Process and Concept

“Tiny Joy Club” emerged from the observation that small coincidences and mishaps constantly accompany our everyday lives: a coffee stain, a wine spill, a torn edge, a subtle trace of use. Such marks are usually read as “mistakes”. Something to hide, correct or discard. The project deliberately challenges this automatic reaction by treating imperfection not as a flaw, but as material.

The concept is based on a shift in perspective: a stain is not the end of an object, but the beginning of a new design. “Tiny Joy Club” moves the focus away from the perfect outcome toward an open process. Design is not created solely by me as the designer, but is intentionally structured so that others can continue it. This results in a product world that does not aim to be “finished,” but invites reinterpretation, extension and personalization.

At the same time, “Tiny Joy Club” represents an attitude: objects do not need to be replaced simply because they carry traces of use. A flaw can tell a story, and an annoying moment can turn into a small joy moment filled with humor.

Research and Design Question

My research was deliberately designed to be close to everyday life and practice-based, guided by the following question:

How do people perceive small irregularities, stains and traces of use in everyday life, and how does this perception change when imperfection is made visible and offered as a creative starting point?

Accordingly, my research consisted of observations within my immediate environment, conversations with friends and fellow students, as well as design experiments using real stains and materials. I was particularly interested in the emotions that small mishaps evoke and in identifying the moment when a situation shifts from frustration to acceptance or even humor.

The findings show that mishaps are often commented on spontaneously (“Oh no!”), quickly removed, or seen as a reason to stop using an object. At the same time, people react surprisingly openly once a clear framework is provided that allows, and even encourages, imperfection. When the entry point is low-threshold, for example “simply draw around the stain,” curiosity tends to replace hesitation. The stain is no longer perceived as disturbing, but as a form that can be interpreted.

This leads to the following design question:

How can design use imperfection as a creative potential and create objects that invite individual continuation and reinterpretation, rather than prescribing a fixed, perfect final outcome?

Moodboard

The moodboard collects visual and conceptual references that define the character of “Tiny Joy Club.” Central elements include organic shapes, traces, edges, stains and coincidences, elements that do not appear deliberately designed, but rather emerge naturally. These are complemented by sketch-like illustrations and repairs ranging from simple to more detailed interventions.

Result and Product line

The result is a design system that generates new motives from real traces. The starting point consists of concrete stains or damage, such as wine rings, chocolate stains or torn paper edges. Through targeted illustrative additions, these forms are reinterpreted and transformed into new images.

Importantly, the result is not merely a series of individual illustrations, but a reproducible principle. It functions across different surfaces and formats without losing its core idea. Imperfection is not concealed, but deliberately used as the starting point.

Beyond clothing and cards, further fields of application are conceivable, such as packaging or furniture. The project is intentionally understood as the beginning of an open system that can be transferred to various contexts and everyday objects.

The illustrations deliberately use bold, vibrant colors. This gives the so-called “damages” visual attention and highlights them rather than concealing them. Color acts as an amplifier: it directs focus toward imperfection and makes it a confident and integral part of the design.

Result and Product line - Clothing

Result and Product line - Cards

Do it yourself

A central part of “Tiny Joy Club” is the invitation to actively participate. For the DessauDesignSchau, I distributed postcards with different stains and invited visitors to transform them into something new and positive through drawing and co-creation.

The DIY format is intentionally low-threshold: the focus is not on “drawing well,” but on interpretation. This creates a space in which people can engage creatively without performance pressure. At the same time, the core idea of the project becomes tangible: The moment when a stain is no longer read as a mistake, but as the starting point for a new meaning. These insights can then be transferred by participants to other areas of everyday life.

Spread for fanzine

The fanzine spread serves as a condensation of the project, bringing together attitude, process and result in one format. The text presents my take on happiness and explains why happiness is not understood as a grand or extraordinary state, but rather as a small shift in perspective.

Conclusion

“Tiny Joy Club – Where little things go beautifully wrong” is a project about reinterpretation. It demonstrates that small everyday mishaps do not have to remain negative. When imperfection is understood as material, it can give rise to design, appreciation and often a sense of lightness. The focus shifts from the perfect object to personal interpretation and from discarding things to rethinking them.

In the future, I aim to collaborate with a wide range of people to collect many more forms of everyday mishaps across different contexts. By doing so, I hope to gain diverse perspectives and create new opportunities for rethinking and independent creative engagement.