Design
January 15, 2013
By Amy Feezor
Designers Charles and Ray Eames moved into their now-legendary California home, Case Study House #8, on Christmas Eve, 1949. More than sixty years later, the Eames family — caretakers of the home since Ray’s death in 1988 — is prepping to preserve the space as it existed when the couple lived and worked in it for the prolific last-half of their lives. The family’s goal? To raise $150,000 toward conserving the house and grounds for the next 250 years.
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. Read more
Balance
June 8, 2012
By Amy Feezor
Take a look at a few of our favorite posts from the past week.
1. “How a home work space works best” at The Globe and Mail (featuring a pair of our Setu Chairs, above, in a photo by Barry Calhoun Photography).
2. Chairsmith’s electrifying photos of their recent Eames acquisition.
3. Fashion designer Leyla Piedayesh’s studio, which includes a Magis Chair_One by Konstantin Gricic (via Monoqi)
4. Daniel Kanter’s thoughtful post on his visit to Case Study House No. 8 in L.A. (via Manhattan Nest).
5. On a related note, these watercolor paintings based on the architectural photographs of Julius Shulman in the Los Angeles Times.
6. Could this save the iPad’s “lousy typing”? (via Co.Design).
7. “Kindergarten Design Grows Up: Contemporary Nursery-School Projects” at Architonic.
8. “How to Thank Your Employees in Only 8 Words” from Inc.
9. Apartment Therapy’s roundup of 10 office chairs from their Tech Tours (we spy the best of the best: Mirra, Embody, Eames Aluminum Group Management Chair, Aeron, Eames Soft-Pad Management Chair…)
10. This impressive mid-century-modern collection in the Michigan home of architect Robert C. Metcalf (via AnnArbor.com).
Photo: Barry Calhoun Photography / The Globe and Mail
Design, Products
October 11, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
It’s all about design right now in Southern California. Pacific Standard Time is a Getty-backed initiative celebrating art and design from the 1930s through to the 1980s in Los Angeles. There are over 60 exhibitions from San Diego to Santa Barbara and that doesn’t include the multitude of private galleries also showing work.
Where to start? LACMA has outdone itself with curator Wendy Kaplan’s ambitious “California Design: Living in a Modern Way.” This is the show that includes the reconstructed Eames living room. The whole show houses around 350 objects—furniture, ceramics, fashion, textiles graphic design and includes Herman Miller pieces that are still in production like the Eames Elliptical table and the Eames Storage Unit. This exhibition, which is the first major show to look at mid century modern design attracted over 1500 people to the opening night reception.
Photos: Cerentha Harris and Stefanie Keenan