Beyond Design, Inc.

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Beyond Design, Inc. We create design solutions that help drive innovation for our clients and connect with end-users for marketplace success

A product can be 40 years old and still look more modern than something designed yesterday.Throughout my career in indus...
10/22/2026

A product can be 40 years old and still look more modern than something designed yesterday.

Throughout my career in industrial design, I've seen trends come and go. Some products that once looked futuristic now feel outdated, while others remain relevant for decades.

Take the Porsche 911, for example. Since its introduction in 1963, its design has continued to evolve, yet its iconic silhouette and distinctive proportions have remained remarkably consistent.
So what makes a design timeless?

I believe it comes down to thoughtful proportions, functionality, simplicity, and creating a recognizable identity that doesn't rely entirely on trends.

As designers, we should think beyond what looks good today and consider how a product will be perceived years down the road.

Is timeless design something we can intentionally create, or is it something only time can determine?

Last Thursday, Tesla unveiled its long-awaited Roadster, and it may be one of the most unconventional vehicles we've see...
10/20/2026

Last Thursday, Tesla unveiled its long-awaited Roadster, and it may be one of the most unconventional vehicles we've seen.

Developed with technology from SpaceX, the new Roadster demonstrated the ability to accelerate from 0–60 mph in under a second, drive upside down, and even launch itself into the air using compressed-air thrusters.

Beyond the impressive performance, what's interesting from a design perspective is how Tesla is challenging traditional thinking about what a car can be.

By combining automotive design with aerospace engineering, Tesla is exploring possibilities that go far beyond conventional vehicle development.

While the Roadster isn't expected to enter production until 2028, it raises an interesting question.

How much further could product design go if we stopped limiting ourselves to what's traditionally possible within an industry?

Is Minimalism Making Products Look the Same?Somewhere along the way, making products look simple started making them loo...
10/15/2026

Is Minimalism Making Products Look the Same?

Somewhere along the way, making products look simple started making them look identical.

Clean lines, smooth surfaces, neutral colors, and hidden buttons have become the standard in modern product design. While minimalism can create a sense of elegance and sophistication, I sometimes wonder if we're sacrificing personality in the process.

Think about how many products today are nearly indistinguishable without a logo. Smartphones, home appliances, speakers, and even automobiles are beginning to share similar design characteristics.

As designers, we strive for simplicity, but simplicity shouldn't come at the expense of identity. Some of the most memorable products weren't necessarily the simplest. They had distinctive shapes, colors, proportions, or details that made them instantly recognizable.

Good design should simplify the experience, not erase the personality.

Have we taken minimalism too far, or is this simply the natural evolution of product design?

Running With DesignersI've noticed something over the years. Designers tend to surround themselves with other designers,...
10/13/2026

Running With Designers

I've noticed something over the years. Designers tend to surround themselves with other designers, even outside the workplace.

But why is that?

Maybe it's because we see the world a little differently. We notice the shape of a chair, the way something functions, or the small details most people overlook. What starts as a casual conversation can quickly turn into a discussion about how something was designed or how it could be better.

There's a shared curiosity that connects us. We appreciate creativity, challenge each other's perspectives, and find inspiration in the everyday things around us.

Some of the best friendships I've made throughout my career have been with fellow designers. Not necessarily because we do the same work, but because we share a passion for creating, questioning, and understanding the world around us.

Do designers naturally gravitate toward each other, or do we just have a hard time turning off our design brains?

When developing a new product, we spend a lot of time thinking about what will make it different from everything else on...
10/08/2026

When developing a new product, we spend a lot of time thinking about what will make it different from everything else on the market. But at what point does that design actually become part of the brand?

Most people think of trademarks as a company name or logo. But there is also trade dress, a form of trademark protection that can apply to the distinctive look or shape of a product.

The Coca-Cola bottle is probably one of the best examples. Take away the logo and most people still know exactly what it is simply from the shape of the bottle.

A design patent can protect the ornamental appearance of a new product for a limited period of time. Trade dress is a little different. It comes from building enough recognition that consumers begin to associate a product’s appearance with a specific brand.

As designers, that’s something worth thinking about early in the development process. A unique form doesn’t just make a product look different. Over time, it can become one of the most recognizable parts of the brand.

After decades in Chicago, The Inspired Home Show is moving to Atlanta in 2028.I’ve been attending the show here in Chica...
10/06/2026

After decades in Chicago, The Inspired Home Show is moving to Atlanta in 2028.

I’ve been attending the show here in Chicago for years, so it’s interesting to see such a major change to an event that has been a longtime part of the housewares industry.

The interesting part isn’t just where the show is moving, but why.

The show will become part of Winter Atlanta Market at AmericasMart, bringing it alongside thousands of home, gift and lifestyle brands. It will also combine traditional trade show space with permanent showrooms and move from March to January.

For buyers, that means more products and categories in one place, at a time when many are making decisions for the year ahead. For exhibitors, it creates opportunities to get in front of buyers who may not have attended a standalone housewares show.

It makes me wonder if this is where trade shows are headed.

Instead of asking people to travel for one industry and one event, does it make more sense to bring multiple related industries together and make the trip more worthwhile?

Look around at the products in your home. Appliances, electronics, furniture, kitchen tools. Chances are, you’ll see a l...
10/01/2026

Look around at the products in your home. Appliances, electronics, furniture, kitchen tools. Chances are, you’ll see a lot of black, white, gray, silver, and beige.

It wasn’t always that way.

There was a time when appliances were avocado green or harvest gold. Phones were orange. Computers came in bright translucent colors.

Of course, there’s a reason neutrals took over. Black, white, and gray work with almost any accent color, making products easier to fit into different environments. Metals reflect the colors around them. And without a dominant color, products can feel more timeless.

Color hasn’t completely disappeared either. Today, it’s often used more selectively as an accent rather than covering the entire product.

But when every brand makes the safe choice, everything can start to look the same.

So, have we become more sophisticated with color or just more afraid to use it?

After years of designing products, I’ve noticed something slowly disappearing: the seam.Look at the products around you....
09/29/2026

After years of designing products, I’ve noticed something slowly disappearing: the seam.

Look at the products around you. We’re seeing fewer exposed screws, tighter gaps, hidden fasteners, and cleaner transitions between parts.

Cars are a great example. Older cars have more noticeable breaks between the trunk, lights, bumper, and body panels. Newer cars still have all those parts, but the seams are more intentionally placed and blended into the overall design.

Of course, those products haven’t magically become one piece. Everything still has to be manufactured and assembled.

In fact, making something look simpler can make designing and engineering it much more complicated. The challenge becomes deciding where those seams go, how parts come together, and how much complexity is worth hiding from the user.

It’s funny, the better we get at making products, the less you can see how they were made.

Do you think fewer visible seams make a product feel more premium, or have we simply learned to expect them?

The $2,000 Question At nearly $2,000, the iPhone Duo isn’t just competing with other smartphones.That same amount of mon...
09/17/2026

The $2,000 Question

At nearly $2,000, the iPhone Duo isn’t just competing with other smartphones.

That same amount of money could buy you a stay at the Ritz-Carlton or a fine dining experience. It could get you an international flight, a designer handbag, or even a high-end set of wheels.

Or, for a slightly different investment, about 5,700 Twinkies.

At this price, Apple is competing with everything else $2,000 can buy.

So, when does a smartphone stop being a tech purchase and start becoming a luxury purchase?

The iPhone Duo solves one problem by potentially creating five more. For decades, the smartphone has been moving toward ...
09/15/2026

The iPhone Duo solves one problem by potentially creating five more.

For decades, the smartphone has been moving toward one basic form: a thin rectangle that fits in your hand.

The Duo challenges that.

Closed, it needs to feel like a normal phone. Open it, and suddenly it needs to behave more like a tablet. Partially fold it, and it becomes something else entirely.

That flexibility sounds great but every new configuration creates another design problem.

How does the weight feel after holding it for 20 minutes? Can you comfortably reach the screen with one hand? Where should buttons and controls live when the device keeps changing orientation? How do you design a protective case around a hinge without making an already larger device even bulkier?

And then there’s the nearly $2,000 price tag.

Apple isn’t just asking people to buy a more expensive iPhone. They're asking them to reconsider what an iPhone should physically be.

The real test won’t be whether Apple can make a beautiful foldable. It’ll be whether folding actually makes the iPhone better.

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Chicago, IL
60613

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Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

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+17732901797

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