You don’t have to live with the scratches and nicks in your vintage furniture anymore because we’ve compiled a list of surprisingly easy, at-home fixes to make your mid-century, um, modern again.
For light to medium colored wood you can make a paste from the meat of a Walnut or Brazil Nut and rub into the scratch. The oil will darken the scratch to help conceal it and the paste will level off the scratch. Buff with a cloth and that should repair the scratch.
If you have kids, their crayons will come in handy! Find a crayon that matches as closely as possible to the wood you’re repairing. Work the crayon in to fill the scratch, then use a hot dry rag and a blow dryer on high to melt and buff the crayon to a smooth finish. If you can’t find a crayon at home you can pick up a proper furniture patching wax stick at your neighborhood hardware store.
For mahogany or cherry wood, applying Iodine will mask scrapes and scratches. Wipe dry with a cloth after application. Can be applied as many times as needed to match color of wood.
Ever since I discovered B.C. Binning’s mosaic work I’ve been a fan of large scale abstract tile work. Binning was an artist and architect, and his work is prevalent along Canada’s West Coast. There’s a particularly amazing example of his mosaic mural work downtown in what used to be the CIBC Building on the corner of Granville and Dunsmuir in Vancouver, and is now a drug store. Other great examples of his mosaic work can be seen on the base of the Electra Building, and at the University of British Columbia.
The latest issue of Modernism magazine has introduced me to another great mosaic artist, Paulo Werneck. Self-taught, inquisitive and experimental in his design, Brazilian Werneck started his career as an architectural draftsman and illustrator, but in his 30s he became heavily involved in mural making.
“This material, which was completely new to me, was no disappointment. Once the initial hurdles were overcome–which were not significant–I had the joy of seeing my intentions take shape. Thus, the development of the artwork, from the first sketches; the basic project; assembling the panel, when each ceramic piece put in place on the wall and the work that finally emerges as a definitive feature of the building; the certainty that the colours meet our eyes are unchanging and will withstand sun and rain, heat and cold, weathering and the movement of the medium, whether it be masonry or concrete: all this lifts the spirit of the artist and more than makes up for the hard work involved; because, I must say, it is very hard to work with mosaic.”
Many of his motifs were of abstract geometric forms influenced by sports, fauna and nature, and appreciated by numerous high-profile architects such as Oscar Niemeyer.
We’re giving everyone free ad listings this month as a summer treat. Just use discount code DB2708 and get a 100% discount on all items you list! Discount code is good until July 31st. Come on, list those items! We’ll do our best to help you get them sold!
Sierra Sullivan of Laguna Beach, California was the lucky winner of our Alvar Aalto Savoy Vase give-away last month.
Finnish-born Alvar Aalto’s legendary glassware includes the world-famous Aalto Vase. His vase design caused waves when Iittala presented the vases at the Pair world exhibition in 1937. Aalto simplified design elements to result in millions of combinations that let the end user decide the use. No matter what one sees in the mysterious form, the Aalto vase has become one of the world’s most famous glass objects.
Sierra is no new-comer to modern design, having collected vintage furniture and home decor.
“I love modern/mid-century design because of the clean and artistic balance it brings to my collection of vintage/rustic furniture and home decor. It is soothing and pleasing to the eye yet functional.”
Congrats Sierra, we hope you enjoy the vase! Stay tuned for our next give-away in August.
If you aren’t already aware of TED Talks, you’re in for a real treat and probably more time in front of the computer than you planned for. TED talks are inspiring, engaging and humorous talks about Technology, Entertainment and Design. The one above in particular caught our eye recently because it was given by Eames Demetrios, the grandson of Charles Eames, and was about the man himself.
“The legendary design team Charles and Ray Eames made films, houses and classic midcentury modern furniture. Eames Demetrios, their grandson, shows rarely seen films and archival footage in a lively, loving tribute to their creative process.”
Apart from being Charles Eames’ grandson, Eames Demetrios is a creator and designer in his own right. His current project is Kymaerica and the Kcymaerxthaere, an alternate history of the world. His web site is completely fascinating, and I’m looking forward to learning more about his work.
This gorgeous home is The Scheidt weekend residence. Designed by architects Robert Luntz and Joe Tanney of Resolution 4 Architecture, this 2,400 square foot home was tastefully decorated by Amy Lau.
Lau’s great knowledge of 20th century decorative arts led her to use many beautiful mid-century modern furniture pieces to create a space that is modern and warm. Pieces such as Edward Wormley’s sectional sofa for Dunbar, and a Greta Jalk lounge chair and ottoman and a Jens Risom table create a restrained yet modern feel.
You can read the full article at Metropolitan Home and view the slide show of 16 images.
“A Kiss from Tokyo” is a beautiful animation created for Kevin Dart’s newly released book about Yuki 7 entitled, “Seductive Espionage, the world of Yuki 7″ which chronicles the production of this imaginary 1960’s spy film franchise. The world they have created is beautiful and definitely inspired by two of my favourite shows growing up, “The Avengers” and “James Bond”. You can purchase the book via Fleet Street Scandal.
BoingBoing is giving away an advanced copy of the book for those of you who send out a tweet with #yuki7 in the message! I highly recommend it, and while you’re there, give us a follow!
Every now and then we come across some really great books on mid-century modern furniture, architecture and contemporary design. Here are some of our favourites. Full list here.
The Story of Eames Furniture
This book blows wide open the myth of Charles Eames and the Eames Office. As one reviewer puts it, “It seems Saarinen, Bertoia, Ain and Albinson designed, refined and were given little if no credit for the entire line of furniture of the Eames’, whereas Charles Eames had his focus on women, photography (lots of [...]
Chic Green Interior Design
I’ve been fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at Lori Dennis’s upcoming book, Green Interior Design. It’s a wealth of information about environmentally friendly materials and building practices. For the lost soul who is navigating this new trend, this easy to use book is truly worth every penny.
Lori explains every aspect of residential interior [...]
5 Must-Have Mid-Century Modern Books
I’m always being asked which books to buy on mid-century modernism, so I’ve compiled a list of my current top 5 books under $50. Lushpad has a larger list of books over at Amazon if you want to have a look for some more great mid-mod books.
If you’ve got any suggestions to add to the [...]
Library Editions by Robert Chaplin
Robert Chaplin, a Vancouver-based artist, gemstone carver, poet, and publisher, has recently opened up shop on Etsy so the world (not just Vancouver) can buy his delightful books for children and adults alike. The 32-page hardcover books contain everything from learning to count, to cooking the perfect pot of delicious chicken soup. The [...]
Mid-Century Modern Cool – Kevin Dart
“A Kiss from Tokyo” is a beautiful animation created for Kevin Dart’s newly released book about Yuki 7 entitled, “Seductive Espionage, the world of Yuki 7″ which chronicles the production of this imaginary 1960’s spy film franchise. The world they have created is beautiful and definitely inspired by two of my favourite shows growing up, “The Avengers” and “James Bond”. You can purchase the book via Fleet Street Scandal.
