Per your request, I took a bunch of pictures of Makeshift Society today! It was incredibly easy to snap these because the space is filled with light and has plenty of great things to gaze upon. As of right now, I am only working here one day week. You can buy different levels of memberships so I went with the smallest one to test it out first. The test drive has successfully dragged me out of my home office and into foggy San Francisco. Before I made it to my computer, I had an awesome walk through Hayes Valley ( my legs needed a good stretch ), some Blue Bottle Coffee, and did a little bit of window shopping ( oops ).

Now Now, before I leave you to these pretty pictures, I wanted to chat a bit about what I think makes a working space superb! Keep in mind, I am a freelancer so my thoughts are based on the lifestyle that my job provides and requires. I’d love to hear about what’s important to you guys!?

01. Lighting –
Lighting is important to me for a couple reasons ( …and when I say lighting, I mean natural light coming in from big pretty windows ). Most importantly, it keeps your internal clock in check and your sanity in place. No one wants to be in a closed off room without a clue of what’s going on outside. It’s too easy to get sucked into your computer and not take a single break – I find that if the sun is shining into my space, I am more prone to stop and enjoy it. Breaks people! Take breaks. Also, it is a better set up for photos. I am about to reshoot my portfolio and will need a room FILLED with light. No matter what you’re photographing ( design projects, instagram, blog posts ), lots of natural light will only enhance those photos for the better.

02. Kitchen / Food –
This definitely goes back to taking breaks. Yes, they are crucial but I also get very anxious when I find myself wasting time during the day. A long & leisurely lunch break will definitely cause some stress ( contradicting? yes! but I can’t help it ) Don’t get me wrong, I’ll totally take a long lunch break now & then but NOT everyday. So it’s important that I have quick access to a kitchen or that I am close to a few good take-out places ( preferably in walking distance ).

03. People –
If I am in my own head for too long – I go nuts. I need to converse with fellow creatives – even if that is only for a few minutes here and there. A small amount of company is better than no company at all, eh!?? Having people around can mean a regular crew that you work with everyday or an always-changing group of randoms that keep you on your toes. Either way – it’s necessary and healthy to have this kind of company.

04. Inspiration –
If you’re going to be spending tons of time in a space, it needs to leave you feeling inspired – from overal decor to small details. This can be hard because not only are you having to invest money in renting the space but now you have to decorate it!?? I am not in a financial place right now to completely dive into something like this so I have to get creative. Whatever you end up doing, it will ultimately set the tone for your work so take it seriously but still have fun with it. Duh.

Here are my two favorite nooks in Makeshift. Above is the conference room ( the door is in between those bookshelves ) that is built out of untreated wood – leaving a nice raw feeling. This tiny wooden room provides a round table type scenario that is great for meetings and phone calls that require a bit of privacy. Below is a window seat complete with patterned pillows, blankets, and great people watching via the street!!

Check out Makeshift’s —> Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

p.s. This is the most I have written for a blog post, ever. What do you think? Too much? Should I go back to my one-liners!? ha. No No but seriously, I hope you enjoyed my ramblings.

I am a little bit late on this one but I am completely giddy about it so I had to share. This London presentation for Orla Kiely is just too much!! The models were set up in a mini makeshift office and typed away as viewers admired the looks. The 60′s inspired / Margot Tenenbaum vibe is right up any girls alley, am I right? ( well… maybe it’s not for everyone but I sure am feelin* it ) It’s femme silhouettes, cute collars, and oversized daisies are pure mod perfection.

This video put it over the edge for me. Getting to see it action was a dream come true. The music, the make-up, the hair… the cute little type-writers… Can you say Mad Men fantasies for days…!? ( I just got done watching it all the way through for the second time. So good ) If I were to pick out anything from this collection, it would be something from the 4 looks below.

—> presentation photos found here | styled images found here

Fav finds of the week.
I am constantly inspired to be BETTER.
Thank you fellow designers.

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

Lemons everywhereeee – all of the trees are covered in them! Is it bad that I pick one every now and again on my walk home? Sorry neighbors! I thought I woud pair my love for lemons this week with this semi-serif font, Banda. It’s simple yet memorable because of it’s small rounded details. I am only showing of Banda Regular here ( it’s the only weight that is free to download ) BUT, it has 7 weights total that are all equally as great. Head on over to Type Depot to see it in all its glory. -Emma

This week’s font : Banda
Number of styles : 14
Classification : Semi-Serif
Designers : Alexander Nedelev & Veronika Slavova
Get it here —> : Type Depot

Two things –

01. Since leaving LA, I haven’t had an office space to go to anymore. This has been problematic because I LOVED my office space. I also loved getting out of the house on the daily, which working from home doesn’t allow you to do much. So, in an attempt to get my bearings and explore the creative community within SF, I have signed up for a monthly membership with Makeshift Society. It’s a co-working space for creatives in the bay area and I must say – it’s super inspiring. The only problem is that I have to spend about an hour getting there. I walk to the train from my house, take it across the bay into the city, and then walk to the space. My new commute has inspired this round-up today because… you don’t realize how un-cute your travelling accessories are until you need them on a more regular basis. I basically ended up getting a larger backpack from H&M that could hold my computer, Wacom tablet, and other necessary work gadgets.

02. What’s with all the black you ask? I am slowly and surely coming to terms with my jumbled approach to color. I LOVE using color in design and am very very drawn to it in photography, fashion, makeup, food, anything really… but when it comes time to fill my closet and decorate my living space – it’s neutral neutral for days. I did recently invest in colorful pillows for my bed. Baby steps. Baby steps eh!?

01  |  02  |  03  |  04  |  05  |  06

Good Job Marc.
Nuff said :)

Happy Friday everyone. Excited for the weekend!?? ‘Cause I sure am. I have been doing such a better job (in the new year) at working LESS and taking time off. It was a goal of mine and I have to say… it’s been pretty easy to achieve. I rest more, eat more (and better), I ride my bike a ton (because they bay area is friggin’ gorgeous), the list of fun activities goes on…

Here are two pictures from this week that I thought I would share. The one of the car makes me so happy. Between its orange color and the pink house, my eyes love that little part of my street. The frames are a work in progress but I thought I would still show off the incomplete arrangement of things. First things first, O MY GOSH I am so bad at hanging stuff. It was a challenge to perfect the spacing but I did it (with a helping hand) and adore it. I am waiting on a few more things to go up and then it will be done. I’ll show the finished wall, promise.

Note: The “first draft” poster was made by me. I had a lot of people ask that on Instagram so I figured I’d clarify. That saying is a lesson that I experience over and over again within graphic design – as well as with everything else in life! It is SO TRUE and I think about it on a daily basis  |  The french cut-out canvas is by Jimmy Marble  |  The “Phases of the Moon” poster is by Kristen Marie  |  More to come!

There’s nothing like the beauty of each individual letterform. How often do we really stop and study each form? I was quickly inspired to do so when sharing this week’s Top-Notch Type, Gravitas One. Beautiful bold serifs always have the best letterforms with their varying weights and details! When you’re searching for fonts next time, look for those special characteristics that stand out! -Eva Black

This week’s font : Gravitas One
Number of styles : 1
Classification : Display Serif
Designer : Sorkin Type Co
Get it here —> : Font Squirrel

Introducing, Kathleen Shannon – I first met Kathleen at a design retreat in Palm Springs. A bunch of female designers gathered together to relax, learn, & grow. Right off the bat, she struck me as a uniquely strong individual who knew what was up!! I have been following her ever since and it turns out I was right, she’s pretty ON IT!

A little bit about her:
“Right now I’m focusing all of my creativity on building my business Braid Creative & Consulting with my sister, Tara, and our two employees. We help our clients, creative entrepreneurs, with branding and business visioning through our blog, one-on-one engagements, online ECourses, and soon we’ll be launching a series of in-person workshops. I’m also excited to start life coach training with Martha Beck for the next eight months so I can better help my clients with the work / life balance and challenges that come with working for yourself. And as always, I’m blogging about my own life and adventures with my husband over at Jeremy & Kathleen. Right now we’re planning a summer full of learning to surf and doing yoga on the beach.”

…and now her favorite piece & why:
“My Blockshop scarf hasn’t left my neck since I bought it for myself at Christmas time. It’s a piece that feels like an instant heirloom and one that I will cherish until the day I die. But my favorite piece is my Fiorentini + Baker boots. My husband bought these for me, a couple years ago, for my birthday. He simply set them in my closet to find amongst all my other favorite boots. It took me a whole week to notice them there!”

THANKS KATHLEEN!!!

Sometimes I like to challenge myself to find products within a very specific color palette. I was largely inspired by this J.Crew look tonight & would definitely say I succeeded. I’m feeling obnoxiously colorful after a gloomy day. P.S. Those yellow sandals are from the Kate Spade Saturday Collection that is on Fab.com right now. Want to own some Kate Spade at an affordable price? Go check it out!

01. Girl  |  02. Nails  |  03. Lips  |  04. Cashmere Cardigan  |  05. Sandals