Minimalist artist-designer fantastically reveals that we actually do not want loads of properties

By jimadmin On Jan 3, 2021

PITTSBURGH – John Eastman’s trademark is a direct result of his minimalist lifestyle.

He seems like a strange man in a society as acquisitive as ours, but having less can be healthier and even liberating. During the pandemic, he set out to show us what that could look like.

In small rooms that occupy the former Regent Square Theater in Pittsburgh, he has created a retail shop on one side and living space on the other. Eastmantribe life + space.

For those who couldn’t imagine that one could live in an area of around 175 square meters, he opened his room to the public in December.

Eastman is from Pennsylvania and has a background in software design. He wants people to see how good design can improve the appearance of a simple, economical decor. His brand Eastmantribe is characterized by rustic materials and warm colors. All wooden objects, including furniture, are made from recycled wood.

One stormy day, he set a rack of old denim jackets on the sidewalk and did an interview in the store with light streaming through the glass garage door. The essence of the room is – as for the model living room – concrete floor, wooden furniture and corrugated steel walls.

“All three are hard surfaces, so a warm, comfortable look requires a good design,” he said.

The look is vaguely southwest but not derived from the Santa Fe look that was so trendy in the 1980s. The dominant colors are yellow, orange and red.

“Almost all of the wood here was something else,” he said, placing his foot on an arrowhead-shaped piece of found wood on legs. He modeled it and charred it using the Japanese process called Shou Sugi Ban, which adds to the longevity of the piece.

A library table on wheels near the garage window was made from an upper cross member of a church.

“Often you can look at things that are not glamorous, but you say, ‘This looks good. ‘

“I’ve exhibited in galleries and museums and it’s wonderful on several levels, but it’s a 30 day turnaround time. I came up with the idea of setting up something that would last longer. “

In fact, his demonstration of habitat has resulted in such spaces being designed for other people.

The living space has corrugated steel walls that reflect light and vaguely the movement of people in the room. Right behind the front door is a drawing table, which Eastman often uses to work on ideas. To the right of the drawing table is a plank bed, the slats of which used to be his father’s tomato posts.

An old barn door, painted orange and red, opens to reveal a bathroom with a T-shirt with John Lennon hanging across from the shower.

“Would I design this for someone? Yes. I am working on it. We keep inviting people, and sometimes it turns into a design project. “

The coronavirus pandemic has been a dramatic reminder of what’s important in life for many people, and things don’t always go up, he said.

“About four years ago I came up with the idea of building rooms as works of art, a space that should be experienced as such, but also contains works of art.”

He reinvented his own garage and two other people’s garages as demonstrations of living space.

Eastman has a technical background and designs and manages software projects. For the past 10 years he has designed tactile objects including wooden furniture, cutting boards and paintings.

He has a stable of artists he works with – ceramists, photographers, furniture makers, jewelers, and a craftsman in New Mexico who makes leather bags from textiles with a southwestern pattern.

“One of the fun things I do is work closely with other artists. Most of the work here was done by herself, but it fits our brand. I actively curate artists to work with. “

As for the habitat, the immediate feeling is that you could live in it. It may be too small for most people, but there are apartments in New York City that are about the size to rent that don’t reflect the cost Eastman put together in putting that space together.

He said the cost of assembly and all materials, including a new sofa and refrigerator, ranged from $ 10,000 to $ 12,000.

“You have everything that is important here,” he said. “I wanted to show that this combination of materials can create a beautiful, cool space that is affordable.”