What do you listen to while you work?
I usually work to music that pairs well with whatever project is at hand. Could be rock, classical, reggae, hip-hop, or anything else. I’m all over the place with my musical likes and don’t really have too many dislikes, so letting the project dictate the playlist works well for me.

How do you listen?
I’ve had a set of JBL Creature Speakers forever and they’re still getting the job done, plugged directly into my iMac.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Not really. I buy most everything from the iTunes store.

Does music influence your work?
I’m not sure I could highlight a clear-cut example, but the influence is huge. Being a designer is about finding and articulating somebody else’s voice, so picking “project-appropriate music” really helps me get in the right mindset for whatever I’m working on. It’s sort of like method acting, with music establishing a vibe that lets you further immerse yourself in the character you’re playing.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Pitchfork is my go-to for new music, music news, reviews, etc., and my friends have a big influence as well. I’ve also been known to Shazam the heck out of places when I hear something new that I think I might like.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Geez, I have absolutely no idea. I listen to a ton of Bob Marley & The Wailers, so I guess I’ll go with that. Their music represents a lot of different things to me — places I’ve been, people I’ve known, and experiences I’ve had. Structurally, the songs are often incredibly sparse and tight, yet full of life and personality, which I would say is what I strive for in my design work. Do as much as you can with as little as you can. Drawing that parallel is probably a bit over-analytical, but I’ll stick with it.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
Obviously I’m going with the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in walnut and black leather. Unique and timeless. That thing is brilliant. My uncle had one and it made an impression on me as a kid, long before I knew anything about design or Charles and Ray Eames. I remember hopping up into it and thinking “whoa, this thing is out-of-control cool.”

Jay’s Playlist:
1. San Francisco, Foxygen
2. Space Invaders, Playback
3. Time to Run, Lord Huron
4. Lost, Frank Ocean
5. Five Seconds, Twin Shadow
6. 17, Youth Lagoon
7. Everybody Knows, Vacationer
8. A Country’s King of Dreams, Caveman
9. Jamie Marie, Girls
10. Warm Heart of Africa, The Very Best

Find more from Jay on Dribbble and Twitter.

Photos: Jay Fletcher

New York City graphic designer and illustrator Christopher Dina‘s work ranges from identity and print work to wayfinding and environmental graphics, including a recent collaboration with his wife – herself an interior designer – on a children’s clinic in Japan. Chris draws inspiration from his love of illustration and painting, travel, and music like the eclectic pop and indie tracks of this week’s Playlist.

What do you listen to while you work?
I listen to whatever is inspirational and anything that serves as a good backdrop to the work I am doing. If I’m coming up with ideas or sketching I prefer something softer and melodic, perhaps with some electronic or jazz influences – and if I’m cruising along then I can really listen to almost anything. There are also times when I choose music based on the type of project I am doing.

How do you listen?
I prefer computer speakers – I can step away from the desk and move around freely without disrupting the tone I’ve set. The iTunes Radio is nice for a little randomness and I’ll use headphones when I want to listen to music more finely.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
iTunes is really great for seeing what’s new and sampling artists.

Does music influence your work?
The music I like to listen to relaxes me, its creates a space for me to think and generate ideas and sketches when I design. It allows my thoughts to go places which can lead to some pleasant surprises creatively.The influence is usually more direct if I am painting or drawing since sound, emotion, movement and physically making the mark are more closely connected.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I find music recommendations everywhere, friends, other designers, the outside environment. I think for me it has always been about exploration and being open to new artists and sounds.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
I don’t know if there is one artist but I can say that pop music may best represent the work I create. I seem to gravitate toward pop-art sensibilities, bold colors, geometric shapes, and pattern in my work. The Pet Shop Boys are definitely at the convergence point of music I enjoy and design I love; their packaging, set designs and costumes have always been incredibly inspiring.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
Although I have many favorites – the Aeron chair which I sit in at the office is simply amazing, both on a comfort and aesthetic level – the ideal place to sit and listen to my playlist is on an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (Black Cow Leather with Walnut Veneer). The Eames Lounge Chair is sophisticated and iconic in its form, a timeless modern classic which I think makes it a great match for my mix. Also perfect because it will totally elevate your level of comfort and listening enjoyment.

Chris’s Playlist:
1. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1, Flaming Lips
2. Photograph, Air
3. Carrion, British Sea Power
4. The Origin of Love, Mika
5. Fake Plastic Trees, Radiohead
6. Hoppipolla, Sigur Ros
7. Girls, Death In Vegas
8. History Chimes, Echo And The Bunnyman
9. You Don’t See Me, Keane
10. The Wanderer, Johnny Cash
11. Home And Dry, Pet Shop Boys

Photos: Chris Dina

1. Steve Frykholm, 2010 AIGA Medal Winner – In 2010, Steve was recognized for establishing the highest standards of corporate design through his work shaping the visual identity and sensibility of Herman Miller. Read the AIGA’s profile of the creative director and check out this interview in which Steve talks about his career and origins in the design world.

2. Herman Miller Picnic Posters – Since “Corn” won an AIGA poster competition in the 1970s, Steve’s picnic posters have become highly sought-after design collectibles, residing in the collections of the MoMA, the Smithsonian, and other institutions around the world. Now you can own one his classic designs, available from the MoMA Store.

3. “Design Matters” audio interview with Steve Frykholm – Steve chats with Debbie Millman about the ups and downs in his long career. Listen now at Design Observer.

4. The 1982 Racing Circuit, National Offshore Powerboat poster, screenprint on paper – Designed by Steve and included in the of the Smithsonian American Art Musuem and Renwick Gallery. Take a look.

5. Steve’s Christmas Ornament – Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan’s 2nd congressional district, at the behest of then First Lady Laura Bush, invited Steve to create an ornament for the Blue Room Christmas tree in the White House. When asked to describe his idea, Steve explained, “I thought about winter, the snow, and the holidays, and thought the snowflakes would reflect Michigan.” Read more at MLive.

6. Reach Hong Kong poster – Read about Steve’s design for “Reach Hong Kong,” a three-month-long exhibition celebrating Herman Miller’s legacy in design innovation, on our sister blog, Discover. Cerentha Harris interviewed Steve about the design, his role at Herman Miller, and much more. Check it out on Herman Miller Discover.

Photos linked within text.

What do you listen to while you work?
Just about any genre except “commercial pop” – world music, electronica, jazz through bluegrass and soul. It’s important for me to have a very eclectic mix of music, it somehow makes me feel at home in NYC maybe because it reflects the diversity of the city. It also keeps me from getting bored.

How do you listen?
I have a Bose speaker system hooked up to my desktop computer where all my music is stored. I have the studio to myself a lot so I can play the music loud without bothering anyone else which is useful…sometimes music just needs to be blasted, it helps get me motivated.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
When I’m not sure what I feel like listening to I pretty much always go to Radio Paradise, they have a fantastic eclectic mix. For jazz I listen to WBGO out of Newark NJ and WFUV out of Fordham University for alternative and local artists. And John Schaffer’s Soundcheck always exposes me to something unusual. I do Pandora on occasion and am just starting to use Spotify. I buy music from Amazon and iTunes.

Does music influence your work?
When I am working on a project to showcase a musical artist, I’ll listen to that artist a lot to help me get the right feel. For the 92nd Street Y’s tribute to Burt Bacharach I must have listened to Steve Tyrell’s Back To Bacharach 50 times that week.

For other projects, like creating pieces to showcase the children of the 52nd Street Project, the music I listen to can take me in all sorts of unique directions. I created some surreal plant illustrations (above) while listening to a lot of K.D. Lang and Dusty Springfield. Go figure!

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Designers I collaborate with have turned me on to a lot. My summer intern has incredible taste and she exposed me to many artists that are becoming new favorites. My 13-year-old son has very sophisticated taste and he’s always on the prowl for new tunes, so he’s introduced me to some gems. My husband provided me with an amazing base of jazz standards, classical, R&B, and punk.

We also have friends who are musicians and artists and they’re always excited to share what they are into. And a huge influence is my client Celebrate Brooklyn!, a summer-long, very eclectic music festival that literally reflects the diversity of that borough. There’s always artists I don’t know in their line-up and I’m always prepared to be blown away.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Impossible! It would have to be upbeat because my work exudes a certain positivity, and quirky because I couldn’t tolerate just one style of music to define my work. It needs to be colorful, joyful, engaging… maybe Blackbird by The Beatles? Love You Madly by Cake? Roman Blue from “Rome” by Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi? David Bowie’s Oh! You Pretty Things? How can I choose just one?

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Molded Plastic Armchair with Rocker Base in Aqua Sky, if possible in a room with a fabulous view.

Iris’s Playlist:
1. Theme of ”Rome,” Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
2. Anonanimal, Andrew Bird
3. Frank Sinatra, Cake
4. Bullet and a Target, Citizen Cope
5. Vaporize, Broken Bells
6. Paradise, Coldplay
7. Indra, Thievery Corporation
8. Believe, Ozomatli
9. Dum Maro Dum (Take Another Toke), Kronos Quartet
10. Batonga, Angélique Kidjo
11. 100 Days, 100 Nights, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
12. Cool Jerk, The Capitols

Photos: Iris Brown

What do you listen to while you work? Usually I’m listening to 90′s hip-hop and an 80′s dance mix called “Sleepover Party” by Nina Mendoza, which keeps creeping into the playlist. The upbeat stuff is good to play when I’m working on bigger pieces — painting or cutting linoleum.

How do you listen? If my girlfriend is home, she’s usually working on her thesis, so I often wear headphones. When painting I play music on my house (Logitech) system. Nothing fancy.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? I usually download through iTunes, but have recently started messing about with Rdio.

Does music influence your work? Absolutely it does — sometimes in a literal way and sometimes not. For example, I used a quote from an Aloe Blacc song in this type piece on wood. Often I use music as a motivator to support whatever mood I’m in that day. I find that music helps me not over-think what I’m working on.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste? My musical tastes are influenced mainly by my good friends as well as the years of country and classic rock I listened to in my parents’ cars. I have been fortunate to have friends who are musicians or DJs. They play the music and I dance.

What song or artist best represents the work you create? I wish I could say it would be something like “Survival of the Fittest” by Mobb Deep, but realistically it’s probably “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by WAR.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist: The ideal place (for others) to sit and listen to my playlist is on the Eames Sofa. It’s simple, elegant, not ostentatious, and you can fit a few people on it to enjoy the music with some friends. In a perfect world, the sofa would be in the back of a pick-up truck on its way to the cottage.

JIMMY’S PLAYLIST

1. Across 110th Street, Bobby Womack
2. Indestructible Sam, Buck 65
3. Big Joe Mufferaw, Stompin’ Tom Connors
4. Copperhead Road, Steve Earle
5. Rotation, Big K.R.I.T.
6. Player’s Ball, Outkast
7. War, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
8. Shook Ones Part II, Mobb Deep
9. Driving Down The Freeway, Arowbe
10. Tapas, Action Bronson
11. 1991, Azealia Banks
12. Let’s Take A Walk, Raphael Saadiq

Photos: Jimmy Mezei

What do you listen to while you work? It varies day to day, depending on my mood, the weather outside, and if I’ve had my three cups of morning coffee. A nice slow start to the morning could begin with M83, while only a few hours later I’m listening to something on the opposite end of the spectrum, like Converge.

How do you listen? While at the office/studio during the day, I listen with headphones. It’s a shared space, so I can blare the music without affecting anyone else, and it really helps keep me focused. At home, freelancing at night, I have fallen in love with my Jawbone Jambox. It’s a Bluetooth wireless speaker with great sound that sits nicely on a shelf. I tend to play music at a lower volume at night so it’s perfect. I think I should be their spokesman.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? Absolutely. Rdio has changed the way I listen to music. It sounds kind of cheesy to say, but honestly, it has allowed me to take music with me everywhere I go, is great for discovering artists, and allows me to connect with other designers and what they’re listening to throughout their workday. And the interface is gorgeous. Very well thought out and designed.

Does music influence your work? Music sets the tone for each project I work on. As soon as I’m pulling a new job in, I’m finding a sound and atmosphere that fits with what I’m wanting to communicate visually. Sometimes fun, sometimes dark, sometimes I just need background music to help me zone out.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste? I find 99% of my new music recommendations on Twitter and Rdio. The majority of people I follow on both services are friends and other designers. A lot of designers tend to be music snobs and overly picky about music, so while it can be at times annoying, it makes it easy to find good new stuff that’s great to work to.

What song or artist best represents the work you create? Meatloaf. No question. Big and boisterous, while at the core, simple. And the dude likes to eat.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist: The Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair with Wood Base. That chair is gorgeous. It’s so simple and modern. I’d say that’d be a right pairing for these great tunes.

BRYAN’S PLAYLIST:

1. The Reflection of You, Bear in Heaven
2. Wild, Beach House
3. Lafaye, School of Seven Bells
4. Dreamlike, Vacationer
5. Soft, Washed Out
6. When to Let Go, Violens
7. Reaching Out, Nero
8. Bavarian #1 (Say You Will), Miike Snow
9. All of Me, Tanlines
10. I Can’t Stay, Ben Browning

Photos: Tom Barrett

How long have you worked from home? I’ve been working from home in some form or another for the past 14 years. I’ve stolen hours where I can find them in between sleep and my various day jobs, so home has always been a continuous place of work.

Tell us a bit about your work? I wear a lot of hats around here including graphic designer, painter, boss lady, blogger and interiors consultant. By day I’m a Senior Lead Product Designer at Yahoo! and in all my in-between hours I’m running the studio here producing work for personal clients. Most of my fine art clients reside in New York, San Francisco, London and Sydney with work in both private and corporate collections. Graphic design clients include Taschen, GOOD Magazine and design shops like Rare Device and Renegade Handmade. I produce a wide range of products like interactive user interfaces, paintings, illustrations, logos, and infographics.

How big is your work space? The loft is 2200 square feet on the ground floor where most of the work occurs. Larger art pieces are transported in through the heavy double wooden doors. The living area upstairs has been deemed a no work zone.

Is there any form of technology that really inspires you? I’m a bit old school. Blank paper and canvas still get the best response out of me because that’s where all my ideas start. Technical drawing pencils also get me excited. But if I had to pick a newer item, I’d definitely say high-end audio headphones. I’m a bit of a collector and audiophile when it comes to them and the bigger the better. I love headphones where the modern components are hidden inside retro looking shells.

What desk accessory can’t you do without? My orange flip clock. I can hear the gears grinding and it keeps me on task. It’s a stunning bit of machinery and always gorgeous to look at. When the days and nights blur together as I obsess over another project, it reminds me where and when I am.

Do you have any tips for organizing a home work space? I live and work in basically a large rectangular box. If something is out of place or disorganized you notice it pretty quickly. To stay organized means knowing my limits when it comes to how much I can store. The loft has no built in storage so supplies are kept to the level of what’s necessary to complete the job. Paintings are often hung to maximize the immense wall space and serve as a gallery display when clients come over for viewings. I also tend to group and organize items by colour so that they give the appearance of being part of a related group. My biggest secret is that my vintage lunch box collection serves double duty as a filing system for important papers and business receipts. Finding creative ways to keep organized allows me to keep the space from getting too cluttered.