Sting Operation

Philly, Ink: Inspired by Tattoo Design at Busybee!

Posted by & filed under Home Center, Interior Design, Trends.

Think tattoos are only for the skin? Think again. Designer Amanda Rillo has a love for tattoos, and she wanted to share with you what Busybee has to offer from books on the classic art to “tattoos” for your wall!

“These books inspired me because of the history of the art – I love the “classic” genre of tattoos – and mine are very “Sailor Jerry’esque”. We offer a book on his stencils here at Busybee. The Big and Great Books of Tattoos show an array of people in tattoo history which to me is beautiful. I love art and the fact that we can express ourselves artistically on the skin is an amazing thing to me, you take it to the grave – and every piece tells a story. The same with your walls at home, a decal and wallpaper can really express who you are and you can display a story of your interests (for those not so bold to ink their skin, ink your walls!),” says Amanda.

The Busybee team has even designed a tattoo parlor for a client, where they added in eye-catching elements and a mix of industrial metals, woods, and black and white details. Other tattoo-inspired items that you can find at Busybee include this Warhol-style Japanese Woman Wallpaper and a tribal Mirror, a symbol that is often found in tattoo designs.

Amanda convinced the team to carry tattoo books, which are perfect for gifts or reading material for the coffee table. “When I came across the book,  The Russian Criminal Encyclopedia, at the 2012 Philadelphia Tattoo Convention, I convinced Busybee we should carry it. Not only do I love tattoos, but I also have a lot of Russian in my blood, my dad was half Russian, half Italian, and my mom comes from Russian roots as well. I knew Anna, owner of Busybee, who also loves tattoos and is from Kiev, would appreciate this book just as much as I do. It may be about Russian “criminals” and their tattoos but each one is so personal and tells a story of their way of life, it is very inspiring and interesting!”

Philly being a cultured and heavily tattooed city – I knew our tattoo books would be a hit, I’m always on the lookout for new “tattoo” items to bring to the table and to share with our customers, it’s a passion that I will forever have – just as strong as my passion for design.”

Get the coolest anytime gifts for the tattoo enthusiast at Busybee:

1. Cherry Blossom Fabric, $65/yard. Available in 6 colorways

2. The Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopedia, $32.95

3. Japanese Woman Wallpaper, $85/yard

4. Wall Decals, $65

5. Transit Chest, $1,395

6. Historic Flash, $25

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title="" rel=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>