The person who still remembers when the creative process felt electric. When taste wasn’t something you optimized, but something you discovered. When inspiration came from living. You know, things like traveling, listening, paying attention — rather than scrolling until something vaguely acceptable appeared. And when it, the “click”, meant something.
Gil Melott | Design Alchemy - in other words. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Somewhere along the way, the fun slipped out of the room.
Maybe it happened when design exposure went from the monthly ritual — a dog-eared shelter magazine from the grocery store checkout, the trip to a museum or family dinner and conversation, instead of a 24/7 algorithmic drip. When inspiration became endless, weightless, and strangely forgettable. When everything became “good,” but very little felt great.
Before feeds decided for us, inspiration required effort. You had to look methodically. Thoughtfully. You had to experience things in real time. Taste wasn’t crowdsourced—it was cultivated.
Have we over-democratized taste? YES. With it, we’ve handed over authority to everyone and no one at the same time. Influence without responsibility. Opinions without conviction. Style without leadership.
Dare I say it—we’re missing leaders.
Not gatekeepers. Not trend forecasters. But people willing to stand in front of an idea and say, this matters. People willing to take cultural and aesthetic risks without immediately checking the comment section for approval.
We’re craving a more dependable tribe — designers, artists, thinkers, and tastemakers who aren’t afraid to say:
“I like this because it’s really good. Because it’s fresh. Because it moves something inside me.”
Film still, The Friend Next Door with Julienne Moor and Tilda Swinton; Féau Boiseries, Paris, France; Interiors, Axel Vervoordt, Belgian Designer.
I’m not here to present the best image. I’m here to explore the internal drivers behind what we choose, what we collect, what we live with—and why. The soundtracks that carry memory. The objects that outlast trends. The spaces that feel lived in, not staged.
This is about rediscovering the joy in the creative experience. About trusting your own instincts again. About remembering that taste is personal before it’s public—and that the most interesting work has always come from people who weren’t trying to please everyone.
If that resonates, you’re in the right place.
Here are three clear, actionable steps that translate the Design Alchemy philosophy into lived practice:
1. Reclaim Your Taste (The 30-Day Input Reset)
Action: For the next 30 days, intentionally reduce algorithm-led inspiration.
Unfollow or mute accounts that repost trends without authorship.
Replace scrolling with one deliberate input per week.
Visit an art gallery, flea market, bookshop, record store, or historic home.
Watch a film for its atmosphere, not its plot.
Sit in a café and observe materials, sound, light, and behavior.
Why it matters:
Taste sharpens through attention, not volume. This reset retrains your eye and nervous system to recognize what actually moves you.
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2. Articulate Your “Because” (Build a Personal Taste Manifesto)
Action: Once a week, choose one object, space, song, or image you love and finish this sentence in writing:
“I like this because…”
No theory. No references. No justification to anyone else.
Is it the tension?
The restraint?
The imperfection?
The emotional memory it triggers?
Why it matters: Authority in taste comes from clarity, not consensus. This practice builds the muscle of conviction—the ability to stand behind a choice without external validation.
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3. Make One Small, Visible Risk (Practice Cultural Leadership)
Action: Each month, make one creative decision that feels slightly uncomfortable but deeply aligned.
Paint a room the color you actually want.
Play the music you love at a dinner, not what feels “safe.”
Wear the thing you keep saving “for later.”
Share an opinion publicly without softening it.
Why it matters: Culture doesn’t move through perfection—it moves through courage. Leadership in taste begins when someone goes first.
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Design Alchemy isn’t about being right. It’s about being awake.
in other words:
WATCH — the original rebel without a cause, The 400 Blows. This film is an ode to resilience.
LISTEN — every month our team pulls together a playlist as backdrop to our creative life. Here is JANUARY 2026 —our mixtape for the dark months.
VISIT — The Connaught Bar in London - A martini trolley glides up to the table and takes away the global news and views of the day at least temporarily. The genuinely attentive service is very refreshing.
CONSIDER — Looking at second-generation handcrafted furniture maker Caleb Woodward. The Nashville-based artists takes a gentle approach to hardwood.
Gil Melott | Design Alchemy - in other words. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
