Archive for the 'history' Category

Modern Furniture: Its History and Its Future

Categorized Under: Frankl, Furniture Trends, Modernist, history 18 Commented

Hot Pink. Turquoise. Black.
Blond woods. Chrome. Atomic designs.
The living room of tomorrow first took shape in the 1950s right? Actually modern furniture’s roots started much earlier as part of the Modernism movement, a cultural movement started at the end of the 19th century. In contrast to Victorian [...]

Functionality and Sustainability Equals Stickley

Categorized Under: Arts and Crafts, Stickley, history No Commented

 
The brothers Stickley began furniture making in 1877 in Brandt, Pennsylvania.  Since 1900 the Stickley philosophy has been “living in harmony with nature” and what a befitting tribute to write this blog on Earth Day.
Leader of the Arts & Crafts Movement, Stickley furniture is most commonly known as “Mission Style”.  It was designed to be [...]

From Bauhaus to Barcelona, the Two Sides of Mies van der Rohe

Categorized Under: Barcelona Chair, Mies van der Rohe, Modernist, history No Commented

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was bornin Germany in 1886 his family were stone carvers which left a lasting impression on his future design ethic.    Based on structural techniques and Prussian Classicism his designs are iconic.  Frank Lloyd Wright was an inspiration to him as he developed his own style and in 1912 he opened his own studio.
Quoted [...]

Eloquent, Articulate George Nelson; the Architect with a Story

Categorized Under: Marshmellow Sofa, Modernist, Nelson, history, mid-century No Commented

Post WWII was characterized by a belief in progress, anything was possible and everybody wanted to be modern.  Enter George Nelson, one of the fathers of the industrial design movement known as American Modernism. 
Nelson studied at Yale in 1924; he said he had no idea what he wanted to be.  During a rainstorm he entered [...]

Eames, Two Peas in a Pod

Categorized Under: Eames, history, mid-century No Commented

Have you ever seen the chair that looks like a potato chip?  or thought that a molded fiberglass rockers would be comfortable?  Then you have experienced a couple of the many pieces this prolific couple has designed.  Thes Eameses vision of modern design was a catalyst for social change; they achieved their goal with elegance, beauty and wit.
“One of the [...]