Rainbows, Squiggles, and Expensive Chairs
And a question about the future
Hello again, happy June 👋
Aside from the existential horrors of AI learning to talk, here are the cool things I’ve found in the world of designual-technidoos this month. Yep, that’s the technical term.
Google admits everything's boring
Google decided to answer the “Why are phones so boring to use now?” question with Material 3 Expressive, announced at their IO conference last month.
Through 46 research studies with over 18,000 people, Google discovered that personality and ✨fun✨ in interfaces isn't just prettier — it's better. When design has character, like email apps with chunky "Send" buttons or funky typography on an alarm clock, users get to actions faster (and I’m going to guess they have more fun along the way, too).
With Apple also set to announce major UI changes at WWDC in a few days, there’s hope yet for not-boring software.
Eames Dreams 🪑
Illustrator Gabe Schneider created these gorgeous illustrations of iconic mid-century chairs, and they work brilliantly as a series.
Endlessly iterated and obsessed over, chairs feel like the ultimate ‘design object’, and proof that interior design obviously peaked at mid-century modern 🧐
1960s book covers 📘
Book designer Daniel Benneworth-Gray introduced me to the work of Tony Palladino. There's something magical about how these restrained 1960s covers remain so striking; that single lit window on a dark skyscraper tells the entire story.
You can explore more of Palladino’s work in the New York School of Visual Arts archive.
Design rules that work every time 📐
Anthony Hobday created a list of design rules that work every time. Rules like "avoid pure black and pure white" and "make buttons wider than they are tall" reassuringly describe things I do habitually during my workday.
This implies the dangerous possibility that I might be doing this whole design thing correctly. If indeed there’s a right way to design.
Gay Sheep! 🌈
I was unaware that roughly 1 in 12 sheep are gay, and these rams are typically slaughtered because they can't breed. Rainbow Wool buys them instead, using their annual wool shearing to create patches and shoelaces.
The branding by Hey Studio is brilliantly straightforward, with rounded semicircles that feel soft and approachable, and a rainbow palette that’s unashamedly joyful. Happy June! 🌈
That’s all for this month
Thanks for reading, and I hope you found something interesting in the mix.
I'm curious — would you prefer The Shell-Out to arrive on a set date each month, or are you happy with the current "sometime in the month when I've got cool stuff to share" approach?
As always, get in touch if you spot anything snazzy that I should know about.
Tom 🐢
