Hi everyone,
We’re very excited to share our latest podcast episode with you, where we discuss how sports fans can design interior spaces that showcase their fandom in a stylish and sophisticated way.
This is an unorthodox topic that we haven’t seen anyone else talking about, and Anna-Lena dove deep and created a Pinterest board (which you can see here) to come up with suggestions and inspire you.
We’re very interested to hear what you think, so please let us know!
Enjoy the episode, and please subscribe if you’d like to support Design Talk and get all of our episodes and articles as soon as we make them.
- David & Anna-Lena
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Don’t hide your fandom
Your space should be a reflection of you, and what matters to you. So if sports matter to you and you have a favorite team, that’s something you should put on display!
Kids have a free pass
We believe that kids (who are often big sports fans!) have a free pass to express their fandom in whatever way they want. Floor-to-ceiling bright colors, wall stickers, bobble-head dolls - it’s all good.
Think beyond man caves
We understand that man caves (or woman caves, if a woman happens to be the big sports fan in a house) have their appeal. But not everyone has the space for one in their home. More importantly, and we think it’s a bit sad if all sports fandom, and sports enjoyment in general, is quarantined to one section of the house.
In fact, we think it’s possible to successfully integrate fandom in all rooms of the house! Moreover, as a general principle, we think it’s desirable that your home’s main spaces reflect the interests and hobbies of all the people who live there.
Go big during big games
In the same way that Christmas decorations are allowed to take over the house in December before you pack them up and put them back in storage, we think you should feel free to max out your fandom during big games, pulling out all your most colorful and over-the-top fan gear, with the understanding that this is a temporary state of affairs and they will be put away afterwards.
Beware bright colors!
Sports teams wear bright colors in order to visually differentiate themselves from the opposing team on the field of play, and to help them pick out their teammates in their peripheral vision. These bright colors will likely be overwhelming in the confines of your home, and your team’s colors may not match the color scheme of your space.
But that’s ok - you can use black and white pictures and other subtle touches to fully integrate your fandom in a more refined way.
Use picture frames and collectibles cases to elevate souvenirs
Many sports souvenirs (e.g. collectibles, ticket stubs from big games, posters, jerseys, etc.) can quickly look cheap and ratty, or can easily gather dust. But if you frame them, or display them in a collectibles case, they’ll be protected from wear and tear or getting dusty, and you’ll be signaling a higher level of intent in what you’re trying to achieve with your design.
Display vintage sports gear
Sports gear from back in the day was often made with higher-quality materials, and can bring an element of historical continuity and nostalgia to your design. Plus, natural materials like leather tend to look better as they age.
Take creative inspiration from sports stores
Sports equipment stores often sell gear from more than one team, so they’ve learned to do a good job of putting together a variety of colors and logos in creative ways.
If you want to skip ahead:
00:00 Introduction
02:01 Common design mistakes we see sports fans make
05:42 Good practices we recommend to showcase your fandom
08:45 How to incorporate sports gear into your designs
13:09 How to integrate your fandom in shared living spaces
15:34 How to take creative inspirations from sports stores
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