Modern European Design
Leanne did a great job filling in for me the last two weeks, but alas, I’m back. We were able to see a lot of Europe – more than we planned: Greece, Italy, Spain, France, and Turkey.
After taking a few days to recover from a head cold and jet lag, it feels good to be back home.
Don’t get me wrong, I love visiting the “old country.” It reminds me of trips to Busch Gardens when I was a kid, except everything is bigger and louder. In many ways, Europe is like a parallel universe. Everything is just different…but slightly different so it’s still kinda recognizable.
We had the good fortune to visit classical architectural marvels in Athens, like the Coliseum, the Roman Agora, and the Acropolis. We visited a more modern landmark in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia, the day after its 144-year construction was complete.
I love reading about design – architectural, product, interior, industrial, and of course, graphic design. I had read an article on Modern European Design (MED) at the end of 2025, so I was looking forward to seeing some of these wonders on tours, in cafes, stores, and hotel lobbies. The article said it was all the rage because it “merges old-world rustic charm with contemporary, minimalist refinement.”
What we found was visually appealing, but Modern European Design lacks an important focus – functionality. After visiting eight different European cities over the past two weeks, I can say all of the examples I found of MED were beautiful, but not functional. Simple, yet somehow complicated.
For example, the showers are sleek and stylish, yet have only one wall, so the floor always stays wet. Every toilet has two buttons, assuming one for less water and one for more. There’s no discernible difference. Every chair is sleek and angled in design, and extremely uncomfortable. On two different occasions, I sat at desks that were brightly colored and slightly rustic, but had faux drawers. There were drawer handles, but nothing opened. I saw minimalist track lighting fixtures that were gorgeous, but had six different buttons to control them. After two days, I gave up and started punching all the buttons until I got what I wanted. One of our rooms had a hard-wired hair dryer in the top drawer of the vanity. Pretty cool. It wheezed for about 30 seconds and then died a smoky death. The front desk sent up a replacement Conair.
And it all leads me to this point. Design should not only be pretty, but it should actually work. This is true in any design area. It’s not a new idea and I can take no credit for it, but “form follows function” still rings true today.
MONDAY:
MAINLINE
The problem that I’ve always had with software is that it’s made for a mass audience. Most of it is one-size fits all. In the Ad Agency world, there are countless Project Management software systems and they’re all priced for Madison Avenue firms, not Main Street ones. So, over the last month, led by M+M President Molly Whitfield, we built our own full agency software suite. It integrates with every tool we use and integrates some cutting edge AI tools. We called it MainLine. BTW, Molly is a genius and the Madison+Main-iacs love it.
TUESDAY:
MADISON+MENTORING
On Tuesday afternoon, Senior Copywriting Manager Derek Fair returned virtually to his alma mater for VCU Robertson School’s Speed Mentoring event—this time on the other side of the table. He gave students real-world career advice, portfolio pointers, and a crash course in decoding phrases like “Let’s circle back” and “Can we make it pop more?”
We’re so proud to have such a talented professional with us as he gives back to the next generation of creatives.
WEDNESDAY:
GET GROSS FOR GOOD
A few members of our team took our new client Donnie, Executive Director of HARP RVA, to the Texas Inn to watch Chesterfield County Sheriff Karl Leonard get mayo-dumped as a fundraiser for the Special Olympics.
HARP (Helping Addicts Recover Progressively) is an in-jail rehabilitation program built and run by Sheriff Leonard. Continuing this effort, HARP RVA is the nonprofit organization dedicated to extending support beyond the jail walls. Donnie Newton leads this effort by providing resources and ongoing support to program alumni upon release, as well as other recovering addicts. HARP RVA ensures that the progress made during incarceration continues in the outside world. We are so proud to welcome HARP RVA to the M+M family, and even prouder to help tell their story.
Jeff Katz and Sheriff Leonard come up with a wacky fundraiser every year, and we were thrilled they chose Texas Inn Richmond for the BIG Show. You can still donate to the ongoing cause here!
THURSDAY:
SHOWROOM SHOW AND TELL
Thursday, Creative Director Carissa Ghaffari, Senior Copywriting Manager Derek Fair, and Account Director Allison Nida traveled to Chesapeake to meet with our friends at WSC Smart Home Designers, where we got to see their stunning showroom and many of WSC’s smart solutions in action, and discuss upcoming marketing initiatives. Keep an eye out for some seriously sleek marketing, inbound!
FRIDAY:
OUR OWN MOLLIE B-DAY!
After a two week break from my radio responsibilities, I was back on the air with Rich Herrera of Richmond’s Morning News this morning. Special thanks to VP Leanne Pillow for doing a stellar job filling in. ICYMI, here’s the link!
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
PI DAY IS PIE DAY AT TEXAS INN
Saturday March 14th
ALL DAY!
All 4 Texas Inn locations will be selling slices of their delicious Pies for only $3.14 on March 14th! Come by any Texas Inn to experience the Pi day you deserve.
Proceeds benefit the Richmond, Harrisonburg and Richmond public schools education foundations.
Don’t miss the chance to give back to our education systems – deliciously!
RICHMOND FAMILY MAGAZINE’S SUMMER CAMPS AND ACTIVITIES EXPO
Saturday, March 7
Time: 1-4 PM
Dewey Gottwald Center, 2301 W. Leigh Street.
Join us on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 1-4 p.m., at the Dewey Gottwald Center at the Science Museum of Virginia to visit with and gather information from over 60 area day camps, sleepaway camps, and other area family activities and resources.
Kid’s programming and activities will be on-hand, so mark your calendars for an afternoon of fun for the whole family. Come scoop up door prizes, catch a visit from Nutzy, and more!
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs