Art that shapes mood, presence and connection
Explorations of the aesthetic, emotional, and symbolic dimensions of workspaces, drawing on art practice, organisational life, and Human Relations thinking — including what becomes possible when we pay attention to the artifacts in our own home work environments and the quiet ways they communicate meaning
Here are a couple of images I took while out shopping. They helped me realize I can offer a collection of natural shades made of burlap, hessian, and sinamay. This collection has a finer and smoother texture than the rough feeling rattan.
If there’s something you want that isn’t there, please use the Etsy convo button to create a custom order.
This week, I went to a nice office space in London. You can see that some of the fixtures and fittings nod to the architecture. At first glance, they give off an air of coziness and comfort. Very welcoming for visitors and gives you a sense of being a great place to work.
I also visited a local hotel for my Birthday. While I was at the reception waiting for my family to return, I did some people watching. I noticed a pattern in styling the lamps and floor lamps there, too.
The lighting was closely intertwined with botanical elements. This created interesting shadows and shapes. It seemed to enhance the structure of the original lighting. It gave off an air of consciousness about nature, the environment, and the planet.
This architecture magazine shows how botanicals are now part of the vernacular in office reception design. https://www.arkitectureonweb.com/o/adaptive-media/image/14864267/copertina-hd/NU-MEIS-0511-LoRes.jpg?t=1682673790130
The video below I took when I was people watching in a hotel shows:
Reception areas: the curated threshold where first impressions land. Botanical spill from corners, carefully selected to whisper “we care.” Earth tones, soft lighting, ergonomic chairs—all designed to wrap visitors in the illusion of wellbeing.
But then, I stay a little longer. I ask questions. I meet the people behind the desk and beyond the break-room. I watch the team dynamics. Servers struggle to keep up.
And I begin to wonder—are we decorating over discomfort?
The lush ferns say “eco-conscious.” The velvet sofas say “psych safety.” But I’ve noticed that behind the foliage, the culture doesn’t always flourish as much as the greenery does. I talk to the workers. In some places, it seems that the aesthetic of care has replaced the practice of it. Cozy decor doesn’t always mean corporate kindness. Indeed, green doesn’t mean that the management is grounded.
I hope to demonstrate that I have created shelf art and wall decor. This art beautifully illustrates the ugly reality of corporate work. While working from home, we can express ourselves through our choice of decor. We can also quietly convey the complexities, tensions, and messiness that our fantastic work emerges from.
My products are meant to feel like a breath of fresh (and slightly rebellious) air. They are created as pieces that don’t just sit pretty, but speak (like me). They offer a kind of visual activism. It is right at eye level for your bookshelves. This way, you can lead through the screen with authenticity.
This week, I focused on fusing my artist and lighting creator skills. I found a solution to reduce the glare from the table light I made earlier this month.
In the video, you will see how I used another layer of foundational material. I did this to reduce the glare from the lightbulb yet allow some of the light to shine through in a unique way that you don’t typically get from table lamps.
You also see the sliver of clearer light that I start to create to make things interesting. I think the clear light signifies the light at the end of the tunnel for those in that manifestation and professional development space.
Below is a link to the video coming up on YouTube on 17th February.
And here is a sneak peek of what you will see.
Here is a link to the video due to be posted on 24 February showing my thoughts on the type of trim and what I plan to do next time.
This week, my YouTube video addressed a question from one of my subscribers. They asked for a video explaining how the duplex fitting can be used. I show how they’re used to suspend a lampshade from above. Lampshades can be suspended from a ceiling cable or wires on either side of a bed. We often see the suspending of smaller lampshades in industrial-style or fishing rod-style floor lamps.
In the video, I show details of the spider attachment. You get to see how I easily swap over various styles of lampshades. It’s less bothersome to do the same with the usual fittings.
Please ensure your lampshade has the duplex fitting when you buy from my shop. This ensures ease of swapping over. This enables you to use an empire shape. You can suspend it from above or place it on top of a table lamp.
Below is a bonus video showing how the same duplex frame on my Empire lamps can also be used as a table lamp. In essence, you don’t need to turn the lampshade upside down.
This week I worked in an amazing training room up in Scotland.
The beautiful and comfortable meeting space was on the Mezzanine and considerately designed by an architect. It had beautiful view of the sea.
The materials used for building the structure and decorating were also fascinating.
Some of the walls were made of painted straw board and massive bricks of pink salt, which gave off a beautiful light, and it felt good for my well-being, too.
I loved that the room had an eco-friendly vibe, which you could see when looking at the painted stringboard. The stringboard walls also gave it an industrial edge, and the painting of the stringboard made it feel a bit more glamorous than if it was left bare.
I loved the pink blocks of salt used in the wall construction. Apparently, there are many benefits to using pink Himalayan salt as a construction material, including its being inflammable, great for acoustics, creating healthier indoor environments, and reducing pollution.
The design and materials are fascinating because salt bricks are used a lot in spa salt rooms (spaces I used to know well).
From this, I began to understand why the space was good for my well-being. https://pin.it/69njtGSGy. I felt nostalgic and joyful when I realised a designer had considerably considered inner wall construction for building, aesthetic, eco, and well-being reasons.
Salt rooms have a range of untested physiological benefits, such as fighting infection, clearing coughs, and reducing stress.
I also liked how they used giant pink Himalayan salt discs to make the table’s legs.
Another innovative feature of the décor and design was the wall of pots that adorned the main wall. This cute crockery collection offered subtle branding for the business but, most importantly, emitted creativity, camaraderie, and cosiness.
The wall of themed crockery, I imagine, acts as a fantastic backdrop for when they are doing virtual meetings.
Overall, because of the many innovative features I found in this training room, it is one of the more remarkable spaces I visited to facilitate learning workshops this year.
Visiting this space, this week helps to justify integrating more natural elements in decor items in the future. Potentially looking at new ways to integrate pink salt into my making and shelf decor items. I shall also look at collections of items with small words that buyers can use on their walls for more meaningful virtual meeting backdrops.
Here is a link to a product in my shop that gives off cosy office vibes https://homeofficecharm.etsy.com/listing/215250388
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