What Makes Me Happy: Rethinking Everyday Objects

My friend Hector asked me last night, "So what makes you happy?" I wandered through a story about how I've just bought a house and am tearing it down to the studs and am now in the process of putting it all back together again. Over the months, I've been looking for inspiration and have come across some ridiculously mindful people who seem to take everyday objects, spaces, elements, etc. and turn them into delightful and arresting new experiences. The beauty comes from reworking the familiar by turning things on their head. I like the pause it causes in my day. One group I found yesterday is Union Eighteen. This is a couple of young turks out of Atlanta who take the rug remnants from manufacturers and re-purpose them into new configurations. There's a clear tie in with sustainability through re-use and recycle. The beauty for me lies in the playful and ingenious thinking around discarded everyday objects.

Everyone loves a picture, so here you go.