the ceiling.
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 15, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Björn, thanks so much for translating your twitter comments into a blog comment :) I love to hear people’s thoughts on design that seems disjointed to me, especially when there’s that one part of the design that I think has potential, but ultimately isn’t working. I actually really like the holes in the pattern, they add a certain “push and pull” tension that I am drawn to…perhaps they would seem less jarring if the wall were a light colour as Maureen and Wendy suggested? Thanks again for stopping by, hope you’ll come back and read more soon.
Twitter: aecguy
| October 15, 2010 at 5:10 pm
It’s not quite my thing, but I think that they executed what they were doing well. It does work together, and has an idea behind it, but it doesn’t suit me. Especially in Florence. I didn’t really see that when I was there. How I wish I was back there.
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 15, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Hi Steve, Thanks for your comment. I appreciate that you can look past the fact that it isn’t your preference of design, but still executed well. I still think the space as a whole needs some work, but I am still a fan of the wall treatment. The store was along the road that runs right into the Ponte Vecchio – wish I could remember the name! Thanks for stopping by!
Twitter: Krista Salter
| October 15, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Well, let’s comment on that beautiful rendering from school! I loved that project! I think that you have displayed how grid work style DOES work, and the Italians clearly need some guidance! The treament is cool and a good “attempt” but let’s be serious….it’s looks like it should have been seen in your Asia travels, not Europe :)
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 15, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Haha, touche` Krista! I agree, this was a surprising interior to encounter in the Florence city core…it was so out of place. Thanks for the compliment on the retail rendering – what fun school was! Thanks for reading and commenting, I love that you stop in on your lunch for some Passport2Design :)
Twitter: ShannonKFitz
| October 16, 2010 at 1:23 am
I think it’s cool as a store installation, but not for a home. When I saw that first picture, I thought that it could be in Anthropologie or something. But the haphazard shoe display is totally not working.
Interesting as always Tania!
Have a great weekend!
Twitter: TLC_Designs
| October 16, 2010 at 1:25 am
Interesting that you thought it might’ve been a photo of Anthropologie, Shannon. I think they would have found a way to make this piece a litttttttle more chic ;) Thanks for commenting, hope you have a great weekend too!
Twitter: awuti
| October 30, 2010 at 8:49 pm
I don’t really like the the wall in the shoe store, but I agree, grid style walls can be pretty great. Especially if they are stocked with bottles of fine wine… ;)