home

: one's place of residence : DOMICILE

: HOUSE

: the social unit formed by a family living together

: a familiar or usual setting; congenial environment

: a place of origin

: relaxed and comfortable; at ease

: to a final, closed, or ultimate position

: to a vital sensitive core

: prepared, done, or designed for use in a home

: operating or occurring in an area that is a headquarters or base of operations

ILLUSTRATION

The project’s illustration is simple but took a few paths to get there.

When I first searched for “home” to find inspiration, I came across photography and iconography showing single family homes. That representation doesn’t resonate with me. I’ve don’t think I’ve ever lived in a single family home except for when I stayed my aunt so I could finish high school. Growing up mostly in apartment complexes, I also spent nights with my family in shelters and cars. Post-college, I’ve rented apartments in New York and Philly though my fiancé and I flirt with the idea of buying a house.

The phrase “home sweet home” made me think of cross stitching. I thought this could be a good representation because the activity can be both an act of comfort and resistance. Activists have used quilts, yarn, needle and thread to communicate social and political messages. A day doesn’t go by without a hate crime or racist murder; not everyone who lives in the US has the privilege to feel at home.

Ultimately, I chose a welcome mat because it suggests home as an invitation to enter a personal threshold. The mat welcomes you and doesn’t ask where you’ve been or why your shoes are so dirty. Welcome mats reflect the personalities of their owners much like homes themselves. Some are practical and boring. Others have a sense of humor. All serve the same purpose: to let you know that you’re safe and you are where you need to be. 

INSPIRATION

With only a week available for this sprint after the last project’s extended week, I wanted to choose habit as my word because I’ve done research on the topic. My partner encouraged me to take on home instead.

I still thought I could take a shortcut with the topic. Perhaps I could do household chores? Or maybe I could buy outstanding housewares? Or could I finally finish the homepage of Alpha Projects? Of course, that would violate the spirt of the project so I reflected and researched. 

I never had one place to call home for very long. Moving a lot, with a birthday in September, meant “birthdays was the worst days” on a number of levels. I bought houseplants at the top of pandemic to keep myself grounded and realized how pricey they can be. I can see why my family didn’t have them.

I can be nostalgic when I go back to Utah to see my sister and other family. I got my driver’s license despite not having a car. I have fond memories of downtown malls, the library, and fast food places. The Mormon influence on life there is undeniable and yet I did my fair share of countercultural teenage activities like dancing at clubs  and watching controversial indie films.

New York has been home for as long as I’ve lived here. A city can be liberating because you can reinvent yourself and find what makes you feel at home. If I left the city with my fiancé, I know I’d hear the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros chorus in my head. A home isn’t just where you are, but who you are and who you need to be with. 

The nature of our homes have changed considerably during COVID. My kitchen table transformed into my office. Apple Fitness became our gym. Happy hour was just a Zoom or FaceTime way. I met more people from around the world from the comfort of my couch. Our Brooklyn apartment makes life a lot easier to do these activities so I’m grateful COVID didn’t hit while living in any of my tiny Manhattan spots.

As I moved from reflection to research, I found myself drawn to art. While homes may house artwork, I was curious to know how artists interpreted the non-physical dimensions of home. I’ll include many of those links in my newsletter. 

CREATION

I eventually had ideas for the project’s output, including things we could use at home. A subversive cross-stitched design would go well in the hallway or bathroom. A fun welcome mat could be both practical and joyful. Wall art would use the acrylic and watercolor paints I aspirationally bought a month ago.

Fully vaccinated and embracing warmer weather, I have travel on my mind. I’m also thinking about hosting friends over for dinner. These two thoughts merged into a concept of “Postcards from Home” where I could send postcards as invitations. 

I decided to see if anyone had done a project like this. There were a couple of projects or products where designers playfully made domestic locales adventurous by way of vintage design.

Vintage style postcards, five total, with the following home locations: living room, garden, porch, kitchen, home

I was nearly deterred but designed postcards of my own. Rather than showcase places within the home, these postcards reflect states of comfort, love, and acceptance from home. I used photos from Unsplash and designed these in Figma to complete the project quickly. If I were to further develop the project, I would do illustrations.

Postcard: Greetings from...COMFORT. Home is where we can just be.

Postcard: Greetings from...LOVE. Home is wherever I'm with you.

I keep being drawn to projects that are analog so I decided to test print the LOVE postcard through Redbubble. I’ve never used Redbubble before so we’ll see how it goes!

REFLECTION

I wonder how one more week would have changed the final project. I noticed I didn’t do much brainstorming and wonder what possible projects could have emerged. 

CONNECTION(S)

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