The Hidden Design of Everyday Objects

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<v Voice Over>This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design.

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<v Voice Over>Curator of interiors, furnishings and lifestyles.

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<v Voice Over>Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, an interior designer and a style enthusiast, along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott, idesign Lab is your ultimate design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and its constant evolution in style and trends.

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<v Voice Over>Idesign Lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life, through advice from trendsetters, designers, influencers, innovators, fabricators and manufacturers, as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite.

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<v Voice Over>And join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things design.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>On today's iDesignLab tidbit, we're going to kind of discuss some of the quirky everyday objects and how they have their design or why they have their certain design Hidden design.

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<v Scott Woolley>I call it.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, hidden design.

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<v Scott Woolley>There's so much in life that we come across and we're using and seeing, and don't even take it for granted, the design that's behind it, the things that we use A spoon, this design that's in a spoon.

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<v Scott Woolley>I mean, most people don't realize and think about the fact that the design that's been put into making and creating a spoon, just a cell phone that we're carrying, using nonstop.

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<v Scott Woolley>There's so much design and let's just forget about what's inside the phone.

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<v Scott Woolley>But why are the edges?

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<v Tiffany Woolley>rounded.

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<v Scott Woolley>Why are the corners and so forth rounded?

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<v Scott Woolley>There's reasons.

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<v Scott Woolley>The reason why is that if it was straight, it would be sharp.

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<v Scott Woolley>Rounded is not sharp Rounded also would.

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<v Scott Woolley>If you drop it, it's going to break quicker.

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<v Scott Woolley>Rounded helps from a design standpoint Soften the blow.

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<v Scott Woolley>That's correct.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, I know, I don't think people realize where design hits us every single day and all the different facets, and sometimes these design characteristics are somewhat flaws that are actually positives, correct.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>You know, I think one of the ones that most people always hear about, or I know kids talk about, is like the ketchup bottle, the Heinz 57.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean, it was some sort of a flaw that that little 57.

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<v Scott Woolley>No, the flaw is that the way in which the ketchup was made and the consistency made it very difficult to pour out of the bottle.

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<v Scott Woolley>But Heinz realized that where the 57 is, if you tap on the bottle, where the 57 is on the a little bit quicker and smoother and just all these crazy little things.

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<v Scott Woolley>Think of a toothbrush, the design behind a toothbrush and how many different types of toothbrushes there are.

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<v Scott Woolley>I know the angled and the iDesign Lab podcast, this podcast that we do that twice a week.

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<v Scott Woolley>We're talking about design in some manner or form and how it's shaping people's careers, their lives, what people are doing for a living in the design, in relationship to it interior design in homes, I mean the design of cars and so forth but there's so much that we just take, you know, we don't think about.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know what's the design of circuit boards for a computer?

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<v Scott Woolley>I mean sewing patterns, how clothing is sewn and the patterns that are used, and those patterns actually create detail, you know, and some of these things are a lack of.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>You're not trying to create a detail, but those details become inherent because of.

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<v Scott Woolley>Right, but then there's also what I call the invisible design.

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<v Scott Woolley>I mean how we're managing our households, how we're planning a meal it's designed, or in the manner of how we do it logistics.

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<v Scott Woolley>Logistics in every aspect of life getting on a plane, the flights, the times for a plane design trains I mean itinerary as a emotional support for others.

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<v Scott Woolley>You're designing how you're going to emotionally support someone or approach a conversation.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean all of these things.

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<v Scott Woolley>Meeting notes are basically another form of design that I call and look at as invisible design, because we don't think about that as design.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, mentoring someone is another form of design you know which is another invisible design.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know organizing, you know ourselves and our life Strategically.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Strategy is a design.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, one of the things that, in this particular podcast, we'd love to hear from people If they could engage us and tell us what are some of the invisible designs that they can think about.

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<v Scott Woolley>Or what are some of the designs that are out there that we don't think about.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, send us through our Instagram or send us right through this podcast.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, we fly back.

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<v Scott Woolley>We'd love to hear you know what some of the thoughts are out there pertaining to this podcast and design.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, like did anybody know that on top of a soda can the little tab has that hole Correct?

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<v Tiffany Woolley>And you're supposed to pivot it and it's supposed to hold your straw.

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<v Scott Woolley>That's the way the can was designed Right.

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<v Scott Woolley>Same with a milk carton.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know I actually think a milk carton's pretty genius.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Right Same with the milk cotton.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know I actually think a milk carton's pretty genius.

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<v Scott Woolley>Right.

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<v Scott Woolley>Well, the original milk carton was basically called the Gable Carton, which basically was kind of like a little pyramid where you opened it up and gave you a beautiful little pouring spout.

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<v Scott Woolley>Tremendous amount of design that was put into.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>that Kind of reminds me of the construction of a house too.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>It kind of.

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<v Scott Woolley>Right, but we take it for granted, we don't think about these things because the things that we're touching, using, feeling, helping us every day of our life.

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<v Scott Woolley>But it all comes down to design.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>And when we focus on the design, it gives all of these little things a little bit more meaning.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>You know in the history of how it evolved to its current place.

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<v Scott Woolley>I'll give you a few more.

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<v Scott Woolley>A ballpoint pen Tremendous and incredible design.

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<v Scott Woolley>The cap on most pens have a hole on the top of it, like on a Bic pen.

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<v Scott Woolley>So when you take that cap and a lot of people put it in their mouth and chew on it, do you know why there's a hole in that cap?

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<v Scott Woolley>It's because if you accidentally swallow it, it will help you to continue to breathe.

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<v Scott Woolley>Yeah, that's crazy.

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<v Scott Woolley>And so what about a PEZ dispenser?

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<v Scott Woolley>Every kid remembers PEZs.

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<v Scott Woolley>I think we've got a lot of those still around.

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<v Scott Woolley>But there's a fun, crazy little design that was put into just a PEZ dispenser.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know it's actually a complicated little device Contraction and now they made it Correct.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Complicated little device Contraction and how they made it correct.

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<v Scott Woolley>But here's another one that's so important.

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<v Scott Woolley>That's basically saved lives was the swinging of a hospital door.

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<v Scott Woolley>The swinging hospital door became the first place that we saw doors that basically swung in and out, very much like there was in a saloon.

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<v Scott Woolley>But in a hospital it became very important to be able to push people in and out of a room very, very quickly, so that design became extremely important for the operation of hospitals.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I totally understand that.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>And how about the ridges on coins?

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<v Scott Woolley>It's just so funny that the government I guess isn't shocking decided to put ridges around the coin, because originally coins were precious metal and they did that to make sure that if people scraped off a little bit of the coin, Each coin each time, they would start to like gain wealth.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Correct, I'm kidding.

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<v Scott Woolley>Well, another aspect in design that we don't most people don't realize is in the early 1900s, when cars came into play.

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<v Scott Woolley>A stop sign today is red.

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<v Scott Woolley>We all think of stop as red, but originally a stop sign was yellow and the reason why a stop sign was yellow was because they couldn't design the sign because the red material or red paint didn't last.

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<v Scott Woolley>Yellow paint lasted long on a sign in the elements outdoor.

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<v Scott Woolley>It wasn't until the 1950s that they were able to design paint that would last on a sign as where it then changed over.

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<v Scott Woolley>But even from a standpoint of design, you know, in my travels years ago being in the Netherlands, I think of two things that I always remember were very unique in design.

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<v Scott Woolley>Here in the United States highways have white and yellow lines.

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<v Scott Woolley>In the Netherlands it glows in the dark.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>That's so funny, so you?

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<v Scott Woolley>think at night you really see the lines.

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<v Scott Woolley>You're not really using the lights of the car, but the blackness of the night basically helps shine the lights.

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<v Scott Woolley>The other thing that was really interestingly designed in the Netherlands is garbage.

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<v Scott Woolley>In the Netherlands garbage goes underground.

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<v Scott Woolley>So your garbage you have like a garbage chute.

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<v Scott Woolley>They designed it so the garbage would go down underneath and the garbage would be collected from underneath.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So is there like a tunnel system underneath.

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<v Scott Woolley>It's like a tunnel system, Like in New York City, there's the subway.

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<v Scott Woolley>The subways run parallel in most cases with all the New York City streets.

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<v Scott Woolley>Garbage could have been designed in New York that the garbage went and didn't sit out on the street.

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<v Scott Woolley>So you know, there's so many aspects.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, but I had the opportunity many years ago to sit with Steve Jobs on a television show that I had done and talking about design.

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<v Scott Woolley>Steve Jobs, talked about.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>He's a genius at the simplicity of design.

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<v Scott Woolley>Really Correct, but Steve Jobs wasn't about the design, which he was brilliant about the design of the product and the packaging and how it looked and how it felt but also, which was more important, was the design and how it worked.

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<v Scott Woolley>So it's those different aspects of the design that are so important.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know, and even like the famed Tiffany box, I feel like, or Tiffany blue, I mean, that was such a.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I feel like that is as synonymous with their jewelry or certain pieces and probably just as important.

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<v Scott Woolley>You know, just that color and that box have become so iconic box have become so iconic, right, but we're talking about items and things in our everyday life that you never really think about the design pertaining to it.

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<v Scott Woolley>I mean another item that we all hopefully use it once a day at least toilet paper.

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<v Scott Woolley>Why was toilet paper made the way toilet paper was?

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<v Scott Woolley>Why does toilet paper?

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<v Scott Woolley>Why was toilet paper made the way toilet paper was?

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<v Scott Woolley>Why does toilet paper have little indents and cuts in it to to pull it apart?

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<v Scott Woolley>One of the reasons for those little cuts keeps and holds the toilet paper from rolling out so crazy of the roll those little perforations that make it easy to pull each piece apart, just like with paper towels.

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<v Scott Woolley>Those little perforations that make it easy to pull each piece apart, just like with paper towels.

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<v Scott Woolley>Those little perforations also help keep the roll together from a design standpoint.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know that's super funny.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Another big part of design is ergonomic design you know, which is a big part of the way something functions and why and how it relates to the body.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So even like scissors, you know scissors that have a better ergonomic design is going to be more comfortable in your hand.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Same thing with a chair.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>An ergonomic chair is definitely going to support your back.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>It it has a function to the design.

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<v Scott Woolley>Right, but there's so many different things.

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<v Scott Woolley>Starbucks we all know Starbucks for creating great coffee and starting basically a trend in a whole category of retail business and how we you know in our morning getting our morning coffee or afternoon coffee.

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<v Scott Woolley>But a lot of people don't think about was they actually changed the design of cups?

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<v Scott Woolley>Cups were pretty much just like we all have at home.

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<v Scott Woolley>They were cylinders.

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<v Scott Woolley>They made it in a shape so it would go in a cup holder.

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<v Scott Woolley>It wouldn't fall through the cup holder, which basically became then the cup that was used in sporting events where in theaters, with cup holders.

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<v Scott Woolley>So it was the change in design of a cup to make our life a little bit easier.

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<v Scott Woolley>But we take it for granted, we don't think about it.

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<v Scott Woolley>It's an invisible design that's affected our lives in many ways.

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<v Scott Woolley>Another one is just the keyboard.

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<v Scott Woolley>The keyboard for a computer basically emulated the keyboard for a typewriter.

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<v Scott Woolley>The keyboard for a typewriter was designed in such a way because you wonder why are the alphabet positioned all over the place?

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<v Scott Woolley>Why wasn't it just positioned?

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<v Scott Woolley>a little bit easier A, b, c, d, so it would be quicker to find it's so true.

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<v Scott Woolley>But when it was designed and created, they created it and designed it because they realized that the keyboard someone who could type very quickly if they typed too quick, it bogged down the typewriter.

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<v Scott Woolley>So the keyboard was designed in such a way in a strategy, in a design that would slow down the amount of how you click that typewriter so quickly, so it wouldn't jam.

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<v Scott Woolley>And then that followed suit into the computer age.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I love that.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So it's a fun tidbit today to get everybody's mind thinking of the many ways design affects our lives and hopefully we can be a little interactive.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So we do want to hear back from you.

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<v Scott Woolley>We'd love to hear from anyone Tell us different other designs they're hidden designs.

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<v Scott Woolley>Scissors is there's?

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<v Scott Woolley>We've all picked up a pair of scissors, where one scissors so easy to cut with and the next one might be.

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<v Scott Woolley>This is a little bit.

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<v Scott Woolley>It's all about ergonomics, the design of ergonomics, and how it we hold it and how it feels and how comfortable it is and how easy it is.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, the support.

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<v Scott Woolley>Correct, yeah, so that's all a little kind of what Tiffany calls our tidbit for this particular podcast.

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<v Scott Woolley>We look forward for you guys to listen to us on the next one.

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<v Voice Over>And answer back.

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<v Voice Over>Idesign Labs Podcast is an SW Group production in association with the Five Star and TW Interiors.

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<v Voice Over>No-transcript.