Comments on: What Is An Original Idea?

By: Stacey Simpson

Stacey Simpson — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:17:25 +0000

In the UK we occasionally get collaborations between designers and retailers in some of the higher end stores, but I can never decide if the products that result from this are good value.

On the one hand they have the name associated with the design, but are they not just manufactured by the lowest bidder?

By: Dave Glass

Dave Glass — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:40:35 +0000

Original ideas are indeed difficult to come by. On the basis that an adapted idea, which is no doubt refreshing and interesting, it still cannot be discounted as a rejuvenated version of the old one. New ideas go through a completely new set of creative thinking process, and where certain elements and visuals may be reused, the feeling the audience receives upon viewership is one that is revolutionary.

By: Greg Smith

Greg Smith — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:40:33 +0000

MMM! interesting is there any such thing as “original” unless it is new technology. When it comes to fashion, interior or exterior design I must ponder. Not that there is an issue, but originality. hmm!

By: AbbeyK

AbbeyK — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:32:44 +0000

Not only is it creative idea, but also a major coup toi convincing the client it’s a great idea.

PS I have noticed that Grange is selling them too (avail in many many fifnishes) as is ELysee collection (not quite as nice as Grange)

When I saw yours in the mag, I thought– that’s the solution I have been seeking for my own home. TV stands seem to be such a huge challenge. I like that you came up w/a creative solution. RH should give you credit if indeed they saw it from you first.

By: Vicente

Vicente — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:06:20 +0000

Gary – your comments are always appreciated. As are those of everyone else – I so enjoy that this has become a platform for us all to share our thoughts.

By: Vicente

Vicente — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:03:45 +0000

Thank you for the kind comment (and words of support!). Perhaps Restoration Hardware will do the right thing? One can only hope…

By: Newell

Newell — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:14:46 +0000

Hey Vicente, Yes…you were definitely the first with the brilliant idea to use an artist’s easel for a TV stand. I have to admit that I took inspiration and rigged one for mystelf. BUT, I don’t see one (including mine) without remembering where the idea originated. Restoration Hardware should have—should—consult with you. Now, THAT would be briliant.

By: Kelly@TearingUpHouses

Kelly@TearingUpHouses — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:05:11 +0000

What’s that old philosophy?

Concepts without percepts are empty, percepts without concepts are blind.

I couldn’t agree with you more, by the way.

Kelly

By: Gary Nelling

Gary Nelling — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:28:18 +0000

Parker – I saw end tables used as coffee tables, but not dining-height ones until I saw them in Vicente’s work, and then elsewhere recently. But you seem better informed on this. Certainly clever adaptations of existing elements are part of his original ideas such as the picture ledge, leaning mirror and TV easel, which we now have seen copied. I suspect the same may happen with the ottoman-and-tray coffee table too. I enjoy the blog, have learned things from everyone and hope that my comments were interesting as well. My posts, like those of others, have included sincere comments, questions, and compliments, not just amens, brother. So now you are better informed about that. Gary

By: Bart

Bart — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:53:56 +0000

I remember seeing a photo of Willi Smith’s place with its gigantic leaning mirror when it was new & just published, and being struck by the wonderful effect it created, but I can hardly believe that that room was created twenty-eight years ago. On the other hand, a lot of other designers’ rooms of that era feel like period pieces now, and looking at some of them, you can’t believe that it’s ONLY been 28 years.

The easel, though, as soon as I opened whatever magazine it was that first showed that room, I said to a friend of mine “This is great, but they’ll be selling them at ——– in six months & act like this was all their idea.” She disagreed, so we bet dinner on it. As soon as I saw the knockoff featured on a blog a while back, I called her up & said “You owe me dinner!” but then she called a technical, saying it didn’t count because I had predicted the wrong retailer. But it’s the same thing. So last night, when I saw just the title of this post on somebody else’s blogroll, I knew immediately what you were referring to.

But here’s the irony: the easel, in itself–whether it’s your design or their knockoff–is nothing. It was your idea that counts & like Fred Astaire says, They can’t take that away from you. People who know design will recognize that it was your idea without being told, & the people who don’t know much–or care–about modern design probably wouldn’t recognize your name anyway.

Besides, in your room, that easel was just one handsome element of a well-designed ensemble. In the ordinary condo apartment where I recently saw the actual retail product squeezed in between a generic black leather sofa & an unused breakfast bar, it looked totally unremarkable. The easel didn’t raise the aesthetic level of the rest of the room; the rest of the furnishings dragged the easel down to their own level.

Yours is a great blog. One can have wonderful style & years of experience and still be a bad writer, but you’ve got the writing to match, and, especially, when you throw in your level of lay-it-all-on-the-table condour as well, it makes this blog completely unique.