It would be remiss of me not to mention the fantastic LA Modernism show happening this weekend at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium at Pico & Main. There will be over 90 exhibitors there from the US and Europe, and if the Palm Springs Modernism show is anything to go by, this is going to be a room full of glitz and eye-candy. For more details, you can visit LA Modernism.

SHOW & SALE | May 2-3, 2009
Weekend show hours:
Saturday: 11am – 7pm
Sunday: 11am – 5pm

Weekend admission $15

We will of course, post photos early next week if you don’t manage to make it out and we’ll high-light our favourite exhibitors again.

Recently I was asked by Satellite-Magazine to write an article about the resurgence of mid-century modern design and I gladly took up the challenge. I’ve been obsessed with Mad Men for a while now and was pleased I had the chance to make the connection between the two. (If you haven’t seen it, get out from underneath that rock and watch it! The sets and the fashion are stunning.)

“The era that gave us mass-produced furniture and the opportunity to “experiment” with our décor is making a come-back in the lush set designs of AMC’s hit show, Mad Men. From Pete’s chic apartment to the Draper’s domestic dream home, everyone seems to be buzzing about mid-century modern, and rightly so…”

You can read the full Mid-Century is Modern Again article over at Satellite. Be sure to check out the rest of the site too!

Robin Wade has been designing and crafting unique, one of a kind furniture pieces from his small studio in North Alabama for several years. He sources his hardwood logs from local suppliers, always with environmental sensitivity in mind. He has a sawmill and does much of his own sawyer work. His interest in organic forms derived from nature is apparent from his work. Robin believes that nature and the tree are the artists, he’s only a very willing assistant.

Robin would like to build a relationship with a select few of just the right high end resellers. If you are a gallery, architect, interior designer or retailer with an interest in his design philosophy, and might be interested in carrying a few of his unique one of a kind pieces, contact him via email.

Of course, after all that we’re pleased to be giving away one of Robin’s pieces, a Stitched Asian Low Table of hand-oiled Tennessee Walnut worth $1,000. To enter for your chance to win, click here.

To see more of his work, visit his web site.

This fantastic mid-century modern office looks like it’s straight off the set of AMC’s Mad Men or a James Bond film, but it’s actually the original office of Harley Earl, Vice President of Design at General Motors from 1927 to 1959. Check out our article about the office that Eero Saarinen and Associates designed for Harley Earl, General Motor’s first Head of Design.  Full article here.

Nothing like an incendiary title, huh? We were surfing over at GrassRootsModern and found this blog entry about faux finishing the iconic Eames mid-century modern LCW chair. After my initial outrage at the very idea of “ruining” a beautiful piece by decorating it like this, I calmed down and thought it actually wouldn’t be a bad idea if the chair was a reproduction or if it was damaged in some way that the resale value was already low.

Read the fantastic GrassRootsModern blog here and you see the Martha Stewart Instructional video for ruining, ahem, decorating your prized Eames piece.

The lucky winner of our March give-away Harri Koskinen Block lamp is Woodrow Walden of Toronto, Ontario.

“I first became interested in modern design a few years back.  Growing up in the 70’s my parents always had lots of teak furniture and I guess that sort of stuck. Now that I am older and can appreciate it for what it was, it has become sort of an obsession of mine.  My main focus these days seems to be of an architectural theme and I thoroughly enjoy the works of Mies van der Rohe, Frank Gehry and the like.”

Congratulation Woodrow (who has the coolest name ever), we hope you enjoy the Block lamp!

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 4
6:00 p.m-9:00 p.m
$12 general admission
FREE for museum members
Exhibit will be open to the public starting Sunday, April 5-July 19

Julius Shulman is one of the best known architectural photographers in the world. In the 1950s and 1960s, he did extensive work in Fullerton documenting houses and other buildings in town. The 40 images in this exhibition come from his massive portfolio, now housed at the Getty Research Library, and will include scenes from mid-century interiors and exteriors. The exhibition will also include period furniture and decor provided by Out of Vogue.

Directions to the museum can be found here.