viva vignettes

What is the definition of a vignette? Well, loosely (and amongst other things) it is "a small decorative design or picture so placed" and we designers love them!

Creating a vignette is easy, gather a collection of objects, artefacts and bits and pieces that you love and start arranging them to form a small visual story.

A successful vignette will have a thread or theme that "ties" the story together. In the photo above there are several elements that make it really successful.

Subject - food elements/condiments/cookbooks/utensils

Colour - white, grey, flesh with harmonising purple & green

Shape - in this case curves; bird, egg, head (sorry Napoleon) onion, garlic, avocado, bowls

This vignette is all about harmony of colour. The flowers are country garden romantic, the artwork imagery is peace and butterflies, the candles allude to floral scent and femininity, all made cohesive by tone and pastel colour. Everything about the story emotes gentle and relaxed.

I created this one for my desk. I love boxes, succulents and old jars. There is an urban element to this story; spiky, raw, recycled. Its structured and uncluttered which helps me to stay focused ... and duck is just cool. He makes me smile.

Play with pattern juxtaposition as above, floral and animal print and accessorise with the predominant pattern colours, as in orange and green. What makes this arrangement so appealing is object scale. Oversized rose print and cages add a real wallop of colour.

(Just of the record - I think animal print goes with EVERYTHING!)

I've had Bull for years, I love his gorgeous geometric planes but he has spent most of his life in a cupboard ... until recently. With geometrics trending this year, he is finally in pride of place on the kitchen shelf with an oil study of three geometric trees and small placard about cats and home. Three items only that connect through shape and colour.

And finally, there are only two elements here books and a very large pear. Sadly no one really reads books anymore but they sure are great for styling. Pile them in subject matter, spine colour or size and pin them all down with something large and random.

Have FUN with it!