Image Credit: Mesut çiçen via Unsplash Series Introduction In a world that often feels overstimulated and overcomplicated, the pursuit of calm is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Beginning on the 4th October, this six-part series explores how design can be a powerful tool for cultivating calm—not just in our homes and cities, but in… Read More designing for calm: a sensory approach to sustainable living
I’ve been sitting with a phrase that surfaced in one of Debbie Lyddon’s videos—a quiet nod to Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and her idea that art can emerge from ‘outer sensing and inner seeing‘. Barns-Graham’s work, as I understand it through Debbie Lyddon’s lens, wasn’t about direct representation, but about the felt experience—the way landscape, light, and… Read More outer sensing, inner seeing: a reflection on wilhelmina barns-graham
Before and after images rebuilding with filler Living with a fluctuating neurological condition and navigating neurodivergence means that decorating isn’t a straightforward task. It’s a layered process shaped by sensory thresholds and emotional pacing. I don’t decorate quickly. I decorate slowly, with care and consideration, because it’s important to me. The process isn’t just physical—it’s… Read More post three: decorating as emotional labour
See image credits (below) In an age of fast fashion and disposable goods, slow stitching offers an antidote—a practice rooted in care, patience, and sustainability. At its heart, slow stitching is more than just thread on fabric; it’s about valuing time, honouring materials, and creating something that carries meaning beyond its stitches. What Is Slow… Read More slow stitching: sustainability through needle & thread
As I build Soft Source, a sustainable materials directory rooted in care and accountability, I’ve encountered more greenwashing than I expected. Greenwashing is the practice of making a product or company appear environmentally responsible without meaningful action to support that claim. It often involves vague language, nature-inspired imagery, or unverified buzzwords like “eco-friendly” or “sustainable”—used… Read More on everyday sustainability, false representation, and the frustration of care
As I build Soft Source, a sustainable materials directory rooted in care and accountability, I’ve encountered more greenwashing than I expected. Greenwashing is the practice of making a product or company appear environmentally responsible without meaningful action to support that claim. It often involves vague language, nature-inspired imagery, or unverified buzzwords like “eco-friendly” or “sustainable”—used… Read More on greenwashing & gentle discernment
Few figures have left a lasting imprint on design and culture as William Morris (1834–1896). A pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris was not only a designer but also a poet, social reformer, and visionary who believed that beauty should be accessible to all. His life’s work championed craftsmanship, natural forms, and… Read More william morris: life, work, & the revival of his designs in today’s interiors
One wall painted with help, one still waiting. These images show the pace I’m working at—and the care I’m trying to hold. Painting the main wall with my daughter was difficult. The smell of paint, the texture, and the physical effort were uncomfortable for me—but having her there made it easier. It was a moment… Read More post two: decorating when it’s hard
Hamish Fulton, Night Life, 1993Screenprint from the portfolio Ten Toes Towards the RainbowGovernment Art Collection, UKhttps://artcollection.dcms.gov.uk/object/17729-1/ British artist Hamish Fulton (b. 1946) is often described as a “walking artist.” For more than five decades, he has devoted his practice to the act of walking—not simply as a means of moving through the world, but as… Read More hamish fulton: walking as art
Richter, Agnes. Handmade jacket embroidered with autobiographical text, 1895. Prinzhorn Collection, Heidelberg University Hospital, Inv. No. 743. Discussed in Rosner, Isabella. “I plunge headlong into disaster: Unstitching Agnes Richter’s Jacket.” The Polyphony, 2 September 2021. Sammlung Prinzhorn Internet Archive The Polyphony
Rachel Bakewell 