Emojis Come To Life At Decorex!
From small screen to decor scene – inventive room sets to bring emojis to life!
10/05/2024
A bright yellow face smiling at you
from your phone, a red heart beating between
messages in a chat, a thumbs up that reaffirms.
The ideograms our society calls ‘emojis’ have
become a new language in and of themselves,
harbouring both overt and secret meanings as
they represent the physical in digital form.
Emojis are so deeply embedded in our daily
communications that they have found their way
into visual culture, from art to movies to
marketing to stuffed toys.
An exciting
new concept at Decorex Cape Town (6-9 June,
CTICC), will feature room sets uniquely curated
to bring emojis to life in physical form.
Visitors to the show can witness the way digital
meets physical as prominent local designers take
inspiration from the vibrant and playful world
of emojis.
‘While the inspiration is
playful, the execution will be sophisticated and
refined. The designs will not be overtly themed
but will subtly incorporate emoji elements,
showcasing the designers’ creativity and
expertise,’ explains Bielle Bellingham,
Executive Creative Director of Decorex Africa.
The emoji display aims to highlight how
‘phygital’ worlds are increasingly intertwined.
The goal is to demonstrate inspiration can be
taken from digital culture to enrich today’s
interior design and make it more relevant to
consumers, especially to Gen Z and Gen Alpha who
have been born fully immersed in digital
technology in a way previous generations have
not experienced.
Taking up the
interesting challenge of translating emojis into
inspiring physical spaces, are two teams - one
from Popstrukt and another comprising wooden
flooring specialist Lalegno, working in
collaboration with Rumour Has It interior brand
architecture and RHi Curate.
Popstrukt
will reference the sweet/candy emoji. Known for
colourful furniture with names like the Bon Bon
Chest of Drawers (now available in a
honey-coloured hue) and the Sugar Cube Cabinet,
it is easy to see the alignment between this
brand and its chosen emoji. Popstrukt will be
launching a brand new product that is part of
the Bon Bon range at the Sweet Suite and is also
running a competition to win one of these over
the Decorex weekend.
The sweet/candy
emoji resembles a small piece of candy wrapped
in plastic or wax paper with twists on its ends.
Its shape and colour vary widely by platform.
‘Candy’ was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in
2010 and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015. Popstrukt
will be creating a themed interior space dubbed
the Sweet Suite.
The Lalegno x Rumour Has
It x RHi Curate team has chosen the feather and
hut emojis as points of departure. According to
Emojipedia, ‘Feather’ was approved as part of
Unicode 13.0 in 2020 and added to Emoji 13.0. It
is a ‘single feather slanted to one side. On
most platforms it's light brown with a dark
brown barred or striped pattern. Can be used to
talk about feathers or birds, or to represent
something that is lightweight, fluffy, or soft.’
‘Hut’ was also approved as part of Unicode
13.0 in 2020, and added to Emoji 13.0.
Generally, it is depicted as a round hut with a
thatched roof and is used to talk about huts,
cottages, yurts, or homes in general.
The feather and hut emojis will be used as
inspiration for bespoke safari and modern
glamping decor schemes that encompass colour,
texture, shapes, patterns and rhythm. The design
team from Rumour Has It chose the feather emoji
because a feather is ‘a reminder of the beauty
and wonder of nature and symbolises trust,
honour, strength, wisdom, power, freedom,
respect and admiration.
‘Feathers serve
as reminders of the interconnectedness of all
living beings, a delicate balance of ecosystems,
and the need for stewardship and conservation.
As symbols of biodiversity and environmental
harmony, feathers inspire reverence for the
natural world and a commitment to preserving
diversity for future generations,’ they say.
In the context of the South African
bushveld, where the rhythms of nature dictate
the ebb and flow of life, feathers ‘symbolise
resilience and adaptation. By honouring the
symbolism of feathers in the exhibition stand
design, we pay homage to the rich tapestry of
life that thrives in this ancient landscape,’
Rumour Has It explains.
Different parts
of the feather will be reflected within the
stand’s design language. These include the
calamus (quill), rachis (shaft), the vanes
(non-downy feathers; broad, flat structures),
and the plumulaceous barbs (branches of softer
feathers).
The hut emoji has visual
recall for South Africans and Africans in
general, as round hut structures are commonplace
across the continent as part of vernacular
architecture. In response to this trigger,
Rumour Has It has planned an end result that
will be visually stunning and immersive,
combining the allure of being in nature with the
luxury of a curated experience.
The
emoji-inspired room sets will serve as an
exemplary model of what is achievable in
interior design, inspiring and delighting
attendees. Don’t forget to give them a thumbs up
when you post to your feed!
For more
information on Decorex Cape Town, please visit
www.decorex.co.za