New York designer Aimée Wilder explores Eudaimonia, a Greek word commonly translated as happiness or “human flourishing,” in her collection of wallpapers, fabrics, rug and accessories. From the effects of the moon on the evolution of the natural world to the impact of astrological phenomenon, Wilder captures the many ways surroundings can influence our psychological state, and contribute to overall wellness.
“This collection was born through finding balance and stability in my own life,” says Wilder. “Once I learned that living to work instead of working to live, along with incorporating methods like Vedic meditation and natural healing into my daily routine, was able to create a peaceful environment around me, I hoped to thoughtfully reflect that feeling in each design.”
Eudaimonia consists of two wallpaper and fabric patterns, Pyramide du Soleil and Earthlight, with an additional rug pattern, Eclipse. All three patterns reflect the natural balance between the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, evoking the beauty of cosmic balance. With this collection, Wilder introduces a new construction for commercial fabrics, tested for 50,000 double rubs and available with a range of protective coatings including anti-microbial and stain coating. In addition, for the first time, Wilder will offer wallpaper printed in Brooklyn, New York, where she resides and operates her design studio.
Pyramide du Soleil is a subtly optical pattern manifesting the ancient Sun’s shadow and its balance with the earth, Pyramide du Soleil features pyramid and Sun as they represent the illusive quality of time. It integrates pyramids and circles with sophisticated diagonals and horizontal stripes, inspired by the continuous synchronicity that exists between the earth and the Moon.
Earthlight focuses on the waxing and waning cycles of the Moon’s phases in an eye-catching, geometric pattern across wallpaper and fabric design. Named for the scientific phenomenon in which sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface indirectly illuminates the otherwise dark side of the Moon, Earthlight is sure to brighten any space.
Eclipse showcases the inversion of colors in this rug design suggests the effects of an Eclipse, a harbinger of change in the daily life that acts as a guiding hand when questioning one’s path. With a boldness that invokes a new take on a vintage aesthetic, the Eclipse rug comes in a range of warm tones that will add a welcoming touch to a room.
Pyramide du Soleil
Photos courtesy Aimee Wilder.
Eclipse
Photo by ©Dylan Chandler 2018.
Earthlight
Photos courtesy Aimee Wilder.
With an upbringing immersed in creativity, designer, maker, crafter and artist Jesse Ede has been surrounded by design and art for as long as he can remember.
Drawn to more natural materials, Ede focuses on being completely unique and not fit into any particular aesthetic. This sense of originality is prevalent in his numerous collections of lunar-themed art and fixtures, particularly the “Orbit” collection.
An evolution from his first light piece called “Eclipse,” “Orbit” is inspired by the “beautiful movement of the galaxy’s moons around their planets,” according to Ede. The piece features elegant metals like bronze and brass that add a dimension of color and texture to the moon-like piece.
Ede prefers to “capture the rough nature of organic surfaces,” he says. He does this by manipulating them to expose the contrast between the material itself and the man-made processes that form them into sculptures. Ultimately, he looks to celebrate the rawness of uncontrollable outcomes, from processes that are uncommonly used.
Much of his life has been spent in workshops and studios, allowing him to naturally acquire a vast range of skills. “My father was an artist and carpenter, so I grew up in and around his studio from a very young age,” says Ede. “I often feel as though I was born to do this, as though it was entirely predetermined for me.”
Though he spent eight years traveling and working, even working as a carpenter for an Antiguan boat-building, much of Ede’s main inspiration comes from space and the universe, as well as looking to nature itself.
“It’s so tempting to draw your inspiration from other artists’ work, but I discovered at a young age, the natural world itself provides all the inspiration you could ever need, and you never run the risk of looking like one-of-many,” he says.
With an assortment of other moon-themed pieces, including a new cantilevered bronze and stone coffee table entitled “Venus,” Ede continues to work and display his strength in creativity.
All photos courtesy Jesse Ede.