New at Core77: Don’t be a Design Thief –
My latest column at Core77 discusses how to navigate the thorny world of borrowing design elements from others and how to attribute those influences.
The column, “Be Honest About Your Inspiration – or Else,” can be read for free via this link.
Most furniture designers I know take the wrong approach to attributing designs. They usually ascribe it to some historical piece (without doing the research) or simply omit any discussion of their influences.
Both approaches dump you in the deep end of the pool without your inflatable swimmies.
In the article I offer a short exercise that I use to help me avoid problems. The exercise also offers a roadmap for deciding when I can call a design my own.
As always, I am grateful to Core77 for allowing me to write on these topics. Next month’s column is likely to get me roasted. The working title: “How to be an Anarchist Designer.”
— Christopher Schwarz
