When I go to the car dealership I’m often intimidated talking to the mechanics. Not because of anything they do, but because I don’t know anything about cars. I know what it feels and sounds like when my car is running well, and I know when something is off, but I’m always hard pressed to describe it, and I feel pretty foolish trying to duplicate the grinding sound I’m hearing when I turn left.

This often happens to my new clients when they’re talking to me about their design ideas. They don’t speak the lingo, and they feel awkward talking to someone who specializes in it. Of course, I don’t expect my clients to have a firm grasp of design principles or design terminology. Why would they need me if they do? I don’t even expect them to be able to verbalize what they’re looking for in their design. It’s my job to figure out what they like and dislike and to coax the design of their dreams out of their heads and onto the page or screen.

To this end, I will sometimes ask a series of questions seemingly unrelated to the design job at hand. Once you move someone out of “talking design” they often get more comfortable and are able to reveal what they really like. Here are some of my standards:

“What are your favorite magazines?”
This isn’t as straightforward as it seems, as people will often read magazines that they don’t particularly like the look of because they’re interested in the content. It gives you a general trend, though, and it can show what’s more important to the client — design or content.

“What color is the favorite room of your house?”
If distance permits, I always prefer to meet the client at her workplace so that I can get a feel for her style.

“If I looked in your closet, which three colors would I find the most of?”

“What kind of car do you drive? Do you think it suits you?”

“What are your three favorite websites?”

The answers to these questions provide a jumping off point to talk design, and often give me enough information to start on the first pass of a design. What do you think? If you answered these questions, would it give me a good idea of your design aesthic? Can you think of something else I should be asking?

We’ve been having a 1970’s revival in graphic design for the past few years. Orange, brown and yellow? 70’s color revival. Graphic patterns, featuring colored circles and swirls? 70’s revival.

1970's era design, via http://www.berting.nl/seventies/

2008 image, via istockphoto (http://www.istockphoto.com)

As in all things design, things change. And, as much as I hoped this wouldn’t happen, the 70s are making way for the 80s (again). I was in high school in the 1980s and the fashions and styles of the times are burned into my memory in a horrific mishmash of leg warmers, thick shoe laces, Bon Jovi, big hair, belted oversize shirts, pegged pants, neon, and acid wash jeans. See below — and please note, this is NOT me. (If you’re a real glutton for punishment, check out the Flickr group 80s.)

http://flickr.com/photos/hepe/483361489/

Why do I think 80s are on their way back? Here’s just a taste of what you can find in stores today:

Target and Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters

So what does this mean for design? I’m forecasting jewel colors (sapphire blues, ruby reds, emerald greens), a return of thicker typefaces from the ultrathin ones we’ve seen recently, neon (I hope I’m wrong about this!), drop shadows and outlines. Here’s what graphic design looked like, circa the 1980s:

I’ll be very interested to see how this plays out in the next three or four years. Done right, the best of the 80s could translate into new, interesting design. After all, ten years ago few people were looking at 70s design (avocado green appliances! bell bottoms! orange!!) and longing for its return.

What do you think? Are there styles (design, fashion, home or otherwise) that you’re hoping will come back? Are there pinstriped jeans in your future? Are you too young to have fully experienced 1980s fashion and are looking forward to a nice pair of Ray Ban aviators? Or are the 80s a bad dream?