Autumn Design Inspirations: October 2013

Emilie is always on the lookout for great design in L.A.  Interesting color in manmade or natural objects or an unusual texture may provide inspiration for a client brochure, logo or website design. And she needs no excuse to go shopping, either — all in the name of "design research." Concerts, art exhibitions, zoos, historic buildings and gardens are favorite places to visit. The many varieties of plants and flowers feature great natural color combinations, especially during autumn.

Our studio has a fantastic library of digital typefaces, and it's fun to review them once in a while. Like all designers, we have our favorites: Gill Sans, Huxley, Univers, Futura, Garamond 3, Perpetua, Michelangelo, Shelley Allegro, Poetica... Yes, these are mostly tried and true classics, but we also use a '50s-inspired type called "Mr. Sparkly" once in awhile, or an obscure European type or ornament.

Web Projects
Clients benefit from our comprehensive type collection and knowledge of letterforms. We always specify the bulk of a site's text as "web-safe" for the best search engine optimization (SEO) and solid Google rankings (plus compatibility with Mac, PC, various browsers and mobile devices). For instance, we'll set body copy in web-safe Helvetica, Palatino or Verdana, then choose something "finer" such as Rotis or Adobe Caslon Italic for headlines and pull quotes. This presents a unique look and coordinates with print materials, which we've also created.

Good page composition, beautiful letterforms and smart navigation make our designs engaging and dynamic, online and in print.

Contact Emilie for help with your company or organization's creative projects: websites, identities, marketing collateral: studio@emiliepallosdesign.com.

Good design is good business.

Here are some of our inspirations this month —

Huxley — one of our all-time favorite typefaces. Designed in the 1930s and just as cool (and modern) today!

Historic 1927 Train Depot: Glendale, California

French dressing at Macy's (formerly Bullock's) department store on Lake Avenue
Pasadena, California

Is there anything more beautiful than the flagstone facade of Bullock's Pasadena?
This classic store was built in 1947 and designed by architect Welton Becket.
Total design, inside and out. And still gorgeous!

Color-coded spools of thread add an inspired design motif
on the wall of our favorite dry cleaner/tailor shop

Hollywood Bowl outlook with downtown L.A. skyline in the distance:
The gorgeous sparkly lights of Tinseltown.