What a Small Mid Century Modern World We Live In.

Funny story.  After renovating our new home in 2009 my husband and I went through many, many sofas to get the look right in our den/living room.  Followers, you've heard about the on-going sofa drama!  I think I blogged about 3+ times about it.  Well, one of the first mid century style sofas we bought we had to sell right after we tried it in our space. It wasn't quite right. I put if up for sale on Craigslist and sold it to a super cool mid-century guy named Darren.  After that I started bumping into him at estate sales in Los Angeles.

Fast forward almost 2 years to now.   You remember the daybed/gondola style mid century sofa I tried to make work in my space?  I couldn't make it work (insert my sad face here) so I put it up for sale on Craigslist. Lo and behold....who wrote about it?  Yep, Darren!

He's buying it for his fab mid century modern home.  I went by his place to check out some of his "hoard".   You see, most of us that estate sale frequently build up a "hoarder's nest", myself included and yeah, I'm talking to you Mr. Modtomic.   I searched through his hoarder's garage and came away with some beloved new treasures: an original oil painting, a BULLET planter (finally, woo hoooo) and a vase.   See my finds below....but first, you must check out his amazing home.  Yeah, I asked to take pictures for my blog. I have no shame.  But fortunately he obliged. His space is pretty much spot on my ideal and perfect mix:

see the little brown sofa? that's the one we sold him years ago and the future home of our (soon to be his) daybed sofa. it's going to look perfect!

This is just a piece of the home.  I need to leave some things private right?  I don't know if he'd want his entire home pictured.  

Now on to the great pieces I scored from him:

Original oil. Looks so much better in person.

I love MCM pottery.  The vase is new, the little orange pods I've had for awhile - they're actually salt and pepper shakers.  Come to think of it, Darren was at this sale when I bought these! Too funny.

And can I get a "holla".  Finally I have a bullet planter.  I originally envisioned the classic tripod stand but I've got to say, I'm really digging this unique style. 

Have a great day! 

Mid Century Chairs.

Happy Monday!   Let's get to it.  Let's talk about chairs.  So you all know by now I have a chair addiction.  Though I have no room for anything else in my house (unless I swap things out) I picked up 2 (more) chairs on Thursday.  I was at a meeting early in the morning so on my way home of course I had to swing by a couple of thrift stores in that neighborhood.  

First stop, Goodwill.  I walked away with only one little thing, but I love it and it's already on my desk: a gold perpetual calendar.   Second and last stop, because I've got to cut myself off somewhere or I could easily spin-off into a day-long thrift-ing spree, I found 2 mid century chairs.  I almost didn't go to this store because I really needed to get home but  thought, "What if they have something great in there"?  Right?  Well, they did.  Two mid century chairs:

Since my living room sofa change-up last weekend I decided I needed a mid century/danish lounge chair to finish the space off.  So, there in the thrift store was a lounge chair! That never happens - actually finding something you are looking for.  I scooped it up with plans to reupholster it.  I can't take the plaid!  Next, an adorable wood dining style chair. It's perfect for accent or as a desk chair OR a dining chair if you're someone that is bold enough to use mixed styles of chairs at your table.  Don't know where it's going but I like it.

Unfortunately, nothing is that easy though. I placed this lounge chair in my living room (I was very excited) and because the back is high it doesn't look quite right next to my sofas (West Elm's Tillary) which are reeeeeaaaally low.  Dang it! Thought I had it all figured out!  So, looks like this lounge is going in my shop and the search continues.

I HAD the perfect lounge chair but sold it to someone in NYC.  At the time I didn't need it.  Woops.  Turns out hoarding can pay off sometimes.  It would have been perfect.  Oh well! 

Here was the chair I HAD and SOLD:

* I even restored this chair so I had extra love for it. It was painted green when I found it. 

I might try placing my Overman pod chair in the living room today to see if it works. I kinda already know it won't look right but we'll try and see..... I should post pics of all the chair options and let you guys critique.

Lastly, I've been toying with the idea of placing my recently acquired Bertoia side chairs in the living room - though they are not practical to sit on for long periods.  It would be more of a "statement" design....but am I that girl?  My hubby and I like to really lounge in the living room, so the Bertoias might seem out of place.

I blame this picture on me thinking I can get away with the Bertoias in my living room:

Have a great day!

Mid Century Modern Lofts.

Last weekend I met with a Rhan customer to deliver a mid century modern bench and a 50's wire telephone table.   He was very cool and sent me pictures of the pieces in his loft.  Thanks Ryan!  Check it out.....perfect right? I love to see my finds placed in their new homes!

This got me thinking about how long I've longed for a loft workspace. I decided to search for inspirational pictures of other mid century inspired loft spaces....yeah, just to torture myself.  

I wanted to share them with my  beloved followers:

Long Beach, California

TLC "How Stuff Works"

Home Gallery Design

Agnes Lofts, Seattle

Modern Loft Office Space

Loft Offices, Berlin

John Curran's NYC Loft @ Mid Century Modernist

Downtown Los Angeles, South Park Lofts

Downtown Los Angeles, Met Lofts

Harry Bertoia. Designer and Sculptor.

I've had a love of Harry Bertoia wire chairs for a very long time. I am still reeling at the fact that I now own a pair of armless chairs, thanks to Craigslist.   While we might tend to think of Harry Bertoia as only a chair designer, do you know what a talented man he was?  I feel so honored to have a piece of his design in my home because of what an incredible designer he was, on so many levels .....read on below.

my new loves. 

Let's get to know the brilliant, multi-talented Mr. Harry Bertoia a bit.... 

He was an Italian-born designer who's birth name was Arieto.  Called "Ari" for short, upon his move to the US his name became Americanized to Harry.  He attended the Art School of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, then Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, a prestigious school also attended by other well-knowns including Saarinen and Florence Knoll.  Upon completion, he was invited to stay on at the school to re-open the department of metalworking.  It was here that he began experimenting in jewelry design, metal sculptures, drawings and print.  He actually made the wedding rings of Charles and Ray Eames!

The Bertoia Family

He later went on to work with the great Charles Eames to assist in developing the molded plywood chair.  In 1950, by invitation, he joined Knoll and this is where he developed his signature piece, the Diamond Chair, and earned recognition as a furniture designer.  A very innovative and unique chair for the time, it used industrial wire rods that were finished either polished or coated with a white vinyl "paint".   It actually looks like a sculpture, less like a chair.  This chair became part of the "modern" furniture movement and over the next couple of years Bertoia created several more chairs for Knoll, including the wire armless chair.

About this chair he said:

 "If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them." 

In his life Bertoia created many architectural sculptures, including "tonal" sculptures, or sounding sculptures.  He gave small concerts in his barn to family and friends with his 100+ collection of tonal sculptures.  He is responsible for 11 albums of the haunting sounds his sculptures created, known as Sonambient.  To this day his Sonambient barn remains as he left it.  Three major documentaries have been released featuring his tonal barn.

The talented Mr. Bertoia is also known for his architectural sculptures including pieces at the General Motors Technical Institute, and the alter piece at MIT's chapel,  pictured below.

And some of his incredible metal work art sculptures and jewelry:

"Willow"

Floor to Ceiling Screen

Bertoia in his studio.