Press Releases
View All Press Releases| Yukari Sweeney Design | 05 Sep 2011 |
Yukari Sweeney Design in 2011
This year at Yukari Sweeney Design, we have decided to look at the things that have influenced us the most both as a surface design company and as people. Our aims as a company are to always remember our Japanese heritage within our designs and ethic. This is where our new concept of 'Slow Life' comes in. Our inspiration comes from age-old Japanese practices like the spiritual events of the ‘Way of Tea’ ceremonies, or ‘Cha No Yu’, and the intricate woodcutting process that creates the stunning traditional screen prints of ‘Karakami’. These are both arts that require patience and the methodical learning of skills handed down from many generations. At Yukari Sweeney Design we want to learn from the people who devote so much to make their interests and professions the highest level they can.
Sometimes in life we can put far too much importance on getting things done as quickly as possible without really paying attention to it all. Perhaps we have lost focus on the things and the people that we really love to spend life with. These days, culture is geared around moving and evolving so quickly that we can't even keep track of what is happening- fast food, fast fashion and fast transport all make us rush into the newest trend so rapidly that we can't even think about stopping and enjoying what we have right now. We really want to take the time to think about the amount of effort, skill and patience it takes to create something that will last much longer than the ever-changing trends surrounding us. We have learned from an age-old Japanese tradition that places great care upon craftsmanship, and found a modern alternative first founded over 100 years ago in Europe that cares greatly about taking time to preserve the importance that an eye for detail has on good design.
If you want design that goes somewhere as personal as your own home it should, in our opinion, connect to you in a special way and be something that has love put into it. By putting more care in our processes of design, for example hand finishing wallpaper panels with delicate silver leaf or printing on a bespoke made fabric, we can bring this 'Slow Life' to you in a special way that does not compromise the life that you have as a busy individual.
We believe greatly that happiness stems from the details within life. Our ethic is that even the smallest things can be made into something beautiful when merged with good craftsmanship and design. This year, we will be producing home wares in the form of mugs, cups and plates to highlight the importance of sharing time with family and friends. When something has a special attachment to it, be it simply a favourite design on a plate or mug, you can savour the moment even more. Using a cute furoshiki instead of wrapping paper for a gift, or a nice tote bag instead of a carrier when you are shopping adds a little pleasure to the things that we do like clockwork every day. At Yukari Sweeney Design we believe even small things, such as going to the greengrocers or having a cup of coffee, can be made into something a little bit more enjoyable by having something that is special with you. That is ‘Slow Life’- taking a moment to appreciate even the smallest pleasures.
We like to keep an eye on the past whilst moving forward. Our standard wallpaper designs are a fun twist on iconic Western and European scenery, such as hunting horses, manor houses and even ‘wild West’ scenes of cowboys and steer. As well as our artwork being featured on our wallpaper, lampshades, home accessories and bespoke fabrics, we have now begun to move our sights onto furniture and home ware. Our new projects this year have involved us restoring upcycled mid-century furniture by household names Ernest Race and Ercol via collaborations with the mid-century furniture enthusiasts and interior consultants Firefly House. This work has made possible the evolution of our bespoke fabric making service, which is available with all of our designs.
Following the Japanese earthquake that hit Northern Japan in March of this year, we have created a special collection entitled ‘Wish We Were There’. This collection is emblematic of our charity work towards helping those struck by the disaster, and is an ongoing project generously supported by Garrendenny Lane Interiors. The collection includes hand made tote bags and special edition furoshiki and continues to grow as we move forward as a company. We have ensured that 100% of all profit made by products in this collection go towards relief efforts in Japan. Our ever popular Sammy the Sausage Dog stuffed animals continue to put forward a percentage of profit towards local animal charities, as well as providing much love and happiness to those who have given them a home!
For more information, or to contact us, please call, email or visit us on our website and blog listed below. We hope to continue bringing happiness into lives all year round.
tel: 07734728153
twitter: @ysdlondon
email: info@yukarisweeneydesign.com
web: http://www.yukarisweeney-design.com
blog: http://www. yukarisweeneydesign.blogspot.com
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