New from modern furniture designer Richard Schultz:
"Our new Pavilion is a modern garden gazebo designed to define space and create shade. The structure is 100% stainless steel with pleated vinyl mesh top and side curtains. Choose from our modular components to create your own layout."
Link: Richard Schultz
Not affiliated with Dwell Magazine (at least not that we can determine), but cool enough to get away with the same name. We saw plenty of stuff we liked on their website, and they even have bedding for cribs! We have never seen cool baby bedding before, so check it out you hipster parents.
Inspired by the linear forms of modern architecture, vintage textiles and antique wallpaper, the Dwell home accessories line has a sophistication that is a natural choice for modern interiors. The vivid colors and graphic prints are elegant and clean, reminiscent of the textiles of the mid-century.Link: Dwell Home Furnishings
Continuing our recent trend of furntiure blogs, we've come across this chaise lounge designed by Christian Nordsiek for Bart Design Italy. The chaise is made from oak plywood and features a chrome steel frame. A model with cushions is also available.
Designer: Christian Nordsiek
Link: Bart Design
The other day, we received a Chiasso catalog in the mail. We hadn't heard of them before so we must've received their catalog through one of our design magazine subscriptions. Some of their product looks pretty good. We're guessing it's all private label merchandise similar to IKEA since we didn't see or notice any "designer brands" in their catalog or on their website. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Has anyone ever ordered from them? Which piece did you order and how was the quality? Their prices are fairly reasonable so if the quality is good, we just might have to look into them a bit further.
Link: Chiasso
A feature at ArchNewsNow by Jack Rubinger looks at environments for healing and the master planning for seven Samaritan Health Services facilities in Oregon. Macdonald Environmental Planning of Portland and Bend, Oregon, facilitated a process that went beyond just the physical facilities to shape an overall philosophy and vision for Samaritan Health Services.
Link: ArchNewsNow
Firm: Macdonald Environmental Planning, p.c.
Reference: Resources about healing gardens (L+L)
This combination sink/dishwasher is perfect for small kitchens and washes with half the water in half the time of traditional dishwashers. The lid can be used as a cutting board or removed for a full function double sink.
The stainless steel brivaTM in-sink dishwasher is a first-of-its-kind product that reflects the quality and quite performance you've come to expect from our legendary dishwashers
Link: Briva
Space is a contemporary lifestyle store and interior design studio in Atlanta, Georgia.
Representing more than 30 manufacturers of modern contemporary furniture, lighting, textiles, and accessories, our 8,000 square foot showroom affords our clients the opportunity to view in person many of the products that we specify.
Our design projects include commercial, corporate, and residential interiors both on a local and a national level. We can offer a variety of design solutions, from the most basic initial consultation to fully developed interior design presentations including color-rendered floor plans.Link: Space
Moving right along with our Saarinen theme (1, 2), we would be remiss if we did not feature the furniture designs of Eero Saarinen.
The tulip chair is perhaps as well known as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the TWA Terminal in New York. Knoll Studio still produces several of Saarinen's modern classics.
Link: KnollStudio
Jump back, Denny Terrio, put on those dancing shoes and flip on Gordon "Venus Flytrap" Simms... we're having disco flashbacks. C'mon... how cool was that dance floor in Saturday Night Fever?. Well, if you were a kid in the 70's like us then you probably thought it was cool. Anyway, that was just flashing lights, this is something different.
Lightspace has been used for nightclubs (of course), health clubs, stage lighting, fashion shows, etc., and can be used on floors, walls, countertops, etc. The sophisticated software is highly adaptable with an almost limitless variety of display effects and interactive programs.... this is not your one trick pony effects system.
Link: Lightspace
From the "pillows that make me want a martini" category:
"Anne Kyyrö Quinn, a London based Finnish designer, produces stylish contemporary home accessories which are all handmade to very high standard in the UK. Her signature style of raised relief detailing, not only gives a sculptural three-dimensional effect to her collections of home accessories, but it also enhances the surface with a highly desirable tactile quality."Link: Anne Kyyrö Quinn
OK, so you're sitting in front of the tube watching the Olympics this weekend with a bag of chips in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. HELLO! Opportunity is knocking! While Bob Costas is driveling on and on, go ahead and make yourself a stylish little container for those chips. Now that's what we call design within reach.
Link: greggman.com
We met Reeve Schley at CA Boom and we were particularly impressed with his Nomad Desk. This finely crafted piece looks good to start, but it becomes really interesting when you discover that it is like a Swiss Army Knife with pieces that are easily removed and reconfigured. The desk has seven components which can allow for five different configurations of the parts. As the name would suggest, this is perfect for someone who wants an adaptable piece of furniture that looks great.
Bentwood lounge chair and ottoman from Swedish design firm LYX that appears to draw subtle inspiration from the classic Eames lounge chair and ottoman.
"A reincarnation of the classic wing chair, made for the future. This recliner is made for serious cocooning and is the closest you can get to weightlessness. The upholstery in the Wing Chair is made by open cell visco-elastic foam, developed by NASA and used in all space crafts since the 70s. The foam adapts to your body shape and temperature leaving you in cosmic comfort. This is also probably the biggest single piece of bend wood ever used to create a chair. It's covered in thick layer of superb Lauro Preto veneer. Supplied with ottoman and a pivot safe glass holder."Link: LYX Wing Chair
Don't let the cat near this one, and keep your clumsy friend away too... the one who always spills his drink... you know who I mean.
This chair is made of paper. Yup. The Honey Pop chair designed by Tokujin Yoshioka is created from a two dimensional build up of 120 pieces of glassine paper which are glued together and precisely cut. The structure is then "opened" forming a strong three dimensional honeycomb structure. The chair is custom molded by the shape of the person who sits on it and comes in three sizes, large, medium and child. Plus it makes a crunching sound when you sit on it... and that's just cool.
Link: Tokujin Yoshioka Design
"PicNik is a table-seating combination specially created for the balcony, small surfaces and semi-public spaces. Made from a standard, massive plate of aluminium (10 mm), PicNik behaves like a ‘piece of art’, while integrating itself into its surroundings. Its simplicity in design and its contemporary colours (5 colours available) make it a must-have for the urban ‘bourgeois-bohemian’. Also available in a junior version (scale 2:3)."
Designers: Dirk Wynants & Xavier Lust
Link: Extremis
This is the nicest web photo log we've seen since Franzen and Karpova's Japan Sections.
A beautiful collection of images in a well designed immersive web environment.... it reminds me of a class at SCI-Arc, Seeing LA (which no longer seems to be part of the curriculum). Actually, Piperboy reminds me of the damned over achievers in my class who always went above and beyond not only capturing some of the nicest images, but blew everyone else away with their presentations... the ones from who the rest of us would steal inspiration.
I always enjoy seeing another designer's perspective and understanding of physical environments. Thanks for sharing, Piperboy.
Link: Piperboy's travel scrapbook
Via: Coudal
We've always had a fascination with the bold graphics and colors of road signs, but not so much in the frat house aesthetic kind of way... though we have to admit there is something intriguing about the idea of bringing signs into the home. Now we've found a way to satisfy that desire: road signs repurposed as functional objects!
Borris Bally ingeniously maintains the pleasingly primitive aspects of this notion; he reclaims the material but sublimely transforms its utility. His pieces include furniture, tableware, jewelry, etc.
I attempt to produce pieces of technical integrity and rich content. The rhythmic quality of design elements in my work become specific metaphors for strength and stability, as well as the danger and pain of life, while maintaining a disarming edge of humor.Artist: Borris Bally
These neato planters by Austin, Texas based Hip Haven are "faithful reproductions" of the original bullet planters manufactured in the 50's. The planters are available in 9 fiberglass colors. The stands are metal in a choice of 4 finishes and are available in 3 different heights. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
Peachy keen.
Link: Hip Haven
In June we discovered that one of our favorite magazines, Dwell, was being translated into a television show. And since that time, we have waited with baited breath to see if Dwell the TV show can live up to Dwell the magazine... and the wait is nearly over.
Tomorrow (Sunday, October 3rd) Dwell will premier on the Fine Living network. There are only two episodes currently listed, but both sound promising.
Link: Fine Living - Dwell
Reference: Dwell Television (L+L)
Bentwood pieces from Swedish designer Caroline Schlyter.
"The h-family grew out of my background as a sculptor. The thought of casting furniture in wood appealed to me. My aim was to create a clean, unbroken line and avoid joints and connecting details. Thus, most furniture in the h-family is pressure formed into one piece. I enjoy playing with the line and exploring the border between volume and void - the shape the line creates, two dimensionally and three dimensionally in the architectural space."Link: Caroline Schlyter
While some might not consider these lights to be pure "modern" design, they are definitely eco-friendly and that's good enough for us. While living in China, Bryan Parks, the founder of Kwytza Kraft, wondered just how many single-use chopsticks were used in the country. Turns out, it's quite a lot:
Research showed that literally billions of single-use chopsticks were consumed annually. The more shocking revelation was that it took, by some estimates, 25 million trees and bamboo plants to support that resource waste. Was there an opportunity to use the chopsticks for other applications that would provide a consumer benefit while bringing awareness to the negative environmental impact of single-use chopsticks?With a virtually unlimited resource of chopsticks at his disposal, he began designing a collection of home accessories with "eastern aesthetics and western conservationism." Great work, Bryan!
Link: Kwytza Kraft
We're not too familiar with the contemporary Hungarian design scene... actually, we didn't really even know there was one. That sounds a bit ignorant, but apparently we've just not run across any Hungarian designers recently. Never the less, we're digging the work of Budapest based designers Elek Márton, Elek Máté, Buzogány Ildikó of Geppetto.
Their designs run the gambit of interior furnishings, fittings, accessories and interior designs. Their styles is clean and fun, and somehow familiar... could it be that we have seen Geppetto's work before and just not known who they were? Check them out... and please do take note, won't you?
Link: Geppetto
Even though my dog would prefer to sleep in a tent rather than sleep in a bed, I'm sure once he got used to it he'd be right at home in Teak Dino from Bark Deco.
Bark Deco makes modern doggy beds in three styles availble in a multitude of fabrics and wood veneers.
bark deco beds are designed to provide the ultimate in modern style and luxury for the special members of your family. every bark deco bed is handmade from start to finish. the platforms are constructed from birch hardwood with the care and attention to detail given to fine furniture.Link: Bark Deco [Thanks, Joyce!]exotic wood veneers are applied and finished by hand over the course of several days. veneers offered in the debut collection are wenge, zebrawood and teak. all bark deco beds measure seven inches tall (regardless of size). each model features a ventilated platform and is elevated for style and comfort (no drafty floors). rubber feet are added to help keep the bed in place.
Lighting and lamps from Austin based Kamelyon Design.
"Kamelyon Design is a design and manufacturing studio that specializes in custom handmade fixtures and shades. Brett Grinkmeyer formed Kamelyon Design in early 2000 to pursue his interest in furniture and lighting design. Kamelyon Design combines his skill as a designer and his passion for fine craftsmanship. The light sculptures have received acclaim not only for their unique designs, but also for their innovative construction. Mr. Grinkmeyer makes each one of the lamps by hand insuring the highest level of quality possible. The goal of Kamelyon Design is to break new ground and to create truly unique designs that stir the soul – designs that transcend fad or fashion."
Link: Kamelyon Design [Thanks, Brett!]
If it looks like a town and feels like a town, it isn't necessarily a town.
Today's breed of mall, dubbed, "lifestyle centers," may want to serve as surrogate town centers, but strip away the facades, the faux layers of history and the rhetoric, and they are private malls. Just ask the guy in Texas who tried to circulate a petition at one of these "town centers".... errr, malls. The developers may love the fact that their malls somehow fulfill the function of a downtown, but only so far as consumption is concerned. Make no mistake, the open space amenities of these centers are only masquerading as public space. The sidewalk is private, the "town square" is private. Free speech does not necessarily have the right to occupy this realm. No longer is fantasy contained within the box of the television set, or in the theatre, or behind the ticket booth at the theme park.
A recent article in the Guardian by Sean Thomas talks about the history of land art and three important works nearing completion: Michael Heizer's City, Charles Ross's Star Axis and James Turrell's Roden Crater (web site under construction).
While the article just barely scratches the surface of the opening question -- "Is it a monumental way to adorn the planet - or just arrogant vandalism?" -- the article is still worth a read.
Article: Guardian - This epic Earth
Other land art links:
Link: Richard Long
Link: Irish Sky Garden - James Turrell
Link: Lightning Field - Walter De Maria
Link: Robert Smithson
Link: Spiral Jetty - Robert Smithson
Reference: Andy Goldsworthy (Land+Living)
Reference:
Satell(s)iteseeing (Land+Living)
Lamp shades are often kind of an afterthought. Well, what we mean is that they just sort of hover there with out any attention to the connection between the shade and the rest of the fixture. There is the kind where you screw on the little decorative doohickey to hold the shade on the bracket, and then there is the kind that clips directly on to the light bulb. These are just simple, yet not interesting, solutions to a "problem."
Now, we like simple solutions, and here's one by Melbourne designers Marcel Sigel and Alana di Giacomo. The blown glass shade is formed to the shape of the light bulb, and it simply sits on the bulb... it traces the bulb... and it also seems to poke a little bit of fun at the traditional lamp shade. The base of the lamp is nice as well, but in our opinion, the shade is quite elegant and is really the ticket here.
Designer: Zuii
Staying Down Under for the moment, we move from lamps to landscapes.
We ran across this site for landscape designer Kristen Martin of Erskineville, New South Wales some time back. Unfortunately there is not much on the website... but we keep coming back to it.
Though the website may not be very informative or well designed and the images are few and mostly small, something in those little images speaks to us. It doesn't blow your socks off, there is just some nice understated, yet high quality design work shining through.
So please, pay a visit, won't you?
We love midcentury... mm mm mmmmm. Especially here in Southern California where architects such as Cliff May explored the concept of indoor outdoor space with wonderful results.
Realtor Doug Kramer of Long Beach, California bills himself as a specialist in midcentry modern properties... and, what the heck... he's got some good stuff on his website including a gallery of some restored/remodeled homes, as well as some decent history and general info.
Link: The Long Beach Cliff May Ranchos (from Doug Kramer's Ranchostyle.com)
Via: Archinect (nice find, Alan)
Also: Amazon - Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May
Related:
The World of Eichler Design (Land+Living)
Originally posted 1/25/2005
UPDATE: Doug Kramer strikes again! And this time with a nicely designed and updated website with even more midcentury design... Cliff May and beyond!
Link: SoCal Modern [Thanks, Raena!]
People get really crazy about Ikea... way too crazy... tragically crazy in this case. Reading about this incident near London reminded me of an Ikea experience of my own, though not nearly so disastrous.
Several years ago my wife and I drove 3 hours to get to, what was then, our closest Ikea store in Emeryville, California. The store had just been opened for a couple of weeks, and was the first store in Northern California. Upon our arrival just after store opening at 10:00 a.m., we were greeted by a full parking lot and a mass of people flooding into the store - apparently crowds would wait outside the store more than an hour before opening each day.
Everywhere inside there were people pushing through crowds and franticly wading through merchandise as if it were a contest. And there were lines... long lines: to place our order; at the concession stand; at the register; and at the service warehouse desk waiting for our purchase to come out. We had just a few items on our list that day and had planned to spend some time in the city after we were done… but it didn’t happen.
Five hours later, we emerged from the store… tired, hungry and beaten by the experience. We loaded the car and started the long drive home.
And at the end of all that, we had come to a conclusion: no, it was not worth all of the hassle. But what other choice did we have to get reasonably well designed items that we could afford?
Press release: Ikea - An incident at the opening of IKEA Edmonton
Article: BBC - Crush chaos at Ikea store opening
Image from Waxy