What sounds fill the workspace shared by Stanley Wilson and Sophie Gollop of Urban Cottage Industries? Find out what these designers, manufacturers, and suppliers of vintage industrial lighting have playing on repeat in their headquarters in Mytholmroyd, England.
What do you listen to while you work? We fight between Radio 4 (Stan) and music (Sophie). Sophie is proletarian. It’s class war—all day, every day.
During work hours, Royce Epstein focuses on materials and finishes at the architecture and interior design firm Kling Stubbins. After hours, she’s the lead singer and rhythm guitar player in not one, but two bands in the Philadelphia area. (How does she do it?) Turn up your speakers for a listen to her (not one, but two) music mixes in this week’s Playlist. Read more
Gabriel Mann and Rebecca Kneubuhl are composers and musicians who collaborate on music for film, television, video games, and pretty much all other visual media. And non-visual media. Gabe is currently the series composer for the ABC television show “Modern Family” and a member of the Rescues. And Rebecca and Gabriel recently completed the score to Mattel’s “Barbie: A Perfect Christmas.” And yes, they are parents. Happy New Year from their studio!
There was so much good music last year we had to run a second story! So please, take a listen (and another look back) at this second half of our 2011 “Best of” Playlist—a music mix from some of our favorite features from the past year. Read more
Multi-taskers make our heart weak at Lifework—and this week’s Playlist from Kristin Appenbrink is no exception. By day, she’s the associate editor for RealSimple.com. By night, she’s the whiz behind Belinder Ice Cream, a side project she started to sell small-batch ice creams and sorbets after a popular run in last summer’s Ice Cream Social blog from Real Simple (ask her about her mind-blowing mint-chocolate-chip concoction). Turn up your speakers and hit play for her delicious work mix, which is thoughtfully organized into four themes (like we said, we love a multi-tasker!)
What do you listen to while you work? For my day job, where I need to be able to concentrate on words, there are three types of music moods you’ll usually find me in. Most of the time I’ll be listening to some kind of indie-mellow band—songs that blend into the background without fading away completely. Bon Iver, Feist, and Fleet Foxes are a few staples.
This week, Boston-based artist Leah Giberson delivers a first for us: a music mix compiled from a home office containing a turntable, a tape desk, and a Bose Wave. (Feels futuristic and old-school all at once, doesn’t it?) Take a listen to the sounds that are filling her studio in our newest
What do you listen to while you work? Like most people, it depends what I’m working on. When writing or reading, I really need to minimize distractions, so I often wear my headphones without listening to anything at all. If I’m painting, though, it’s usually a mix of Americana, folk, roots, country, blues, punk, indie rock, and a bit of electrofunk thrown in for good measure. There are also lots of times I end up listening to public-radio programs and podcasts much of the day. If it’s an interesting story, it works just as well as good music to distract the left side of my brain and allow the other side do its thing—plus it makes me feel like I’ve learned a little something about what’s going on in the world despite the isolation of working from home.
We always like to get a peek at music mixes from actual musicians, which is why we’re thrilled to present this week’s Playlist from Zinzi Edmundson, one-half of the Los Angeles-based duo Kisses and editor for FOAM Magazine. Listen up to what’s playing now in the home office she shares with boyfriend/bandmate Jesse Kivel and their dog (and office assistant) Ruby.
Here at Lifework, we’re big fans of the folks over at Apartment Therapy Unpluggd, so we were excited to get this latest Playlist from one of its contributors, tech, travel, and design writer Joelle Alcaidinho—especially since she considers herself a “renaissance lady of 2045 (you know, until the robots take over).” Listen up to this music mix from the NYC- and Sydney-based pen for hire, baker of fortune, and knitwear designer.
What do you listen to while you work? It depends on what I am doing. For editing images and researching, I usually listen to a friend’s playlist on Rdio or catch a history podcast (my favourite being the BBC History Magazine). While writing, I opt for music sans words and usually opt for Philip Glass or Wagner, depending on my mood.
How do you listen? Built-in computer speakers. Boring, I know. For the podcasts on my iPhone, I play them on an old clock radio connected via AirPlay. When using headphones, thanks to noisy neighbours and the bars below the apt, I use my Bowers & Wilkins P5. My turntable and records did not make the move years ago (I moved with a small suitcase) and are under the care and keeping of my youngest sister.
The first day of autumn may have been September 23, but for many of us, the first time you really start realizing that we’re indeed in the midst of a new season is when daylight saving time finally makes its appearance. Celebrate the fact that we’re all still adjusting to that one extra hour with this special-edition mix featuring tunes from some of our 2012 fall Playlisters.
1. Wasted Hours by Arcade Fire from The Playlist: Ben Lambers of Studio Aandacht
2. Autumn Leaves by Cannonball Adderly & Miles Davis from The Playlist: Stylist & Product/Interior Designer Sofie Brünner
3. Mambo Sun by T. Rex from The Playlist: Product Designer Jonah Takagi
This week’s green theme on Lifework wouldn’t be complete without a nod to our favorite environmental lifestyle expert, Danny Seo. His new book Upcycling has inspired our creative sides, his eco-friendly Danny Seo home collection (found nationally at stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods) is currently inspiring our every day, and now his Playlist is inspiring a much-needed dance break between work projects. Take a listen.
What do you listen to while you work? It depends. If I’m working away on something that’s totally work-related (we’re talking lengthy emails, reviewing contracts, doing selects from photo shoots) it needs to be dead quiet. But if I’m writing my syndicated column Do Just One Thing or the manuscript for a new book, I have to have music on. It drains out any distractions and lets me focus on the creative writing at hand.
