Medium

Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith

·

Dec 12, 2025

SPELK Story

A Substack newsletter about design, domestic space and how ideas take shape in the real world

Page footer made from geometric shapes

Kelly Smith

·

Dec 7, 2025

Boring is Interesting

Reflections on the legacy of photographer Martin Parr

Photo of children eating ice cream.

Kelly Smith

·

Sep 20, 2025

Counting Chairs

What Japanese Numerals Taught Me About Design

Illustration of a chair.

Kelly Smith

·

Aug 15, 2025

Fail, Recalibrate, Succeed

What house flies can teach you about great design

Illustration of a fly.

Kelly Smith

·

Jul 31, 2025

The “Adjacent Possible”

How small steps build towards innovation

Illustration of red steps.

In

UX Collective

by

Kelly Smith

·

Jul 7

Vanilla moments

Why you need to design for the real world.

Illustration of a Pontiac Bonneville.

Kelly Smith

·

Feb 7, 2025

What a Blue Apple Can Tell You About Design

If you ever visit Japan, don’t get excited if someone offers you a “blue apple” — it’s probably a boring old green one. This is because…

Illustration of a blue apple.

Kelly Smith

·

Jan 24, 2025

The Power of Clear Communication in Business

Lessons from a Coffee Machine

Illustration of two heads with a thought bubble.

Kelly Smith

·

Jan 13, 2025

Friday Freedom

A technique for promoting creativity and innovation in the workplace

Illustration of a brain and lightbbulb

Kelly Smith

·

Sep 21, 2024

From Geordie Glass to Global Luxury

Why champagne is effectively a Geordie drink and how it relates to your business success

Illustration of stacked bottles.

Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith

Interiors, furniture, lifestyle, graphics, writer, gardener, nerd. PhD in Contextual Design. Founder of SPELK. North east England. http://www.spelk.studio

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