Mid-Century Modern Furniture Then and Now

See on Scoop.it – Raw and Real Interior Design

An abandoned cement factory that dates from the first period of the industrialization of Barcelona was transformed into a workspace and residence for Spanish Architect Ricardo Bofill. Discover the unique elements of The Cement Factory now @ Yatzer!

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Brandt will forever be associated with the ‘Bauhaus’. During the mid to late 1920’s Marianne Brandt was at the peak of her creative flow. She produced numerous designs, in quick succession, that are now considered icons of ‘Bauhaus’ design.

She was born in Germany in 1893. In 1911, Marianne went to study painting and sculpture at the Grand-ducal College of Fine Arts in Weimar, and remained there for seven years. Following her schooling, Marianne married a Norwegian painter named Erik Brandt.

The couple lived in Norway and the South of France, before joining the Weimar Bauhaus in 1923. At Bauhaus, Marianne became a student of László Moholy-Nagy, a Hungarian modernist theorist and designer, in the metal workshop. Erik Brandt returned alone to Norway, and the couple would eventually divorce 12 years later.

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Four Blue Chairs

I love chairs, all different kinds of chairs. It was the “Four Blue Chairs” that punctuated the turn in the road that led to being an e-tailor of chairs.  My personal collection has a sweet 70′s Thonet rocker, a pair of well worn and loved Siesta chairs by Ingmar Relling, an antique rocker from West Virginia, a pair of Otto Gerdau beechwood chairs, mid-century wrought iron chairs, and a handful of other mid mo chairs that have come along for the ride!

Mies ven der Rohe is often quoted for saying, “A chair is a very difficult object. A skyscraper is almost easier. …” and since he designed both I take him at his word. The chair is the ultimate example of form and function…..

So friends, CHEERS and CHAIRS and a Happy 2013 !

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See on Scoop.it – Relevant Modern Architects and Architecture

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“(Our furniture is) suited to our existence, in proportion to our rooms and in accordance with our aspirations and feelings.” -Eileen Gray

Unlike most of the other women who made an impact on early 20th century design, Irish-born Eileen Gray did not have the advantage of working with a powerful male mentor. As a woman, Eileen Gray was also denied access to the supportive networks from which her male contemporaries benefited.

Even facing such challenges, Eileen Gray distinguished herself and is now regarded as one of the most important furniture designers and architects of the early 20th century. In addition, she has been one of the most influential women in these fields. Her distinctive design style has inspired both modernism and “Art Deco”.

Eileen Gray initially sought after a career in drawing and painting. When she was 20 years old, she attended classes at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. After several years, and moves to Paris, Ireland, then back to London, Gray found that her drawing and painting courses were becoming less satisfying. She took an interest in lacquer work after coming across a lacquer repair shop in Soho.

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See on Scoop.it – Mid-Century Modern Architects and Architecture

Architecture was my way of expressing my ideals: to be simple, to create a world equal to everyone, to look at people with optimism, that everyone has a gift. I don’t want anything but general…

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This is the ninth of twelve Women Pioneers of Architecture and Design that we showcase in our eBook “A Man’s Profession No More,” available for free at https://www.pgmod.com/content/18-ebooks.

 “I never gave up painting, I just changed my palette.” – Ray Eames

Ray Kaiser Eames was born in Sacramento, California in the mid 1920’s. She studied painting with Hans Hofmann in New York before moving on to Cranbrook Academy.

Ray had a great appreciation for the education she received from Hans, and felt that this was a key element in her understanding of relationships between color and structure.

She would one day go on to use this knowledge in her furniture design collaboration with Charles Eames. Ray was quoted as saying the following regarding her studies with Hans:

“He didn’t close anything, he opened everything and made it possible to see wholly, I think, as we do see. We don’t see a line, we see a line and both sides of the line…I don’t know anyone else who was as able to relate the experience of life to a canvas, to a format.” —Ray Eames

After her lessons with Hans, Ray went on to study at Cranbrook academy, where she met Charles Eames. She assisted Charles, along with Eero Saarinen, in preparing designs for the Museum of Modern Art’s “Organic Furniture Competition.” These designs, created by molding plywood into complex curves, won them the two first prizes.

Ray went on to marry Charles Eames in 1941, and they moved to California. Here, they continued their furniture design work with molding plywood, and were commissioned by the Navy during the war to produce molded plywood splints, stretchers, and experimental glider shells.

In 1946, their molded plywood furniture began to be produced by Evans, which was soon taken over by Herman Miller, Inc. This company continues to produce Eames style furniture in the United States to this day.

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“(California design) is not a superimposed style, but an answer to present conditions. It has developed out of our own preference for living in a modern way.” —Gretta Grossman

Greta Magnusson Grossman often appeared alongside midcentury greats such as Charles and Ray Eames. She designed houses, interiors, and furniture, and gained a loyal and following that remains to this day.

Though she never gained the same level of fame as that of many of her contemporaries, she maintained a prolific forty-year career on two continents, Europe and North America, with achievements in industrial design, interior design, and architecture. Her work is remains admired and sought after by people around the world.

Greta Magnusson Grossman was a Swedish born architect and designer. When she landed in California in 1940, she declared that she needed “a car and some shorts.” As a new immigrant, it was the most American idea she could think of. At this point, Grossman was already an accomplished interior designer in her native land of Sweden.

She’d taken on numerous commissions in Stockholm, designing unique furniture and interiors. She’d garnered abundant press attention and accolades, and her work was exhibited frequently at “Galerie Moderne”, a cultural mecca in Stockholm at the time.

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This is the seventh of twelve Women Pioneers of Architecture and Design that we showcase in our eBook “A Man’s Profession No More,” available for free at https://www.pgmod.com/content/18-ebooks.

“We know immediately that we are in the presence of a force of nature, a woman of no uncertain opinions, a person possessed of deep convictions and profound spiritual experiences.”

– Excerpt from ‘Marion Mahony Reconsidered’

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Marion Mahony graduated from MIT in 1894, and was one of the first women to receive a degree in architecture. Her work in architecture began with the encouragement of her first cousin, Dwight Perkins, who had completed a program in MIT’s Department of Architecture three years earlier.

Though Marion was extremely talented, she struggled at times with her place in both society and the field of architecture. At MIT, she was unsure of her ability to complete the thesis required for her bachelors degree. However, her professor, Constant-Désiré Despradelle, pushed her forward.

After graduating from MIT, Mahony worked in her cousin’s architecture firm, which shared space with many architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1895 Mahony was the first employee hired by Frank Lloyd Wright. During her time working with Wright, Marion designed a variety of works, including:

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