My Artifact

The artifact that I have been given is the lava lamp. This is a lamp that came out around 1968 that represented that day and age. It is mostly reflects the hippie like movement. It is shaped like a rocket and has a metal top and bottom with glass in between. The glass is filled with liquid that has wax floating around in side of it. When that lamp is turned on the wax heats up and flows freely with looks a lot like lava giving it the name lava lamp. But it was not always called a lava lamp. Edward Walker took it to a Brussels trade show in 1965, where he called it an Astro. The lamp was then brought over by an Americans company and made it extremely popular in the US throughout the 60s and 70s. The lamps are still being produced and sold because of their very different shapes and colors that you can get. The cool design that cannot be replicated by any other type of lamp or anything that is around today gives the lamp a unique place in the world. The reason for getting a lava lamp is used not to light up the room but dim it down a little. It is to set the mood and give the room a little life and decoration. The different wax blobs give you a com affect and make you feel good, which is why it is known to be hippiesh.

Sheraton Tilt-top Dining Table

The space I choose to place the Sheraton Tilt-top table in is the space in which it resides today. It is showcased in the Nichols house museum. It was designed in the late 1800's in England. This table in particular was designed for Rose Standish Nichols, and was used in her dining room. The hand built table sits a top a red, blue, and beige oriental rug. Being a fairly undecorated piece itself, the table can easily be adorned with runner, place settings, and flowers that correlate with the room. Its function is clearly to be a dining table, but can be easily transformed so that it is no longer functional as a table. The top of the table flips up that that it becomes parallel with the wall. The legs of the table have small wheels so it can be rolled to another place in the space. This creates other opportunities for how the space can be used because there is no longer a big table in the middle of the room.
Although the table is in the middle of the room, it is not particularly the centerpiece. There are many pieces of furniture, like hutches and side tables that are along the walls, along with several portraits. There is also a large fireplace at one end of the room that demands a lot of focus and attention. It is nice to see though that the painting, fireplace, table and chairs, and rug all work together to create a cohesive and collaborative dining room.

Similar: The table is placed in the fancy dining room and this is very similar to the John Betlter sofa that is placed in a luxurious parlor. Both items are seen in upper class homes.

Contrast: The Alexander Calder mobile that is placed in the National Gallery of Art is clearly in a very different location than the Nichols House Museum. The National Gallery is much more modern and simple, and it is not a house.
Sources: Nichols House Museum

Le Corbusier's Petite Loveseat

In the 1920s when Art Deco and Art Nouveau thrived as the popular design aesthetic, Le Corbusier and other designers took a totally different approach through partaking in modernism. Le Corbusier worked with stainless steal to create the solid frames of his LC2 collection, which was featured in the 1929 Salon d’Automne.
In its original context the petite love seat was placed in a space considered the epitome of luxurious modernism. The space was a model apartment meant to showcase the works of designers such as Le Corbusier and the new materials of the time. Light was a key concept for the Salon d’Automne and this was achieved in the space through a glass floor and ceiling as well as furniture supported with tubular steal structure.
Today, reproductions of Le Corbusier’s original collection are sold to those who appreciate modern design. You can find reproductions of Le Corbusier’s petite loveseat from his LC2 collection selling for about 2,000 dollars online. The LC2 collection is practical yet stylish and sleek. A more wealthy family may use the collection in their living or family room for practical every day use. While many middle class Americans may simple marvel at the collection in their boss’s office or a friend’s stylish New York apartment. Because technology is such a large part of our culture today, pieces such as Corbusier’s petite loveseat, which was modeled after the machine, thrive in the modern environment. Furthermore, the classic minimalist style allows for the collection to look beautiful in almost all spaces from traditional to contemporary.


Sources:
http://hivemodern.com/products/?view=sub_product&sid=1132
http://cart.1929.co.uk/index.php?p=product&id=13&parent=2
http://www.designmuseum.org/design/charlotte-perriand

Murphy's bed in space

Murphy's bed came about in a time of expansion. There were more people than ever before and finding a place for all of these people was becoming a challenge. Murphy's bed allows the same room to be used for multiple purposes. In the past the bed could be found in lower economic households in the urban area. It was a practical solution for lack of space.
Murphy's bed can realte to the space in two different ways. During the day it functions as a cabinet against the wall. It doesn't take up much space and stays out of the way. This allows you to transform the room into a sitting area during the day. When the bed is folded up into the cabinet it feflects the murphy's bed practical and functional side. Once you unfold it the bed is more about luxury. When you wish to sleep you simply open the cabinet doors and pull the bed down. Most modern day Murphy beds come with lights and paintings built into the cabinet frame. As you unfold the bed it starts to transform the room into a more comfortable place. The soft lighting, paintings, and comfortable bed make the room feel more like a place to rest than a place of activity. It also effects the size of the room. When folded up the room would feel more open. When the bed is out it breaks up the space and the room becomes smaller and more centered. The Murphy bed also helps us relate the past o the present through it use of using the same space for two different purposes. In the past this was a necessity because of expansion. Today we find outselves wanting to be more sustainable and use less materials. Muphy's bed is perfect because it allows us to build less rooms. It also helps look to the future and gives us a sense that design should be stylish yet multi-functional.

pictures are coming as soon as blogger cooperates.

Victor 2 Humpback Phonograph

The Victor 2 Humpback Phonograph can certainly be described as an artifact intended for the upper echelon of society. A common phonograph was already considered to be a luxury and was rarely found in lower class families. But the Victor 2, as it was larger, louder, and made of fine materials, was even more rare. And if that wasn’t enough, the Victor 2 could be customized specifically for the buyer. In this way, the Victor 2 was not just an appliance to listen to music through, but it also served as a symbol of wealth, class, and taste. To have a Victor 2 meant sophistication, that one listened to fine music and had a refined taste.
In addition to a status symbol, I also feel the Victor 2 could be used as a means of escape. As it probably could not get as loud as some stereos today, the Victor 2 would be most effective in a smaller environment. In the featured picture, the phonograph is placed in a study or drawing room ca. 1907. The study was a wind-down room, used to kick back and relax after a hard day’s work. Full of designer furniture, expensive trinkets, exquisite art, and volumes of texts, the study is also a symbol of status. The study is almost a dream world, filled with delicacies and trinkets, completely unlike anything in the real world. This would be ideal, however, to get away from the noisy streets and the troubles of the outside world—the perfect place to turn on a Victor 2 and immerse oneself in a symphony of tranquility.

The 1970s Workplace

The Conference Table was designed by Andrew W. Palmer, John H. Norton, and Michael A. Goldfinger for use in large rooms in office settings. Its organic shape encourages user interaction spanning the entirety of its 120 inch length. The table’s 42 inch width offers a significant amount of workspace and room for large presentations. Because of the practical form of the Conference Table, its influence can be seen in offices across the globe.

The 1970s saw the beginnings of the modern business place, with the erection of the Sears Tower (Graham, Chicago), John Hancock Center (Graham, Chicago), and the World Trade Center towers (Yamasaki, New York). New forms emerged in all disciplines of design as a result of advances in material technology. Innovative material use and construction resulted from America’s participation in the Vietnam War, while the US/ USSR space race brought about a keen interest in flight.

The 1975 Conference Table integrates naturally into the setting of a 1970s office. The table’s form challenges conventional table design to produce a buoyant, dynamic form. The Conference Table could be paired with Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Chairs (1955-56), which share with the table a sense of airy fluidity. Equally appropriate to the table’s design are the rich patterns of Angela Adams. Her rich color and organic forms are relate to the environmental emphasis of the 1970s. To accent the space, Jo Hammerborg’s Saturn drum light (for Fog & Mørup, 1970) in combination with wood-paneled dropped fluorescent lights characterize the lighting design of this era.





Sources: DWR, Classic-modern, Knoll, Smithsonian, and printpattern

Marian Mahler Curtain Space:Lauren Thore

The Art Deco style was mainly based on mathematical geometric shapes and was built off of prior periods such as Neoclassical and Cubism, which focused more on natural ornamentation and abstract qualities. Art Deco was characterized by the strong use of stepped forms, sweeping curves and chevron patterns. The Mahler curtain was designed in 1950 around the new concepts and inventions of the 1920’s that include aviation, lighting and skyscrapers. The swinging mobile pattern exemplifies the functionality of the Machine Age. Recently on Design On A Dime, designer Lee Snjiders updated a newlywed couple’s bedroom to fit more their personal taste of Art Deco style. Before being redesigned their bedroom was full of mish-mashed furnishings and a blank color palette. Snjider chose a soft yellow wall color that complemented the new art deco style furnishings and fabrics. The 1920 style furnishings created the much-needed romantic, sophisticated setting for their new bedroom. I chose to put the curtain in this setting because the vibrant red stands out against the dark stained dresser and two nightstands, and ties the room back to the beginning of the Machine Age. To enhance the setting Snjider added cosmopolitan style hardware to the dressers, which gave the once mundane furniture complementary characteristics to the desired style.

A movement also occurring in the 1930’s, which related back to Art Deco, was called Streamline. Streamline was influenced by modern aerodynamic designs such as aviation, ballistics and the automobile. It was incorporated into everyday, mundane items like pencil sharpeners and refrigerators. Like the Art Deco style, Streamline was practical and simple but at the same time made a huge impact on future designs.

Sources:
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/art-deco-bedroom/index.html

18th c. german display(combinde)

A glass show case on a pedestal, containing sixteen German made porcelain figures from the 18th century that represent Italian comedians from the theater, is arranged in a gallery dedicated to displaying artifacts from Germany in the late half of the 18th century. Each of the original fingers was modeled with fluid lines that create a sense of movement. The in the case the fingers are arranged on different levels, the positioning of each figure to the next is meant to emulate the sense of motion and a fluid line. Within the gallery the artifacts and the display cases are arranged in a way that creates pathways from each piece to the next reinforcing the idea of flow and movement. The gallery is vibrant and lively with colors and forms only when there are artifacts with such characteristics being displayed. As to be expected in a historical art museum setting the gallery is plain when it is empty. The walls are flat white and the floors are a light cream laminate, the only sense of color in the room washes from the artifacts. The separation walls and pedestals are geometric and blend in to the floors and walls. The room allows the artifacts to speak for themselves. With overhead spotlights that illuminate the room at night and natural light washing over the room in the day the artifacts are displayed with a sense of importance. I a gallery setting one cannot help but to focus on the items being displayed without distraction.

The Mirror

According to Thomas Sheraton, convex mirrors can be useful as well as pieces of decoration. The author is unknown, but we do know that they are popular especially in England, where this mirror was created. The mirror is used to reflect the perspective of the room. One may hang the mirror on a wall, particularly the wall that reflects on that best represents the room. The convex mirror then reflects the room in a way that appears to be closer than they really are. This mirror is dressed with carvings of foliage, and topped with an eagle. It is a good example of the Regency style. This artifact is a symbol of wealth. If an owner had this artifact in their place of residency then they are showing that they are wealthy and have high style. This object is also used to reflect light and make the space seem brighter and larger.

Compare: This space can be compared to Melia's blog post about the Nichols House Museum. Her artifact, like mine, was designed in the late 1800s in England. And within the space the artifact is not the center piece.

Contrast: As seen on Molly J.'s post, her space is very different than mine. In the 1920s Modernism was emerging, where as in the 1800's design was still looking backwards and to others for inspiration.

Candlestick Phone in Saarinen Style Conference Room

plan:

perspective:

I have decided to place the British candle stick phone in a conference room lobby that could have been a part of the Saarinen house belonging to Eliel Saarinen and his family that he designed 1928-1930. This home contained both living and work space. The space that I rendered that could have potentially been a part of the home is a transitional space where work areas meet living areas. I choose to place the phone in this specific area because telephones were found in common areas, and not in personal rooms during the time of its development. The conference room lobby is a space that the family could make calls, and visitors could use the telephone. If Eliel was waiting on a call during a conference with the academic team, calls could also be taken with ease. The phone sits on a table which is a common place for a candle stick phone or any phone. The room is designed in the Art Deco style which is apparent of Saarinen’s work.

The Peacock Sconce was made around 1899 by Alexander Fisher. A sconce is used as a holder of a light source on a wall. He designed the sconce for the sole purpose to be exhibited and not used within a home. However, if the sconce were to be used within a living space, the space would be designed in the style of the arts and crafts movement. There is also a strong influence of art nouveau, because of the peacock motif relating back to nature.

In comparison, the two spaces are very different in style and use of materials. The art nouveau style represented uses metal in organic forms, where as the Art Deco styled room is made up of more natural materials (e.g. wood framed windows and furnishings).

Sewing Machine in an 1850's Living Room

The sewing machine that Isaac Singer invented was not the very first but an improved model. He was working in a machine shop in Boston in 1850 when he was asked to repair a 'Lerow and Blodgett' sewing machine that was brought in. Singer decided to improve it instead however, by allowing "continues and curved stitching, with an overhanging arm that held the needle bar over a horizontal table." (http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/singer.html)

The sewing machine did not sell very well at first because it was too expensive for the average American household. Husbands believed there was no need to spend such money, priced at over $100, when the women could sew by hand. Singer's first sewing machines were bulky, however he soon began a mass-production system of interchangeable parts, reducing the machines weight and size. The sewing machine soon became a symbol of status and self-reliance for American families, especially when the price dropped to $10 when Singer had refined the machine. It was the first home appliance and allowed people to sew clothes at a faster rate, thus creating mass production of clothing.

The sewing machine in the 1850’s would have been found in the household on a table in a room such as the living room, an office or a bedroom. I have chosen to place the sewing machine in a lavish living room. It is on top of a table next to a window so that the person sewing could have a view outside. The living room would have a fireplace, couches, flowerpots on the floor, bookcases and a piano. This 1850’s living room would have colourful wallpaper, decorated and carved wooden panels and skirting boards, and heavy curtains around the window.
The sewing machine would have been a new and exciting appliance, which everyone would have wanted to own. In comparison to today’s modern world it would have been a very useful appliance, however these days it does not come as a surprise that most people do not own a sewing machine because it is not such a necessity as it was in the 1850’s.

Similarly, the Victor 2 Humpback Phonograph was an "artifact intended for the upper echelon of society." This second edition of the Victor was greatly improved and as a result, only affordable by the wealthy, thus becoming a status symbol in their homes.
In contrast, the Syrian Biscuit Tin would be found either in the factory storage room that made it or in a home, however it was not a symbol of status, just an object to protect biscuits from humidity.

A space for Ruhlmann's dressing table

On the set of Cafe Society [1937]


Jean Harlow's last film, Cafe Society, was left incomplete due to her untimely death at the age of 26. The footage that remains exhibits a beautiful Art Deco environment epitomizing the luxury of the age. The set for the bedroom in particular emphasized Art Deco's instantly recognizable features: sweeping curves, ornate wallpapers, and pools of shimmering fabrics. Most noticeable about this bedroom is the curvilinear form exaggerated by the stepped moulding on the ceiling. A floor-to-ceiling tufted satin panel creates an elegant divider between rooms. Lush carpet adds to the luxuriousness of the space that film goers during the Great Depression would associate with the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood Art Deco style. Near the satin-draped bed is Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann's quintessentially Deco dressing table. In contrast to the silvery-blue color scheme of the room's textiles, the rich woods and ebony surface of the dressing table anchor the small niche between two windows. With an eye for detail, the designer included bedside tables with ebony inlaid surfaces flanking both sides of the bed to echo the ebony of the dressing table. Since the set only required a minimal amount of walls to convey a sense of being in a real room, only a few furniture pieces were used. It is apparent that quality and attention to detail were not overlooked even for a movie set. The style of Hollywood's Golden Age has been captured as an equally exquisite moment in Art Deco design that is forever preserved on film.





Similar to: The Peacock Sconce in a space. Also nestled between two windows, the peacock sconce hints at Art Nouveau styling. It is rich in detail, just like Ruhlmann's dressing table. The space in which the sconce was placed is similar to the movie set, as it does not have an overabundance of furniture. The two spaces seem to have just enough artifacts in them to let the objects become the focal points.

Contrasts with: National Gallery featuring Calder's sculptural mobile. The wide expanse of space required to house Calder's mobile is in stark contrast with the set design where the dressing table was placed. The rectilinear forms of the Gallery are quite dissimilar to the curving lines of the Art Deco style room; also the Gallery has multiple levels for viewing the mobile. The movie set is quite two-dimensional in feeling.

Resources:
Jean Harlow filmography at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001318/

dressing table found at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1157_art_deco/about/starobjects/dressingtable.htm

bedroom inspiration found at: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://parisapartment.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bedroom.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thecopiuscritics.wordpress.com/2008/09/&h=334&w=500&sz=42&hl=en&start=69&sig2=sVe1ySyq_AWNyt8j2nlqTw&um=1&usg=__O2gCR5URxuQUGBkI9LNQx6LAMv4=&tbnid=OitBLxaU-q6WPM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&ei=MLfzSIKcK46UuAWKp9jYCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dart%2Bdeco%2Bbedroom%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN

author's note: Jean Harlow did not ever film or collaborate with a movie titled "Cafe Society". This article is a fictional story for illustrative purposes only.

Chinese Umbrella Holder 1845-1855

Umbrella holders are made of all materials such as plastic, ceramic, wire or wood. They are also designed in all different shapes and sizes. Some are made to hold one umbrella where others hold multiple umbrellas at the same time. In general, umbrella holders were designed as a place for wet umbrellas to be stored so that water would not be tracked into the interior of a building or home. Umbrella holders also help with safety of interiors considering floors being less slippery, resulting in fewer accidents or falls. Most umbrella holders or stands have a leak proof exterior and water absorbent interior to collect water or liquid.

The material used in the umbrella holder reserved in the Nichols House Museum Permanent Collection is porcelain. China is the originator of this sturdy, smooth material that is sometimes considered fine china. Taking into account the durability and luster, porcelain rapidly became a necessity of daily life for the middle and upper classes during the Shang Dynasty. Porcelain was used to make many household items such as dishes, dolls, instruments, jewelry boxes, and lastly umbrella holders.

Painting, glazing and decoration were often added to fired porcelain pieces for added details and appeal. Chinese porcelain pieces are often decorated with dragons, fish, nature scenes or a repetitive pattern.

As far as the umbrella holder kept in the Nichols House Museum Permanent Collection it takes in a cylinder shape and is ornamented with green. The scene depicts men on horseback, a couple, and alternating bird and flower pattern. The border is adorned with moths, flowers, and Taoist symbols and the interior is glazed white.
Gold enamel is also added to highlight areas of the scene. It stands 23” tall and is about 10” in diameter, and dates back to 1845-1855. During this time middle and upper class families probably displayed this functional piece of art next to the entrance or foyer of the home. Today the umbrella holder still remains part of anthology at the Nichols House Museum and leaves us to wonder what it’s original home was like.


http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6694992.html
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/porcelain.htm
http://nicholshouse.pastperfect-online.com

Following the light...and striking a converstation

This classic candle stand can be found in the Nichols House Museum in Boston, Mass.  The owner, Rose Standish Nichols was a landscape gardener who didn't conform to the normal, domestic lifestyle of a woman who was supposed to marry and stay at home.  In the late 1800's to 1900's, this wasn't acceptable, which is why the house and her situation are famous today.  Throughout the house are many priceless possessions, consisting of both American and European furniture from the late 17th to 19th centuries, one of which is the candle stand.

This 17th century candle stand was simply a necessity then because there was a need to have a secured spot to place all of the candles at night.  There were more than likely multiple candle stands placed precisely around the house, making it convenient and not hard to find in the dark when entering a new room.  As far as the aesthetics of the stand, the finely crafted, hand-carved wooden spindle table would had been placed next to a chair or sofa, where groups of people gathered.  The stand itself would turn into a conversation piece, as well as serving as an everyday function, which made that space significant within a larger space, the house.  

In present day, the candle stand can be compared to a lantern or lamp sitting on a stand or side table.  The invention of electricity made everything so easy in out day-to-day lives and the candle is pretty much just a use of decoration.  Though the stand, which was once used to hold candles, is now replaced with a lamp.  The same concept remains, but is just replaced with a new and easier invention.  The light bulb, with which we also take for granted, could be contrasted to the flame of the candle. Even though the light bulb lasts longer than a candle flame, it still burns out.  The candle stand has transformed in some ways, but the function within the space still remains the same, and can be found in different spaces all over the world.

www.nicholshousemuseum.org

Syrian Biscuit Tin-space

The Syrian Biscuit Tin was designed by Huntley, Boorne and Stevens in 1903 for Huntley and Palmers who were Biscuit Manufacturers. Located in Reading, Huntley and Palmers came to be the largest biscuit manufacturer in the world. Being so popular, they were able to export their biscuits all over the world. Tins, like that of the Syrian, were produced to protect the biscuits from humidity as well as allowing for prepackaged goods that could last for months. The Syrian was also designed not to look like a normal biscuit tin so that it could be used for other things, like decorative art or even furniture. This particular tin would be found within the factory of Huntley and Palmers awaiting to be shipped elsewhere. Probably located in a storage room with many other tins, either those that are the same or different ones as well. There were 35,000 Syrian Biscuit tins created. After being in a storage room for a while the tin would be bought by someone in the community or even sent around the world. The location chosen for the biscuit tin is a home in Reading in the early 20th century. It would probably have been kept in the kitchen when first used. After all the biscuits were gone the tin would have been used for storage or either other food or other household items. In the kitchen we would find a kitchen table as well as a stove and cooking utensils. Any home in Reading would have a biscuit tin of some kind, so really any home would do.
Another object that can be compared to the biscuit tin is the Victor 2 Humpback Phonograph. This object, like the biscuit tin, would be found within a home. However, in contrast, the phonograph was more likely found in a living room setting in a more upper class home, where as the biscuit tin was most likely in a kitchen and not limited to one class.


sources: Huntley and Palmers website US History website

The Peacock Sconce Space

The Peacock Sconce was made around 1899 by Alexander Fisher. A sconce is used as a holder of a light source on a wall. He designed the sconce for the sole purpose to be exhibited and not used within a home. However, if the sconce were to be used within a living space, the space would be designed in the style of the arts and crafts movement. There is also a strong influence of art nouveau, because of the peacock motif relating back to nature. The use of metals and the enameled decorative peacock feathers give off the impression that this would be a higher class home. The windows are therefore taller with long sweeping curtains, ideally velvet. The fireplace is more grand with a frame surrounding it along with a larger mantle. The furniture pieces included in the space are from the art nouveau movement with very organic details such as the swirling woodwork in the couch on the back wall. Furthermore, the decorative pieces added to the space reflect the natural theme of the peacock as well. There is a vase in the far corner of dried flowers and the rug in the center of the floor has an art nouveau influenced swirl. The same swirl motif is shown in the oversized mirror as well as the metal fire screen. Alexander Fisher’s use of metal is also reflected in several other areas of the room including the mirror on the opposite wall of the room and the fire screen just below the sconce. The Peacock Sconce represents a harmony between embracing nature with the art nouveau and arts and craft movement, and the industrial revolution with his use of steel and other metals.

Tizio Lamp : Space

“From a formal point of view, the Tizio lamp was revolutionary. Black, angled, minimalist, and mysterious, the lamp achieved its real commercial success in the early 1980s, when its sleek look met the Wall Street boom”, states MoMA Highlights. Richard Sapper designed this work lamp because he couldn't find a work lamp that suited him. Sapper said, “I wanted a small head and long arms; I didn't want to have to clamp the lamp to the desk because its awkward. And I wanted to be able to move it easily.” The halogen bulb used in this lamp is one of the first uses of this type of light outside the automobile industry. It is adjustable to the user by giving the option of two light intensities. The bulb is fed through the arm from a transformer concealed in the base. In 1972 the use of arms to conduct electricity was a new idea seen in only a few other lamps.
A successful architect comes home from a long day in the office but knows he has to design two more room layouts for his sustainable hotel. He goes into his minimalistic office and turns on his Tizio lamp. Illuminating his desk this will be his source of light throughout the night and into morning. It's sleek design takes up little space allowing the architect to be able to spread out his work. The adjustable arm of the lamp can be manipulated into almost any position, allowing the user to direct the light source exactly where it is needed most.

Sources:

MoMA Highlights

Met Museum

Barcelona Daybed- Space

Designed by Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, the Barcelona daybed was designed for the apartment of Philip Johnson in New York. It was first exhibited at the German Pavilion at the Berlin Exhibition in 1929. Although designed as a daybed, since its creation in 1929, the Barcelona daybed has not always been used for its intended function of a daybed Based on research and pictures, the Barcelona daybed is usually used as a lounge piece, usually paired with the Barcelona chair, stool, and table. It tends to be placed in sitting areas more so than in bedrooms.

The Barcelona Daybed.

When used the Barcelona daybed is not usually used as a daybed but more so as a lounge piece paired with the Barcelona furniture collection.

Taken from the November 2007 issue of Elle Décor Magazine, I selected this room to be the space for my artifact because of its modern, sleek look. This room embodies some of the key design elements of the Barcelona Daybed. The furniture in the room embodies clean-cut lines resemble the Barcelona daybed. Also very important is the color scheme and material choices. The steel legs of the Barcelona daybed and leather upholstery are a great compliment to the other steel framed furniture. The wooden sides of the daybed add a certain detail not seen in the rest of the room.


Inspired by the Elle Magazine room the layout of the room was changed. Instead of the having the couch against the wall, I decided to have the Barcelona daybed in its place. The couch could face the Barcelona daybed. The shape of the couch still creates a sense of privacy in the area by closing of the sitting area from the rest of the space. The lamp and table were moved around to fit the different furniture layout.

Rookwood Vase in a space

The Rookwood vase by Rookwood Pottery (designer Lawrence) is shown here in an imagined contemporary residential space. The architectural style of this home is modern with emphasis placed on clean, geometric forms, open spaces, and large windows that being the outside in. The interior furnishings and decorative objects are minimal but carefully selected. It could be inferred that this is the home of someone with considerable economic means and a knowledge and appreciation of the history of modernism. Homes with strong modern features like this are often custom designs that are more expensive than the typical middle class house. The collection of furniture and artifacts ranges in time frame of design but shares a connection to modernism and general design significance. The sofa is a Stickley sofa, an important designer and manufacturer of the American Arts and Crafts movement. The chairs are Le Corbusier LC1 or Basculant chairs, designed in 1928 and currently produced by Cassina. Le Corbusier was a significant architect and designer of the early modernism movement. The vessel that shares the hearth with the Rookwood vase is Canoa, designed by Ludovico Diaz de Santillana and Tobia Scarpa and manufactured by Venini. Venini is an Italian company from the glass blowing island of Murano. It is significant to modernism and similar to Rookwood pottery because of the use of simple modern forms and the practice of inviting designers, architects, and artists from outside the company to produce designs for them. On the wall hang two felt pieces, called Yard, by Italian rug and furniture manufacturer Paola Lenti. The Stickley sofa, Rookwood vase, Venini glass vessel, and Paola Lenti hangings are all pieces that are hand made. The Corbusier chairs are machine made but are born out of a similar focus on being well made. Everything within the space as well as the space itself embody ideas first born out of the Arts and Crafts movement and then continued in modernism such as clean geometric forms, quality of construction, and blurring of the lines between inside and out.

Laura Snoderly

sources:
www.artsmia.org/modernism/Ointro
www.cassinausa.com
www.paolalenti.com
www.venini.com
www.stickley.com

Artful Assimilation: Artifact In A Space

The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Armchair comes directly from the Arts and Crafts movement in the realm of 20th century design. Following the explicitly outlined principles of the Arts and Crafts aesthetic, the chair itself was constructed by hand and made from the finest materials available during the early part of the century. This movement and theory design required the constructs of any piece to be of the utmost quality and detailed perfection. Pieces were to be hand-made, and painstakingly tailored to marginalize any flaws in the details. Fittingly, the homes that housed these crafted marvels would be fine and grand in nature.

To bring this piece into a modern environment, I used a space that celebrated eclecticism as well temporal reverence. For the ideal locale of my space, I chose PX, an upscale speakeasy in my hometown of Alexandria, VA. It embraces the modern, while harkening back to a forgotten time. In terms of my own aesthetic for design, I cannot simply live within one specific period of design or style. As human beings, we are influenced by history every day that we’re alive. For example, in our relationships with our families, their stories, their experiences, their tastes, we develop our own ideals of what we enjoy and identify with which carry into the rest of our adult lives. This appreciation of time is what influences me to enjoy the many facets of design through decades and periods in the pieces I place within any living space. Because the lines of the Mackintosh chair are stylized in an angular fashion, it compliments the angles that exist in many contemporary spaces. To highlight the singular nature of the piece, I placed the chair in front of a bay window that looked out onto the streets in the main bar. The rest of the furniture in the room contained hard, clean lines, so the chair nestled in nicely with the look of the room. The low chandeliers compliment the arts and crafts aesthetic with their handcrafted nature, and ornate details. The look is overall lush; art deco meets art nouveau, meets modern opulence. Very befitting indeed.

Corey Fitz

Artiifact in Space

PATRIOT RADIO: 1939

PERSPECTIVE VIEW:

PLAN VIEW:
The period between the 1920s and 1930s can also be considered part of the Bauhaus period, which was a leading time for the development of modernism. During this time an emphasis was placed on factory-produced designs that were simple, functional, and industrial. The idea was to have clean designs made of basic materials; this went not only for furniture, but also for all types of design such as textiles and applied art. Norman Bel Geddes was one of the most prolific and influential industrial designers of his time, and he helped create the Streamlined style that defined American design throughout the 1930s and early ‘40s. He also played a role in the design styles of the art deco and Bauhaus period. Bel Gedde’s greatest designs have been influenced by unrealized, generally futuristic projects.

Like the rest of Bel Geddes’s industrial, streamline designs, this style can be seen in his patriot radio design from 1939. His intentions for the radio were to promote both American technology and culture, thereby helping to bolster national pride during the difficult years of the Great Depression. The design of the radio was to represent the stars-and stripes motif, to create an optimistic and useful emblem of American technology, industry and identity.

Due to the period that the Patriot Radio was created, the best era it should be placed within, is that of the Bauhaus style- inspired room. Therefore, in this room that has been created for the radio are two Barcelona chairs, designed during the Bauhaus period, which have been placed adjacently to one another, with one chair having an ottoman. A table from the tulip pedestal group has been carefully placed next to the Barcelona chair. From the same Bauhaus period a lamp and rug have also been placed thoughtfully into the space. Lastly the Patriot Radio can be found on the Bauhaus style bookshelf that rests against the back wall.

Each piece of furniture placed in the room complements the other in someway. The simple, clean line design can be seen in all of the furniture that is placed throughout the room. It starts with the curvilinear lamp that sits behind the floating, light Barcelona chair, to the straight-line bookshelf and back to the simple pedestal table. These modern, art deco pieces look as if they were meant to be put in the same room together. They make a beautiful combination.

sources:
http://www.fuleague.com
http://www.metmuseum.org
www.lumens.com
http://www.dezignare.com/newsletter/bauhausmovement.html