1. NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s inaugural event to showcase and promote design of all disciplines, starts today and runs through May 21.

2. “12 Homes Made from Shipping Containers” at Design Milk.

3. This piece on the power of co-working spaces by the New York Times.

4. Esoteric Survey’s post on photos of the Eames House from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers.

5. Dexinger’s look at our new Mirra 2 work chair by Studio 7.5.

6. This mid-century modern home in Phoenix, Arizona, renovated by John P. Twigg and Steve Watson at Plastolux.

7. The light-filled Berlin home by architectural firm + Quehl Miethe featured at automatism.

8. Inthralld’s look at the loft that houses boutique billboard company Prince Media Co. in New York City.

9. Info on “Michigan Modern: Design that Shaped America,” an exhibit beginning June 14 at Cranbrook Art Museum, on Dwell.com.

10. Another not-to-be-missed exhibition: Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s retrospective show at Les Arts Decoratif in Paris beginning September 1. Details at It’s Nice That.

Featured in photo: Osso Chair by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

1. Beautiful photography of modern interiors captured by Michael Wells via Plastolux.

2. This interview with brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec on the Magis Facebook page.

3. Impressed by the launch of the new home decor site Domaine (and glad to see its love for Charles and Ray Eames).

4. Inspired by clue #4 in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest: “Insane Photos Snapped From Kites” from Architizer.

5. “Brilliant Words of Advice from 14 Great Graphic Designers” (including Charles Eames) via Co.Design.

6. Contemporist’s feature on the simple elegance of Casa Sulla Morella by Studio Cittaarchitettura in Castelnovo di Sotto, Italy.

7. The fluorescent shades of green, yellow, and blue in this sports hall design in the Netherlands by Slangen + Koenis Architects (via Dezeen).

8. “Bold, punchy, in-your-face sculptures” by artist Matt W. Moore featured at It’s Nice That.

9. Interior Design‘s look back at the ”greatest hits” of Maharam, the textile company recently acquired by Herman Miller.

10. Don’t forget: May 5 is the last day to enter for a chance to win in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest. Click here to find out more.

Featured in photo: Eames Desk Unit, Eames Storage Unit, and Eames Molded Plastic Chair by Charles and Ray Eames

In 1939, while working at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, it was Charles and architect Eero Saarinen who explored the first single-shell expression, using molded plywood, through their Kleinhans Chair design. They did not have the ability to produce its three-dimensional curves, however. In 1941, Charles and Eero once again took on the concept of a molded-plywood single-shell chair, placing entries in the Museum of Modern Art’s “Organic Design” competition. They won first place, but once again, could not produce their design due its manufacturing difficulties.

That same year, Charles and Ray, who had met at Cranbrook, married and moved to California. There the couple experimented with their own plywood-molding techniques in attempts to render a three-dimensional, curved form. Along the way, their efforts yielded stretchers, lightweight, stackable leg splints (1942), and a glider seat (1943) for the U.S. Navy during World War II. While they learned much from these developments, they still had to cut and score the veneer in order to manipulate it.

When the war ended, Charles and Ray applied their plywood-molding process to the concept of a mass-produced chair that found comfort in dimensionally shaped surfaces instead of cushioned upholstery. When plywood still could not withstand the stresses of a single-shell form, they created a chair with separate molded-plywood panels for the back and seat: the Eames Molded Plywood Chair (1946).

By 1948, the duo returned to the single-shell form, entering a prototype in stamped metal in the Museum of Modern Art’s “International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design”; it won second place. The design was heavy and expensive to produce, however, so Charles and Ray investigated something new: plastic, a lightweight material that could be molded into organic shapes to conform to the body. The result in 1950 was the single-shell Eames Molded Plastic Chair, the first-ever mass-produced plastic chair.

Through the years, Charles and Ray — believers that their designs should be refined — allowed this chair to continue to evolve. Among its changes and updates: in the late 1980s, fiberglass-reinforced plastic shells were found less suitable for the environment. Ray and Herman Miller discussed discontinuing the chairs, and in the early 1990s, Herman Miller ceased production. By 2000, after exploring more sustainable solutions, the company reintroduced the design, sourcing it from Vitra in 100% recyclable polypropylene.

This year, the landmark design takes another step forward in its journey as the Eames Molded Wood Side Chair. This new expression of the classic introduces wood material to the form for the first time. Today’s 3-D veneer technology slices the wood into spaghetti-thin strips and then glues them back together — giving the material the flexibility to be curved, molded, and shaped into Charles and Ray’s ever-evolving, single-shell design.

The Eames Molded Wood Side Chair is available now in the Herman Miller Store. Want to try your luck in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest? Click here.

1. This article and video on the Re-Think the Eames show in Milan exploring the “Eames condition,” the “ideal paradigm for a reflection on design understood as a narrative, curatorial, and collective tool.” (Via Abitare.)

2. Craig Steely Architecture’s compelling design for Lavaflow 7, a house on the Big Island of Hawaii, at Contemporist.

3. Inhabitat’s look at the reopening of San Francisco’s Exploratorium, now the largest net-zero-energy museum in the U.S.

4. The clean, compact workspace of graphic designer Alex Yeske featured at Eva Black Design.

5. How many designs by Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard can you spot in “Through Don Draper’s Eyes: A Tour of the Time-Life Building of the Sixties” at style.time.com?

6. This smart bedroom addition (complete with a new home office) featured at Modern Findings.

7. The vibrant Brooklyn home of identical twins Teman and Teran Evans at NYTimes.com.

8. The stand-out Orient IV Residence on Long Island by Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects (via Inthralld).

9. “Why Some Spaces Make Us Feel Right at Home” (penned by Herman Miller’s own Betty Hase) at the Drucker Exchange.

10. A double dose of inspiration from Illinois-based artist Chad Wys: his personal Tumblr and his graphic design Tumblr.

Featured in photo: Eames Sofa by Charles and Ray Eames

1. Five black and white offices that are “anything but boring” at Apartment Therapy (agreed).

2. Happy to see our Mirra Chair in one of the greenest structures in the world: the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes, designed by Design Alliance Architects for Pittsburgh’s Phipps Conservatory (via Architizer).

3. The “Quiet Motion” installation by designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for BMW i at Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2013 (via URDesign Magazine).

4. More Bouroullecs: check out the brothers’ Steelwood Galva for Magis (a new iteration of their Steelwood chair and stool in galvanized steel and beech wood) along with other photos from Salone del Mobile from Wallpaper* Magazine.

5. And even more from Salone del Mobile: enjoying Snap Assembly’s Tumblr coverage of the show.

6. The solitary Eames Molded Plywood Lounge in this composer’s Wisconsin practice studio designed by Johnsen Schmaling Architects at Dezeen.

7. Classic mid-century chair stencils by Stencil 1 spotted by Design Milk.

8. The sunny Fresno House — nicely situated between the forest and the ocean in Carilo, Argentina — co-designed by Felix Raspall and Federico Papandrea and featured at Dornob.

9. The thoughtfully designed L23 House by Pitágoras Arquitectos in Portugal found at Archello.

10. Patrick Rochon’s eye-popping photos of wakeboarders riding special boards affixed with LEDs at Colossal.

Featured in photo: Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Eames Walnut Stools, and Eames Sofa by Charles and Ray Eames

1. This Charles and Ray Eames-inspired post about creative couples (including former Playlister Jenna Park and husband Mark Sopchak) at the Etsy Blog.

2. The dynamic interior of the JWT office in Amsterdam co-designed by Alrik Koudenburg and RJW Elsinga via Ideas to Steal.

3. Edina Sæther’s short series of color-splash photos of the Chair_One by Konstantin Grcic (via Nordic leaves).

4. A look inside the sketchbooks of 10 terrific creatives at Co.Design.

5. The new (and free) Photo-Lettering App by House Industries spotted at Grain Edit.

6. Nice refresher at freshome: “10 Basic Facts You Should Know About Modular Homes.”

7. Dwell’s listing of its favorite Eames films.

8. The stunning and sculptural Hewlett House by MPR Design Group in Sydney, Australia, covered by URDesign Magazine.

9. These treehouses of reclaimed wood by self-taught Japanese designer Takashi Kobayashi (via designboom).

10. “‘I’m Google’ by Dina Kelberman: A Visual Exploration of Google Image Search” at Colossal.

Featured in photo: Air-Chairs and Air-Tables by Jasper Morrison

How long have you worked from home? And where is home? I have been working from home since 2007 when I started teaching. At that time, my husband and I owned a live-work loft in downtown LA, which we built out ourselves. Then came the birth of my son and we moved to a more wooded community in Los Angeles to give my son greater exposure to the outdoor environment. I started designing the current line for Yeh Design Lab at home in 2010, just before my son turned two.

When you set up your home/work space what did you have to keep in mind? Were there any particular obstacles to overcome? When a former-student started working for me, I became aware of a psychological barrier — the notion that “working from home” made me feel a little “unofficial.” I was embarrassed about the fact there is a domestic presence to the studio even though my intern and I utilized the domestic area such as the kitchen and the books in the living room during our work hours.

A project I worked on with my husband’s architecture firm Lookinglass A+D changed my view of working from home. For more than a year, a filmmaker client would come to our place for a meeting once a week. The meetings were very long, but because they were supported by an endless supply of tea, seasonal fruit, and good snacks, they were also good. I started to embrace not only the efficiency but also the idea of a live-work home.

What drives your creative decisions? While working on my architecture school graduate thesis, a friend introduced me to a book called Flatland.  Written by Sir Edwin A. Abbott and published in 1884, Flatland invites its readers to consider the outrageous possibilities of space beyond three-dimensions. The novel accomplishes this by portraying the perceptual limitations of the inhabitants of a two-dimensional world who are unable to imagine, and do not want to imagine, the third dimension. To me, the importance of this fable lies not in its literal explication of geometrical and dimensional issues, but as a cautionary tale about a collective complacency in culture, and by extension, all of life. Ever since then, in my work I have been interested in devising ways of challenging common sense, collective intuition, and perception.

What about your work has changed since becoming a parent? I try to spend at least five waking hours a day with my son during work days. It is important to shift gears and focus my attention on my family in the evening, although I must admit I have not fully mastered the skill yet. 9pm is usually the start of the “night shift” of my “work day.” I think the working life of creative parents is inevitably chopped up into chunks of shorter hours.

Aside from the work hours, being a parent made me become more thoughtful with my designs. I can now easily imagine people who are parents wearing my designs and I am aware of their greater need to feel unburdened by what they wear.

How does working from home impact your work? Work becomes part of the cycle of my life rather than independent from it. Although work has a different rhythm, that rhythm has many layers/scales. One of those layers has to fit into the cycle of the home routine, constant cleanup, and constant “mode switching.”

What would you change about your workspace? How do you keep it organized? The “official” home office, where the desks for Yeh Design Lab reside, is located on the mezzanine floor with only 145 square feet of space. When there were two interns here, we were all tripping over each other to work. We turned the dining table and kitchen counters into work surfaces on a daily basis. However, sometimes I would need the largest surface I can find. That is when I turned to the floor — especially for the layout and cutting of cow hides. I always fantasize having a 4’ by 10’ long table that is multi-functional.

Currently, stackable storage that I can grow and easily move is one of the things that is keeping me “sane.” In addition to raw materials and products, my studio produces many studies, one after another. New fully-baked designs don’t come out that often, but studies and prototype pile up quickly. Stackable storage keeps things, I would not say “organized” but “under control.”

Is there any piece of home office furniture you covet right now? We have a few Eames Aluminum Group Management Chairs and Stool_One by Konstantin Grcic in the home office. I would love to own another piece of Grcic’s work such as the Medici Chair Outdoor. It will not only encourage us to take breaks during the work day, but might feed our souls a bit in the process. We have a lot of mid-century modern furniture here, but in the last five years or so, every other piece of furniture that caught my eyes turned out to be Grcic’s.

Who inspires you? So many people and their work inspire me, past and present. However, I find myself repeatedly going back to the works of Yaacov Agam, Gordon Matta-Clark, Naum Gabo, Erwi Hauer, and Pierre Charreau. I am also in awe of Eero Saarinen and would like to understand and connect to his work in a deeper way.

Photos: Yi-Hsiu Yeh

1. A quick tour inside the Ray Eames exhibit at the California Museum in Sacramento via Esoteric Survey.

2. Le Prado, a warm, welcoming home near the beaches of Marseilles, France, spotted by Design Milk.

3. More from Marseilles, this time from Contemporist: the simple and elegant Vieux Port Pavilion by Foster + Partners.

4. Co.Design’s peek inside a new book on Irving Harper, who designed Herman Miller’s logo and contributed to the design of George Nelson’s Marshmallow Sofa.

5. A surprising house design by Aires Mateus in Leiria, Portugal, found at I Need a Guide.

6. The Makoko Floating School project by NLÉ architects at designboom.

7. Remodelista’s roundup of “smart and skinny” houses in Japan.

8. Great shots by photographer Alan Wanzenberg at Plastolux. (We’re fans of the nicely lit image of a pair of Eames Walnut Stools.)

9. This chat with David Calvin Laufer, who presents interviews with George Nelson, Charles and Ray Eames, and Buckminster Fuller, among others, in his book Dialogues with Creative Legends and Aha Moments in a Designer’s Career (via Peachpit).

10. The renovated LeRoy Neiman Center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Be sure to check out its interesting combo of Eames designs and colorful Caper chairs. (Via Retail Design Blog.)

Featured in photo: Eames Molded Plastic Chair; Eames Aluminum Group Management Chair; Nelson X-Leg Table

Charles and architect Eero Saarinen, and then Charles and Ray together, had experimented with a single-shell form for several years before Charles and Ray submitted a design in stamped metal in the Museum of Modern Art’s 1948 “International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design.” Their entry received second place. Its heavy, neoprene-coated form proved costly to produce, however, so Charles and Ray turned their attention to something new: plastic. They soon found that the exciting material could mold into organic shapes and comfortably conform to the body, allowing their design to do more with less.

In 1950, it was this iteration that Herman Miller made available, marking the arrival the first mass-produced plastic chair. It did not, however, mark the end of the evolution of the seating. Since its launch, the Eames Molded Plastic Chair has continually benefited from the Eames process of exploration and refinement. Details like shock mounts, color and height options, base variations, and use of upholstery have welcomed enhancements. Manufacturing processes have been closely monitored and modified. And in the late 1980s, when new findings showed fiberglass-reinforced plastic shells to be less suitable for the environment, Herman Miller and Ray Eames discussed discontinuing the design; in the ’90s, the chairs officially ceased production. After investigating sustainable solutions, however, Herman Miller and the Eames family reissued the seat in 2000 in 100% recyclable polypropylene.

This chair, like its designers, has been on a continual journey. Now, the design takes its next step forward using 3-D veneer technology, a process that provides the additional flexibility wood veneer needs to be molded into complex curves — and take on the classic form as a single wood shell.

This new expression, the Eames Molded Wood Side Chair, honors the organic shapes, sleek lines, and honest materials of Ray and Charles’ classic work — and its introduction beautifully represents Herman Miller’s longstanding commitment to the Eames vision of continued exploration, refinement, and discovery. Find out more about the new chair here, and look for it to be available soon in the Herman Miller Store.

1. Evo Millennium Pen, Burt Rubin - Reflect on and relieve years of cramped hands with the polished, elegant design of the Millennium pen. Commended by the Arthritis Foundation for its relief of pain due to arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, its a shining example of ergonomics at their best. Pick one up at the MoMA Store.

2. Magis Déjà-vu Stool, Naoto Fukasawa - Like a refined sculpture of solid mercury, Fukasawa’s Déjà-vu Stool glimmers in its polished aluminum construction. The perfect compliment to a contemporary kitchen bar or pass-through, the stool is available in approximate 30″ and 26″ heights. Choose the perfect size for your space at Herman Miller.

3. Hot.It Electric Kettle, Alessi & Wiel Arets - With a streamlined shape and a polished luster, this electric kettle is both high-performance and high-design. Heat water quickly and handle it easily thanks to its thermoplastic lid and handle. Holds approx. 48 oz, in mirror-polished stainless steel. Find one at A+R Store.

4. Cutter Mirror, Rezon - Anyone who has spent production time in the studio will appreciate this unique design-focused accessory. Resembling a long tab of disposable cutter blades, the Cutter Mirror adds a bit of unique and minimal style to your studio entry or home foyer. Available at Vespoe.

5. Bourgie Table Lamp, Ferruccio Laviani - This re-imagined Baroque table lamp adds a pop of character that — in chrome — both provides and reflects light. Bourgie adds tactile to its sensational design with touch-sensitive activation and dimmer control. Also available in white, black, and transparent. Find it at Conran.

6. Eames Wire Chair, Charles and Ray Eames - Charles and Ray’s sculptural achievement glitters as an undeniable midcentury modern classic. Comprised of cross-woven chrome wire and secured to the iconic “Eiffel Tower” base, the Wire Chair comforts and catches the eye. Also available with two different leather pad configurations. Get yours at Herman Miller.

Photos linked within text.

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.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I am a graphic designer and a very passionate collector of all things modernism, mostly from the mid-twentieth century. I collect vintage furniture, pottery, toys, ephemera, records, books, packaging, etc.

Living in California has had a direct impact on what I do and what I like. The modern homes, the furniture, and all the history of designers in the area made it a very obvious choice for me. I am very inspired by my collection as well as by folk art, color, and, in general, the warmth of modernism from that era. I like to surround myself with things that inspire me, from the things I sit on to the things I look at.

My work is a direct reflection of the things around me. I have a dresser in my office that is filled with vintage ephemera that I’ve picked up over the years and I like to open drawers and just look at things every now and then. I also have two shelves with vintage packaging and an ever-growing library of vintage books.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike? My space is an ever-changing showroom in a way. I am constantly looking for things and replace others when I find something that suits the area better. This forced me to start selling the things I don’t need anymore and it’s now growing into a store of vintage things.

You have a few vintage pieces by Charles and Ray Eames in your space. Why did you choose them? I have many of the vintage molded fiberglass chairs in different colors, some upholstered. They are just so fun and I use them all the time. I also have two molded plywood DCM chairs that I believe are some of the most beautiful, simple, and comfortable chairs I’ve ever sat on. Definitely recommended.

I picked them up because, well, Ray and Charles are probably one of the most influential designers in the U.S. — and on me personally. I just had to have them in my home.

Photos: Javier García

Part of this fundraising effort includes an artful offering: four original, limited-edition prints inspired by the geometry and understated simplicity of Charles and Ray’s designs. Each hand-numbered print is available for just $75, and all proceeds will support the projects of the Eames Foundation. Additionally, the prints are tax deductible, and Herman Miller has helped create an “Authenticity Fund” to provide matching donations for each purchase.

It’s not a bad price for helping share the Eameses’ philosophy for future generations to come (and to own a piece of the Eames legacy). Find out specifics on the restoration project, buy the prints, and see a delightfully inspiring timeline now at eameshouse250.org.

Photos: eameshouse250.org

Shared office space in Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA

A group of like-minded creatives (a photographer, videographers, graphic designers, and a DJ) call this loft studio in LA their work home. With its “mid-century modern meets the desert” style, it features a brightly-hued array of designs by Charles and Ray Eames, such as their Molded Plastic and Molded Plywood Chairs. (Photos: Bethany Nauert)

Curiosity Shoppe, Austin, TX

Distinctively-cool downtown Austin gets a little more curious with the arrival of this collective space, a multimedia outfit housed in a converted warehouse that’s packed with timeless Eames pieces, including a Wire Chair and Wire Base Elliptical Table. (Photos: Chris Perez)

The Design Office, Providence, RI

Independent designers work side by side in this downtown-Providence-based studio, which features a vintage-modern look led by designs like the Aeron Chair and the Eames Hang-It-All. (Photos: Sarah Rainwater)

Original post by Chris Perez. Used in partnership with Apartment Therapy Tech.

The new year is off and running. If you’re not yet in the habit of writing 2013 instead of 2012, jog your memory with one of these six 2013 calendar designs.

Mid-Century Chairs Calendar - Looking for an immediate DIY calendar solution? Look no further than this high-quality, printable PDF calendar featuring classic mid-century chair silhouettes. Download yours from Etsy.

To Do Calendar, Ryan McGuiness - Keep a desktop tally of your daily tasks with Ryan McGuiness’s to-do list calendar pad. Each of 2013′s 365 days are adorned with a unique icon, grid-lined note area and the current and following month. Get one from The Standard Shop.

Mid-Century Modern Calendar - This striking design combines retro type, beguiling color and the whole year at-a-glance, the perfect mid-century office addition. Find one on Etsy.

Gregor Unraveling Calendar, Patrick Frey - Watch time unravel, literally, in this one-of-a-kind date keeper. As the days pass simply tug at the calendar’s loose thread and watch the fabric of time unravel until the year is done. Available at Design Within Reach.

Eames Lovers Calendar, Citoyennes de Berlin - Indulge in your passion for Charles and Ray Eames daily with this illustrated year-at-a-glance calendar. Find yours on Etsy.

365 Typography Calendar, Studio Hinrichs - With 2013 marking its 12th year, the 365 Typography Calendar has become a new design classic. Featuring 12 unique typefaces, descriptions, and bios of their designers, including Massimo Vignelli, Stefan Sagemeister, and Louise Fili among others. Get one from KenKnight.

Photos linked within text.

1. A must-see: “The Handmade Process Behind Your Eames Chair,” an insightful video taken in our manufacturing facility by Co.Design.

2. The launch of the George Nelson Foundation’s new website, created by Hello Design, at georgenelsonfoundation.org.

3. Yves Béhar’s keynote speech on why designers should love the design process via 99U.

4. Dwell’s Q&A about authentic design with Marj Mojzak, Herman Miller’s Director of Retail.

5. “Ray’s Displays: The Thoughtful Displays of Ray Eames” at the Archives of American Art blog.

6. The New York Times‘ interview with Hilda Longinotti, George Nelson’s former secretary and oftentimes furniture model (check her out alongside the Nelson Marshmallow Sofa in the article’s featured photo).

7. “The Wit and Wisdom of Alexander Girard” from Metropolis Magazine.

8. The can’t-be-missed photos in “LIFE With Charles and Ray Eames: The Simple Art of Beauty” at life.time.com.

9. This insightful interview at Mr. Porter with Jason Cohn, writer and co-director of Eames: The Architect and the Painter.

10. The Design and Architecture Crossword from the New York Times and Design Within Reach. (Here’s a hint for 95 Across.)

Photo: Francois Dischinger for Herman Miller / Eames Softpad Side Chairs, Eames Table Segmented Base

1. How the house of Charles and Ray Eames created new thinking in modern living, via Inhabitat.

2. Apartment Therapy’s gift guide for a home office.

3. Dwell’s roundup of inspirational shipping-container homes.

4. This interview with Charles and Ray’s grandson Eames Demetrios by the Japan Times Online.

5. On a related note, Ray Eames’ elephants meet real elephants in this short film by Eames Demetrios, uploaded by the Eames Office on YouTube.

6. Silo 468, an interactive light installation built to commemorate Helsinki’s “World Design Capital” status, via Design Milk.

7. Lifehacker’s Most Popular Featured Workspaces of 2012.

8. “The Woman Behind the Eames Chair” at Legacy.com.

9. Useful advice on how to make the most of working from home from the New York Times.

10. The Eameses’ “Powers of 10” Re-Imagined by 40 Artists at Co.Design.

Photo: Francois Dischinger for Herman Miller / Nelson X-leg Tables, Eames Molded Plastic Chairs

1. The can’t-be-missed photos in “LIFE With Charles and Ray Eames: The Simple Art of Beauty” at life.time.com.

2. A look at the Miller House archives at The Fox Is Black.

3. The eclectic Copenhagen home of designers Camilla Ebdrup and Andreas Stenmann at Design*Sponge.

4. The clever Architecture for Dogs site, including Konstantin Grcic‘s design for a poodle.

5. In other Konstantin Grcic news, his Medici Chair for Mattiazzi recently won the Icon Award 2012 for “Best Furniture Design.”

6. 10 Beautiful Buildings Shaped Like Triangles from Flavorwire.

7. This design-focused gift guide from the Society of Publication Designers.

8. The sleek new Ovale cutlery designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at Dezeen.

9. This color-packed Romanian home design featuring Eames Molded Plastic Chairs and Wire Chairs (via Decoist).

10. The Domus Civita renovation project (complete with grottos and caves) by Italian architecture firm Studio F at ArchDaily.

Photo: Francois Dischinger for Herman Miller / Medici Chair Outdoor by Konstantin Grcic for Mattiazzi

My father had a stern exterior, but his baby sister Ray could melt him in seconds flat. She adored her brother. He was a career military man, so our family would be stationed in different places as I was growing up. Ray would visit us — like a fairy godmother, she’d pop up in places with off-the-wall presents and smiles. I’ll never forget when my father was stationed at Norway. Ray came in on one of the first SAS [Scandinavian Airlines] over-the-Pole flights. And when she arrived she said, almost with some surprise, “I expected to look down and see the candy-striped pole on the North Pole!” Of course she did! She just said it in that “Ray way” that made it magic. She was full of magical moments like that.

My aunt was such an artist; everything she did, she did perfectly. When we stayed at the house, we’d have breakfasts that were almost too pretty to eat. Every dish, every place mat, every napkin, the flowers on the table and on the sideboard, a bowl of fruit… everything had to be not only beautiful to taste, but beautiful to see. And the breakfast table was a work of art in itself — the way she arranged it differently every day, using different plates, different flowers, and different cups. All with love. You’d feel enveloped with love in her house.

Ray had an enormous spirit of fun. Work and fun were the things she had in common with Charles — they were the same thing to them. They embodied the philosophy of doing what you love and loving what you do. They loved their toys, and they loved the fanciful. (Where else could you get the Hang-It-All?) And Ray was intensely curious. When I was in seventh and eighth grade and my father was stationed in California, I was in a state band and individual instrumental competition. I played the clarinet and had a solo. Afterward, my friend Margaret Ann, who had accompanied me on the piano and who also played glockenspiel, came out with us to Ray and Charles’ house. Ray was so fascinated by someone who played the glockenspiel. (“Oh! Glockenspiel!” she’d say.) And she would go on and on asking Margaret about what it was like — questions about where it came from and how she got started in it. She had such a childlike curiosity about everything.

Ray, in her way, was a different kind of Renaissance woman — so much a woman, and yet, operating in a man’s world in an enormously successful way. She was very demanding in what she wanted and how the vision should be presented. She made no bones about it. So, in her, you had this combination of a brilliant, detail-oriented artist with a wonderful, fanciful, and intense curiosity about everything in the world — every piece of it. She had a way of educating you and learning at the same time. I still miss her effervescence and the extreme attention, love, and care she showed when she was with you. What I miss most is her joyous presence… and sharing it. I miss her.

Beginning February 23, 2013, the California Museum in Sacramento will present “Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design,” an exhibit revealing “a new perspective on Ray’s 60-year career in the arts, along with her influence on American culture and significance in history as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists.” Find details at californiamuseum.org.

*Opening on February 23, 2013, The California Museum in Sacramento presents “Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design,” revealing “a new perspective on Ray’s 60-year career in the arts, along with her influence on American culture and significance in history as one of the 20th century’s most influential artists.”

1. Eames: Beautiful Details, by Eames Demetrios - This vibrant, portable Charles and Ray Eames “exhibit” explores not only the iconic designs of the husband-and-wife team, but the wit, joy, and poetry of their lives. Get yours from Amazon.

2. Eames Walnut Stool - Ray called on her training as a sculptor to design this multi-purpose stool, originally designed for the Time & Life Building in New York City. With its distinctive silhouette in solid walnut, the stool is everything from eye-catching sculpture, to seat and stool, to table and stand. Find them at Herman Miller.

3. Blik Eames Wall Adhesives - Ray’s textile prints, created in the 1940s, now reside in several museum collections. Thanks to Blik, they can now reside in your home as decorative wall designs. Choose from Ray’s Crosspatch and Circles designs in a variety of colors. Find yours at Blik.

4. Changing Her Palette: Paintings by Ray Eames - Before studying at Cranbrook Academy of Art (where she met Charles), Ray studied abstract expressionist painting with Hans Hoffman in New York. This essential 40-page catalog from her show at the Eames Office Gallery offers a wonderful look at her early artistic work. Available from the Eames Office.

5. Select Eames Wire Base Low Table - Celebrating Ray’s spirited style and contributions to design, Herman Miller presents playful interpretations of the Low Table in cobalt blue, yellow-gold, and red-orange. Add a dash of color and enormous versatility with the perfect small surface solution. See them at Herman Miller.

6. Sea Things Print Textile by Maharam - Part of the Maharam Twentieth Century Collection, Ray’s “Sea Things” textile design has been re-issued for the 21st century. The pattern, available as seating material in a range four colors, features the unique aquatic life Ray originally designed in the 1940s. Her Circles, Crosspatch, and famous Dot Pattern designs are also available. See them all at Maharam.

1. Design Milk’s sneak peak at an upcoming addition to the Herman Miller Collection: Picnic Sofa by Industrial Facility.

2. Architect William O’Brien Jr.’s design of the Hendee-Borg House (check out the the saw-tooth roof line outside, and the various Eames pieces inside) (via Plastolux).

3. A look at the new Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art at Co.Design.

4. The cover of Print magazine’s Regional Design Annual for its depictions of the various places and ways we work today.

5. This article on the influence of “Powers of Ten,” the experimental film by Charles and Ray Eames, at Slate.

6. The spirited workspace of the UK-based juice and fruit smoothie company Innocent, designed by Stiff + Trevillion and featured at designboom.

7. “Remembering Evelyn Ackerman, a midcentury master of craft” at the LA Times.

8. Another loss, this time in the field of architecture: Brazil’s Oscar Niemeyer (via Architizer).

9. These interiors by St Louis-based CURE Design Group at Desire to Inspire.

10. Per ArchDaily, AIA has just ranked Columbus, Indiana as the U.S.’s 6th “Most Architecturally Important City,” thanks in part to designs like this.

Featured in the photo above: Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair, Nelson Pedestal Table, and Nelson Pedestal Stool

Each hybrid synthesizes essential traits from two “parents” of differing typologies; for example, a set of bookshelves combined with the stepped form of an arena results in the book-arena, which doubly functions as storage and seating for office-wide meetings. Other hybrids include the tree-chair, mountain-offices, house-table, and sky-cave …. This conceptual intertwining of interior office and exterior world expands the experiential possibilities of inhabitation. To sit in a chair as if inside a tree, or occupy a table as one would a house, is to prompt a rethinking of how we exist with objects and environments. One’s fundamental notions of dwelling and working are consequently upended, yet simultaneously clarified.

This larger idea of merging solutions within the office space has already won Ogosta the AIA Los Angeles Next LA Honor Award 2012 as well as recognition in several publications. But the details also got our attention: the project’s light, airy setting incorporates several designs by Charles and Ray Eames, such as Eames Aluminum Group Management Chairs, Eames Molded Plastic Chairs, and Eames Molded Plastic Armchairs with Rocker Bases — all in white. We asked Ogosta why he selected these styles and color. “It was important that the seating be compatible with the limited palette of wood and white materials for the project,” he stated. “The various Eames chairs seemed to complement the project’s furniture hybrid-objects, as they have a simplicity which does not distract from the overall space.”

Also considered? Charles and Ray’s California connection. Explained Ogosta, “The project also aims to internalize and clarify the surrounding areas of Los Angeles — its natural forms, its urban character, and its cultural openness — so including Eames chairs seemed appropriate given that they are indigenous creations of Southern California.”

See more of Hybrid Office here and at edwardogosta.com.

Images: edwardogosta.com

1. The Real Parque Loft in São Paulo by Brazilian architect and designer Diego Revollo, via Design Milk (as is the photo above).

2. The thinking behind the Eames “x-base” at Eames Designs.

3. The use of color in the GMG House by Pedro Gadanho in Portugal via Yatzer.

4. The guest post on a rooftop apartment in Paris (nice Noguchi Table and Eames Molded Plywood Chair) over at sfgirlbybay.

5. This mid-century modern home in Denver shot by David Lauer (whose home office we recently toured) on Plastolux.

6. The open and airy church-turned-loft in the Netherlands featured on ArchDaily (we like those Magis Bombo Stools tucked into the kitchen area).

7. Could these tree tents at Cool Hunting be an interesting outdoor-office option?

8. The cliff-hanging Casa del Acantilado in Alicante, Spain, at Minimalissimo.

9. This public library concept featured at The Fox Is Black.

10. Thisispaper’s look at the serene Case Inlet Retreat in Puget Sound, WA.

Photo: Via Design Milk

1. Baguette Table, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec - With its lithe, seemingly delicate form, the Baguette is deceptively robust, elegantly supporting your holiday dining or buffet. Inspired by the original definition of baguette – “wand” — the table’s long, slender surface sits atop cast aluminum legs with a polished or painted white or black finish. Choose from white MDF, clear or white glass, slate or quartzite table surfaces. Find your combination at Herman Miller.

2. Harry and David Royal Riviera Pears - As the foundation of the sumptuous Harry and David gift array, the Royal Riviera Pears are in a class by themselves. Sweet and succulent with a luxurious texture, the pears have become a popular holiday tradition and make the perfect addition to your table. Check out the numerous gift options, including this set, at Harry and David.

3. Tuleo Cupcake Stand, Alan Wisniewski - If you’re having visions of sugarplums (or cookies and cupcakes for that matter), bring them to your holiday table with this simple and elegant cupcake stand from Umbra. The chrome-finished, multi-tiered design will manage every manner of handheld confection – even a Riviera Pear tart – in style. Get yours at Digs.

4. Marimekko Lumimarja White + Silver Table Runner, Erja Hirvi - Evoke the holidays’ lustrous, wintery sheen with Hirvi’s iconic pattern, done in snowy white and silver. All cotton and machine washable, too. Dress your holiday table at FinnStyle.

5. Eames Molded Plywood Dining Chair with Metal Base - Charles and Ray Eames’ inimitable chair design, first debuted with Herman Miller in 1946, is a timeless tableside classic. Configured at the perfect height for dining, it’s now available with and without upholstery. Get yours for 15% off now through December 10 at Herman Miller.

6. Stelton Cylinda Tea + Coffee Service, Arne Jacobsen - Warm your guests and your table setting with this award-winning coffee and tea service design by Arne Jacobsen. Clad in stainless steel, the complete set includes tray, coffee and tea pots, and a sugar bowl and creamer. Complete your set at YLiving.

Photos linked within the text.

1. The Selby’s latest tour featuring illustrator Richard Haines and student Ji Tan in Brooklyn.

2. This look at Belgium-based graphic designer Davy Dooms’ apartment at Plastolux (and in the photo above by Niko Caignie).

3. The Eames Molded Plastic Chair reimagined for the reDesign 2012 gala at the Textile Museum of Canada.

4. “4 New Reasons (As If You Need Them) to Justify Working from Home” per U.S. News & World Report.

5. This cheery roundup of brightly colored front doors at Design Milk.

6. The Case Inlet Retreat by MW/Works Architecture in Puget Sound, WA, featured at TheCoolist.

7. Charming Eames toys spotted at EamesDesigns.com.

8. Skyscrapers designed to make you happy if you work in them via Co.Exist.

9. Creative home library designs at Decoist.

10. Yves Béhar’s “Designing for the Future” talk at the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Photo: Niko Caignie / Plastolux

1. The New York Times‘ interview with Hilda Longinotti, George Nelson’s former secretary and oftentimes furniture model (check her out alongside the Nelson Marshmallow Sofa in the article’s featured photo).

2. “A Rare Look at the Eames Office’s Graphic Design” from Co.Design.

3. Wowed by the Thesayboat houseboat designed and owned by Marek Ridky in the Czech Republic, spotted at Design Milk.

4. Could you spend time working in the Cocoon 1 by Micasa Lab? (Via Inhabitat.)

5. The Pandora office in Chicago (full of Eames Aluminum Group Management Chairs, Eames Soft Pad Management Chairs, Mirra Chairs, and more) designed by Eastlake Studio, featured at Inthralld (photo above).

6. Last summer’s LIGHTlab 5.1 installation designed by VAV Architects in Helsinki, Finland, as detailed at CollabCubed.

7. The Best Business Hotels of 2012, according to Wallpaper*.

8. This serene collection of contemporary design photos shot by architectural photographer Hélène Binet featured at NOWNESS.

9. The SAYL Chairs gracefully supporting the Skullcandy office in Zurich, Switzerland, at ArchDaily.

10. This inspiring townhouse in Lisbon, Portugal, with vertical gardens and a rooftop pool — a “unique link with nature” in the middle of a busy city — found at Dezeen.

Photo: Eastlake Studio via Inthralld

1. Nelson X-Leg Table, designed by George Nelson, 1950 – Clean and elegant, this versatile table moves seamlessly from living and dining rooms, to the office and workspace. Customize the distinctive design with your choice two laminates and three veneers including walnut, white ash, and santos palisander. The surface sits atop legs in trivalent chrome, white, or black. Find all the options at Herman Miller.

2. Nelson Pedestal Stool, designed by George Nelson, 1954 – Originally designed in 1954, the cheerful but sophisticated silhouette of the Pedestal Stool is well suited for the present. With its modest size, it’s the perfect solution for smaller spaces or combine a few to add a vibrant accent of color and utility. Choose yours at Herman Miller.

3. Eames Molded Plywood Dining Chair Upholstered, designed by Charles and Ray Eames, 1946 – The gentle, curving shape of the Eames Molded Plywood Chair set the standard for modern furniture design. The addition of an upholstered version increases its contoured comfort and accents with hint of color, creating a stylish, inviting space for living and dining. Choose from several veneer and upholstery options at Herman Miller.

4. H Frame Coffee Table, designed by Ward Bennett, 1963 – With its elegant and minimal form, the H Frame Coffee Table is a showcase of precise proportions and natural materials. Accent executive offices and home interiors with a wide range of stone, wood, and glass surfaces. Configure yours at Herman Miller.

5. Spun Chair, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, 2010 – Sitting upright, the Spun silhouette suggests a spinning sculptural vessel, but on its side this ingenious rotational-molded design spins you around a full 360 degrees. A beguiling, spirited chair, everyone will want to take a turn in. Take a spin at Herman Miller.

Watch Steve Frykholm and other Herman Miller team members take Spun for a spin!

6. Nelson Thin Edge Buffet, designed by George Nelson, 1952 – With its sleek profile and exquisite veneers, the Thin Edge Buffet continues Nelson’s tradition of unified style and utility. Generous storage capacity — in the form of two adjustable shelves and four deep drawers — combined with environmentally sustainable construction make it the perfect solution for living and working today. Find yours at Herman Miller.

“Chewbacca prefers the Eames DKR2 chair,” states owner Lori. (We like her taste in her vintage wire chair’s two-piece “bikini” leather padding.) (Photo: stutefish at Flickr)

This cat lays claim on an Eames Sofa Compact. (Photo: carissapod :: fish parade at Flickr)

A white Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair with a wood dowel base paired with a bright throw makes a relaxing naptime spot. (Photo: neko-yanagi at Flickr)

“Charlie” stands tall next to the “Eiffel Tower” base of his owner’s Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair. (Photo: goodiesphoto at Flickr)

Contributor Jamie Latendresse’s Siamese cat “Kitty” takes up residence on his Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair. (Photo: Jamie Latendresse)

Top photo by Peter Stackpole; drawing by cartoonist Saul Steinberg; LIFE Photo Archives, 1950 (hosted by Google)

1. “What It Was Like to Work for Charles and Ray Eames” at the Atlantic.

2. The tour of Lotta Jansdotter’s Brooklyn studio at decor8.

3. More from Brooklyn: the chic Steele Residence designed by RES4 via Minimalissimo.

4. This compact Garden House in Holland — which would make a striking home-office option — covered by Dwell.

5. 10 Spectacular Herman Miller Chairs, as compiled by Decoist.

6. “The Rise of…the Artisanal Cubicle” from Businessweek.

7. The thoughtful selection of furnishings (which includes several Magis Air-Chairs) in a Portuguese villa spotted by freshome.

8. This post on a whimsical set of invisible bookends by designer Paul Cocksedge at Dezeen.

9. The Wired article, “Getting Back to Doing: In Conversation With Industrial Designer Yves Béhar.”

10. The impressive list of sustainable systems included in the Seattle-based Capitol Hill Residence by Balance Associates Architects via Contemporist.

In above photo: Eames Hang-It-All

Spotlighting Eames-made material never exhibited before (much of it rare), this show at the PM Gallery and House takes a look at the creative process the pair — and architect and a painter — used to meet the needs of each design project they undertook. (“Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design,” Charles once said.) The exhibition runs through November 3. Per the Eames Office, plans are in the works to bring the show to Santa Monica at the end of 2013.

Get details at ealing.gov.uk. For an insightful video overview from the BBC featuring Charles and Ray’s grandson Eames Demetrios and curator Carol Swords, visit bbc.co.uk.

Image: hermanmiller.com/discover