Lustron homes were prefab modern WAY before prefab was even cool. I love the look of the metal cladding. The above video is a quick history of the Lustron home, as well as a nice story of preservation.
If you are interested in buying a Lustron, there is currently one for sale in the middle of Kansas for $85,000.
Misewell is another emerging furniture manufacture that is following in the wonderful trend of US based modern design with a strong focus on craftsmanship. The team of brothers based out of Milwaukee have strong portfolio of tables, chairs and accessories that have a nice balance of wood and metal. Design Public recently started carrying some of their stuff like the Lockwood chair shown above. Pricing isn't Ikea low, but for a boutique sized company it's definitely fair.
Lockwood chair $365 on Design Public.
More photo's after the jump!
Graphic Nothing is the pseudonym for Manchester based designer Gary Clarke. Having worked for over 20 years producing visual content for the music industry, Gary now stakes his claim as a freelance graphic artist and illustrator. I love his crazy geometrics and bold use of color! You can score a print or two from the online shop he runs, along with fellow designer Stanley Chow, called Some Prints.
Signed prints by Gary Clarke: 7 - 35 GBP (about $10 - $50)
Remember last year, when I started the kitchen remodel? I got about 80% of the way there, and then in my typical ADD fashion I moved on to another project. A couple weeks ago I finally got around to finishing most of it up. There are still a couple small things I need to do, but for the most part its finished. Also in typical GRM fashion, just as I am finishing up a big project it looks like I will be selling the home. More details coming on that soon.
More white and black kitchen goodness after the jump.
Based out of San Francisco, interior designer Charles de Lisle puts his 25 years of creative experience (in the fields of ceramics, metalwork, furniture, product design, decoration and interiors..!) to work creating uniquely beautiful spaces. My favorite is the William Wurster Ranch he worked on in Portola Valley, California. The warm, mid-century styling mixes well with newer, contemporary pieces as well as a few arts and crafts touches. I'm absolutely mad about the kitchen, though, as well as that AMAZING light fixture in the dining room. Be sure to check out the rest of his portfolio if you get a chance! Meanwhile, more images of this lovely ranch can be found after the jump!
See More: Charles de Lisle Workshop
Photo's by Art Gray
In our ever increasing desire to follow quality local modern projects, we are adding yet another construction project to our group. The Zevon house currently under construction is located in the Wasatch Range and was designed by Dave Brach of Brach Design. Dave has a great eye for design, and a passion for green building. The Zevon house is expected to meet 3 of the 4 criteria for a Certified Passive House (cooling demand, total energy demand and air tightness) which is amazing considering the location. The only criteria it will come up a little short on is heat demand. They will be seeking LEED Platinum on this home. Besides being an incredibly efficient home, it is great looking too. Construction will be handled by Benchmark Modern.
More renderings after the jump.
I love the simplicity and natural beauty of this Totem Votive set! Modular by design, you can stack and arrange to your heart's content. Imagine the impact of multiple sets clustered together! Beautiful.
Made from natural beech wood. Designed by Eric Janssen.
Totem Votive Set available from the MoMA Store: $26
If I had a beach house, it would be full of these great prints. They are from a series of magazine advertisements from the 40's and 50's for Jantzen Swimsuits. Each one is completely vintage, straight from the magazine and ready to mount. Prices range from $5 - $10.
Available from Vintage Paper and Collectibles ebay store.
via Mid Century Modernist Gallery.
Based in South Carolina, Proud Mary is a textile company that firmly believes in the idea that good design can and should solve problems. From this motto, the socially conscious company works in conjunction with artisans in developing nations to provide a source of income as well as high quality goods. The product line consists of napkins, pillows, totes, and purses, all in bold, colorful patterns. My favorite print is "Quill", a beautiful blue fabric that is hand-printed using potatoes in a small cooperative outside of Cape Town, South Africa.
Textiles by Proud Mary: $15 - $110
Here is a wonderful documentary about the fantastic designer Harry Bertoia. Parts 2-4 after the jump.
Yowza. I spotted this a-maz-ing light from Normann Copenhagen and just about peed my pants at the sight of it! Designed by Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt for the Danish company, the Bau Pendant is made up of interlocking, birch wood circles. Painted in bright, primary colors, this pendant would definitely make a statement - in a big way. It comes in two sizes - small with 59 pieces and large with 80. No pricing yet, but look for it to become available in October.
See more: www.normann-copenhagen.com
via
I love the idea of a spice rack, but the truth of the matter is that I have a jumbled mix of spices in all kinds of mismatched jars and containers. I'd love to consolidate into something more manageable and, well, pleasing to the eye. The Aperture Spice Rack by Desu Design looks like it would fit the bill quite nicely. Made from a single piece of 18-gauge, folded stainless steel, this beauty has a narrow slot on the front that provides an abstracted view of your favorite spices. I think it would be cool in multiples, especially in an open kitchen!
Includes eight glass jars with cork tops and mounts to the wall with two screws.
The House 2 project is completely framed up now and they are starting to put the roof membrane on almost in time for all the wet weather we have been having. It's great to be able to get a sense of what the spaces are going to feel like. My favorite is the kitchen/living room area. The extra high ceilings really give the room a nice feel. They have also finished framing the small studio in the back yard since I was there last.
More photo's after the jump.
This is the kitchen/living room looking toward the front of the house where there will be a large window seat.
Kitchen/living room looking out into the courtyard with the studio in the back yard.
This photo gives you a bit of an idea of the scale. The opening for the glass slider is way taller than your typical 6' 8" door.
If you know me, you know that I'm a lover of all things bright and colorful! It's no wonder then that I fell for these appetizer plates from Crate & Barrel. Aside from the incredible colors, I love that they are sold individually rather than in a set. You can mix and match to your heart's content! What's more, they're made from high quality glazed porcelain, making them microwave and dishwasher safe. Ringing in at only $2.95, there's no reason not to get (at least) one in every color!
Appetizer Plates from Crate & Barrel: $2.95
P.S. Speaking of Crate & Barrel, I've heard (more) recent rumors of a Salt Lake City store. Two possible locations have been floating around: City Creek Center and Fashion Place. Can anyone confirm or deny?
I've been wanting to go to a PechaKucha night for a little over a year now since I first heard about it. I'm super excited to see that this famed event has finally found it's way to Salt Lake City. Everyone mark your calendars and get your RSVP in, August 12th is just a week away. What is PechaKucha night? Basically its series of talks by designers that sticks to a rigid 20 slides for 20 seconds each format. The end result is an interesting and fast paced presentation that will leave you wanting more. Oh, and did I mention that I'll be speaking? Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but come on out. I'll need all the moral support I can get!
PechaKucha Night Salt Lake website
Become a Facebook fan of PechaKucha Night Salt Lake
Cyan Design Lighting on Gilt today. If you are a member, you know what to do. Not a member? Join Gilt here.
Cyan Design Lighting starting at $100
The Flex Pendant Lamp by Droog is made of flexible silicone, making it the perfect lighting accessory for disaster-prone spaces, i.e. any home with at least one kid. Let the toys fly!
Flex Pendant Lamp available from 2Modern: $120
In July we introduced a new modern home project in downtown Salt Lake called House 2. This week we will start covering another modern project located in the Sugarhouse area of SLC. Dubbed ul[1] it is designed by Rich Assenberg of KT814 and will be built by Benchmark Modern. The house is is centered around a rear facing courtyard that includes a gorgeous reflection pond. Construction is well underway and slated to be completed this fall. It's exciting to see the modern scene flourishing in Utah!
More pictures as well as an introduction from the architect after the jump.
UL[1] House Stats:- 1,750 Habitable Square Feet.
- 480 Square feet detached Garage.
- 2 bed, 2 1/2 bath, office.
- Lot size = 45 feet x 125 feet.
This House was designed for a longtime friend. We had been looking for a lot in the up and coming neighborhood of the Salt Lake 9th and 9th area for a period of 3 years. This area is extremely competitive for vacant land and building small modern homes is beginning to be the trend. This has been going on in other metropolitan areas for years but we are seeing an increasing demand for this type of product in SLC for which there is few to choose from. I believe we are raising the standard for this building type in the area and am very excited to see it being constructed.
The lot is on a very busy street and is close to shopping, train tracks, the University, etc. The owner wanted to live in an area where he can minimize time spent in a car and can easily ride his bike or walk to the surrounding amenities. He lives a very simple life with few material belongings, The floor plan reflects this minimal lifestyle and is very progressive in its spacial planning. The lot has an unattractive apartment building to either side and the starting point of planning became how to give the house a strong relationship to the exterior with maximum privacy from the neighbors. The solution was to use a site wall extending from the house out into the lot, the same strategy was used for the garage.
The result became a private courtyard at the rear yard with full glazing from the kitchen, living dining area out to the private deck and reflecting pool.
Another Strong planning strategy was to have a double height space in the middle of the house. This allowed the (2) bedrooms to be separated by a void, each bedroom has a private bath so essentially we created (2) private suites. The house is not necessarily intended to be used by a family, but rather a single couple or a bachelor scenario. The double height space also acts as a chimney to remove all the hot air from the house with a 4' x 4' electric venting skylight. This in combination with high insulation values, cantilevers over large glazing areas and intelligent window placement we expect to see very few days where we have to use air conditioning. The house achieved Gold LEED standards but the owner opted for spending the additional 5-6 thousand in other areas instead of the LEED testing and registration fees. You will find a strong modern vocabulary in this house which is appropriate for the urban setting, the materials and construction methods are a result of the budget and the clients aesthetic taste.
First Floor
Second Floor
House and Home online has a great DIY of how to make a Moooi Random Light style pendant. I actually had a failed attempt at this DIY last year that involved twine and fiberglass resin. The cotton and fabric stiffener looks like it is much easier to work with. Ikea is your best bet for the light cord, and I found that a yoga ball made a great size for wrapping. I may have to give this another attempt now that I know the secret.
Watch the video on H&H online.
Woody Becker is a San Diego woodworking shop churning out awesome home accessories like these modular tea light holders! Available in six mix-and-match shapes, each chunky candle holder is handmade from scrap wood and painted in a number of bright, modern colors. A fun way to accessorize and warm up your space!
Candle Holders by Woody Becker: $13 - $19