Eero Saarinen Richmond VA Architecture Museum

If you live near Richmond Va stop by the Virginia Architecture Museum to see the Saarinen exhibit ending January 25, 2009. It's not bad, but lacks a lot of history. I wouldn't drive more than an hour to see it. The museum itself is a beautiful old house designed by famous Richmond architect John Pope. However, the museum as a whole does not utilize the space. The main exhibit gallery was small and very nice, but it seems that 80% of the rest of the house is used for meeting rooms. I found the staff to be unfriendly. I do believe that they may have some rooms dedicated for classes or other learning opportunities which is good. The photo above was taken from a Boston Globe Article.

Eames Montage

Eames Montage featuring the Eames Era

Like I need another couch

Urban Outfitters is one of the few stores that has picked up on the Mid Century Modern Craze and has a great collection of home goods. I really want this couch, but one reviewer said the quality was kind of poor and that worries me a bit.

If they would sell these things for $350 including shipping they would fly off the shelves. You know the cost of building these cant be much. Crossing my fingers for a Christmas sale.Though I wish they would have this in store so I could see it up close.

Storage

I just put a couple of more things in storage this week. I'm building the perfect Mid Century modern town home in my mind. I'm hoping in a year or two to get out of apartment living and purchase my own place. For now I'm storing what will not fit into my apartment. Trust me kids graphic design is not a stable career! I'm hoping to fix a few minor repairs to the orange couch pictured over Christmas.

Save gas in style

I'm dying for one of these. They are actually pretty affordable in comparison to other motorized bikes. 120 Miles to the gallon and street legal! However, I am super poor :(

Design at its best

Great video on modern design

Reac Japan Stocking Stuffers

I have been wanting some of these chair miniatures. The price actually isn't to bad about $60 compared to the $200+ Vitra miniatures which are outrageously! Why would I want to go out and pay $200+ for a miniature when I could go out and put $200 towards the real thing.

A bit of reto Thanksgiving history

This package is very similar to the first TV dinner ever created in 1955.

Gerald Thomas, a C.A. Swanson & Sons executive, had a big problem. What to do with about 270 tons of left over Thanksgiving turkey.

"After Thanksgiving, Swanson had ten refrigerated railroad cars -- each containing 520,000 pounds of unsold turkeys -- going back and forth across the country in refrigerated railroad box cars, because there was not enough storage in warehouses. We were challenged to come up with a way to get rid of the turkeys," said Thomas.

He got the breakthrough idea from the trays used for airline food service. And the TV dinner was born. The first production order was for 5,000 dinners, thought to be a big gamble at the time. They had about two dozen women armed with ice cream scoops filling the new trays at night.

The first TV dinner featured turkey, corn bread dressing and gravy, buttered peas and sweet potatoes. It cost 98 cents and came in a box resembling a TV.

Taken from Fifties Web

Schöner Wohnen Living Unit

This design is truly a remarkable use of space. Created by Verner Panton in 1966 however, it never fully went into production. I hope to one day recreate this piece to use in my home.

I just borrowed this book from a coworker. Great book, Jim Flora was a virtually forgotten about artist/ record designer until this release. Two books followed with a full website dedicated to him.

New Lamp

I lucked up and found this sweet lamp in the nick of time! A little brass cleaner and fresh stain and it is like new. If anyone is trying to clean any type of metal I recommend Brasso.

Best Photo Ever

I just got the original 1961 Playboy in the mail the other day just so I could get this photo. It's amazing and I was shocked at the lack of nudity in the magazine, it really was about the articles back then. Featuring George Nealson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Charles Eames and Jens Risom.

Cheesy Christmas Card

My girlfriend and I got bored last Christmas and decided to make these Cheesy Christmas Cards. Featuring a Finn Juhl and Burke style chair and yes thats our cat Peachy.

Dont Forget your Eames Stamps

Eames Stamps are still available online. I went to two local post offices and neither knew what I was talking about.

Dwell Christmas Cards

Dwell has just released Eames style Christmas cards that you can customize and print. So get yourself some thick paper stock and get cutting!