Design Notes

Risom in Westport

The Design Within Reach Westport Studio and the Glass House are pleased to announce an evening with legendary designer Jens Risom on Thursday, June 26 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. The event is open to the public and will have several of Risom’s designs on view for the evening. It promises to be an evening of discussions with Jens about his designs and career.

Born in Copenhagenin 1916, Jens Risom’s career has spanned nearly 70 years and counting. His iconic Risom Chair, designed in 1941 and one of the first chairs to be manufactured by Knoll®, has been in continuous production since it was first introduced. With his Danish approach to modernism, with its emphasis on traditional values and the human need for warmth, beauty and simplicity, Risom is widely considered one of the most influential furniture designers of the 20th century. In 2003 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts degree by the Rhode Island School of Design. RSVP here .

The image above is of Jens and many DWR employees at the Glass House last October.

-Aran Winterbottom, Westport Studio Proprietor

Saarinen in Atlanta.

The success of our Atlanta Studio is proof that Georgia is home to many a modernist.  It is then no surprise that Atlanta is hosting the first ever museum retrospective of Eero Saarinen’s furniture designs.  Created by the Museum of Design Atlanta in cooperation with Knoll, the exhibit features sketches, photographs and archival and current editions of his work including the Womb Chair and the iconic Pedestal Collection. The Furniture of Eero Saarinen: Designs for Everyday Living runs through the beginning of May.

Forget the pre-Christmas sales.

Avoid the pre-holiday sale madness and get over to the DWR Annex during the weekend of December 15–16. They’re getting a special shipment of overstocks, still-in-the-box new items and samples that will all be discounted 20–65%. There’ll be lots of lighting, some lounge and loads of little giftable lovelies. Get your holiday shopping done for your list and for you (“One for her, two for me, one for him, two more for me…”). Find details here.

Gift(ed).

Gift season is upon us, and DWR’s Tribeca Studio has partnered with the brand new website Supermarket to put together another great lineup of independent product designers for their third annual ModernMart. Most items will be under $100, and the objects range from gourmet soaps to handmade journals to modern jewelry, t-shirts, wallets, trays, and ties. The first 100 people in the door will receive a goodie bag, complete with the latest issue of Domino. Champagne, chocolates, and brownies from Mari’s New York will be served. As a special treat, Tim Harrington, who is not only half of featured design team Deadly Squire, but also the lead singer of Les Savy Fav, will be acting as the resident DJ for the evening, playing his iPod on the Geneva Sound System.

Just in Time for Holiday Visitors.

Save 30–65% on dining, lounge and sleep solutions at our DWR Warehouse and Sample Sales at three locations across the country. Check out the details here.

Going through a phase.

The same evening that the Boulder Studio was hosting Daughters in Design, Berkeley  welcomed the New Zealand-based designer, David Trubridge. As the slideshow projected images of Stonehenge, Brancusi, Antarctica and the family sailing on “Hornpipe” (the boat that was home for many years),  Trubridge recalled life experiences that have informed his work. He spoke of phases – Earth: the connection to the structure of nature; Water: structures move, twist, have changing points of stress and need to be flexible; Earth/Water: balance of the two in form, scale, color and proportion; Air: structure light in weight, just a skin – like his New Zealand Pendants. Check out his pendants here and learn more about David Trubridge here.

Posted by Kristine Langevin.

Re-imagining the chair.

Design Within Reach is very excited about working with Parsons, the New School for Design.  We, along with the good folks over at Heller, have armed Kenna Kay's entire Illustration class with a copy of George Nelson’s How to See and a Bellini Chair.  Their challenge: to re-imagine the chair using whatever materials they see fit. Bellini’s chair is a perfect canvas for surface design and we’re eager to see what the students produce.  I am critiquing several of the classes and expect to share the student progressions and final designs here on the blog.  All the student’s work will be displayed in our Meatpacking District Studio the month of January. More to come.

A DWR secret.

DWR employees are often envied by friends and clients alike, as everyone assumes our houses are DWR-decorated floor to ceiling. And they’d be correct in that assumption, but we do have a little secret. DWR employees are savvy folks and we’re always the first to shop our warehouse sales. (Take a look at Edward’s place above, furnished almost entirely at warehouse sales.) There is another one this weekend in San Francisco. So now the secret’s out: You don’t need to work at DWR to get a deal. The next DWR warehouse sale is September 29–30 at the Potrero Warehouse. Learn more here.

Posted by Bradford Shellhammer

DWR at Dwell on Design.

 

This weekend Design Within Reach will participate in Dwell magazine's Dwell on Design Conference + Exhibition in San Francisco. As part of Dwell Outdoor, the outdoor exhibition featuring the best idea and products for modern outdoor living. DWR will be on hand with kitHaus and the Design Within Reach Airstream trailer. Please come by, say hello and check out the Airstream and a cool new prefab living solution.

Where? S.F. Concourse Exhibition Center at 635 Eighth Street
When? Saturday, September 15, noon-6pm and Sunday, September 16, 9am-5pm

Stylin' sneakers.

Last Friday night, over 100 people showed up for the final judging and party for the Puma Shoe Design Competition at the DWR Southlake Studio. Over 60 people entered the competition by designing a pair of Puma running shoes using Puma’s design website, Mongolian Shoe BBQ. It was great to see what so many people did with the chance to get creative. And with such great prizes, who wouldn’t want to give it a try? Puma awarded the top three winning designers with a pair of the shoes they designed. Plus, the first place winner, Carmen Menza (shown above), was given a limited-edition white leather bag from their new line, Urban Mobility. (Only 600 of these bags were produced. Ever.)  All of the guests got an opportunity to view the entire line of Urban Mobility clothing and bags, and got a sneak peak at the new Spring 2008 footwear line. As a huge Puma fan myself (last count of shoes was 54 pairs), this was a great opportunity to share a passion of mine – other than well-designed furniture and accessories – with the DWR community.

Posted by E. David Goltl, Proprietor-DWR Southlake Studio.

Congratulations to…

…us! DWR has been honored with a 2008 Gold Award in advertising by Graphis magazine. You may have seen our ads in fine publications like The New York Times, Dwell, The New Yorker or Elle Décor. Kudos to our creative team (senior designer, Tina Yuan; senior copywriter, Gwendolyn Horton; and marketing manager Frank Wild, all under the guidance of VP of marketing/creative director Jennifer Morla). Graphis was first published in 1944 in Zurich, Switzerland and is global in scope – aiming to document the most significant and influential communication work being produced today. We could say it’s an honor just to be nominated, but, to be honest, we’re really quite proud.

Jazzing it up in San Francisco.

Great fun was had by all at the Fillmore Studio last week during San Francisco’s Fillmore Jazz Festival. The festival attracts upwards of 90,000 folks, eager to enjoy some of the best Bay Area jazz. DWR Fillmore played a large part in this year’s festival by hosting a Creole-themed event. Seafood Gumbo, red beans and rice and fiery slaw were provided by Cajun Pacific San Francisco, a small weekend-only restaurant specializing in Creole food. Trumer Pils, a local Berkeley Brauerei, were kind enough to sponsor our event and it made a fine paring with the spicy Creole menu. But the main attraction was the three-piece band, Makeshift Elements, who are based in SF’s Mission District and feature a stand-up bass, guitar and keyboard. We drew a crowd of 300 for their three-hour set. It was a great event and a great opportunity for us to give back to the community.

Posted by Kelly Spain, Proprietor-DWR Fillmore.

Picnic at the Eames House (Case Study House #8)

The proprietors of DWR Studios in the Southwest had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at the Eames House last week. A bit off the beaten path, it took a couple of U-turns we finally made it to our destination in Pacific Palisades. We set up our picnic lunch under the shade of the eucalyptus trees swaying over the meadow. Bernadine Styburski, the executive director of the Eames Foundation, entertained us with stories about the history of the house and the legacy left by Charles and Ray.

The Eames House has recently been designated a National Historic Landmark. A public announcement was made at the Eames House on June 17, 2007 – which would have been Charles Eames’ 100th birthday. This is exciting because it protects the home and its site, ensuring future generations the opportunity to experience the spirit of the Eames House. Built in 1949 as part of the Case Study program, it was one of the first homes in the U.S. to use industrial materials in a residential setting. As such, it was an experiment in materials, technology and, ultimately, a way of living that came to define the post-World War II era. It represents an idea of a possible way to live, rather than simply a model to be replicated.

If you're in Southern California and want to visit, call 310.459.9663 to make an appointment. 

Posted by Susie Cordes, Proprietor-DWR Beverly Boulevard Studio.

Marmol Radziner + Associates at DWR.

DWR's Las Vegas Studio will present Leo Marmol of Marmol Radziner + Associates, an award-winning Los Angeles-based design/build firm that integrates architectural and landscape design with a full range of construction services. Join DWR in welcoming Leo Marmol, who will be on hand to discuss Marmol Radziner Prefab, their new line of prefab housing launched in 2005. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Thursday, July 26, 6-9pm, click here for directions and additional information.

The calm before the storm.

One more day before the launch of the highly anticipated Apple iPhone. Newspaper and radio reporters have been buzzing around the Town Square looking to gather bits of information on tomorrows launch. The predicted rain won't stop anyone from holding their place in line. I've received several calls from past customers wanting to know how good my relationship was with the team at Apple. Most want me to get them a “hook up”, or pick up two phones for them since I’m just next door. My reply is “sorry, I don’t even get special treatment.” One friend I made is actually getting paid $200 to stand in line. He’ll be here tomorrow morning, 10a.m. sharp; mind you, they won’t start selling the phone until 6pm. Can you say “Depends”?

Since I like to be a good neighbor, I've arranged for sodas, water, energy drinks and snacks from a local restaurant, Taco Diner, to be provided here in the studio. We'll also be doing a drawing for a $250 DWR Gift Certificate. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello. Just be careful not to cut the line.

Posted by E. David Goltl, Proprietor-DWR Southlake Studio.

The end of the road.

 
The 2007 Champagne Chair Tour, our 4th annual, is coming to an end in the coming week. This is your last chance to see the top 50 chairs from over 1,000 that were received, enjoy a glass of Veuve Clicquot and possibly meet some of the chair designers. The last two events are taking place at DWR Philadelphia tomorrow night and at DWR Cambridge next Tuesday, the 19th. Please come by and see what's popping.

Apartment Therapy winners are in.

Congratulations to Mia Sorgi, the 1st place winner of the Apartment Therapy Smallest, Coolest contest! The past month has been so much fun to see all the photos of the entrants homes. It felt like a mix of being a peeping tom and a design critic rolled into one, all from the comfort of my Aeron task chair. Thanks as well to the judges, including our own Michael Sainato, Art Director at Design Within Reach. Big thanks to Apartment Therapy for hosting such an engaging, fun contest. We can't wait for the next one. In the meantime, see all four winners here.

Small is the new big.

Got an ingeniously decorated apartment that's under 650 square feet? Share your design savvy with the world and enter Apartment Therapy's Smallest, Coolest contest. The Smallest, Coolest Apartment contest is a contest for all small apartments and homes in the world, under 650 square feet (60 square meters). Apartment Therapy is seeking the most ingenious and beautiful 160 submissions along with tips and resources to maximize our own homes. Entries will be accepted thru April 6th. We're excited to be the co-sponsor of the contest. Get going and enter today.

Modern Motorcycles

On March 14th, DWR's Flatiron Studio will host an event with North Shore Motorcycles, makers of custom luxury bikes and dealers of four American motorcycle brands. Custom motorcycles will be displayed in the Studio with the builders from NSMC on hand to answer questions. Emeco is providing a 1006 Navy Chair, which will be customized by NSMC and given away in a drawing at the end of the evening. Cocktails from Reyka Vodka and delicious sandwiches from 'wichcraft will be served. RSVP to flatiron@dwr.com.

Dining By Design 2007

Recently DWR was approached by the New York Times to help them design their table at DIFFA’s Dining by Design in New York. Michael Davis in our Chelsea Studio took on the project and here’s a recap of the experience:

I have always known about this event, but never thought I would have the opportunity to participate so directly. I had an image in my head of a fantasy world and suddenly remembered an artist (Diana Bryan) whose work reminded me of Tim Burton’s animation. I found an image called “New Hampshire Hotel” that she did for the New York Times Book Review over 20 years ago and I wanted this to be the walls for my design. The three surrounding walls were die-cut in PVC material and a half inch thick, which came to life when finished, immersing diners in the artwork. I designed the centerpiece, which was produced in black acrylic to house the very cool Vitra miniatures. For the dining space, I used the Cross Extension Table in oak and red Globus Chairs from Stua, which are exclusive to DWR.

Without the lighting, the room felt naked, but once the Arco Lamps were installed, the space felt intimate and inviting. I knew I went in the right design direction when Mr. Druckman, who is the President of the New York Design Center, said that my table was his favorite, I was shocked. Even Ted Allen from Queer Eye who was next to my table loved it. Also Michael Tavano and Vicente Wolf (who borrowed Panton Chairs from DWR for his table) expressed their words of “wow.”

The design represented an open approach to what design means to me and incorporated classics with new designs, which is a true view of DWR products. I was happy that my skills and the hard work of those who donated their time and products could be used for such a great cause like DIFFA.

Michael Davis
Account Executive – DWR Chelsea Studio

Champagne Chair Tour Kicks-off

On Thursday, March 8th, DWR's Fillmore Studio in San Francisco will host the first of sixteen nationwide events where the top 50 favorites from this year's Champagne Chair Contest will be on display. Please stop by, see the great entries, several of which come from the bay area, and have some Veuve Clicquot.

Their next appearance will be on Thursday the 15th at DWR San Jose.

CA Boom 4 in Santa Monica

For the past three years, the annual CA Boom Design Show has been a must-attend event for both the design trade and savvy consumers of good design. This year, CA Boom 4 will showcase an impressive line-up of acclaimed fine furniture designers, architects and tastemakers. CA Boom brings "early adopters" face to face with designers who are debuting new products, showcasing their businesses and exemplifying new ways of living and working. Running concurrently with the show, CA Boom will once again offer Design + Architecture Tours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. These tours spotlight some of the most exciting new or recently completed residential projects in three Westside neighborhoods (Santa Monica, Venice and West Los Angeles/MarVista).

CA Boom 4 happens Friday, March 30 through Sunday, April 1, 2007, at the Santa Monica Airport's Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Admission is $20; Design + Architecture tour tickets (includes same-day or return visit to the exhibit) are $75 or $200 for a three-day tour pass.

DWR newsletter and blog readers can save $4.00 on expo hall tickets or home tour tickets. Use code "DWR" at www.caboomshow.com.

Get a kick from Champagne?

It’s that time of year again – time for all you aspiring industrial designers to drink a couple bottles of Champagne and express your inner Eames in the form of a miniature chair. The Annual Champagne Chair Contest is, in my humble copywriting opinion, an apt expression of DWR’s voice and brand: fun and creativity combined with good taste. So, start drinking (or stop into a Studio and pick up a kit with everything you need, courtesy of Veuve Clicquot) and get crafting. Find out everything you need to know about the contest here.

Eco Modern

The DWR Boulder Studio hosted "Eco Modern: Green Design from the
University of Colorado" on December 8. The event, the culmination of a
collaboration with the College of Architecture and Planning's "Green
Tech" course, showcased the work of undergraduate architecture students.
The students were challenged to design and fabricate sustainable
furniture prototypes with a "cradle-to-cradle" emphasis on materiality,
embodied energy, lifecycle and minimal waste production techniques. Our
involvement included meeting with students at the beginning of each of
three semesters and participating in their mid-term and final critiques
to help them refine their designs. The best designs were selected for
exhibition at the Boulder studio. We were blown away by the energy,
attention to detail, and investment in their prototypes. Some guests
were hard-pressed to discern the student work from the DWR assortment,
which students considered the ultimate compliment.

Posted by Meghan Sheedy, Boulder Studio

Crossing Boundaries

Last week DWR’s Flatiron studio (I work there so stop in and say hello sometime) hosted an event in conjunction with Waterworks celebrating the launch of interior designer Vicente Wolf’s newest book Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design. Wolf presented a slideshow of his work and signed books afterwards.

Obviously, the event has come and gone but we’d be remiss not to point out just how much we’ve fallen in love with the book.  It is 200 pages of his work and a story of how his travels have affected his design aesthetic.  The people, colors, textiles, products and landscapes of his many trips find ways into his work, both directly (a textile from a foreign country) and indirectly (a colorway from a riverbed halfway across the world). Wolf’s impressive resume includes residential designs for Clive Davis and the NYC restaurant Alto, pictured above.

He is also a designer who understands “modern” without overtly embracing it.  During his lecture he suggested mixing both modern and traditional in equal parts, thus allowing each part of an interior’s mixture to stand out and tell a story.  It is great book, full of wonderful ideas. 

MODERN + DESIGN + FUNCTION

For the third year in a row, Chicago's North Avenue Studio is hosting a juried furniture competition entitled, MODERN + DESIGN + FUNCTION: Chicago Furniture Now to support new, innovative furniture designs by emerging Chicago designers. The contest has attracted the attention of the regional design community. Chicago Furniture Now was created to foster new ideas in modern furniture design in the Chicago area. A panel of judges made up of respected professionals in architecture, art, design and fashion will select 20-25 top entries to be exhibited, making this a great opportunity for up-and-coming designers and design firms to have their original work juried.

Please review the application [pdf] and the complete rules.

Application deadline: Friday, January 12, 2007, 7pm.
Approximately 20-25 of the top entries will be exhibited Thursday, February 15, 2007, 6:30-9:30pm.

Marmol Radziner + Associates

DWR's Berkeleys Studio will present Leo Marmol of Marmol Radziner + Associates, an award-winning Los Angeles-based design/build firm that integrates architectural and landscape design with a full range of construction services. Join DWR in welcoming Leo Marmol, who will be on hand to discuss Marmol Radziner Prefab, their new line of prefab housing launched in 2005. His presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Refreshments from Trumer Pils.

Thursday, October 26, 6:30–8:30pm, click here for directions.

Best of Brazil

The folks in our Adams Morgan Studio have partnered with CORE architecture + design and the Embassy of Brazil to host an incredibly special evening for design fans in the DC area. This is a rare opportunity to hear Paulo Mendes da Rocha, recipient of the 2006 Pritzker Prize, speak about his creative process and his vision of “honest design.” Martha Thorne, the executive director of the Pritzker Prize, will also be on hand to present a history and overview of the prize. Lastly, one lucky raffle-winning attendee will go home with a Paulistano Chair of their own.

DWR Adams Morgan Studio
Tuesday, October 26, 7pm.
Click here for more information.

Right at home for $100,000

People everywhere are eager to find out where they can find the perfect (and highly elusive) house for $100,000. Last week, bunches of these folks gathered in DWR’s Studio in Manhattan’s Flatiron District where Karrie Jacobs, author of The Perfect $100,000 House was on hand to sign copies of her book and share tales from her cross-country jaunt. On October 22nd, Seattleites will have this same opportunity. Click here for more information. 

Eames Film Festival Redux

Big thanks to everyone across the country who came out to see the films of Ray and Charles Eames on the “big screen.” It looks like you’ve been telling your aunts, roommates from college and the guy at your local market, because we’ve received several requests for a second round of events in new areas. By popular demand, we’ll be showing Powers of Ten, The Lounge Chair and other influential films created by the famous multidisciplinary design duo in the following cities on the following dates:

Westport, CT – November 16
Roslyn, Long Island – November 30
Upper East Side, Manhattan – December 7
Dallas, TX – December 7

More info can be found here and don't forget you can purchase the Eames Films Volume 1-5 set here, all proceeds going directly to the Eames Foundation.

MODERN Milwaukee

In our continued quest to find the next big designers, DWR is launching MODERN Milwaukee, a design competition to find the finest new talent in the Milwaukee area. We’ve assembled a top-notch panel of jurors to lend their insights: Bob Rinder, president of the Milwaukee Institute of Architecture and Design; Joe Ketner, chief curator of the Milwaukee Art Museum; Tom Bamberger, photographer and local architecture and arts writer and Jeremy Shamrowicz, principle of Flux Design. Join us on October 20, during Historic Third Ward Gallery Night, when the selected winners will be on display.

Or, if you’re interested in entering, click here. Entries are due by September 15.