Here at Lifework, we see a lot of thoughtful workspaces from the creative community in Portland, Oregon — and our latest tour is no different. Step inside this home office of freelance illustrator, designer, and maker Jenny Tiffany for a dash of inspiration.

Tell us about your background. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in Spokane, Washington. The house we lived in was right on the border of a state park and river. This had a huge influence on me and my work as an artist. It helped foster my love of nature. For much of my childhood, I thought about being a park ranger when I grew up. I imagined myself living in a park ranger station in the mountains sketching wildlife and forests. 

My grandmother loved to paint. I inherited her oil paints and brushes and she helped me pay for college art classes. Right before she died, she made me promise to do something artistic with my life. I have a framed picture of her on my desk so she can watch me work. I think she’d be happy to know I kept my promise.

In 2002, my partner and I moved to Portland to follow our dream of hand-making housewares and selling them. We started the company Robot Candy, selling tile coasters handmade in small batches using reclaimed and recycled materials wherever possible. We wanted to be able to offer affordable, durable goods for the modern home while preserving the art and imagery of years past. We immediately got involved in the handmade movement here. It’s been amazing to watch it evolve. I sell at local craft shows, which is such a great way to meet other artists and designers as well as the people who support all of us. With the success of our business, I was able to quit my day job and spend more time creating art. Half of my time is spent working on our business and the other half is spent working on freelance illustration and design projects.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. Growing up in the seventies had a huge impact on the colors and styles that I’m drawn to. I was really inspired by pop art — Peter Max-style sunny landscapes. The U.S. Postal Service commissioned him to create the first 10-cent postage stamp to commemorate the Expo ’74 world’s fair in Spokane, WA. The theme of the fair was about preserving the environment. The event transformed my hometown. I was born during the Expo and my parents took me several times as a baby. The colors of the fair were chartreuse green, sky blue, and white (plants, water, and air). It must have had an impact because those are my favorite colors and themes and I use them often in my work. I also have a growing collection of Expo ’74 memorabilia. 

You have an Eames Molded Plastic Chair in your space. Why did you choose it? I love my Eames Molded Plastic Chair. We have two of them and they are extremely comfortable. I love owning a piece of design history. It really is a beautiful piece of functional art. Investing in a piece of Herman Miller furniture is a decision that really doesn’t need to be questioned. You know you are going to be getting the best quality and design in the industry. The next piece that I have my eye on is an Eames Aluminum Group Chair. The fact that these designs are still among the most desired and highly regarded since the 1950s really is a testament to the partnership of Charles and Ray Eames and Herman Miller.

Photos: Jenny Tiffany

Image: LIFE Magazine

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. Eames Storage, Charles & Ray Eames - Versatile. Functional. Classic. The Eames Storage Unit solves just about any storage issue with three sizes and a multitude of configurations. Choose from neutral or vibrant colors, and get ready for organizing greatness. Configure yours at Herman Miller.

2. MOS (Magnetic Organization System) - Cable management can be especially maddening. Enter MOS, an attractive – in looks and magnetism – cable management system. Magnetic clips harness your various cords and keep them in place on its sleek base. Available in aluminum, white, and black from Bite My Apple.

3. Nelson Swag Leg Desk, George Nelson - Its modest size doesn’t take up much space, but its captivating design yields plenty of organization. Bright colored cubbies help arrange your desktop while twin drawers keep accessories in their place. Get yours at Herman Miller.

*Add a Setu Chair for the perfect home workspace. 

4. TU Storage - When in need of a solid storage solution, TU is for you. Choose from a range of options including the Mobile Pedestal – a 20″ deep freestanding organizer with 2 and 3-drawer configurations, and a choice of 4 colors. Choose your TU solution at Herman Miller.

*Add the TU Utility Tray for even more organizing potential.

5. Large Wood Desk Organizer, Less & More - They say it’s the little things that matter. If you’ve a lot of them on your desk, try this hold-everything, solid oak organizer. Holds pens, scissors, iPods, mail, and more. Check it out on Supermarket.

6. Nelson Basic Cabinet Series, George Nelson - With multiples sizes and configurations to choose from, the Basic Cabinet Series takes storage to a timeless, sophisticated level. Available in oak or walnut veneer, with or without legs. Configure your Basic Cabinets at Herman Miller.

*Set a Basic Cabinet atop a Nelson Platform Bench for a truly distinctive solution.

Photos linked with text.

As is quite clearly stated on his website, J. Zachary Keenan makes “marks for personal and profitable endeavors”. Keenan, who shares a South Minneapolis studio with his wife Caitlin as well as two original Eames chairs, makes marks that include everything from logo, identity and print campaigns, to product design, illustration and even music production. His music tastes cover just as much ground, as you’ll hear in this week’s Playlist.

What do you listen to while you work?
Everything, literally. Motown, garage rock, jazz, shoegaze, folk, Hawaiian, etc. Almost anything that’s been released from the Ghostly International label finds it’s way into my work day.

How do you listen?
A pair of Grado Labs SR 80 headphones—really light, so I can wear ‘em for long stretches of time. And the open-air design let’s me hear what’s going on around me (like my son waking up from his nap in the next room).

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
After years of organizing and archiving a combination of MP3s and vinyl, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that Spotify has become my one-stop-shop for just about everything.

Does music influence your work?
It does. Not necessarily in aesthetics—maybe more so in attitude. Music is always an important part of the studio environment, but never just playing “in the background”. I hope that the creative work I produce plays a similar role in people’s lives.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Most of my friends and family have really great musical tastes. I think the seasons have the biggest influence on what I’m in the mood to hear.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. I’m not saying that I’m anywhere close to that amazing. But I like to think that I have a similar value in craft and work ethic. And I’ll take “timeless” over “new hot” any day.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The ideal place to sit and listen to my playlist is an Eames Walnut Stool (in “A-shape” configuration) — because you may be sitting and listening, and then you might want to get up and dance.

J. Zachary’s Playlist:
1. Small Axe, Bob Marley & The Wailers
2. Shuffle, Bombay Bicycle Club
3. I Confess, The English Beat
4. Faded High, Gayngs
5. Lufuala Ndonga, Konono N°1
6. Police & Thieves, The Clash
7. Vapour Trail, Ride
8. Atlantic City (cover), The Hold Steady
9. Romulus – Sufjan Stevens
10. Asleep, The Smiths
11. Island, IS, Volcano Choir
12. Like Gold, Erlend Øye

Photos: Caitlin Keenan

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. 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.

In addition to the Embody chair that occupies him Brooklyn-based home office, typographer Nick Keppol utilizes his Eames Wire Base Low Table as a supporter for books and decor. Another suggestion? It would be also smart as a holder of a printer or fax machine. (Photo: Anthony Nguyen / Apartment Therapy)

This hardworking Eames Wire Base Low Table hunkers down on the floor and supports the efforts of an on-the-go laptop. (Photo: Jan Skacelik / Houzz)

This Eames Wire Base Low Table has been charged with one simple task: display. (Photo: esotericsurvey.blogspot.com)

Grouped in fours, these low tables join forces to create a versatile coffee table that can be adjusted and moved around to meet other needs in the room — or elsewhere. (Photo: desiretoinspire.net)

The LTR makes a simple magazine-and-plant holder combo in the home of stylist Pella Hedeby. (Photo: stilinspiration.se)

Designed by Terence Conran, the Charles and Ray Eames Room in London’s Boundary hotel lives up to its name: a Wire Base Low Table, serving as a side table next to the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, an Aluminum Group Management Chair, and a Hang-It-All all call the space home. (Photo: Paul Raeside and Lisa Linder / theboundary.co.uk)

A singular Eames Wire Base Low Table sneaks under another larger table to add an auxiliary surface (and an extra dose of style) when needed. (Photo: wentworthstudio.com)

Several Eames LTRs line up for a child’s birthday party to celebrate a traditional tea ceremony much like the one Charles and Ray hosted in 1950 (the inspiration for the first design of their low table — see it here). (Photo: uplatecakes.blogspot.com)

The perfect perch for you cat? Explains Flickr user Vincent van der Heijden: “So I wanted a nice sidetable for my Sunday morning nespressos, but in the evenings it has a totally different purpose: it then acts as a daybed for my kitty. The LTR occasional kitty daybed….” (Photo: Vincent van der Heijden / Flickr)

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

2. The home of Jennifer Bostic, founder of Paper Plane Studio, on sfgirlbybay.

3. Paintings of modern architecture by artist Paul Davies covered over at Plastolux.

4. The “George Nelson Designer Dossier” from Apartment Therapy.

5. The Columbia Dispatch’s interview with Eames Demetrios, grandson of Ray and Charles.

6. PSFK’s “Future of Work” series and its chat with Ryan Anderson, our Director of Future Technologies, about what the ideal office of the future will look like.

7. The beautiful grouping of red Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs (with both stacking and “Eiffel Tower” wire bases) at Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum Restaurant, featured at designboom.

8. Rare color images of Le Corbusier via ArchDaily.

9. 10 Modern Hotels Across the USA from Dwell.

10. October 1 is the start of “Archtober,” Architecture and Design Month in New York City. Get details at archtober.org.

Photo: Magis Folding Air-Chair

Design can be as playful as it is functional. For kids as well as the kid in all of us, here’s six ways to fill the playroom with fun and design.

1. Eames Elephant, Charles & Ray Eames – Fascinating to the Eameses, elephants popped up in Charles’ photos of circus life. Designed as molded plywood toys but never produced, the enchanting Eames Elephant comes back to life in durable polypropylene. Available in five colors. Get one at DWR.

2. Magis Puppy, Eero Aarnio – With its minimal, modern shape and detail, Aarnio’s brightly colored Puppy draws the eyes, of children especially, while simultaneously blurring the line between toy and furnishing. Leash one up at Hive Modern.

3. Eames House Blocks – The Eameses moved into Case Study House No. 8 on Christmas Eve, 1949. Now your children can enjoy building their own Eames House with these hand-pulled, screen-printed blocks. (Maybe even on Christmas Eve!) The set includes both the house and studio, comprised of 36 Michigan-grown, basswood blocks. Start building at House Industries.

4. Eames Hang-It-All, Charles & Ray Eames – Like so much of the Eameses work, the Hang-It-All is a beguiling work of art that also possesses great functionality. With its colorful wood knobs and web-like wire lattice base, it will make hanging just about anything from coats and scarves to hats and umbrellas a delight. Hang your hat on one at Herman Miller.

5. Cubebots, David Weeks – At rest, the Cubebot is an unassuming wood block; but awaken one and discover his dynamic profiles and poses. Elastic “muscles” and sustainably harvested cherry wood limbs make him impervious to years of play — the perfect, environmentally conscious, robot companion. Obtain him at Unica Home.

6. Alma Stacking Children’s Chair by Magis – Designed by Javier Mariscal for Magis, this contemporary stacking chair is the perfect height for manning a front-yard lemonade stand, a baby-doll tea service, and more. Produced in rotational-moulded polyethylene for durability with a unique sprouting chairback detail, it’s an attractive, functional addition to any playroom. Stack them up at Emmo Home.

Photos: Linked to sources within text

1. Aeron Chair, Bill Stumpf & Don Chadwick Since its arrival in 1994, the Aeron has become the quintessential office chair. Its dynamic union of ergonomic comfort and modern, functional style is unmatched. Made every day in the U.S.A. Customize one at Herman Miller.

2. 5th Avenue Glacier Park Throw, Pendleton Founded by Thomas Kay in Oregon in 1863, Pendleton has been producing fine woolens in the U.S. for nearly 150 years. The iconic Glacier Park design is sublimely seductive in 100% merino wool. Wrap yourself up in one at Pendleton.

3. Eames Binder, Naked Binder Like its namesake designers, the Eames binder champions design simplicity. Its Neenah Eames graphite-gray paper and board exterior houses 1 or 1.5-inch ring bindings and is Green Seal-certified for the environment. Bound to be found at Naked Binder.

4. CDock for iPhone This handsome, retro dock for iPhone is a true original. Made from natural materials, each dock has its own distinct character, cradling and charging your iPhone while transforming it into a tabletop timepiece. Find one now at Cdock.com.

5. Allen Edmonds Shoes Allen Edmonds has been putting its best feet forward for American-made shoes since 1922. Sourcing the finest materials from around the globe, all of their footwear is handcrafted in their Port Washington, Wisconsin, factory. Additionally, unlike many a modern shoe, all of their footwear is painstakingly welted — the process of joining the upper to the insole without cement — for durability. Step into a pair at Allen Edmonds.

6. Ella Vickers Sailcloth Tote With its impressive strength and unique character, sailcloth is the perfect American fabric. Originally created by America’s Cup first mate Ella Vickers from old sails, these durable totes are still produced from sail industry leftovers. Perfect for your sporty summer fun. Get one at Lands’ End.

Photos: Linked to their sources within text

1. This video by artist Grant Taylor and Daniel Ostroff, editor of the design scholarship resource eamesdesigns.com, documenting their time together photographing 6,000 images for the site.

2. The shipping-container-turned-treehouse at Inhabit.

3. A stunning office space in Rio de Janeiro spotted by Contemporist.

4. Dreaming of stopping by for an afternoon snack in this innovative pastry boutique in San Pedro, Mexico (via Yatzer).

5. A helpful roundup of must-have tools for your home office from Entrepreneur.com.

6. The urban cabin for a writer spotted on officesnapshots.com.

7. A look at how the digital age is influencing furniture design at NYTimes.com.

8. Co.Design’s “An American-Made Miracle: How An Aeron Chair Gets Built Every 17 Seconds“ video.

9. Dwell.com’s tour of the E+ Green Home concept house outside of Seoul — possibly the country’s most sustainable house.

10. The new Design Museum Collection App for iPad featuring 59 “remarkable objects” from London’s Design Museum. (We’re especially fond of #38, #39, and #58.)

1. Magis Folding Air-Chair, Herman Miller A pioneering chair in the use of gas-injection technology, Jasper Morrison’s Magis Air Chair is durable, light and adds a pop of color to the patio. Have a seat: store.hermanmiller.com

2. Scholten & Baijings Minimal Collection for Hay Dutch design-due Carole Baijings and Stefan Scholten are anything but drab, infusing their work with sophisticated levity, singular style, and, of course, color. Get between their sheets: hayshop.dk

3. PF Flyers Center Lo Sneaking right into your color-craving heart is the Center Lo sneaker. Since 1933, PF (“Posture Foundation”) Flyers have been helping us “play at full speed longer.” Lots of great spring hues for you’s and yours. Pick up a pair: pfflyers.com

4. Silicone Leaf Plates, MoMA Store Instantly organic (each is slightly different in size and color) and simultaneously modern, Nao Tamura’s silicone leaf plates unite technology with nature. Perfect for al fresco service. Dish them up: MoMA Store

5. Forage Apricot Plaid Bow Tie, Forage Need a spring in your step? Just put a bow on it! Hand crafted in 100% cotton in 100% Brooklyn, NY, Forage’s Shauna and Stephen seem to tie off a new project weekly, collaborating in pop-up shops, festivals, and more. Tie one of their ties on here: forage.bigcartel.com

6. Eames Hang-It-All, Herman Miller Charles and Ray Eames designed children’s products, like the playful Hang-It-All, mostly because they wanted to share them with the children around them. Isn’t that cool? Of course, it’s not just an eye-catcher; it catches a lot of hats, coats, and bags, too. Home is where you Hang-It-All: store.hermanmiller.com

Photos: Linked to their sources within text

1. Stylist Home’s “Surprising Uses for Pencils in an Office.”

2. The Art of Non-Conformity’s feature on this one-page career cheat sheet.

3. Apartment Therapy Tech reader Aya’s Setu side chair (above) — looks smart in her bright basement home office.

4. Speaking of interesting home offices, we think this pre-fab treehouse on Treehugger would make a good one.

5. Wanken’s post on the geometric illustrations of Justin Mezzell (check out the two Eames Lounge Chairs at the bottom — clever).

6. Take a look at these leather and stone paperweights found on Reference Library.

7. Appreciating the interoffice-envelope inspiration behind this chest at Field Day.

8. We’ve got four words for this house in Aroeira, Portugal by Aires Mateus: Herman Miller Collection Outdoor (via Yatzer).

9. The article on hyperconnectivity and how to manage it in The Economist.

10. And if you can’t disconnect, you can at least accessorize your smartphone with this roundup from Design*Sponge.

Photo: Aya Ishihara/Apartment Therapy Tech

How long have you been working as an industrial designer? Since I graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design in 1997. I have always been into woodworking and design and grew up in west Michigan—contract-furniture central. I loved the problem-solving aspect and working with my hands.

What drew you to guitar design? I started designing Sinuous about five years ago; I have played guitar since I was a young. My career path is in designing furniture, and one day I decided to take what I know about that craftsmanship and put it into a guitar. That one-day decision was based on years of playing the instrument and designing furniture. I could not have brought Sinuous guitars to the level they are without that time to gain the experience.

What makes your guitars different? While thinking about designing a guitar, I looked at a lot of new guitar companies and found that most did not focus on authenticity—they were basically spin-offs of guitars that were designed over 50 years ago and had not changed. I approached my design process to solve a problem, which I thought was tri-fold: ergonomics, how I could I strengthen the intimate relationship with the player and the instrument, and how to create something special and truly authentic. Another challenge was not to design something different for the sake of being different—I set out to design a guitar that made sense. The Eames would call this  “how-it-should-be-ness.”

What is it about the Eames design approach that resonated with you? I was not interested in designing and building another knock-off guitar; the world doesn’t need any more of them. I approached this with a process that Charles Eames help develop and, in the end, I have a guitar that has a very sculptural form with a comforting feel and performs like something defined as an “instrument” should perform. The true difference is in how the guitar body conforms to your body. It gets rid of that feeling of playing a plank of wood and feels very natural. Some guitar manufacturers try solving this by cutting out the backs of guitars for comfort, but can only go cut so deep because it is a flat board. The process I use allows me to bend the solid-wood body into a shape to hug your body and also roll away where you do not want it to hit you, all while keeping the guitar thin and without unwanted weight. And the process is repeatable—at an affordable price.

Learn more about Sinuous guitars at sinuousguitars.com.

What do you listen to while you work? Rock, alternative, blues, jazz, hip hop, and TED Talks.

How do you listen? Headphones or Bose SoundDock.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers? I often stream KEXP Seattle and WTMD Baltimore.

Does music influence your work? Absolutely—in particular, a poster I designed for the Society of Design promoting the visit of designer Armin Vit. I designed it while listening to “Mad Flava” by Fatboy Slim and made that claim on the poster itself.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste? In addition to tagging everything I hear and like with Shazam, I frequently visit BASE, Stereogum, KEXP Seattle, WTMD Baltimore, and Pitchfork. My music taste is a reflection of the previously mentioned, as well as many live concerts and my friends.

If your work was a song, what would it be? “Will Do” by TV On The Radio.

GREG’S PLAYLIST

1. Amsterdam, PB&J
2. Vicious, Lou Reed
3. Polite Dance, The Bird & The Bee
4. Bankrobber, The Clash
5. Low Rider, WAR
6. Two Against One (featuring Jack White), Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
7. Rhinestone Eyes, The Gorillaz
8. One Love, Massive Attack
9. House of Cards, Radiohead
10. The Ghost Inside, Broken Bells
11. The Seed (2.0), The Roots
12. Ruby Soho, Rancid
    ss

Photos: Greg Bennett

1. Love Heart PLYprint, $95.00 Made from formaldehyde-free maple plywood, this panel honors designer Alexander Girard’s playful graphic style and commitment to using natural materials. Get it: modernseed.com

2. Bon Journey Bag, $70.00 Hand-painted on cotton canvas, this study carryall is perfect for toting a portfolio to a client meeting—and big enough for a weekend getaway (it is Valentine’s Day, after all). Get it: thenewdomestic.com

3. Libratone Live Speaker, from $699.95 This simple (yet striking) audio solution lets you stream music wirelessly from an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or Mac/PC using Apple’s AirPlay technology. Get it: libratone.com

4. Twist a Twill Blanket, $139.00 The triangular shapes found in traditional twill patterns inspired the design of Tina Ratzer’s cozy wool blanket. Get it: gretelhome.com

5. Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, $909.00 Time magazine declared Charles and Ray Eames’ chairs The Best Design of the 20th Century: “something elegant, light, and comfortable. Much copied, but never bettered.” Get it: hermanmiller.com

6. Josiah Lighting, from $200.00 A braided textile cable in bold crimson makes designer Terence Woogate’s bone-china hanging pendant pop. Get it: thefutureperfect.com

Photos: Linked to sources within text.

The nice thing about this site is you can search by name or type (or even color). The not so great thing is the lack of info on each ad. The image above is tagged  ”Alcoa Aluminum Unit Girard Design Charles Eames (1957)”. It reminds me of the Eames living room and also the Miller House in Columbus, Indiana. And it’s just one of an amazing array of vintage images to inspire you.

It’s a great picture-driven timeline giving you a distinct glimpse into the design lives of Ray and Charles Eames. We’re running a giveaway in conjunction with the site. Just enter your email for a chance to win an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.

Watch Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter on PBS. See more from AMERICAN MASTERS.

“There are so many booths that have Eames pieces in them,” said Demetrios. “You expect the plastic chairs but there are DCMs and they are serious chairs to drag around a big space when you don’t have to…I think it’s great.”

Adam Call (the Herman Miller Collection Lead) and I headed out to the floor to do a bit of furniture spotting ourselves and Eames was absolutely right. We were everywhere. As Call said this may very well be our first year here but it looks like we were at Art Basel even before we were at Art Basel!

Top: Eames Molded Plastic Chairs in white with wire bases and art still waiting to be hung. Above: A Nelson Swag Leg Work Table hard at work.

Above: An Enchord desk and moveable storage unit.

Above: Eames Molded Plywood Coffee Table.

Above: More white Molded Plastic Chairs…

Above: A vintage Noguchi table and Eames chairs are right at home with Alvar Aalto’s iconic 3-legged stools.

Above: Eames Molded Plastic chairs around an Eames table.

Above: A rare vintage Eames table with a 5-star base.

From a Lifework perspective it is wonderful to see people “work” the fair. One man sank into an Eames Lounge Chair and pulled out his iPad and began furiously typing. A photographer spread out on the Tuxedo sofa and started downloading images to a laptop perched on the Noguchi.

Jack Schreur, Vice President of The Herman Miller Collection wandered the halls with me this morning before the crowds arrived. “The big theme is this  - this is not about what used to be.  Our presence here is about taking some of the most amazing pieces of furniture in the world and contemporizing them, showing how they live and work today. We arrange our technology around us instead of the other way around  - it fundamentally opens up opportunities for all of this great furniture. It didn’t work great when you had to put an IBM Selectric out there to do your work but now … look at this.” Schreur points to a group leaning over a laptop, each perched comfortably on a Setu chair upholstered in deep red.

Look out for more Art Basel and Design Miami coverage over the next few days.

The story in Elle Decor that featured this image was titled “Eclecttico Sofisticato”:

“I don’t believe the word eclectic applies here, except perhaps to the desk, which contrasts with other things in the room. There are many things in the room with which the Eames chair has a strong affinity. It has an affinity with the ceiling with its exposed, unpainted wood beams that are there for support, not decoration.  And in the cement floor which is bare of decoration or covering. The walls also appear to be the same. Next there is the electrical fixture, which it is left exposed, the conduit for the wire isn’t buried inside the wall, it’s left where it can be seen for what it is, along with the socket.  Finally there is an iron machine wheel, leaning up against the wall, shaped the way it is to address the need for which it was created. Just like the chair.”

Daniel Ostroff, editor EamesDesigns.com

In this new series we’ll track Ostroff’s journey spotting Eames design…everywhere. And If you come across anything please feel free to send it in. Just leave a note for us in the comment section.

“I connect Eames designs to this picture in at least two ways,” says Daniel Ostroff. “First, the man is sitting in a chair from the Eames Aluminum Group, while working, drinking coffee, and walking his dog.  This fits with how Charles and Ray Eames thought about their designs, in that they hoped that any one of their designs could serve many purposes.  For example, the Eames Aluminum Group was originally called “The Indoor Outdoor Group,” because the Eames idea was a chair that could be used indoors or out.  And another  Eames connection is to the tag line, “Make it happen.”  Charles and Ray frequently admonished those around them that ‘ideas are cheap.’  It’s important to not just have an idea, but to ‘make it happen.’”

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

And most unusually, everything is for sale. “Some pieces are in the thousands, some in the hundreds,” says Chen as we walk through the 15,000 square feet that makes up just the ground floor of his vast West Hollywood showroom. And for all those who can’t make it to the Los Angeles show there’s a beautifully photographed book Collecting Eames, The JF Chen Collection, that will be out next month.

Details:

“Collecting Eames: The JF Chen Collection” is part of Pacific Standard Time.

JF Chen, 941 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90038

October 3–January 14. Show hours are Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 11 to 4pm, and closed on Sunday

For more on Necon check out the slideshow David Foster put together for Discover here.