Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Sea Urchins as Mid Century Decor.

There is something about the sea urchin that I find so beautiful.  Beautiful enough, that I want to display them in my home.  Apparently I'm not the only one either, because lately I've been seeing them pop up everywhere.  

It's actually not a new design, but one that garnered appreciation in the mid century.   From the starbursts to the C. Jere pom-poms, the design of long extending spikes from a center base, has been loved for many decades.   I've always loved vintage starbursts, so the urchin love must be run-off from that?  It's as if the sea urchin is the starburst's cousin, right?
Nate Berkus for Target. 4" Sea Urchin in White Or Gold. 
I saw these in Target on Sunday but didn't get them. Ugh, why?  Now I need to go back.


Oly Cast Resin Sea Urchins in 10", 11"and 25" circumference.
Hmmm, I feel a project coming on.  I'd like to try and recreate these with some clay.

Zhush Gold Ceramic Sea Urchins $25. Also available in white and silver.
I'd go white! 

Sea Urchin Bowl at Element Clay Studio @ Etsy $82

Brass Urchin Accent at Furbish $45
Gorgeous!  I can see this atop some vintage home decor books. 

Set of 3 Brass Sea Urchins Wall Art Clayton Gray $100
Move over C. Jere Pom Poms, you have some competition! 

Interested in the real thing?  Check out Ebay for Sea Urchins with Spikes.

Sea Urchin Chandelier ELLE Magazine
Holy shhhhhh, that is gorgeous!

In searching the above image I found it on an awesome blog called My Hands Made It, plus a tutorial on  how to make your own here. Saturday project!  I can't wait to give this a try.  Look how beautiful hers turned out below:

If you're into sea urchins/starbursts too, and you enjoy making things head over to google and do a search. You'll find multiple how-to-make-your-own urchins. Have fun!


Monday, January 21, 2013

The Otherworldly Architecture of Zaha Hadid.

My new heroine;  Zaha Hadid, female architect, has designed some of the most incredible buildings I have ever seen, unfortunately not in person. Check out her incredible space age designs, many of which  look undeniably mid century modern:

Beko Masterplan: A swirling complex of apartments, offices and leisure facilities on the abandoned site of an old textile factory in Belgrade, Serbia. The cluster of buildings will also accommodate a five-star hotel, a congress center, galleries and shops, as well as underground parking facilities for visitors and residents.  

Custom home commissioned by model Naomi Campbell and her billionaire fiance Vladislav Doronin.

Currently in the works; Dubai's Performing Arts Center.

Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center in Baku, Azerbaijan, serves as a library, museum and conference center.

Maxxi, the National Center for Contemporary Arts in Rome.

Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, Hadid's first US project. 

In the works; a prism home in London. 


Zaha Hadid:



Friday, January 4, 2013

Ronald Reagan's Mid Century Modern Home. $5 Million

This is my dream home....an expansive mid century modern ranch in the hills of Los Angeles.  I can dream!

Ronald Reagan's former home is for sale for....wait for it.....$5 Million.   It sits on a hilltop in Los Angeles' pristine community called Pacific Palisades.  It's nice people....very nice...


Get your drool cloth out...this house is gorgeous. It needs a wee bit of updating, and I'll have to buy some new furniture....... smile....I wish....


Designed by architect William R. Stephenson in 1956, the mid-century house was a ‘General Electric Showcase House’, meaning it was filled with all sorts of energy-saving devices, including gadgets for controlling temperature, light, etc., that were, at the time, considered state-of-the-art.














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