Title: Kings of King
Client: Trinity Financial
Behind The Scenes: I had the opportunity to collaborate with Trinity Financial on a branding and interiors project in Rhode Island's Olneyville, focused on resurrecting a historic mill building in Providence. This building had a rich history, once home to Italian immigrants who began a knife business in their garage and eventually produced bayonets for the U.S. Army. They also held the patent for a pocket knife can opener. During renovations, Trinity discovered numerous unsharpened blades and historical relics on the ground floor, which inspired my creative storytelling efforts.
The building and other fashion-industry-serving mills in the area used a nearby river for transporting goods. At the height of their success, buttons from coats and pants would often float in the river, which inspired the naming of the nearby Button Hole Golf Course. These fascinating stories influenced the visual identity and interior asset design packages we created for the project.
One highlight was using the can opener story to develop Andy Warhol-inspired wallpaper motifs, adding a modern artistic touch to the interiors. Additionally, I learned about a global phenomenon where it once rained fish in Olneyville—possibly due to fish being swept into the gutters of tall mill buildings and falling during heavy rain, or perhaps more whimsically, directly from the clouds.
To honor the building's history, I hand-painted wispy lines reminiscent of the worsted wool factory and repurposed original factory doors as decor elements on the walls. This project allowed us to blend historical elements with contemporary design, bringing new life to a historic site while celebrating its unique past.