Design
February 28, 2013
By Amy Feezor
The first to explore the early life and work of designer Ray Eames, the “Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design” exhibition opened last weekend at the California Museum in Sacramento, where Bernice Alexandra “Ray” Kaiser was born on December 15, 1912.
Featuring work produced prior to meeting husband Charles in 1941, the show includes more than 100 original works and rarely-seen artifacts from Eames Office and the Eames family’s collections. A new perspective on Ray’s 60-year career in the arts as well as her role as Charles’ equal partner in the Eames Office, the exhibit details the work of one of the 20th century’s most influential — yet largely unknown — artists.
A fitting celebration of Ray’s centennial, “Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design” will remain open until February 23, 2014. Not currently in or near Sacramento? You can find several sneak peeks of the show now on the Facebook pages of the California Museum and the Eames Office.
Balance
February 27, 2013
By Jamie Latendresse
The work of Amélie-Phaine Keller is wide ranging, literally. In addition to chairing the Bay Area Young Architects, and sitting on the board of the AIA in San Francisco, she also works with a nonprofit organization called Effect International. EI helps communities in rural India build their own schools, requiring Amélie to create interesting, yet simple-enough designs so locals can follow and construct their new school structures. Now Amélie shares another way to keep work interesting with her dynamic Playlist. Look and listen below.
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Products
February 26, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Sizeable and sculptural, Konstantin Grcic’s Medici Chair is a love song to wood — the raw material, the woodworking process, and the craftsmen who transform the material into something both beautiful and useful. Grcic, who first trained as a cabinet-maker, found inspiration for the piece on the factory floor of manufacturer Mattiazzi, where traditional woodworking techniques meet the newest digital production technologies. His approach from the start: use only three-quarter-inch planks throughout — a reminder of the beginning of the production process, when a tree trunk is cut into slices. The result is a visible, easy-to-read structure that uniquely expresses the distinct characteristics of wood.
A contemporary interpretation of the classic Adirondack chair, the outdoor version of this semi-reclined design uses thermo-oiled ash, a finish that employs a new process of heat-treating and hand-oiling to seal the wood and keep it moisture-resistant. Get it just in time for the new spring season at the Herman Miller store.
Design, Products
February 25, 2013
By Jamie Latendresse
As the waning weeks of the season whistle by, equip your Eames Wire Base Low night table or Nelson Basic Cabinet Series Bookcase with a little design reading with these six great books of art and design.
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Balance, Design
February 22, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Take a look at what we’ve been reading.
1. The thoughtful renovation of this home in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles via Dwell.
2. Swiss Miss’s smart Desk Swap project.
3. This TEDx Talk on “Why You Should Be an Artist Right Now,” found via GOOD.
4. 12 fabulous fireplaces at Design Milk.
5. This video preview of the A New Sculpturalism: Contemporary Architecture from Southern California exhibition, opening June 2 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
6. The Rieteiland House by Hans van Heeswijk Architects in Amsterdam spotted by design d’autore.
7. The LA Times’ coverage of the prints benefiting the preservation of the Eames House.
8. Productivity tips for getting your email inbox to zero (think it’s possible?) at Fast Company.
9. “Beyond The White Cube: 6 Experimental Museums” from Co.Design.
10. The moody and slightly eerie photos of old Apple computers in abandoned spaces featured at Digital Arts.
Featured in photo: Eames Aluminum Group Side Chair Outdoor; Eames Table Contract Base Round Outdoor
Design, Products
February 21, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Palm Springs is more than halfway through its annual Modernism Week, and timeless design from Herman Miller is along for the ride. This weekend, take our Spun Chair for a roll, check out beloved classics, and get a sneak peek at a few upcoming offerings at the Modern Living Expo. Just one of the many events celebrating mid-century modern design, architecture, and culture, the Expo showcases the latest in home furnishings and accessories, smart home technology, green living, and the designers who bring them all to life. Find out about its how-to seminars, live music, food trucks, and Pre-Fab Housing Exhibit and Vintage Trailer Show now at modernlivingexpo.com and modernismweek.com.
Photos: Christine Kim/Secret Agent PR
Balance, Design
February 20, 2013
By Jamie Latendresse
Max Gunawan is an architect and industrial designer with an inspired light above his head. After leaving the corporate work world, he grabbed that light and created Lumio – a multi-purpose, portable lamp that looks like a book. After a wildly successful run on Kickstarter, Max is off to manufacture his first production run. But first, we asked Max to shed some light on his musical inspirations in this week’s Playlist. Take a look and listen.
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Design
February 19, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Designer Javier García keeps himself busy not only as an industrial-designer-turned-graphic-designer/illustrator working in San Francisco, but also as an avid collector of mid-century modern design. Take a peek inside his Bay Area home office — a treasure trove of vintage pieces, including several by Charles and Ray Eames — in our latest tour. Read more
Design, Products, Technology
February 18, 2013
By Jamie Latendresse
With the recent Groundhog Day prediction of an early spring, yard and patio weather may not be too far off. So with sun and fun in mind, here’s six ways to explore the outdoors.
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Balance, Design
February 15, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Take a look at what we’ve loved on the web this week.
1. “How ‘Playboy’ Magazine Helped Make Eames and Mies Famous” at Co.Design.
2. Architzer’s roundup of homes inspired by Southern California modernism.
3. A look at the latest crop of designer hostels at Wallpaper*.
4. This article on “container urbanism” at Design Observer.
5. “Homemade,” a clean-cut, single-family residence by London-based design studio Bureau de Change at designboom.
6. Alan Friedman’s astonishing HD photos of the sun shot from his own backyard, via Colossal.
7. Design*Sponge’s tour of the Brooklyn home of graphic designer Jason Santa Maria and landscape and architectural designer Megan Born.
8. The latest free desktop wallpaper from The Fox Is Black, this time designed by Eight Hour Day.
9. The Windows of New York illustration project spotted by swissmiss.
10. Caught on to the “Harlem Shake” meme that’s sweeping the Internet? If anything, it’s giving us an interesting and unexpected look into a few workspaces across the globe, like this one from College Humor (check out all those Aerons), this studio in London with a pair of Mirra Chairs, and this one of AOL/HuffPost and its Eames Molded Plywood Coffee Table.
Featured in photo: Chair_One Stacking; Eames Table Contract Base Round Outdoor
