DESIGN: Multiplicity in Design

Hi everyone, it's Lisa from Gem Daily! Lately I've been hunting for interesting art for a large space in my house and have come up unsuccessful. Throughout this search, I have discovered that so many interior design elements are most intriguing and visually strong when in multiples. Whether it be a gallery wall or an arrangement of gorgeous light fixtures, there is just something about taking one particular design element and repeating it that makes it so much more appealing! Thus, the theory of power in numbers.

Designers are even taking unconventional, unique objects that on their own are simple, but when multiplied, their impact is much more powerful. Take Kelly Wearstler's application of the tortoise shells at the Tides Hotel in South Beach for example- just one of these shells is interesting but once she applies hundreds to the wall, it quickly becomes a focal point with unforgettable detail.

OR what about the amazing woven lanterns in George Clooney's Courtyard just recently featured in Architectural Digest? The sheer amount of fixtures is enough to create a stunning scene, but the height at which they are hung is the ultimate cherry on the cake.

I really love spotting thoughtful and smart retail spaces that utilize great interior design as a way to make their goodies look even better. Like this Artifacts store in Dunhua by Taiwanese interior designers Michelle Wei and Cheng Chia Hao, for example. Their shoe displays are so unique and architectural, each shoe is almost like a piece of art, framed and illuminated. The rows and rows of displays are much more powerful as an entire composition than if we just saw one display on its own.

And finally, it doesn't get much better than this vertical garden by Joost Bakker. By taking really simple materials and multiplying them, this outdoor space is transformed on a much grander scale.

-post by lisa fisbeck