Kim Credit
hobby by knacks
senior thesis
designing a launch line
Younger consumers are moving towards more ethical shopping methods. They buy organic foods, shop at local markets, look for clothing brands with transparent manufacturing methods, etc. However, in the furniture industry, anything affordable is usually celebrated for its quick manufacturing methods, and anything craft centered is highly traditional in appearance or overly expensive. This brand hopes to bring some of the tradition to a younger generation through aesthetic appeal and affordability, while opening a market for more ethical shopping in furniture and home goods. Based on the principals of nostalgia, independence, and usability, the hobby launch line is a collection of furniture that transitions with young homeowners as their financial security increases and their furniture collection grows.
user: core values
NOSTALGIA
Items valued because of personal significance: heirlooms from family members, items owned since childhood, etc.
INDEPENDENCE
Items valued because they provide personal pride: a bed that signifies their first big purchase, a car that lets them move freely, a certain aesthetic that they feel matches their personality, etc.
USABILITY
Items valued because of the function they serve: a computer on which they complete all of their work, a mouse that fits well in their hand, etc.
The Aging Millennial
Ages 25-35. They have developed an individual style and a set of personal values, and want their purchase choices to reflect both. Based on the interviews conducted, I concluded these core values.
user: core values
Katie//26 & Marc//29
“I bought a coffee table from Pottery Barn. I was looking for a more adult coffee table (i.e. not from Ikea). I fell in love with the reclaimed wood and iron look. It’s a very sturdy table that I would like to last a long time.”
- Katie
“I bought a coffee table from Pottery Barn, because I moved in with my girlfriend and she didn’t like the coffee table I already had.”
- Marc
Natalie//30
“The most important thing I own is my phone. Everyone I know is on it and everything I need to know it on it.”
“The next most important things are my grandfather’s ring and my grandmother’s necklace. They are the only family heirlooms I own.”
Bethany//27
“I have a lot of furniture I’ve refurbished I’m really proud of them and the work I put into them.”
“I love my blue and white oriental pottery. I’ve searched thrift stores and antique markets for years piecing them all together.”
the brand
knacks is the brand
Knacks: Through its affiliation to ‘knick-knacks’, the affectionate term used for small, personal objects, usually of little monetary value, the brand name speaks to the playful nature of the company, and the personal fondness the items provide the user. Knick-knacks are typically held onto for sentimental or personal value rather than because they are valuable or serve a function.
Through the affiliation with the noun ‘Knack’, the brand name speaks to the craft which is applied to each item. The brand has a strong focus on heirloom products which branch between manufacturing and traditional craft. Therefore each product is a reflection of the talent or ‘knack’ the brand gains for each craft.
Knack
noun
An acquired or natural skill at performing a task
gift, talent, flair, instinct, ability, capability, aptitude
A tendency to do something
tendency to, habit of, proneness to
Knick-Knack
noun
A small low-worth object, usually a household item.
trinket, trifle, bauble
the logo
symbol
type
lockup
proportions
brand-mark details
Inspired by simple shapes, building blocks, homes, comfort, and simplicity. The abstraction of the house into simple block shapes represents the company’s concept of building a collection of furniture with significance to the user through purposeful acquisition.
the line
Hobby is the line
The line is inspired by hobbies because they speak to the three core values of the target user. Working at a skill speaks to the user’s value of usability, continuing the same practice throughout ones life speaks to the user’s value of nostalgia, and the process of self definition speaks to the user’s value of independence.
the PIECES
Settee
A piece of primary seating that could be the centerpiece of a
set-up, or merely decoration.
Side Table
A table top and storage space that accompanies the settee to create a furniture arrangement that dominates a room.
Light
Provides light to the seating arrangement, making it a go-to place for the user, as well as giving the seating arrangement weight within the space.
HOBBIES RESEARCH
RUTH//62 BIRDER
“It’s gone through this crazy evolution; I’ve been birding for over 20 years now, but it’s never felt boring because there’s always another angle to explore or activity for me to try.”
BETSY//26 COLLECTOR
“I guess it’s like a healthy way of hording, because the things I keep are important to me. Each has a memory attached to it, either of the day I found it or the person who gifted it to me.”
RUSSEL//32 MUSICIAN
“A small part of me still holds onto the dream, as sad as that sounds. I’ve gone through college, I have a job I don’t hate, but sometimes I still picture I can make music work. It’s my passion.”
aesthetic inspiration
sketchpage
manufacturing
the birder's settee
Two fabric straps fasten the cushion to the bench and can be used to create a neck support and exposing table space.
Fabric straps
Shallow drawers reflect the inspiration from entomology cabinets and highlight the intended use as display space.
shallow drawers
the collector's table
The wooden brace in the center of the lamp provides structural support, continues the materiality from the other pieces, and brings in major uniting design elements.
Wooden brace
the musician's lamp
by KNACKS
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