A Postmodern Makeover at Masquespacio

all interior design photos by Bruno Almela

Working from home certainly has its perks (sweatpants, puppy snuggles), but no matter how I try, my home office style will never match the likes of this.

Masquespacio is a multidisciplinary design studio based out of Valencia, Spain, that relied heavily on postmodern and Memphis styles in the recent redesign of its brand image and studio. The new brand identity comprises seven on-trend colors, allowing Masquespacio to change its color palette annually and to customize branded stationary for its clients.

Valspar's 2016 Color Trends Come with a Coloring Book!

Valspar's 2016 Simply Perfect color palette [all images courtesy of Valspar]

You've heard of the whole coloring books for grownups thing by now, yes? It's basically bigger than craft cocktails and tiny homes, and for good reason, since the repetitive motion of coloring is the perfect way to de-stress at the end of a long day. Jumping on the bandwagon is paint authority Valspar, who has created a beautifully detailed, downloadable coloring book to go with its 2016 Colors of the Year report.

Illustrated by Danish artists Olivia Linn, sections of the coloring book correspond to Valspar's four color trends for 2016, named as Comfort Zone, Simply Perfect, You Do You and Good Company.

Memphis-Inspired 'Super' Notebooks by Write Sketch &

from top: Super! Confetti / Super! Joy / Super! Sprinkles / Super! Squared

If you keep up on design trends, you know that all things Memphis are back in a big way! So it goes with Write Sketch &'s very first collection of Italian-made notebooks. A tribute to Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini and other members of the Memphis Group, Write Sketch &'s Super Collection is comprised of four notebooks, each sporting two different cover designs and each as brightly colored and hectically pattered as the next. 

Hipster Pet Portraits by Woof Models

[all images via Woof Models Instagram]

You might have guessed that since adopting Charlie I've become utterly obsessed with all things canine, and you'd be absolutely, positively correct. My latest discovery? Woof Models.

Inspired by her 10-year-old corgi, VV, Sum Leung launched Woof Models out of Australia as a one-of-a-kind portrait studio for dogs. Not only does Leung capture each pet's personality in a modern, graphic style; she outfits her subjects fabulously in fashions from Warby Parker, Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs.

Pantone Cafe Pops Up in Monaco

[all photos via Wallpaper]

There's a Pantone Cafe in the French Riviera, and it is everything! Inspired by Lawrence Herbert's iconic color matching system, the pop-up cafe is serving color-coded fare at the Grimaldi Forum on Monaco's Larvotto Beach through September 9. Sidle up to the saturated counter and order yourself a 18-1531 Pantone Parma Brown prosciutto sandwich, a 16-1364 Vibrant Orange cold-pressed juice or a 13-0221 Pistachio Green eclair.

Coverjunkie: Magazine 'Covers You Wanna Lick'

Il Paradiso (Germany)  / Das Magazin (Switzerland) / Gup (Netherlands) / Revista L (Brazil) / Crumbs (UK) [all images via Coverjunkie]

Think print is dead? Let Coverjunkie change your mind. The frighteningly addictive site is dedicated to the most creative magazine covers from around the world—or, as Coverjunkie describes them, "covers you wanna lick." It's true. I'm only a few pages deep, and I've already added a couple dozen covers to my collection in a Pinterest-like fashion.

'Airline Visual Identity 1945 - 1975' by Matthias C. Hühne

[all images courtesy of Callisto Publishers]

As if I weren't excited enough for the return of Mad Men in April, a new coffee table book is putting the focus on the glory days of airline advertising, a central theme for Don Draper and his cohorts. While Mad Men gives us just a small slice of the creative genius that went into branding an airline, Airline Visual Identity 1945-1975 by Matthias C. Hühne carefully curates the work of prestigious graphic designers and advertising luminaries.

The massive tome measures 12.2" x 16.1" and uses a total of seventeen different colors, five different types of varnishes, and two different methods of foil printing and embossing to reproduce the airlines' commercial art as accurately as possible.

Garage Magazine Issue No. 8: CGI Covers featuring Joan, Cara, Lara, Kendall & Binx

[images courtesy of Garage Magazine]

Garage Magazine Issue No. 8 hits newsstands tomorrow with five distinct covers featuring Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner, Joan Smalls, Lara Stone and Binx Walton. But, since the idea of multiple covers is now about as revolutionary as skinny jeans and nail art, a team of creative minds took things way, way further.

Conceptualized by make-up artist Pat McGrath and Garage Fashion Director Charlotte Stockdale, the latest cover images evolve from a simple powder and lipstick beauty shoot into a fully CGI animated and aural narrative shot by Phil Poynter at The Mill Studios. Looking to add a musical component, Garage approached Beats by Dre to help complete the visual transformation, and each cover comes with an exclusive track produced by London's Alex Da Kid.

The creative for the covers have been inspired by iconic Pat McGrath beauty looks and the color ways in the Beats by Dre Royals Color Collection.

Boston-Themed Graphics by Shannon Gotto(Because... Superbowl!)

all designs by Shannon Goto

We won the Superbowl! Woohoo! Yes, this is the Masshole in me coming out, because even living halfway around the world, I will always be a Boston girl. I stayed up until 5:30 AM Tel Aviv time to watch the Patriots' unlikely win, and feeling like a hungover college kid today (despite having drank nothing stronger than coffee) is 100 percent worth it.

In honor of the Pats and my hometown, I found these fantastic illustrations from Boston graphic designer Shannon Gotto, who represents our city beautifully in her pixelated and minimalist style.

A Farewell Gift

I realized that I never shared an amazing gift that I received when I left Boston for Tel Aviv. Whoops! Let's fix that.

Only a few months before I left work (and the U.S.), my little two-person team hired a third: an amazingly talented graphic designer named Christan Balch, who became an equally amazing friend. At my going away lunch before the big move, she and my boss presented me with this illustration of lil' old me! It was drawn by Christan, of course, and wrapped up pretty in this Michael Aram frame. Does it get any sweeter?

Obviously, I'm a little biased in considering this Christan's crowning achievement, but you can see more of her work over at Behanced.

To a Sweet New Year

Modern Judaica Rosh Hashanah Cards by Studio Armadillo

The second half of this week marks the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, so I've been taking some time off to celebrate with family (which basically involves a lot of brisket and chicken soup). Shanah Tovah to those of you who celebrate and happy weekend to the rest of you!

8 Decks of Cards for Design Lovers

The Design Deck by Ben Barrett-Forrest

A while back I introduced you to Connie Lim and her incredible illustrated deck of cards, but little did I know that an entire cottage industry has sprung up around custom playing cards. The art runs the gamut, and there are dozens of amazing works out there, but here I've chosen just a few that I think will delight design and typography fans most. Take a look...

Fashion Logos by Mike Frederiqo

YSL [all images by Mike Frederiqo via imgur]

I'm just loving these quirky and totally unofficial brand logos by Dutch artist Mike Frederiqo. Reinterpreting iconic fashion imagery, Frederiqo creates interlocking Cs of Coco Chanel, seats Ralph Lauren on his ubiquitous Polo pony and has Anna Wintour doing acrobatics to spell out Vogue.

Flower Constructions by Anne ten Donkelaar

from top: Flower Construction #12 detail, Flower Construction #17, Flower Construction #16 detail
[all photos courtesy of Anne ten Donkelaar via designboom]

These intricate 3D flower constructions by Anne ten Donkelaar first caught my attention last year, but it's a perfect time to revisit them now that the Dutch artist's work is being featured in a new book. Paper Play, published by Sandu Cultural Media, focuses on paper as an art medium in its own right, and ten Donkelaar's combinations of pressed flowers and paper cutouts are a highlight.

Renewable Bamboo Business Cards by Grovemade

When you think of the amount of information that has been digitized, it seems a little laughable that we still hand out paper business cards. The ones I receive are transcribed into my iPhone before landing promptly in the trash, but here's one card that's more deserving of a frame than a rubbish bin.

Fashion Illustrations by José Manuel Hortelano-Pi

Grooming by José Manuel Hortelano-Pi

When not being used to carve out models' midsections in the most unnatural of ways, Photoshop can be quite an amazing tool, and here's the proof. What I initially took to be watercolors are actually digital works of art created entirely in Photoshop CS6 by Spanish illustrator José Manuel Hortelano-Pi. Entitled Grooming, this series of fashion illustrations is merely an exercise that Hortelano-Pi completed to practice his texture skills.

Massimo Vignelli, 1931-2014

images from top: Massimo Vignelli via designboom / 1972 NYC Subway map via nycsubway.org / quote via Vignelli Associates

We lost a great one today with the death of iconic 20th century designer Massimo Vignelli. Having shaped the visual identities of brands ranging from American Airlines to Bloomingdale's, Vignelli may be best known for his controversial 1972 map of the New York City Subway system, equally panned by riders as it was celebrated by design critics.

Both The New York Times and Fast Company Design have published touching tributes to a legend worth learning about. Check them out.

19 Hipster Brands Reimagined as Their Corporate Counterparts by Cornett

by Cornett Integrated Marketing Solutions

In case you had any doubts about the difference good graphic design makes, some agency creatives at Cornett have turned 19 distinctively hipster brand logos on their heads — and, thus, our views of the brands themselves. How will you respond to Brooklyn Brewery in the guise of Bud Light? Or to the cooler-than-thou Ace Hotel dressed up as its corporate counterpart, the Hilton? Take a look...

Snow Art by Simon Beck

all photos by Simon Beck

While I've had quite enough of winter thankyouverymuch, at least I can take solace in the beauty that Simon Beck ekes out from the snow I've so come to loathe. Working in the valley of Savoie, France, the artist creates his frozen masterpieces entirely by foot, each step in his briquette snow shoes a brush stroke.