calm-hearted
REMEMBERING FORWARD
THE LOOK AND FEEL BEHIND THE PLATFORM
Designed with care, not shock.
The visuals of Calm-hearted are intentionally soft, grounded, and non-triggering. The design choices are intentional and part of how this platform protects choice, lowers overwhelm, and makes room for grief without forcing painful imagery on those navigating their loss.
WHY DESIGN BELONGS IN THE CONVERSATION
Grief support should not feel like another thing to brace for.
Reaching for support while grieving is not always easy. Opening a page that feels clinical, crowded, difficult to navigate, or visually overwhelming can make it harder to take in the information, sort through dense information, or return when you need it.
Calm-hearted was created with this understanding and experience in mind. Bereaved families and those supporting them need support that feels thoughtful, current, and human. The goal of this platform is to offer space to find connection, understanding, and ways to remember.
CHOICE
SOFTNESS
CLARITY
REMEMBRANCE
CHOOSING CALM OVER CLUTTER
The intention behind the visuals
Every visual choice on Calm-hearted has been made with care.
The colours, illustrations, and layout have been intentionally brought together to create a space that feels calmer during an overwhelming time. Knowing that grief can make even ordinary images feel triggering, photos of babies, pregnancy, and hospital settings are used sparingly. Personal and stock photos may sometimes appear as part of an honest story of loss, love, and remembrance. These photos will be used with purpose and care to add important context, meaning, or connection.
This platform uses a simple design so that you have room to breathe, reflect, and find support without asking you to navigate unnecessary reminders of your loss.
Content warnings
When a blog or section includes an image of pregnancy, a baby, a hospital setting, medical equipment, or other potentially sensitive visual content, there will be a content warning so that you can choose to continue or not.
INSPIRATION BEHIND THE VISUAL SIGNAL
calm-hearted logo
Inspired by the love that remains after loss
The heart is reminiscent of the sentiment that "grief is just love with no place to go", attributed to writer Jamie Anderson. This visual speaks to the deep, aching love that bereaved parents feel for their babies. Calm-hearted honours this love with a small hope that bereaved parents can feel calm, strength, and peace and grief lives along with remembrance of their beloved babies.
Inspired by kintsugi (金継ぎ)
The ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold is a common metaphor for grief. Instead of hiding damage, the break and repair is highlighted through "golden joinery" as part of the history of the object. It's an integration of the original piece and what the pottery is moving forward; kintsugi lines showcase the vulnerable scars of what was broken and represent a unique, resilient, and beautiful new whole.
Inspired by a beloved firstborn son
The creation of Calm-hearted will forever be connected to the life and death of Nathan George Schwartz. The visuals are a nod to his parents, their village, and their readiness to welcome him to their family and start their next adventure. Calm-hearted is a reflection of how his parents will live and remember forward, changed forever with Nathan in their hearts.
YOUR CALM HEART
A personal symbol of remembrance and connection.
This is an invitation to use the calm-hearted visual as-is or create your own visible symbol, for those who want one. There is no pressure to make your grief public; for those who want to share their story and baby's remembrance, this is a way to carry your baby's presence and your identity as a mother into the world, on your own terms.