Design on Film – Lost in Translation

Last night I decided to take a midweek break and relax with Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. It wasn’t the first time I had seen it but was the first time I noticed the amazing interior design, most noticeably in Bob Harris’ (Bill Murray) Park Hyatt Hotel room.

I can’t imagine any Tokyo interior style but the ultra-sleek and modern, which was executed marvelously in Bob’s hotel room. Our local surroundings have an obvious effect on how we decide to design and I loved how the cityscape visible through the window popped out from the rest of the room almost like a painting. You can see the immense, bustling city, which is a wonder in and of itself, and the more delicate and quiet room that it inspired in the same field of view. It’s like listening to a piece of music and knowing exactly what the musician was thinking when he or she wrote the song.

I feel quite differently about the bar and lounge area where Bob and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) meet for drinks. In that room I was struck by the contrast between the cold looking city and the warm, welcoming bar. The deep colors and velvety textures do a lot to warm up the room, and I think the candles placed under the opaque shades add a nice finishing touch.

The design themes presented in these pictures showcase the different ways interior designers can play off the contrast between indoor and outdoor environments. The first room focuses on modern style and the second exudes a more familiar classic approach.

Want to share your favorite design on film? Give it a try over at the RealTalkDesign.com forum.

Hot or Not – Taxidermy

Interior design can communicate feelings and emotions that are hard to explain with mere words. This is a quality I think modern politicians should take advantage of. However, while pursuing this thought process I became helplessly stuck. I thought, “What aspect of interior design could possibly transcend the social and economic boundaries needed to unite voters under a single leader?”

It hit me so suddenly I felt like a deer running across the highway

Taxidermy!

No one would look away from the television while Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union with the head of a Liger mounted on the wall behind him, and thinking about John McCain running his campaign with two majestic grizzly bears posing at his side gives me the chills.

The power of taxidermy was recently exhibited in Dubai, when Pakistani Artist Huma Mulji unveiled her display, “Arabian Delight,” at this year’s Art Dubai festival. The piece was inspired by the smuggling of contraband items through personal luggage and featured a stuffed camel squashed tightly into a suitcase. The piece stood out at the exhibition, and after the first night the display was removed because it portrayed a sacred animal in Indian culture in an offensive way.

Luckily, America’s most valued animals gain their stature by being the tastiest, so I think it’s safe to say that the majority of American’s would have no problem with steer heads mounted in the oval office above McCain’s desk.

If McCain begins a full taxidermy campaign, Obama will have no choice but to counter with an equally powerful strategy. Perhaps he could take Katy McColl’s advice and begin working with New Jersey road kill, which state officials have recently decided to stop collecting off the road. I’m not implying that Obama should don a fluorescent orange vest and scrape deer off the highway… but it couldn’t hurt.

The full power and influence of interior design has yet to be tapped in the realm of politics. I don’t know who will be the next President of the United States, but I do believe that a strong campaign focused on interior design, and specifically taxidermy, could decide Democracy’s next leader. Spread the word America, the future is staring you in the face.

Real Talk Design Verdict

Taxidermy is hot. Get it stuffed or get out.

Trying to decide what dead animal looks best next to your latest Minjun piece? Discuss at the RealTalkDesign.com forum.

Alt Design – Interior Hair

This is the first post in our weekly Alt Design series, where we find alternative interior design uses for common designer products and random objects.

Decorating walls should be fun and relaxing, but sometimes the pressure of putting together the perfect room can be overwhelming. Bedazzling bare walls should never feel like a chore, so don’t pull your hair out wondering which paint shade goes better with your Christian Bale poster collection. C’mon now, he goes with everything.

Regardless of Christian Bale’s ability to look good with everything (when he’s not assaulting family members), you can use that extra hair you pull out during panic attacks to solve your wall decoration woes.

First, gather some of your detached hair and bundle it like a phantom pony tail. (NOTE: Make sure to choose a visually pleasing elastic or twine!) Get a shadow box picture frame from your local arts and crafts store and hammer a nail in the top-center of the backboard. Now drape the hair over the nail in any style you prefer.

Voila! This looks great alone, but if it doesn’t quite match the aesthetic of your room try surrounding it with a few related objects that bring it all together.

Does framing a lock of your own hair seem a little too weird? Give it to your significant other! Giving a lock of hair remains a timeless symbol of romance and devotion. He or she will admire your creativity.

Still single? Take it out of the frame and hang it above your bed like a dream catcher. No one messes with dreaming dozers who sleep with their own hair hanging over their heads. Trust me.

Does the thought of human hair as an interior design medium gross you out? Share your disgust at the RealTalkDesign.com forum

Real Talk Design Community Muxtape

Check out the new Real Talk Design Muxtape! Now everyone can enjoy some theme music while browsing the RealTalkDesign.com forum.

This will be a community project, so forum members can vote on songs they want included in the forum playlist.

Real Talk Design is Live

Welcome to the official Real Talk Design Blog. The Real Talk Design forum is finally live and picking up users. Head on over and check it out. This blog will soon be reporting all the news that matters from the interior design world. Stay tuned.