Design on the Big Screen: Twilight's Breaking Dawn

When I grow up, I'd like to be a set designer, art director or costume designer for film (or chief editor of a lifestyle mag). If you look beyond the bright lights, you see in their work the magical intersection of fashion, history, dialogue, and, of course, art. The latest movie sets and wardrobe on my mind were crafted for Breaking Dawn by Lorin Flemming (art direction), David Schlesinger (set design) and Michael Wilkinson (costume design). The wedding scene is like an Impressionist painting of, well, dawn breaking through a cloud-filled sky thanks to a palette of violet, gray, blush and beige against an ethereal canopy of blossoms. The honeymoon wardrobe conveys a sense of union between the newlyweds in beachy whites, khakis and blue-grays. The beach house is decked in rich and sensually exotic hues with accents reminiscent of the 1920s, the decade the heads of the Cullen family were married. I'm excited about seeing the rest of the canvas in November!

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Breaking Dawn movie wedding stills via yahoomovies; Bella & Edward honeymoon stills by Andrew Cooper/Summit Entertainment

For the Love of Books

What was my first love? Books. I was a 3 year-old wishing someone would teach me to read already. It was a pop-up book about the seasons. I fell hard and am still giddy over the stories, the ideas, the images, the characters, and the cover art.

Penguin has been publishing many classics in beautifully designed, cloth-bound hardcovers. Once I discovered this edition, I wasted no time starting a collection of my favorites: Pride & Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, Little Women, Jane Eyre, A Christmas Carol, Tess of the d'Ubervilles.

Then I discovered the Rolls Royce of books: Penguin Threads Deluxe Classics. Penguin commissioned illustrator Jillian Tamaki to design and hand-embroider covers for The Secret Garden, Emma, and Black Beauty. A few years ago, we sold limited-edition journals covered in vintage embroidered handkerchiefs. These Deluxe Classics tower over our little journals. The detail is just astounding. Look at the rich tones, nuanced shading, the texture, and 3D-like effects. The work continues on the back covers! How did Jillian not go blind on this project? Consider me first in line at the door of the Jillian Tamaki fan club.

O t h e r  E m b r o i d e r y  P r o j e c t s

This Monster Quilt was Jillian's first embroidery project, which she completed 5 months before embarking on the Penguin commission. That isn't right. I can barely sew on a button. Well, I can, but the utter boredom prevents me from doing so. I prefer to attempt minor-league embroidery, such as the gift  I crafted for a friend who loves ice skating and hedgehogs. (see etsy artist's pattern last image below)

images of Jillian's work are ©Jillian Tamaki

Nicole Vos Van Avezathe

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Today's Inspiration

The name of this bed should be "speechless", because that is the reaction it elicits. Solid wood is laser-cut and crafted with dove-tail joints. Modern fairytale woodland bed, indeed. Time is precious, as are resources, so the tag matches the work. At $14,000, maybe we'll call it "the dreamland bed". It's like a dreamcatcher. How could you not dream of stone cottages, apple trees and furry fawn with this bed? I suppose you would have to keep the wolves, bears and ants out of your slumber... Thanks to designer Tiina Attila of Finland for her inspiring work.