why eames?!

[matthew]

My dogs ignore the lounging sofas and the supposed comfy furniture around the house and have staked their claim on the barcelona chairs as their preferred napping location. Two spoiled doggies can't be wrong

i want pics!

[Jellybean]

Ask and you shall receive but I wasn't able to sneak up on them mid-nap without waking up.

[matthew]

NICE

[Na]

Well "the trade" does'nt have much of an inside track anymore that is true and that is fine because, I'm not much interested in helping people shop but, as for present day modern furniture sold to corporate America there is much that in NOT available to the general public. A good example might be like the "Molly" bar stool at The Valley Ho
coffee shop.

I love that bar stool but, it would be challenging to have a client purchase one. I would have to "set them up" with a contact at a local dealer that has the liscensing agreement to sell it to them and then it would probably be at "full retail". That is what I was referring to as "serious manufactures". They are geered up for large scale purchases to a select group of potential buyers that they are marketing to and that is NOT the general public.

Sorry for the confusion!

There is just a lot of great furniture out there aside from "Mid Century Modern Classics" but, it is available through lisensed dealers or it is "made to order". A good example of "made to order" might be a company like Thonet in American and Cassina in Europe and America. These companies do not even cut leather until a "purchase order" is signed and paid and in the works. I guess if I had to give it a name it would be the "luxury" market.

[ralexandra]

All I can say is

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?li ... d=24690451

[DG]

Na what are you talking about...yet again.

you say: "I'm not much interested in helping people shop"...??? really? that it's your job as a designer and it's what you should be doing for your clients in the first place. you should thank the "serious" manufacturers that give you, the designer, the chance to get special access to their products. you are the gateway to those exclusive products. it is a way to help you bring to table something that your clients cannot readily get. It makes you special and gives you a purpose.

then you say: "There is just a lot of great furniture out there aside from "Mid Century Modern Classics" but, it is available through licensed dealers or it is "made to order"...what? of course...but also Crate and Barrel, William Sonoma Home and Restoration Hardware won't cut fabric or leather until you order it (unless you purchase it in the one fabric that comes ready to ship in).

and by the way Knoll, Herman Miller, Vitra, ICF, Hansen and the likes manufacture, as you call them "made to order", classics and contemporary furniture as well... and, if needed, you can order one piece at the time.

[matthew]

i sure like eames furniture

[Na]

I LOVE eames too! But, for other ideas of affordable and quality pieces to appreciate, go to ebay and look at mid-century furniture. Sometimes a piece will come up by the following designers or manufactures and that is very exciting to see these quality sources on the "resale market". Its good to know that those pieces are possible to easily aquire and refurbish. Some I really like are:

people:
Alvar Aalto
Eileen Gray
Jean Michel Frank (Anne Frank's french relative)
Florence Knoll
Saarinen
Paul Brayton (modern now)


companies:
Artemide
Metro
Harter
Dunbar
Brayton
Kagan Design
Gunlock
Bernhardt
Steelcase
Knoll
Thonet
Vecta
Brueton
Pace

There are many, many more. Buy them, save them, refurbish them, use them, love them. Someday they will not be as readily around I think.
Na

[DG]

Previous note was edited out of courtesy for Allison.

Artemide is contemporary lighting, Harter, Gunlocke and Steelcase sell "contemporary/modern office" equipment, Brayton sells fabrics and leather, Bernhardt manufactures the Martha Stewart furniture collection among other really ugly furniture lines, Brueton manufactures "bad modern" furniture and Pace Furniture sells scary "elegant modern office furniture"...so with this said, we are left with Dunbar, Kagan, Knoll (the classics) and Thonet in your mid century quality sources.

Thanks for the tips...and I still think that the Eames lounge is really comfortable.

[PixelPixie]

In an effort to keep this thread on-topic, all assessments of personal character are to cease, and discussion of "why eames" is to continue. Any further discussions of personal character will result in this thread being locked and possibly edited. Private messaging is apparently not working, either, (nor is it private?!?) so I suggest both parties letting it go. Thanks in advance for playing nicely, everyone. I value everyone's contributions but this topic has clearly strayed outside its intent.

[Na]

There are many good "used" modern pieces from the 80's and 90's available out there. Many furniture manufactures in the last 20 years have been through changes, downsizes, buy-outs ect.... But, to see products that are affordable and a possible good fit into today's contemporary or modern environments I suggest looking at an ebay seller like midcenturyguy out of Houston.

At this seller's site you can see Eames, Herman Miller, Knoll and other "classics" but, you can also, see some items from the 80's and 90's worth a "second look". I checked and saw pieces from Metro, Vecta, Kagan, Brayton. Stow Davis, Helikon, B & B Italia, Mueller, Dakota Jackson, Dunbar Thayer Coggin and yes Gunlocke.

Gunlocke is a wonderful old 100 year old+ American Company and everybody has seen and sat in their famous "Courthouse" chair. Wood chairs were what the company was practically built on and numerous knock-offs and variations of the Court House chair are still to be found. I even think at one time I saw it or a look-a-like sold in DWR.

Anyway, whether furniture or an important lighting manufactures like Artimede there are some good items produced in the last 20 years worth buying, refurbishing and
using and I'm delighted with sellers like the ebay seller midcenturyguy and locale stores like Phoenix Metro Retro and Red for making these pieces available for purchase!
Na

[steve.n.stace]

Na- Thanks for all of the great resources on Mid-century furniture, lighting, info etc. It is so helpful to those of us who are so new on the Mid-century scene!