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.

The Palm Springs Modernism show was nothing short of amazing. From the M Modern exhibit of Shag paintings to an über-opulent bed designed for Dean Martin by Charles Hollis Jones, we were surrounded and inspired by mid-century modern goodness. All the exhibitors were fantastic and we hope to write about them soon, but in the meantime we’ve compiled our top 5 favorites so you can check them out!

Vintage Modern | website
San Francisco, California

Vintage Modern was a gem of a find at the show. They had 2 particularly beautiful teak desks – one of which sold immediately, the other is still available. Their prices are great, and the owner Josie is really down-to-earth and friendly and willing to talk through all the details of any piece they have in their store.

AK Eleven 14 | website
Venice, California

We have a soft spot for AK Eleven 14 because the shop is in our neighbourhood and Ken Erwin, the owner, really loves what he does. All of the pieces in his store are in pristine condition, and if you’re a serious collector then this is the shop to check out.

Urban Burp | website
Oakland, California

For anyone who has ever had to re-upholster a vintage piece, you’ll understand our excitement at finding this store. They have a large collection of rare and vintage fabrics as well as re-issued patterns. Not only can they supply you with the fabric, they also offer upholstery services and advice on what fabric will work best for your project.

Sputnik Modern | website
Dallas, Texas

Sputnik Modern has a really comprehensive selection of American mid-century design. The Knoll daybed and cube side tables were our favorites. The owner was really friendly and explained a lot about each piece, so if you’re interested in mid-century modern, and you’re in the Dallas area, you have a valuable resource at your door. Take advantage of it!

PCH Modern | website
Carson, California

The oak ball chair and ottoman was the piece that drew us to their booth but the conversation with the owner’s father made us stay! They also had some of the best examples of pole lamps that we’ve ever seen. We could tell they really love the hunt to find great retro vintage pieces, so you don’t have to go through the hassle.

We’d love to hear about your favorite mid-century modern stores, so let us know about them!

We were lucky enough to visit the Pierre Koenig’s Stahl house, Case Study House 22. Set high in the hills of Los Angeles, it’s one of the most iconic houses of the modern era due to both its radical design and its breath-taking view. Many movies and photo shoots have been set in the Stahl house so an opportunity to tour this legendary residence should not be missed.

The next tours for the house are planned for February 7th, 8th,13th, 14th and 15th. You can sign up for the tour here.

Daily tour schedule is:
1st tour – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
2nd tour – 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
3rd tour – 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

We just heard about this great sale happening in Van Nuys, California! In order to make way for new inventory that has just been shipped in from The Netherlands, Amsterdam Modern is having a parking lot sale on Saturday, November 29th from 10am to 3pm. Amsterdam Modern is located at 14123 Bessemer Street, Van Nuys, CA 91401.

If you get the chance you should check it out. We’re going to!

Title: CA BOOM Design Show
Location: High Point, NC
Start Date: October 19 – 25, 2008.

If any readers went to Highpoint, we’d love to know what you thought of it.

Lushpad has had over 1,200 visitors in the first two days we’re so pleased with the interest that’s been generated in our site! We’re working to create more content and get more ad listings up so keep coming back.

If you haven’t already, please register with us for the chance to win a design classic! A licensed original Eames molded plywood chair. It’s a beauty worth over $750!