Have you ever wondered what’s in the travel bags of your ultimate artistic inspirations? Are you curious about what items shape their lives while on a break from work, how they prepare for changes in the weather, or how they stay inspired in their free time? I can’t go without is the Livingetc column with packing tips from our favorite names from the contemporary Interior design and creative scene.
The key to Michael Yarinsky and Kelley Perumbeti’s interdisciplinary studio, Office of Tangible Space, lies in understanding the reciprocal relationship that connects their interior design and product-focused projects. As their chosen name suggests, the Brooklyn and San Francisco-based duo bring spaces to life through objects that celebrate the humanity of those who use them. While in their furniture work, contrasting textures, finishes, and shapes are intended to create an immediate connection between viewers and their pieces, every decision in their interior design practice extends the “sense of comfort and contentment” of home into warmly imagined commercial, retail, residential, and public art contexts.
This mix of familiarity and experimentation also characterizes the travel essentials Yarinsky and Perumbeti carry with them during their frequent coast-to-coast flights, and that’s no accident. Accustomed to flying between the locations of their two offices, the designer duo have mastered the art of packing for every eventuality. From independent magazines to practical essentials to sustainably made fashion items, the Office of Tangible Space co-founders’ travel essentials are symptomatic of their desire for an “ethically designed future”—a future they’re already contributing to through their genre-bending approach to modern interior design, which elegantly incorporates influences from midcentury, rustic, and Scandinavian design, as well as the community-focused ethos that drives their vision.
1. Hightide Penco B6 Grid Notebook
Although vacations shouldn’t really have anything to do with work-related tasks, Yarinsky and Perumbeti know that free time can be the fuel for some of their most innovative creative ideas. And that’s exactly why “we never leave the house without a few things—and graph paper is at the top of the list,” they tell me.
With its minimalist vintage design, the B6 Grid Notebook from Japanese stationery retailer Hightide Penco allows you to sketch the most spontaneous projects on the go. This carefully crafted choice for analogue lovers not only ensures that nothing gets lost on vacation, but also maximizes writing and drawing comfort thanks to the thread-bound sheets.
Maintain the look
Hightide Penco B6 Squared Notebook
Cover material: plastic
Price: $15.75
2. MOLD Magazine
Using free time as an opportunity to develop new knowledge, interests and inspiration can be a constructive way to make the most of your seasonal break, and the co-founders of Office of Tangible Space know this all too well. “We love exploring things outside the world of space and object design that can help expand our worldview and influence our way of thinking,” say Yarinsky and Perumbeti. “One of our favorite magazines is MOLD — a publication about the future of nutrition.”
Founded by Chinese-American design journalist and editor LinYee Yuan The 2013 print edition of MOLD has just been published in its sixth and final edition. The latest edition features 144 pages, a special double cover designed by Stuttgart and Barcelona-based design studio N&MS, and a poetry supplement edited by Emma Leigh Macdonald. It advocates the creation of “new soils on this earth to inspire new imaginations, forge new relationships and, most importantly, anchor ourselves in the earth.”
3. June’s Market Tote
One of the things I hate most about traveling is not having my hands free to hold my camera, the card I need to pay on the subway and other transportation, or my water bottle.
Of course, this could easily be avoided by bringing an extra bag, and Perumbeti has some suggestions: Her Market Tote, designed by Janean Mann’s women-focused upcycling label Junes, “is made from recycled landfill and ocean plastic and formulated to be completely biodegradable,” she says. Available in 13 different colorways, including gradient, stripe and patchwork prints, Perumbeti thinks “it’s pretty cute too”—and I’m with her.
4. Finnish painter’s jacket
There are some objects that take on a special value because of the unexpected way we discover them. This is especially true when we are on vacation, as such discoveries become a physical, lasting memory of our travels. This is what I take away from my conversation with the co-founders of Office of Tangible Space. “Michael found a hardware store in Finland that sold these incredible, classic painter’s jackets for one euro,” recalls Perumbeti. “He filled a suitcase with them and now it’s our unofficial uniform in and out of the studio.”
Although part of the charm of this item is due to its particular price, for obvious reasons, its simple workwear aesthetic makes it the ideal addition to a casual-chic wardrobe. The high-end alternative we’ve selected for you below, designed by BLAZÉ MILANO, maintains the simple elegance of its cut while giving you the option to wear the jacket for any occasion, even special ones.
Maintain the look
Venus Sahariana Canvas Jacket
Material: 65% viscose, 35% silk. Lining: 100% viscose
Price: 753.68 USD (previously 1256.14 USD)
5. Monica Castiglioni SPATUSCE ring
Sometimes packing for a trip means remembering to bring along the small but meaningful items that reflect your personal taste and make you feel like you even in the most insignificant situations—whether others immediately notice them or not. And that’s the case with Yarinsky and Perumbeti’s fifth travel recommendation, the SPATUSCE ring.
“Milan-based Monica Castiglioni creates beautiful, striking pieces of jewelry that look great on their own or in combination,” they explain. Of their choice, the duo add that they “appreciate design that can be experienced in different ways”: their admiration for the label lies in the versatility of Castiglioni’s organically shaped, playful jewelry creations, which, according to Office of Tangible Space, “are sold domestically by our friends at Available Items.”
6. Johanna Gullichsen Doris cosmetic bag
I’ve never been a fan of boring travel bags and accessories, because practicality doesn’t necessarily have to lead to characterless style choices. Instead, I want my travel items to reflect and even amplify the energy I exude, so that they become a visible extension of my personality. Office of Tangible Space seems to feel the same way: “We love the woven textiles of Finnish designer Johanna Gullichsen and often use them in our interior design projects,” say Yarinsky and Perumbeti. “Our Doris cosmetic bag, which we have in ochre, is a small work of art to take with you.”
Maintain the look
Large cosmetic bag Doris
Color: ocher
Material: 100% cotton
Price: $81.71
7. Hetkinen Shizuka Fragrance
There are things that may be invisible but still make a difference when travelling, and perfume is definitely one of them. For the staff at the interdisciplinary design studio, choosing the right scent has become a breeze: Yarinsky and Perumbeti’s favourite eau de parfum is Shizuka by Finnish lifestyle company Hetkninen, which they love for both its unisex scent and its impeccable packaging design.
Founded in 2018, Hetkinen focuses on small collectibles and cosmetics made exclusively from pinewood. Conceived as a dialogue with Finland’s stunning landscape, countless forests and trees, the products express a sense of “harmony with nature” and use the delivery of an elevated customer experience to reconnect us with the environment.
Try it yourself
Top notes: grapefruit
Heart notes: Lemongrass
Base notes: Neroli
Price: $49.11
8. Leica D2
With offices in Brooklyn and San Francisco, Yarinsky and Perumbeti travel for more than just pleasure. Coast-to-coast flights have become an integral part of Office of Tangible Space’s design practice, which is why their final choice is more practical than you’d expect from a traditional vacation essentials wish list. “Another item we never take out of our bag, whether we’re on vacation or not, is the Leica DISTO D2 laser rangefinder (find it on Amazon here),” they say. Because, beach walks and dinners aside, “sometimes you just need to know the ceiling height,” the duo laugh.
Michael Yarinsky and Kelley Perumbeti’s objects of desire capture the ability of design to improve people’s lives. They are imbued with the same attention to detail, love of material, and emotionality as their own interior design and product projects. Much like their work, many of the Office of Tangible Space co-founders’ travel essentials demonstrate how carefully crafted objects can foster interpersonal connection and community, bringing us closer to each other, our prized possessions, and the world around us.
