葉壹堂

葉壹堂 - 這是我所認識的Page One. 
很喜歡它的中文名, 帶點古早味.

差不多所有設計人都是這裏的常客, 而自從它進駐香港之後, 書店文化及室内設計上也有很大的改變. 

年初時, 競成美術用品+書店(Keng Seng)結業; 我帶着沉重的心情逗留了幾小時, 帶回最後的幾本書回家. 想不到今個月, 剛從葉壹堂帶回來的兩本書 
The Fox and Star  及 The Paris Winter 仍未看畢, 卻原來是"告別之作".

又一城分店的設計書架, 是我的靈感泉源及工作伙伴. 而它的Fiction 書架 , 更是我的"避難所"; 毎當心情差或有大堆不能解決的問題時, 只要在此處逗留一會, 煩惱盡消.

兩年前, 好友送了一張書卷給我, 開始了看傳記及古典系列. 一直放在書店内心儀的Classic 書, 本打算在"餘生"遂本買下, 好好"享用", 只可惜等不到了!

或許你會説, 這間結業往另一間買便可以, 何需"哭喪"似的?  説真的, 我確實有"好友離世"的那種心情. 書店是心靈及精神上的另一個家, 這是網上書店或電子書不能替代的. 而毎一間書店所帶給我們的感覺及書種, 眼界, 思維空間, 回憶，也是獨特的. 

PageOne / Dymockｓ / Swindon / Keng Seng / Prologue /  商務印 / 中華/ 大衆/ 誠品/三聯.......其中的體驗, 各不相同.  一間好的書店,你會流漣忘返; 否則,只會被一些沒有生命的書籍重重圍繞及壓逼下,不得不奪門而出.

無論如何, 別了! 葉壹堂! 感謝您為我的生命添上無限精彩, 正如您的格言：

every book begins with PAGEONE !!! 

It's respectable

A soft touch of dignity and memorable.

Tone:  Cold
Fashion: Autumn, calm and elegant
Packaging:  gift wrap, card, stationery
Retail: floral boutique, gift shop, daily living
Residential: living room

The Fox and The Star - by Coralie Bickford Smith

How pretty this book cover is !!! - the first impression when I found it in a book shop yesterday. It was wrapped up by a plastic bag, so I really don't know what's inside?! But the fabric cover, the drawing, the title...all attracted me so much that I really want it, so I grabbed it without second thought.

I will say it just like starting an adventure whenever you bought a new book, imagine how it will lead you to another mysterious virtual world.

Aroma and touch of paper immediately bring me to the starry night of a forest. The orange red stitches inside is the color of this little fox, unfortunately I can't unveil all the amazing drawings of this book due to the copy right issue, trust me, they are so beautiful.

You can only find 3 colors here except the neutral white, black and grey, but it's more than enough to present the whole world of Mr. Fox.

The story is a simple one, but with open ending for you to explore much more than you can imagine.

If you see this by chance, bring it back to your bed side, it's worth and you will absolutely love it !

Happy Halloween

做個重新上路的設計師

＂有人辭官歸故里，有人漏夜趕科場！＂我諗，我正處於呢個狀態。

可能好多人都會有同感，尤其係做設計嘅人：做到想轉行，但係又唔知轉邊行好？始終一個做到上哂手，累積咗大量經驗，人脈及相當收入嘅工作係好難放棄嘅。不過時移世逆，越嚟越多嘅工種因着科技及需求而改變。

零售租約愈縮愈短， 流動辦公室嘅工作模式， 住屋空間愈嚟愈細， 師傅人工愈加愈貴...... 等等，仲有各式各樣嘅原因都令我覺得係時候準備辭官歸故里。

所以係另一邊廂，就想試吓可唔可以趕入設計布藝這個＂科場＂？！

其實早係十年前已經嘗試係Spoonflower設計布欵（因為成日揾唔到一D啱心水嘅布欵俾客人用），但係一方面當時佢哋 啱啱成立冇幾耐，支援好少； 而我哋又忙緊正職，所以只係隨意設計咗十幾欵就擺低， 估唔到呢粒種子到今時今日又可以重生。

十年人事幾翻新， Spoonflower 今時今日已經發展到好大，唔少平面／布藝設計師已經係常客，而我，就係一個初哥！雖然因為從事室內設計會對布料及製作軟件有一定認識， 但係今次當我認真對待嘅時候，就發覺要設計一D市場受落又唔太＂行＂嘅布藝，係當中大有學問……所以， 呢個就係我要重新投入同學習嘅一個教室。

雖然要投放嘅時間，資源同心機肯定唔少， 但係身為設計行業嘅人，唔多唔少都會有份勇氣去嘗試同發掘新可能性嘅心態；期望有一日可以擁有一個CocoaDesignLife 品牌嘅＂可可布館＂，設計出一D較有個性嘅室內布藝。或許，呢個都係另一個職場上嘅延伸都未定？

短短半年嘅時間，令我對網上銷售有多D了解； 重新再強化自己嘅攝影技巧，平面設計，混合媒體及至Photoshop 嘅運用係必需嘅。所以話世界上永遠冇學得完嘅事物，亦唔可能會悶，只要你肯向前行出一步，奇妙旅程又再度展開！

可可布館

Reuse

What do you think an interior designer got most? Money? Client? Software? Paper? ........ Material Samples !!!

Even thought we are now using images and photos to present sample board to our clients, but actual material still plays an important role because we need to feel the real texture + to see the true color.

So...what it comes to the end, we stock tons and tons of fabric, plastic laminate, tile and mosaic, metal, timber, glass, etc. 

Well, of course it can be simply throw to the rubbish bin afterward, but if you love Interior Design, you love them especially the high quality fabric in full colorway.

  

                                             A new cover to my manual ! 

(Yes, user manual is also one of my "stock item" because I love to read with the real paper touch) 

"A double face" pocket that can protect my almost dead manual, two pieces of fabric are just enough to sew one, simple and unique. 




Add a bit of detail inside 
to secure the booklet.
 

Voila! Reuse project done :) 
How about you? 
Got some ideas to reuse yours?

向左走。向右走 vs You've Got Mail

最近番看了由 Tom Hanks 及 Meg Ryan 於很多年前主演的 
You've Got Mail 。 

電影開場時是描寫兩人各自由家中預備，步出家門，買咖啡，再朝着目的地，預備開始一天工作的情景；由於用了左右分鏡去表達二人同步的畫面，令我即時想起幾米的"向左走，向右走"。 

如果你有看過他的插畫作品"月亮忘記了"，也必定不會錯過這個故事, 是同樣出色的繪本。故事道出一對居住在隔鄰的單身男女，由於每天早上，一個必定朝左邊出發，另一個則朝右邊, 因此總是碰不見而沒法互相認識......直至一天，基於地球是圓的道理，他們終於遇見。美麗的偶遇，期待着下一個約定，卻因為雨水洗掉了手上由對方留下的電話號碼而落空......

同是都市愛情故事，幾米藉著簡單優美的畫作，純樸地演繹。而 You've Got Mail 則利用網絡空間的相遇，使原本在事業上對頭而且屬於兩個世界的人連結在一起的這個意念，藉着電影浪漫地上演。

兩個故事最終大圑圓, 安慰了不少在煩囂鬧市中寂寞的心靈. 雖然兩者的演繹方法各不同，但看後卻得着相同的訊息和觀感。我想......
這就是視覺媒體的共同語言和威力。

如果把這兩個標題套用在朋友關係之上, 將會變成一套怎樣的電影和一本如何的繒本呢?