TRIVIAL PURSUITS 3.

Welcome to the final installment of “Trivial Pursuits.” Over the past two months we illustrated and mood boarded our way through different aspects of play. From nostalgia to rule breaking and chaotic creativity, we examined how the concept manifests in design and beyond. Today we explore the very real ways it can come to life in the every day.

The idea of making time for daily fun seems so simple. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for us adults. Most of our days are full of projects with clear deadlines and consequences that impact other people’s lives. The same is true here at GG, aside from one project: trend research. Though we eventually tailor a portion of this work for our clients, there is still a huge amount of material left on the cutting room floor. As we stared down a year’s worth of discarded content, we were confronted with a choice. Do we sell it or do we play with it? As cool as money is, the idea of creating something without the pressure of an end goal felt far more valuable. So this blog was born. It has become a daily excuse for nutty conversations, artistic visualizations, and collaborative exchanges with the community at large. It is a playful escape available to us whenever and wherever we need it.

The desire for an escape is hardly a new concept. In fact, we’ve probably talked about it in this blog a dozen times. However, it took us til now to recognize the chasm between escapism in culture and escapism in interiors. Across food, fashion, and leisure we see an amorphous idea brought together by the single principle that it references something other than reality. It can be a surrealist video game, the 90s fashion revival or some pastel vintage cookware. In stark contrast, the home has a very narrow scope for the term. Relaxation is the resounding idea, whether that is a spa-like bathroom or a backyard oasis. It is tranquil and meditative, no matter the space.

Our environments have the ability to transport us just as meaningfully as a video game. With such a powerful tool at our disposal, why do we limit ourselves to a sanctuary? An escape can do more than calm the nerves. It can inspire, stimulate, and entertain. Your childhood candy shop, the neighborhood bar, and a destination waterpark are equally worthy sources of inspiration. What would happen if we designed for recreation as much as we did relief?

We keep this in the back of our mind with every design. Often times it comes to life as a subtle balance to an otherwise quiet space. It may be as simple as a tactile surface or an interactive fixture that captures your imagination. Other times though, it is the heart of the project. On these occasions, we have the opportunity to consider an alternate reality through the materials, forms, and flow of traffic. We tell a Madlibs-esque story with the space, providing an inspirational structure and inviting the client to fill in the blanks with whatever activity or emotion feels right in the moment.

We keep this in the back of our mind with every design. Often times it comes to life as a subtle balance to an otherwise quiet space. It may be as simple as a tactile surface or an interactive fixture that captures your imagination. Other times though, it is the heart of the project. On these occasions, we have the opportunity to consider an alternate reality through the materials, forms, and flow of traffic. We tell an open-ended story with the space, providing an inspirational structure and inviting the client to fill in the blanks with whatever activity or emotion feels right in the moment.

Fortunately, today’s client loves a good time. As big adventurers, they collected some wild memories, with a few so influential that photos couldn’t do them justice. Over the course of 5 years, we returned to their space to update room after room, infusing each with a unique experience they sought to recreate at home. The aesthetics and functions reflect nights on the town, overseas travels and familial histories. The overall impact is an interactive journey through their lives. It is their home away from home at home.

This brings us to today’s deep dive. “Unproductive Play” comes to life in not one, but two projects done on different floors of the same house. “Little Party” and “Blue Moon” celebrate the transportive nature of design through discoverable details, immersive environments and suspended realities.

DISCOVERY

The toughest part of any journey is the first step. Through a series of delightful surprises, we craft a home that makes the first move so you don’t have to. The subtlest break in expectations, be it a disrupted pattern or a gloss change, can act as an invitation to come closer, explore further, and imagine more. From hidden experiences to stealthy surfaces, the space says let the games begin.

HIDDEN DETAILS

The “Blue Moon” powder room entrance is one of the many winks hidden throughout the home. Expertly wallpapered to matched the surrounding walls, the door is nearly camouflaged by an intricate pattern of glowing gold lines. A perfectly knurled handle is first to give the secret away, followed quickly by a thin seam in the paper, both of which beg you to reach out and discover the possibilities that could lie beyond. It is easy to miss, yet impossible to ignore once discovered.

TACTILE SHIFTS

While the powder room takes a “come and see” approach to its hidden function, this wine rack relies more on “touch and feel” aesthetics. Its purpose is obvious. Instead, the unforeseen draw is in the ripples of gloss and glitter that span its tonal backdrop. In reaching for a bottle of wine, your knuckles graze upon the surface and its seemingly flat speckles transform into bits of textural granite mica. The surprising sensation raises the question, what other gems are hidden in plain sight?

IMMERSION

Welcome to a new reality. To make each room as captivating as its source of inspiration, we use tricks of the eye to expand and isolate its space. By multiplying a detail, reflecting a surface, or removing a sense, we can transform a beautiful space into a transportive one. From expansive escapes to hidden rabbit holes, these rooms do more than soothe. To those who still play make believe as the rock and roll bassist, can can dancer, or professional somm, we welcome you step inside and let your dreams run amok.

REFLECTIVE SURFACES

The “Little Party” living and dining rooms toy with the perception of endlessness. Though unique in their personalities, they both employ reflective treatments to create such expansive spaces it is hard to imagine anything existing beyond their walls. The living room’s vintage Brit-pop vibes are multiplied ad infinitum due to a lacquered ceiling that captures every tuft and facet below. Nearby, the posh dining room pulls that same strategy to the walls where repeated gloss stripes reflect rich leathers and hammered metals on and on. They’re dreamscapes big enough for you and all of your friends.

ALL-CONSUMING COLORS

The “Little Party” powder room takes a different approach to immersion. Though it too plays with elements of reflections, the real magic comes from its repetitive use color. After a series of warm, sunny rooms, the darkened deco-inspired nook is a shock to the system. Everything from the toilet to the tiles and towels are drenched in shades of black. It engulfs you while simultaneously heightening the never-ending differences in lush textures and geometric forms. In a matter of no time, the outside world falls away and all that exists is you and your midnight speakeasy.

SUSPENSION

Nothing can break the spell. From a cell phone in a movie theater to a Disney character wearing a Fitbit, we know the tiniest detail can break an illusion. To keep you in the moment, we discard the distractions and focus on the most interesting, inspiring and interactive elements of a space. Whether that means pumping the space with intriguing textures or positioning your every whim within a five foot radius, we ensure time in each space goes uninterrupted. Join us in staying lost in the moment.

TANGIBLE INSPIRATION

The “Little Party” bar exemplifies lost-in-the-moment design. Every direction you look and surface you touch offers a new experience to keep you engaged. From shag to sheers, fur to snakeskin, and burnished brass to chrome, every detail has an equally interesting counterpart within arms reach. When the mind tires of its current visual or tactile encounter, a new one is poised for action. Boredom is not an option in this luxury, life-sized fidget spinner of a space.

ACCESSIBLE EVERYTHING

Though also inspiring, the “Blue Moon” lower living space considers suspension through a different lens. Rather than keep interest through aesthetics and materials, this does it with activities. The open area seamlessly transitions from lounge to kitchen to barre studio to pool hall, eventually leading to its hidden powder room without ever going upstairs. Must-haves like water and a washroom sit beside want-to-haves like a prized record library and whiskey collection. Nothing can break your focus once you’re in the zone.