Laurie Dickason attained her degree in Applied and Decorative Arts at the University for the Creative Arts Rochester, Kent with a portfolio boasting a very cool range of work that explores objects of the 'mundane', or that are part of domestic routine, such as fixtures and fittings. Creating solutions that can be intriguing as well as used in everyday life are important to her. As part of her studies, she organized a five month visit to Finland to better understand European design, technique and manufacturing. It was then that she exhibited at Helsinki?s Design Week Habitare 2005.

Laurie is driven to achieve functionality in good design through the qualities of craft, technique and process. Often combining man made materials with natural ones, she designs domestic products with a twist - a new identity, function or visual aesthetic. She feels that by adding ornamentation, it gives a mundane products a new skin. "Why should we have to deal daily with unsightly technology such as light switches and cables?" she asks. Funny thing is, until now these are rarely touched on by the design world. Instead of camouflaging, she transforms them into decorative objects.

Although Laurie has designed several innovation products, her new light switch decoration called Flippant is a product I would enjoy using in my home. She makes a good point when she says that "Lights are often designed but the light switch is often neglected." How true! Of course, in the states we have kitschy lightplates, but how often do you see ones like this? Flippant designs are laser cut and available in a variety of colors to fit all decors. Starting at ?36, these seem to be designed for the dimensions of EU light switches, but you can email her directly to inquire at lauriedickason[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Thanks Laurie for the information!

What do YOU think of the Flippant?

(images and partial text from laurie dickason)