I recently found this beautiful textile and wallpaper pattern manufactured by Sandersons in the UK. Inspired by the 1950s designs of British textile designer, Lucienne Day, the distinctive graphic lines of this pattern are bold, happy and retro yet still incredibly modern. If you’re interested, you can purchase “Dandelion Clocks” online at John Lewis.

Lucienne and Robin Day are considered the British equivalent of Ray and Charles Eames. A fantastic indepth biography of the husband and wife team can be seen on the Design Museum web site.

Check out these Augmented Reality 3D models of the iconic Eames LCW chair and Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair. All you need to do to have some virtual fun is print out the Procentris Marker and launch the application for either chair here. So far its been a great way to waste half an hour!

You can also visit some Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy-France, Pont Neuf Paris, Taj Mahal, the Frank Gehry Disney Concert Hall, Le Grande Arch Paris and the Guggenhiem Museum in 3D.

There’s no doubt that the late Arthur Erickson’s work was highly influenced by his travels to Japan. One only needs to look at the iconic Smith House to see a beautiful blend of Japanese and West Coast sensibilities at play. Michelangelo Sabatino, Assistant Professor at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston retraces Erickson’s first trip to Japan in 1961 in his illustrated talk touching on – amongst other things – Erickson’s award-winning design for the Canadian Pavillion for Osaka 1970.

Journeys to the East: Arthur Erickson & Japan lecture will trace Erickson’s journeys and writings on Japan, identifying specific buildings and gardens that Erickson actually visited and studied, particularly in his first visit to Japan in 1961 and as recorded in his critical essays for Canadian Architect in the ‘60s. The lecture will also situate Erickson’s “Journey to the East” as part of a longstanding tradition of modern Western architects who appropriated cues from Japanese art, architecture and landscape ranging from Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruno Taut in the first half of the century, to events such as the display of a Japanese house at MoMA in New York (1953) and the publication in English of Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Walter Gropius, and Kenzo Tange’s study of Katsura in 1960.

The lecture is on November 25th at 7pm, Vancouver International Film Centre. Tix and more information can be found on the Arthur Erickson Conservancy web site.

If you ever fancy a get-away with all the mid-mod conveniences, then you need to check-in to Kate and Monica’s Lazy Meadow Motel near Woodstock, New York. Kate Pierson, co-owner of Kate’s Lazy Meadow Motel is most likely best known for being the singer in The B-52s. Her quirky styling has certainly come through in the themed décor for each room.

Their sprawling 9 acre property is home to rustic cabins, a lodge, and a fleet of vintage airstream trailers all decked out in retro space-age glamour. The motel is definitely decorated in more of a kitsch 50s theme than mid-century modern, but there are some beautiful Hay-Wake and Danish Teak pieces and a Bertoia or two scattered amongst the ephemera.

There is mention of a tiki-themed cabin and airstream trailer, but no photos on the Lazy Meadow site yet. I’m pretty sure Dr. Tiki of Tiki Bar TV will be chomping at the bit for a weekend holiday there sometime soon. Other rooms include a UFO- and a psychedelic gnome-theme.

For more info or to book a visit to this groovy wonderland, visit Kate’s Lazy Meadow Motel web site. In the meantime, here are a few images of their rooms to drool over.

Lazy Cabin on Mink Hollow

Airstream Trailers

Lazy Meadow Suites

Lazy Lodge