Ever wondered what's in the travel bags of your ultimate artistic inspirations? Curious to know what are the items shaping their lives while taking a break from the dayjob, how they plan for weather swings, or stay inspired in their downtime? Can't Leave Without is the Livingetc column bringing you packing advice courtesy of our favorite names from the contemporary interior design and creative scene.
The key to Michael Yarinsky and Kelley Perumbeti's interdisciplinary studio, Office of Tangible Space, lies in understanding the reciprocal relationship that binds their interiors and product-focused projects together. As their chosen name suggests, the Brooklyn and San Francisco-based duo brings spaces to life through objects that celebrate the humanity of those who use them. If, in their furniture work, contrasting textures, finishes, and shapes strive to foster an instant connection between viewers and their pieces; in their interior design practice, every decision extends the "feeling of comfort and contentment" of the home into warmly imagined commercial, retail, residential, and public art contexts.
This blend of familiarity and experimentation also characterizes the travel essentials Yarinsky and Perumbeti cling onto during their frequent coast-to-coast flights, and this is no accident. Accustomed to flying between their two offices locations, the design duo has mastered the art of packing for every eventuality. From independent magazines to practical utensils and sustainably realized fashion items, the Office of Tangible Space co-founders' travel belongings are symptomatic of their desire for an "ethically-designed future" — a future they are already contributing to through their genre-bending approach to modern interior design, which elegantly incorporates mid-century, rustic, and Scandinavian design influences, and the community-oriented ethos that drives their vision forward.
1. Hightide Penco B6 Grid Notebook
While going on vacation shouldn't have anything to do with work-related tasks, Yarinsky and Perumbeti know that leisure can provide the fuel for some of their most innovative creative ideas. And that's exactly why "we never leave home without a few items — and gridded paper is high on the list," they tell me.
With its minimalist, vintage design, the B6 Grid Notebook by Japanese stationery retailer Hightide Penco allows them to sketch out their most impromptu projects directly on the move. Besides ensuring that nothing goes lost to holiday time, this carefully crafted, analogue lover's pick also maximizes writing and drawing comfort thanks to its thread-bound sheets.
Cover material: Plastic
Price: $15.75
2. MOLD Magazine
Embracing time off as an opportunity to develop new knowledge, interests, and inspirations can be a constructive way to make the most out of your seasonal break, and the Office of Tangible Space co-founders know it well. "We love to explore things outside the world of spatial and object design that can help expand our worldview and influence our way of thinking," Yarinsky and Perumbeti say. "One of our favorite magazines is MOLD — a publication about the future of food."
Founded by Chinese-American design journalist and editor LinYee Yuan in 2013 and originally running online, the print edition of MOLD has just reached its sixth and final edition. Comprising 144 pages, a special double cover authored by Stuttgart and Barcelona-based design studio N&MS, and a poetry insert edited by Emma Leigh Macdonald, the latest issue advocates for the creation of "new earths on this Earth to spark new imaginaries, forge new relationships, and most importantly, ground ourselves in the soil".
3. Junes Market Tote
One of the things I hate most when traveling around is not having any hands free to hold my camera, the card I need to tap in on the underground and other means of transport, or my water bottle.
Of course, this could easily be avoided by bringing an extra bag, and Perumbeti has got some suggestions: her Market Tote, designed by Janean Mann's upcycling, women-focused label Junes, "is made from recycled landfill and ocean plastic and formulated to be fully biodegradable", she says. Available in 13 different colorways including gradient, striped, and patchwork motifs, Perumbeti thinks "it's pretty cute too" — and I am with her.
Material: Bio-Knit Fabric
Price: $47.64
4. Finnish Painters Jacket
There are objects that acquire extra value because of the unexpected ways we discover them. This is especially true when it happens while we are on vacation, as such discoveries become a physical, lasting memory of our trips. That's what I gather from my conversation with the Office of Tangible Space co-founders. "Michael found a hardware store in Finland that sold these incredible, classic painters jackets for one Euro," Perumbeti recalls. "He filled a suitcase with them and it is now our unofficial uniform inside and outside the studio."
Though, for obvious reasons, part of this item's charm stems from its occasion price, its workwear, stripped-back aesthetic makes it the ideal addition to a casual chic wardrobe. The high-end alternative we have selected for you below, designed by BLAZÉ MILANO, retains the simple elegance of its cut while offering you the opportunity to rock the jacket on any occasion, including the more special ones.
Material: 65% Viscose, 35% Silk. Lining: 100% Viscose
Price: $753.68 (was $1256.14)
5. Monica Castiglioni SPATUSCE Ring
Sometimes packing for a trip also means remembering to take with you those small, yet meaningful, items that speak of your personal taste and make you feel yourself even in the most extraneous situations — whether or not others can immediately notice them. And that's the case of Yarinsky and Perumbeti's fifth travel pick, the SPATUSCE ring.
"Based in Milan, Monica Castiglioni creates beautiful, impactful pieces of jewelry that are great alone or layered," they explain. Speaking on their choice, the duo adds that they "appreciate design that can be experienced in different ways": their admiration for the label lies in the multifacetedness of Castiglioni's organically shaped, playful jewelry creations which, say Office of Tangible Space, "are sold domestically by our friends at Available Items".
Material: 14-Karat Gold
Price: $2471.61
6. Johanna Gullichsen Doris Cosmetics Bag
I have never been a fan of bland travel bags and accessories, as practicality shouldn't necessarily imply characterless styling choices. Instead, I like my travel essentials to reflect, and even amplify, the energy I exude, making them a visible extension of my personality. Office of Tangible Space seem to think the same: "we love Finnish designer Johanna Gullichsen’s woven textiles and use them frequently in our interiors projects," Yarinsky and Perumbeti say. "Our Doris Cosmetics Bag, which we own in ochre, is a little piece of art to carry around."
Color: Ochre
Material: 100% Cotton
Price: $81.71
7. Hetkinen Shizuka Fragrance
There are things that, although invisible, still make the difference while traveling, and perfume is definitely one of them. For the interdisciplinary design studio's collaborators, choosing the right fragrance has become a no-brainer: Yarinsky and Perumbeti's go-to eau de parfum is Shizuka by Finnish lifestyle company Hetkninen, which they love for both its unisex scent and its impeccable packaging design.
First established in 2018, Hetkinen focuses on small collectibles and cosmetics exclusively realized with pine wood. Conceived as a dialogue with Finland's breathtaking landscape, countless forests, and trees, its products express a sense of "harmony with nature", leveraging the delivery of an elevated customer experience to reconnect us with the environment.
Top Notes: Grapefruit
Heart Notes: Lemongrass
Base Notes: Neroli
Price: $49.11
8. Leica DISTO D2
With offices in both Brooklyn and San Francisco, Yarinsky and Perumbeti don't just travel for pleasure. Coast-to-coast flying has become an integral part of Office of Tangible Space's design practice, which is why their final pick is more hands-on than one would expect from any traditional holiday essentials bucket list. "Another item that never leaves our bag, whether on vacation or not, is Leica's DISTO D2 laser distance meter [found here on Amazon]," they say. Because beach strolls and dinners aside, "sometimes you just gotta know the ceiling height," laughs the duo.
Capturing design's ability to make people's lives better, Michael Yarinsky and Kelley Perumbeti's objects of affection are imbued with the same eye for detail, attention to materials, and emotiveness of their own interiors and product projects. Much like their work, many of the Office of Tangible Space co-founders' travel essentials illustrate how carefully created items can foster interpersonal connection and community, bringing us closer to each other, our cherished possessions, and the world around us.
