Charles Eames Got It Right

Charles and Ray Eames are famous for their ground-breaking furniture design, particularly the classic Eames chair. One of the hallmarks of good design is that it have timeless artistry, remaining fresh and relevant for decades. The Eames husband and wife team designed this iconic chair in 1956 and it is just as admired today as it was then.

As a creative professional, I work hard to try to create work that will stand the test of time. This requires an attention to technique and craftsmanship as well as well as to beauty. There is no place in design for sloppy execution.

I recently came across a quote from Charles Eames that speaks to this: “The details are not the details, they make the design.” This resonated with me because it reminded me of what a client said years ago.

“Why do you fuss so much about getting everything exactly straight, square and sized? No one notices that stuff.”

That didn’t sound right at the time, and I had to think about why. My a-ha moment was when I realized that people DO notice those details – they just don’t notice them consciously.

So when a design is not lined up correctly, or a photo is slightly out of focus, or a color doesn’t quite match, people notice these things unconsciously and it makes them uncomfortable. But because they don’t understand the source of the discomfort, they ascribe their negative feelings to the subject of the design, thereby assuming there must be something wrong with the product or service the work represents.

Since creative services are all about serving client goals, that is a no-go for any designer of integrity. So I have continued to “fuss” and I believe I am able to deliver much better value because of that.

When you need to evaluate the work of a designer or other creative, pay attention to the level of care and craftsmanship shown in the work: the details. Many otherwise great ideas have failed due to poor execution. And if you want to evaluate my work, please visit here or here.