Make Life Better.
Philosophy
Design is a comprehensive process. Goodlove is built on a holistic approach to designing things well. We believe there is great responsibility and dignity in design, whether it be with a pen and paper, hammer and nail or mouse and keyboard. Why do we feel so strongly about design? Because good design can improve the human experience, and bad design can inhibit and even hurt it.
Our end goal with every project is simply this: to make life better.
Everything is designed, few things are designed well.
Good Love
Two priceless traits, goodness and love. First, love. Love carries with it an onslaught of interpretations, uses and meanings. We want everything that we set our hands to to be done in love. We believe love is at the core of what we're all here for. But to be clear, we do not mean love in any sort of emotionally fleeting, superficial or even moral way. We mean a good love. Even the word "good" can be misleading. Typically we mean one of two things when we refer to someone or something as being "good". First, we simply mean that a person is morally upstanding. This is a fine and admirable trait, one we all hope to have. It is not, however, what we mean here. The second usage of "good", refers to something's usefulness. "This is a good pen, car, chair, design, etc." It means that an object fulfills it's purpose in a notable way. It may not be the best or most beautiful ever (or maybe it is.) It also may not be the very first of its kind (or maybe it is.) Either way, the item serves its purpose well.
This is the kind of love we want flowing through every piece we work on. Much like we ought not simply walk past our cold and hungry neighbor and say, "Be warm and be filled." Love requires action. Our love is only as valuable as it is useful. We believe good, love-driven design is better than money or task-driven design.
Timelessness
There will always be trends and fads coming and going. We are all standing on the shoulders of those who have paved the way before us. Being aware of who and what is on the cutting edge of design is a valuable tool and insight. But watch long enough and you will begin to see the pendulum swing, waxing into uncharted creative territory, and waning back into traditionalism. It seems there is something innate in humanity that requires the comfort of what we already know. It's a constant tether on the few brave soles willing to march into the unknown and bring back something we've never seen or experienced before.
This rhythm is fascinating. And with each swing of the pendulum, some things stick while others fade away, never to be seen again. So what makes those lucky few connect with us and become part of our culture and history? There is something deep within the human conscience, spanning times and spaces, we call it timelessness.
We value both the trailblazer and the forefather. And when a delicate balance can be found between traditionalism and revolution, something truly beautiful can emerge.
Integrity
I once omitted a small (but important) tidbit of information when relaying a story to my father. Upon finding out about this omission, he kindly showed me a flaw in my character. I lacked a bit of integrity that I would need to address to grow into the person I wanted to be. Since then, being a person of integrity and doing work with the same integrity has been a significant value for me.
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QUALITY - Everything we set our hands to reflects who we are on a deeper level. This does not mean it is our identity, nor does it mean it is never without flaw. But we do believe it is important to do everything to the highest quality we are capable of.
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ETHICS - In order to be a good neighbor, and to be able to sleep well at night, maintaining a high level of ethical integrity is a foundational element to any of our projects. My accountability in this area comes in the form of my partnership with the Sawdust Trail and in my community in the church in Portland.
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MATERIALS - One of the greatest responsibilities of the designer is caring for resources. Good design is always conscious of the environmental and social impact of its process and materials. We source all of our materials with sustainability in mind and use processes which uplift rather than oppress our fellow man.