Research: The Flintstones Furniture
So far, it has been hard to find individual product designers that connect their furniture to that era.
Therefore, I decided to take a closer look at the furniture on the TV show in my previous blog post. After looking at the characters of the show, I decided to google the specific products and furniture they have in their house in the show.
Looking at their house at first, it is very asymmetrical. This is an ongoing theme as they did not have any specialised tools to help them sculpt everything out, everything was done by hand. Both previous two terms included products and furniture that are symmetrical with geometric patterns. I wanted to switch it up this term and create something asymmetrical, something that looks 'imperfect' and uneven.
In their house, the circle shape dominates the most as it is seen in the general shape of the building, but also in windows, doors etc.
In the picture, it is evident that the house is isolated in nature. I can complete further research on nature to see if I can draw inspiration from that too.
Additionally, the roof of the house is sloped. I can use this element in my own designs to create the uneven illusion.
The house is made out of rock. I can definitely consider rock as a material. However, I have to keep in mind that this is for children. Therefore, I need to be 10 times more careful when considering the safety precautions. It is clear that there are many cracks, bumps and sharp edges in the following furniture as they could not sand it down. However, I need to ensure that mine has no sharp edges as it is a safety hazard.
A replicate of the cartoon house was made in real life and was sold for 2.5-3 million pounds. As seen, they maintained the flintstone identity. The colours included are very neutral, there are rock elements and everything looks very vintage.
Looking at the lamp of the right, it gave me inspiration to look at how I can create lamps using bone shapes. I think it would be interesting to see how that can be created.
I like how everything looks very bulky which suggests sturdiness and archaic elements.
I like how the walls have gaps throughout which show that they're not developed. Asymmetry is key in this design to show the old lifestyle.
In this image, the thing that stands out to me the most is the table. I really like the design of this as it shows layers of stones stacked on top of each other. It is a ongoing theme that the colours are very neutral. They do not apply paint on anything as they did not have paint back then. This is definitely something I have to consider in order to make it resemble those times.
I do not quite like the design of the chair as I feel like it is very simple. Even though simple is vital in these designs, I feel like I can draw inspiration and come up with something more unique (unique does not correlate to complex).
I like the stacked rocks together and I feel like I can definitely work and design something interesting.
This is a very iconic element in the TV show. It is seen very frequently and is very recognisable. Rock, wood and animal skin is used to create this car. A possible idea is to create a bed for children inspired by this car. I can use the side wooden pieces as a border for young children to not fall off. I can create one inspired by the shape or I can make a bed resembling a car to excite children more and make it more unique. This is an initial idea I've thought of which can use a lot of developing.
At the front of the car, where the wheel is attached, I can add engaging games for children to play before bed.
Children tend to be very attached and obsessed with technology. Therefore, I want to take them back to the old days where technology did not exist. I want to implement engaging games such as puzzles for them to be entertained by or make them fall asleep easier.
The design of the table is one huge rock without any gaps. This makes it look more bulky and unprocessed. It is all about creating the illusion of raw rocks without any development. I need to consider that not all people have the space for this bulky table, therefore, I have to keep this in mind when designing and ensure that most people can afford this in their living space.
The couch is also made out of rock. If I create a couch out of rock, I can add padding to ensure that the children are comfortable. In this project, the priority is comfort, therefore I need to ensure a lot of padding or layers. These designs will be based on the Flintstones era, however, it is modified with a touch of modern day.
I can also draw inspiration from the boxy/ bulky design of the TV. I can use that as an inspiration to create something.
What stands out to me in this picture is the lamp on the bedside table. It has animal skin for the covering and then rock for the base of it. I find this concept very unique and appealing. I can add a unisex colour to it and make it more interesting. Additionally, I can combine this design with some bone elements and create a very attractive lamp.
Conclusion: I can definitely say that after this post, I am very keen on creating a lamp and a bed. I want these to be 2 of the 5 products that I will be creating for my brief. These ideas noted in this blog post are brief ideas that can be further developed.
The rest 3 products remain undecided. In the next blog post, I will be researching essential baby products to see what I can create. I am also keen on manufacturing the lamp for the 3D product. I really like how this is turning out.
If you can't find a direct influence in terms of Primitivism within Product/Furniture design, think laterally - I mentioned reclaimed wood in an earlier comment - have a look at this for basic visual inspiration: https://www.architectureartdesigns.com/15-eye-catching-reclaimed-wood-furniture-designs/ and bespoke furniture at Thors Design here: https://www.thors-design.com/home
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