tablepaper™

I own a set of placemats. These are products I would like to use regularly. They protect the table surface, keep the table clean and look interesting. However, the mats don't get used often. I think this is because of the perceived (or actual) time and effort to lay them out, and clear them (and everything on top of them) away as the use of my kitchen table shifts from eating, working, cooking, socialising. I think I would use the mats more if they reflected the versatility of my kitchen table. In thinking about what other contexts I would like to use a mat, I consider some the elements I would like to see to be: effort free - no clearing visually interesting can be written on, like napkins in restaurants (pastime of both scientists and artists) also suitable for ephemeral notes (like the orders jotted on placeholders in wagamama restaurants) fun maybe even an adapting fashion item, that can be replaced regularly with new styles. With these goals in mind, I propose a pad of 'tablecloth' paper. Each sheet with a design printed on it. The underside of a sheet coated, so that spills do not seep through. The sheets can be ripped off, and displayed or thrown away. Regularly changing designs and themes appeal to me in the same way that T-shirt, poster and calendar products do. This design draws on many existing elements, such as desk jotters and disposable paper table cloths. The regularly changing visuals allow people to take more risks with new styles as the results are short term. Like coffee tables, the kitchen table then becomes a place to display to friends indicators of taste and style. Building a sketch and ideas pad into daily habitat allows ideas to be recorded as they occur, and eases the intimidation of a 'blank canvas'. Drawing on the table can be liberating (and is a great way to pass the time, as we all know from school). In a land where my sandwich comes wrapped in five layers and four separate materials, I am loathed to make another use-once, disposable product. But in terms of marketing and regular purchases, disposability is great. Ideas for styles or themes of pads: classic table cloth patterns wood effects (laminate style) T-shirt style slogans rubbish children's colouring in book style guest artists and designers guest writers (I could imagine the short stories of Granta) pages of other peoples note books abstract patterns tablepaper for kids (in the style of "Nina's book of little things" by Keith Haring) Getting carried away with the idea, I can even imagine publishing a magazine in this format, to be read and disposed of at the kitchen table. These ideas are inspired in part by a sketch pad of restaurant tablecloth paper, intended to inspire creativity in the home (designed by Atypyk) and Matt Wingfield's brightly designed cardboard coffee tables (as highlighted in Alexander Gelman's book, Subtraction). My most recent discovery along this theme is the telephone table with built in note pad designed by Boym - an early design of which was an entire table of removable sheets.

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ben dalton

simplicity studio