MIT, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex, Cambridge, MA. Architect: Charles Correa

Xeros House, Phoenix, AZ. Architect: Blank Studio

I've got architectural photography on my mind and thought I'd share some great work by NYC-based photographer Raimund Koch. His portfolio is pretty impressive and definitely worth a gander. There's a subtle quality to his work that I can't quite put my finger on, but that I find immensely appealing. Maybe it's the film he shoots with - I'm pretty sure he's still shooting film, anyway. You might recognize some of his images from Dwell, whom he's shot for frequently. Other editorial clients include House&Garden, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper*, and Wired, to name a few.

Panel House, Venice CA. Architect: David Hertz

Casa Delpin, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Architect: Nataniel Fuster

Ravetch Observatory, Ghent, NY. Architect: Wendy Evans Joseph

Check out his website for more eye candy and be sure to look at his "landscape" portfolio - which includes some great images of the urban landscape.

All images by Raimund Koch - www.raimundkoch.com

Here is an awesome video that I can't believe I have never seen before. It goes through the production of the fiberglass chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames starting at concept all the way through the finished product. It was made around 1962 for Herman Miller.

I saw this home in the most recent issue of Western Interiors & Design and thought it was a great example of what a modern home should do - engage the local landscape while employing its own unique aesthetic. This excerpt from the article sums it up pretty well:

From afar, the house that Lori Ryker and Brett Nave designed in the Wapiti Valley, Wyoming, evokes the freight trains that still rumble across the high prairie. Each room is clad in overlapping materials and separately expressed in a linear sequence of interconnected volumes. But the designers see it differently.

"We took our cues from the rock formations and their varied colors," says Ryker. "The exterior forms were shaped by our thinking about the interiors, and we strove to make them an integral part of this wild and beautiful landscape."

See more/Read more here.

What defines a modern home to you? The objects that go in it? Sustainability? Its contextual relevancy?  

Share your thoughts!

The D/A clock takes the styling of the basic LED to a whole new level by creating a completely mechanized version of the iconic numbering. Designed by Alvin Aronson and made from corian and a lot of ingenuity the D/A clock is pretty impressive. With the change in time, the numbers slowly transition by raising or sinking into the clocks surface. While it doesn't look like it is available for sale yet, with an idea this good it shouldn't be long before it gets to market. Make sure you check out the video after the jump.

D/A clock by Alvin Aronson

There is another great video on Alvin's website.

Since we're on a green kick today, I'll show off Umbra's new pulp bulletin board. I've never really been a fan of bulletin boards in general, but there is something appealing about this one. The black and white patterns are a result of stacking reprocessed paper and each one board will have it's own unique look. It has a paperboard frame which makes the entire board recyclable when you are done with it.

Available from Umbra for $24

Here's one for the Eco camp! These screen prints by Ork Posters are made from 100% recycled paper and are printed with soy based inks. On top of that, should you actually reside in the same city as the print you're purchasing, you can opt for local pick up (to reduce the carbon footprint of your transaction, of course). So, pick up some green art to hang over that low-VOC paint of yours!

If that doesn't persuade you, perhaps your love of typography will. These clever prints make bold use of typography to illustrate all the lovely neighborhoods of your favorite city. Current prints include Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Great Lakes, Los Angeles, Manhattan, NYC, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington DC.  

I'm crossing my fingers for a Salt Lake City version. Hey, a girl can dream.

Earth-friendly prints, with a healthy dose of graphic design and urban appeal, by Ork Postsers from $20 - $27.

You've probably seen the paintable wallpapers from Graham & Brown. I really like the idea (not so much the paintable aspect as the textural quality) and am wanting to use the Curvy pattern in one of our bathrooms. I am wondering if anyone has tried this wallpaper? On top of that, I'm wondering if anyone has ANY experience with wallpaper? I've never wallpaperd anything, so any advice from those of you with experience would be fantastic!

Paintable wallpaper from Graham & Brown from $20 - $30 for a double roll.

Image, from left to right: Jazz, Squares, and Curvy

As we get closer to having our second kid (May is coming quick) I guess it's time to start looking at all the cute modern kids stuff out there. The good news is that there is a ton more than there was even two years ago. My favorite of the day is Olli & Lime. Their line has a nice retro feel while still managing to come off as fresh. They also have a surprisingly wide array of things, everything from wallpaper and wall prints to bedding and burp cloths. The pricing seems about par for the course for modern kids goods.

Ollie & Lime available from 2 Modern

Here is a great little video put out by GM in 1956. While there is a lot of car content, there is also some awesome kitchen shots. If you want to know more about the video which has a small cult following, check out Wikipedia: Design for Dreaming.

I'm a pretty big fan, well zealot is probably more apt, of Marimekko. So, I'm rather excited to see the new Spring 2009 fabrics - which one is your favorite? I'm loving Karkuteillä by Maija Louekari (who is always my favorite Marimekko designer!)

Want more? Check them out here!

And a little BONUS for the true fanatics - Marimekko desktop wallpapers from AlwaysMod! Woot!

I always love the little online style evaluators that tell you what you style is. While none of them seem to be really 100% accurate, they are usually a good time. I didn't even know that Ikea had one until yesterday, probably because it looks like they are pushing it more for business than the rest of their customer base. I put it through it's paces last night and found out that I am 40% modern, 40% scandinavian and 20% country (that must be the Utah sneaking in).

What is your style?

Ikea Stylemeter

A lot has been going on over at Utahmodern.org the last couple of weeks. Tristan of Mid-Century Mod-ification felt the effects of the recession when he lost his job as an architect in a two partner firm. As luck would have it he was able to get a job doing contract work for Hunter Douglas, which has some pretty cool projects. Tristan were pulling for you and hope it turns into a full time gig!

Carina of Mid-century Modern Utah fame started up a blog and mused about Ethan Allen, shared some photo's of a sweet MCM home in Provo and announced an opportunities for locals with a MCM home to get some professional photo's taken for free. Any takers?

We've also had some more great people join our little community. If you're in Utah, love design and haven't signed up yet, head over there and sign up today.

It looks like Ikea may have some new goodies later this fall about the time we will be getting around to redoing our bathroom. The Ikea 365 collection is expanding and includes the GODMORGON and LILLÅNGEN collections for the bathroom. The collections contains some great double and single bathroom sinks, plus some really good looking cabinets.

I'm an especially big fan of the LILLÅNGEN sink and accessories. The chunky square lines have a nice look to them, and they make for some great storage solutions for all the junk that accumulates in the bathroom.

The last thing that I am excited about is the new pendant lights from the 365+ collection. The 365+ BRASA pendant is powder coated steel and it has an inner diffuser to create a soft light. It comes in black, red or white. White is my favorite.

The last new piece of lighting is the 365+ LUNTA which looks a little like a throwback to the MCM days. Pricing an all items is of course super aggressive as all Ikea goodies are.

You can see the whole collection and all the details, including pricing by looking at the new product 2009 flyer. Which is your favorite?

My sister came across this great Paul McCobb table and chair set on Etsy for $550. It seems like a smoking good deal on a classic table, although I'm sure the shipping from West Palm Beach would kill me. The set includes a planner group table, three side chairs, and one arm chair, all from approximately 1959. The set has been refinished and looks like it is in great condition. If anyone happens to pick this beauty up, let us know!

Table and 4 chairs on Deco Don's Etsy page for $550.

Need something to go with all those great Valentine's gifts you're handing out?  Egg Press has some really fantastic letterpress cards, including a few 'sculpture cards' that are die-cut so you can punch them out and reassemble them into little 3D objects! Very cool.  

Know of any other awesome stationers? Please share!

Valentine's Day cards from Egg Press - $4.50 - $6

Thank you to GRM reader Jen of GreetQ for the heads up on the new sculpture cards!

Here are 30 great Valentine's Day gift ideas - all for $50 or less! Which one would you want to a) give and b) receive?

Top Row, left to right: Josh Jakus Wine Pocket, Fauna Pico Pillow, 2d:3d Letter Holder, Hybrid-Home Print, Heath Ceramics Bud Vase
Bottom Row, left to right: Giclee Print by Jenn Ski, Cupcake Canisters, Clocky, QUEUE 2-tone Stick Lighter, Hug Salt + Pepper Shakers

Top Row, left to right: Bud - Mavis Vase, Around Clock, Diamond Ring, Loop Candelabra, Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface
Bottom Row, left to right: CAKE Profile Votive, Thomas Paul Coral Dinner Plates, I Love You text bowl, Juggling, Fauna Mini Animal Pillow

Top Row, left to right: Norman Copenhagen Swing Vase, Big Love Spoon by Alessi, Love Print, Hearty Mug, Objects of Design Book
Bottom Row, left to right: Simple Ring, iittala - Alvar Aalto Small White Vase, QUEUE Perfume Atomizer, i valentini figurine Alessi, Heartbreak print

Tokyo Flash has long been one of my favorite sites for unique watches. The recently have broadened their product range to include bags, clocks, hats, jewelry, t-shirts, lighting and design goods. With all those new different categories it seems like it would be hard to have a line as original as their watches, yet they seem to pull it off quite well. While the "fashion" items don't get me too excited, all the design goods show off the classic simple japanese style. While some items like the Juke Tower look like they could be right out of a Muji store, others like the Erect calculator have a certain craziness that make it a classic Tokyo Flash piece. Due to the weak dollar pricing ranges between $50 - $200 on most items. It's going to cost you if you want to be the cool kid on the block.

Available from Tokyo Flash from $50+

I realize I'm on a bit of a vintage kick, but I can't help myself! There are just so many treasures to be found - not everything has to be shiny and new, right? Hopefully you're in a similar frame of mind, because I'd like to share this great vintage shop with you.  Austin Modern is the online storefront of a shop by the same name based in Austin, Texas. With a 4000 square foot warehouse full of Mid Century finds, there is sure to be something that tickles your fancy!

Prices vary, but seem to be fairly reasonable.  Check out their Etsy shop, too!

Here is a little clip from Dasfilmfest.com by Eames Demetrios on his father Charles Eames.

This may seem incredibly random, but I couldn't help but think how fascinating these vintage glove molds would be as decorative pieces. Am I crazy? Would you put these in your house as part of your decor?

Black Mold - $24
White Porcelain Mold - $34
Available from Blue Bell Bazaar.