Keep it Simple

With the ever growing worry about the economy and corporate spending, less is more seems to be the new trend. As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, you don't have to sacrifice good design and aesthetics while working with a low budget. A good designer knows how to make the most of any budget. A good designer also knows where to scale back and also what is absolutely necessary for a successful piece.

The sign in the photo above is for a newly renovated apartment community. They had a limited budget for a new sign since they were spending the majority of their budget on interior renovations. In order to make the most of their budget, the existing sign structure was refurbished and salvaged for the new sign. The photo below shows the old sign.

By using simple materials, an existing structure, and a fresh new panel design, the sign looks more expensive than it was. In order to save cost on lighting, the sign panel is a bright brushed aluminum and the letter faces have a reflective surface. Simple details such as the dimensional letters, the aluminum surround on the cap, and the spaced off main panel, give the sign a more complex look and richer feel. Again, good design can be affordable. You just have to find the right designer.

The Writing on the Window

It never fails to amaze me that some people are reluctant to believe that good design is often less costly than bad design. Of course, I don't just mean the overall cost of the services and product, but also the return on investment.

Take simple window graphics, for instance. If you hire a Designer, the cost for the actual design is usually based on industry standard pricing guidelines, and fluctuates slightly based on the competency of the Designer. In most cases, however, the price for the actual design falls in a very specific range. The cost for fabricating and installing the window graphics is also more or less a fixed cost. Only varying slightly depending on the vendor. Some vendors offer design services for free. Beware, the cost of those services can sometimes be hidden in the total cost. Plus, the designers they have on staff are typically not the best designers in town. (My apologies to sign vendors, but in my experience it's true.) Most of my examples of bad window graphics are from the websites of sign companies.



In any case, these photo examples of beautifully designed window graphics versus very poorly designed window graphics clearly show which is the better investment. Poorly designed graphics can actually hurt a business in the long run. Which would you want for your business? See my point? I'll say it again, the price of good design often costs less than bad design.

Tile Mosaics

I've always been intrigued by the sweet Art Nouveau tile floor of the Hotel Tassel in Brussels, designed by Architect Victor Horta. I recently came across SICIS, an Italian tile supplier with an incredible gallery of beautiful mosaics. If you have some time, I highly recommend taking a look at their website gallery. They have a showroom in New York and one in Milan.

Textures

Utilizing different textures and materials can really make a sign stand out. Whether the texture is applied to the substrate/mounting surface, the letters themselves, or as a decorative element, it can really add depth and character to a sign or signage system. Here are a few examples and links that I've compiled.

It's great to see sign examples that not only consider the sign letters themselves, but the substrates they are mounted to. I love the sign for The Getty Center. The live wall behind the pinned-off letters is great. Sometimes the substrate can offer a nice contrast in surface to make the sign really stand out.


Here is a fun, permanent shade structure that I designed to accommodate retail signage at 701 Eden Street in Baltimore. Not only does it provide shade, it also adds texture and a simple mounting detail for entrance signs.


I also really like the creativity behind this art exhibition entrance. It was for Royal College of Art Summer Show in 2007. The 2008 show entrance is also amazing and larger than life, literally.


Here is another example of how I've used texture to my advantage with my designs. The number 3 is a level indicator for a painted concrete wall in a parking garage elevator lobby at Harbor East in Baltimore. I selected a bright wall color for the plain concrete block wall and designed a sleek cut-out brushed aluminum number that is pinned off of the wall surface. The contrast really makes the number pop.


Using an architectural metal mesh material or custom perforated metal can also add texture to your designs. There are many sites that sell this material including Banker+Wire and Cambridge Architectural Metal.


Here are 40'+ painted perforated metal banners that I designed for tenants at Harbor East. This gave the more permanent anchor tenants a presence along Fleet Street. Most of the traffic flow travels along Fleet. Even though these anchors didn't have storefronts along the main street, they had an opportunity to advertise their location in the project. The perforated metal provides a lightness and translucency that is unique and eye-catching.


You can also use the perforated metal as a letter face. This allows the letter to be a solid color during the day, but light up internally at night. I used this technique for the two signs below.


You can also add texture to your designs as a decorative element. At Maple Lawn in Columbia, MD, I was inspired by all of the maple trees they intended on planting in the community. It was a perfect opportunity to incorporate the maple leaf motif in my signage. The cut out leaf pattern of various maple leaves painted to match the sign frame was a subtle detail that really made the sign system unique. The maple leaf brackets for the sign panels on all directional and way-finding signs pulled the theme together.


I hope that these examples inspire textural creativity in your designs. Feel free to post comments or inquiries about my posts. It's always nice to get other opinions that could be both helpful and inspirational!