Vtg 60-70s Mid Century Modern Orange RUG Wall Art Work DANISH MCM RYA Style

Description: Vintage RUG or use as ARTWORK WALL HANGING $ Vintage Mid Century Modern Orange RUG Art Work Wall Hanging MidCentury Mid-Century Danish RYA Style MCM Retro Design. Can be used as a rug or hanging wall artwork Measures about 65 inches x 54 inches The seam in middle is slightly separated but with a nice fluff will look nice. Otherwise unmarked so selling in the style of rya. Have no idea of the maker. Vintage preowned used condition is consistent with age and wear. Looks like yarn, high pile shag-like. No holes, rips, tears. Has lint hair dirt dust. Needs cleaning. May have pilling, scuffs, rubs, marks, and dirt dust. Mid-century modern (MCM) is a design movement in interior, product, graphic design, architecture, and urban development that was popular in the United States and Europe from roughly 1945 to 1969,[1][2] during the United States's post–World War II period. The term was used descriptively as early as the mid-1950s and was defined as a design movement by Cara Greenberg in her 1984 book Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. It is now recognized by scholars and museums worldwide as a significant design movement. The MCM design aesthetic is modern in style and construction, aligned with the Modernist movement of the period. It is typically characterized by clean, simple lines and honest use of materials, and it generally does not include decorative embellishments. Architecture This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)Mid-century modern architectureCalifornia Mid-Century Modern Home with open-beam ceiling 1960.jpgTract house in Tujunga, California, featuring open-beamed ceilings, c. 1960Years active1945–1969CountryUnited StatesInfluencesInternational, Bauhaus Detail of Copan, a Niemeyer building in São Paulo, Oscar NiemeyerThe mid-century modern movement in the U.S. was an American reflection of the International and Bauhaus movements, including the works of Gropius, Florence Knoll, Le Corbusier, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.[3] Although the American component was slightly more organic in form and less formal than the International Style, it is more firmly related to it than any other. Brazilian and Scandinavian architects were very influential at this time, with a style characterized by clean simplicity and integration with nature. Like many of Wright's designs, Mid-century architecture was frequently employed in residential structures with the goal of bringing modernism into America's post-war suburbs. This style emphasized creating structures with ample windows and open floor plans, with the intention of opening up interior spaces and bringing the outdoors in. Many Mid-century houses utilized then-groundbreaking post and beam architectural design that eliminated bulky support walls in favor of walls seemingly made of glass. Function was as important as form in Mid-century designs, with an emphasis placed on targeting the needs of the average American family. Eichler Homes – Foster Residence, Granada HillsIn Europe, the influence of Le Corbusier and the CIAM resulted in an architectural orthodoxy manifest across most parts of post-war Europe that was ultimately challenged by the radical agendas of the architectural wings of the avant-garde Situationist International, COBRA, as well as Archigram in London. A critical but sympathetic reappraisal of the internationalist oeuvre, inspired by Scandinavian Moderns such as Alvar Aalto, Sigurd Lewerentz and Arne Jacobsen, and the late work of Le Corbusier himself, was reinterpreted by groups such as Team X, including structuralist architects such as Aldo van Eyck, Ralph Erskine, Denys Lasdun, Jørn Utzon and the movement known in the United Kingdom as New Brutalism. Pioneering builder and real estate developer Joseph Eichler was instrumental in bringing Mid-century modern architecture ("Eichler Homes") to subdivisions in the Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay region of California, and select housing developments on the east coast. George Fred Keck, his brother Willam Keck, Henry P. Glass, Mies van der Rohe, and Edward Humrich created Mid-century modern residences in the Chicago area. Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House is extremely difficult to heat or cool, while Keck and Keck were pioneers in the incorporation of passive solar features in their houses to compensate for their large glass windows. Mid-century modern in Palm Springs Miller House, by Richard NeutraThe city of Palm Springs, California is noted for its many examples of Mid-century modern architecture.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][excessive citations] Architects include:[11][12] Welton Becket: Bullock's Palm Springs (with Wurdeman) (1947) (demolished, 1996[13])John Porter Clark: Welwood Murray Library (1937); Clark Residence (1939) (on the El Minador golf course); Palm Springs Women's Club (1939)William F. Cody: Stanley Goldberg residence;[14] Del Marcos Motel (1947); L'Horizon Hotel, for Jack Wrather and Bonita Granville (1952); remodel of Thunderbird Country Club clubhouse (c. 1953) (Rancho Mirage); Tamarisk Country Club (1953) (Rancho Mirage) (now remodeled); Huddle Springs restaurant (1957); St. Theresa Parish Church (1968); Palm Springs Library (1975)Craig Ellwood: Max Palevsky House (1970)Albert Frey: Palm Springs City Hall (with Clark and Chambers) (1952–57); Palm Springs Fire Station #1 (1955); Tramway Gas Station (1963); Movie Colony Hotel; Kocher-Samson Building (1934) (with A. Lawrence Kocher); Raymond Loewy House (1946); Villa Hermosa Resort (1946); Frey House I (1953); Frey House II (1963); Carey-Pirozzi house (1956); Christian Scientist Church (1957); Alpha Beta Shopping Center (1960) (demolished)Victor Gruen: City National Bank (now Bank of America) (1959)[15] (designed as an homage to the Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, by Le Corbusier)A. Quincy Jones: Palm Springs Tennis Club (with Paul R. Williams) (1946); Town & Country Center (with Paul R. Williams) (1947–50); J.J. Robinson House (with Frederick E. Emmons) (1957); Ambassador and Mrs. Walter H. Annenberg House (with Frederick E. Emmons) (1963)William Krisel:[16] Ocotillo Lodge(1957); House of Tomorrow(1962).[17]John Lautner: Desert Hot Springs Motel (1947); Arthur Elrod House (1968) (interiors used in filming James Bond's Diamonds Are Forever); Hope Residence (1973)John Black Lee: Specialized in residential houses. Lee House 1 (1952), Lee House 2 (1956) for which he won the Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects, Day House (1965), * System House (1961), Rogers House (1957), Ravello (1960)Gene Leedy: The Sarasota School of Architecture, sometimes called Sarasota Modern, is a regional style of post-war architecture that emerged on Florida's Central West Coast.Frederick Monhoff: Palm Springs Biltmore Resort (1948) (demolished, 2003[13])Richard Neutra (Posthumous AIA Gold Medal honoree): Grace Lewis Miller house (1937) (includes her Mensendlieck posture therapy studio);[18] Kaufmann Desert House (1946);[19] Samuel and Luella Maslon House, Tamarisk Country Club, Rancho Mirage (1962) (demolished 2003)[13]William Pereira: Robinson's (1953)William Gray Purcell (with protégé Van Evera Bailey): Purcell House (1933) (cubist modern)Donald Wexler: Steel Developmental Houses,[20] Sunny View Drive (1961). Home developer, Alexander Homes, popularized this post-and-beam architectural style in the Coachella Valley. Alexander houses and similar homes feature low-pitched roofs, wide eaves, open-beamed ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows.[7]: 66–75 E. Stewart Williams: Frank Sinatra House (1946) (with piano-shaped pool); Oasis commercial building (with interiors by Paul R. Williams) (1952); William and Marjorie Edris House (1954); Mari and Steward Williams House (1956); Santa Fe Federal Savings Building (1958); Coachella Valley Savings & Loan (now Washington Mutual) (1960); Palm Springs Desert Museum (1976)Paul Williams: Palm Springs Tennis Club (with Jones) (1946)Frank Lloyd Wright Jr.: Oasis Hotel (1923)Walter Wurdeman: Bullock's Palm Springs (with Welton Becket) (1947) (demolished 1996)[13]Examples of 1950s Palm Springs motel architecture include Ballantines Movie Colony (1952) – one portion is the 1935 Albert Frey San Jacinto Hotel – the Coral Sands Inn (1952), and the Orbit Inn (1957).[21] Restoration projects have been undertaken to return many of these residences and businesses to their original condition.[22] Industrial designScandinavian design was very influential at this time, with a style characterized by simplicity, democratic design and natural shapes. Glassware (Iittala – Finland), ceramics (Arabia – Finland), tableware (Georg Jensen – Denmark), lighting (Poul Henningsen – Denmark), and furniture (Danish modern) were some of the genres for the products created. In America, east of the Mississippi, the American-born Russel Wright, designing for Steubenville Pottery, and Hungarian-born Eva Zeisel designing for Red Wing Pottery and later Hall China created free-flowing ceramic designs that were much admired and heralded in the trend of smooth, flowing contours in dinnerware. On the West Coast of America the industrial designer and potter Edith Heath (1911–2005) founded Heath Ceramics in 1948. The company was one of the numerous California pottery manufacturers that had their heyday in post-war US, and produced Mid-Century modern ceramic dish-ware. Edith Heath's "Coupe" line remains in demand and has been in constant production since 1948, with only periodic changes to the texture and color of the glazes.[23] The Tamac Pottery company produced a line of mid-century modern biomorphic dinnerware and housewares between 1946 to 1972.[24] Social mediumPrinted ephemera documenting the mid-century transformations in design, architecture, landscape, infrastructure, and entertainment include mid-century linen post cards from the early 1930s to the late 1950s. These post cards came about through innovations pioneered through the use of offset lithography. The cards were produced on paper with a high rag content, which gave the post card a textured look and feel. At the time this was a less expensive process. Along with advances in printing technique, mid-century linen postcards allowed for very vibrant ink colors. The encyclopedic geographic imagery of mid-century linen post cards suggests popular middle class attitudes about nature, wilderness, technology, mobility and the city during the mid-20th century.[25] Curt Teich in Chicago[26] was the most prominent and largest printer and publisher of Linen Type postcards[27] pioneering lithography with his "Art Colortone" process.[28] Other large publishers include Stanley Piltz in San Francisco, who established the "Pictorial Wonderland Art Tone Series", Western Publishing and Novelty Company in Los Angeles and the Tichnor Brothers in Boston.[29] The printing of mid-century linen post cards began to give way in the late 1950s to Kodachrome and Ektachrome color prints. ExamplesArchitectureMain Terminal at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, by Eero SaarinenMain Terminal at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, by Eero Saarinen Palacio da Alvorada, official residence of the President of Brazil, by Oscar NiemeyerPalacio da Alvorada, official residence of the President of Brazil, by Oscar Niemeyer National Congress of Brazil, Oscar NiemeyerNational Congress of Brazil, Oscar Niemeyer MIT Chapel by Eero SaarinenMIT Chapel by Eero Saarinen North Christian Church, Columbus, Indiana, US, the final work of Eero SaarinenNorth Christian Church, Columbus, Indiana, US, the final work of Eero Saarinen Stahl House, designed by Pierre KoenigStahl House, designed by Pierre Koenig Helsinki, Finland – University of Technology – Auditorium, by Alvar AaltoHelsinki, Finland – University of Technology – Auditorium, by Alvar Aalto Sierra Towers in West Hollywood, California, by Jack A. CharneySierra Towers in West Hollywood, California, by Jack A. Charney Hotel Casino de la Selva, Cuernavaca, Mexico, by Félix CandelaHotel Casino de la Selva, Cuernavaca, Mexico, by Félix Candela Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design by Carl MastonCal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design by Carl Maston The 360 at Founders Plaza in Oklahoma CityThe 360 at Founders Plaza in Oklahoma City Riverplace Tower, Jacksonville, Florida, by Welton BecketRiverplace Tower, Jacksonville, Florida, by Welton Becket St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Gary, Indiana by Edward D. DartSt. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Gary, Indiana by Edward D. Dart Courthouse Annex Building, (now demolished) Jacksonville, Florida, by Reynolds, Smith & HillsCourthouse Annex Building, (now demolished) Jacksonville, Florida, by Reynolds, Smith & Hills CSX Transportation Building, Jacksonville, Florida, by KBJ ArchitectsCSX Transportation Building, Jacksonville, Florida, by KBJ Architects Del Prado Condominiums, Balboa Park, San Diego, by William KriselDel Prado Condominiums, Balboa Park, San Diego, by William Krisel UCI Langson Library, Irvine Ranch, CaliforniaUCI Langson Library, Irvine Ranch, California Bullock's Pasadena, California, 1949Bullock's Pasadena, California, 1949 Alden Dow House and Studio, Midland, Michigan, by Alden B. DowAlden Dow House and Studio, Midland, Michigan, by Alden B. Dow Adventkerk, The Hague, the Netherlands, by K.L. Sijmons, 1954Adventkerk, The Hague, the Netherlands, by K.L. Sijmons, 1954 State Quad, one of four identical quadrangle dormitories, at the University at Albany, New YorkState Quad, one of four identical quadrangle dormitories, at the University at Albany, New York FurnitureEgg chair by Arne JacobsenEgg chair by Arne Jacobsen Grand Prix by Arne JacobsenGrand Prix by Arne Jacobsen Eames Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray EamesEames Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames Noguchi table by Isamu NoguchiNoguchi table by Isamu Noguchi Diamond chair by Harry BertoiaDiamond chair by Harry Bertoia Comprehensive Storage Unit by George NelsonComprehensive Storage Unit by George Nelson A mid-century modern flair applied to a record playerA mid-century modern flair applied to a record player Additional notable namesGregory AinAlfons Bach[30]Milo BaughmanAl BeadleHarry BertoiaRobin BoydMarcel BreuerRobert C. BrowardMark ByrneJack Allen CharneyVictor Christ-JanerWilliam CurryEdward D. DartCharles and Ray EamesJoseph EichlerArthur EricksonO'Neil FordPaul T. FranklEric GnantBertrand GoldbergCharles GoodmanMax GottschalkEileen GrayLawrence HalprinPaul HamiltonTaylor HardwickRalph HaverFinn JuhlVladimir KaganLouis KahnPoul KjaerholmKaare KlintHenry KlumbPierre KoenigFlorence KnollWilliam KriselMogens LassenPaul LaszloJohn LautnerRoger LeeCharles LuckmanCarl MastonCliff MayPaul McCobbJohn Randal McDonaldEmil MilanWilliam MorganBørge MogensenGeorge NelsonOscar NiemeyerSvend NielsenIsamu NoguchiVerner PantonTommi ParzingerAdrian PearsallWalter PierceWarren PlatnerJean ProuvéIra RakatanskyJens RisomPaul RudolphEero SaarinenRichard SchultzPaul SchweikherHarry SeidlerAvriel ShullMel SmilowMaurice K. SmithAlison and Peter SmithsonRaphael SorianoRussell SpannerEdward Durell StoneArt TroutnerOle WanscherHans WegnerDavid Weidman[31]Russel WrightEva ZeiselSee alsoiconArchitecture portalAtomic AgeButterfly roofCase Study HousesDanish modernDingbatGoogie architectureMiami Modern architectureMiller HouseModern architectureModernismPopuluxeUnited Productions of America Mid-century modern is not so old-fashioned anymore. We all know that styles are cyclical and, of course, the world of interior design is not exempt. The best aesthetics will be popular again and again. Right now, mid-century-modern design is making a comeback and, if you ask us, it’s for good reason. What is it about this aesthetic that keeps us coming back more than half a century later? We’ll tell you why mid-century modern will never really leave us and how to work the style into your interiors while making sure they are rooted in the new millennium. After all, sometimes the old way of doing things really is the right way. You can achieve a modern take on any classic look. What Is mid-century modern?Caucasian man relaxing in living roomEric Raptosh Photography/ Getty ImagesInterestingly, this style doesn’t just refer to aspects of interior design. Mid-century design is commonly used as a descriptor for any architecture, furniture, accessories, materials, and technologies that grew in popularity after the end of World War II. Look for furniture with clean lines and simple shapes for a better idea of the personality of mid-century-modern décor. So, if you’ve ever seen an episode of Mad Men, you’re already familiar with mid-century-modern design. In fact, the term was coined in 1984 by author Cara Greenberg. She used it to discuss the signature looks of the 1950s in her book Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. Though the moniker has become a bit broad in the past few decades, it’s most commonly used to refer to the styles that became popular in the post-World War II landscape. While there may be a few variations, most people agree that this time period extends from 1945-1969. It showcases simplicity.Mid Century Modern house in Los Angeles, California. Open plan kitchen area with natural light.John Edward Linden/ Getty ImagesWhen you look at design projects that follow a mid-century-modern style, the one thing you won’t see is tons of excess. Rather than requiring a bunch of ornate embellishments, the mid-century look is all about stripping items down to their barest elements and letting their function become the star. Keep this in mind when it comes to choosing the items that will fill your space. Look for furniture that has clean lines and, if needed, multiple uses. Stick to décor items that are modern or geometric in their aesthetic. This concept should also be taken into account when it comes to designing the layout of your space. Rather than cluttering up the room, focus on choosing one strong focal area that will dictate the room’s function. For example, consider using a statement table in your dining room or creating an inviting seating area in your living room. Then, don’t be afraid to step back and allow negative space to play a key role in your design. It lets us play with color.Modern table with chairs in a luxury hotel bedroompepmiba/ Getty ImagesOf course, when you focus on bringing simplistic shapes into your space, it becomes necessary to add a layer of visual interest elsewhere. The mid-century-modern look does that by incorporating bold pops of color. Don’t be afraid to embrace bold colors. Brooke Schneider, a designer based in Long Beach, Calif., explains it best: “When homeowners think ‘color,’ they often think of the bright hues of the mid-century time period. With clear, cheerful colors, the 1950s exhibited a new American outlook of optimism that was comfortably removed from the drab war years.” Don’t be afraid to go big with shades like blueberry, citron, or fire-engine red. Just be sure to avoid mixing multiple loud colors as they did in that time period. Doing so might make your space look more outdated than retro-inspired. Instead, focus on tempering one colorful statement piece with more neutral hues to ensure a modern twist on this style of design. It connects us with nature.Mid Century Modern House, Los Angeles, CaliforniaJohn Edward Linden/ Getty ImagesIntegrating nature is a key component of the mid-century-modern look. Since mid-century-modern interior design is all about simplicity, it makes sense that this school of style would harbor a strong connection to nature. In particular, those who are looking for ways to embrace sustainable design may be interested in what this aesthetic has to offer. First, it’s important to consider how nature can affect the layout of the space. In mid-century architecture, large windows often play a key role. But anyone can work off those principles by making windows the focal point of your space whenever possible and making sure that they stay unencumbered from heavy drapery. As for the design elements to fill your space, focus on choosing items made from natural materials such as wood, metal, leather, or cotton textiles. Don’t be afraid to bring the outside in by adding greenery to accent your design The mid-century-modern school of design also includes architecture.midcentury poolScott Van Dyke/ Getty ImagesThere’s a reason why mid-century-modern design is present in our consciousness after over a half-century since its debut. Whether it’s the clean lines, bold colors or connection to nature, this school of style is currently making a big comeback in interior design. The philosophies behind mid-century-modern interior design translate exceptionally well over to architecture. A rya or rye is a traditional Scandinavian wool rug with a long pile of about 1 to 3 inches.[1] They are made using a form of the Ghiordes knot to make the double-sided pile fabric.[2] Though rya means "rug" in English, the original meaning in Sweden of rya was a bed cover with a knotted pile.[3] The first ryas originated in the early fifteenth century as coarse, long-piled, heavy covers used by mariners instead of furs.[4] As time progressed, the rugs have evolved to be lighter and more colorful.[4] The insulation that ryas provide protects against the cold Scandinavian climate.[2][4] Ryas are a knotted pile carpet, with each knot composed of three strands of wool, which enables the rug to exhibit rich texture from all the different shades of color.[5] The name originates from a village in southwest Sweden.[6] The term rya may also refer to a breed of sheep whose wool is used to make rya carpets (see Rya (sheep)). History A traditional rya rug, dated to 1733In the early 9th to 10th centuries, Islamic silk textiles were introduced to Scandinavia by Viking merchants who traded in Russia and the Byzantine Empire.[7] Subsequently, the Scandinavian region acquired knotted pile carpets from the Ottomans in Anatolia.[7] In fact, the Marby rug, one of the earliest surviving Turkish carpets was found in the Church of Marby near Jämtland, Sweden.[7] Eventually, Scandinavians themselves produced rugs influenced by the oriental rug design.[7] Ryas in Norway have dated back to the early 15th century.[8] During this time, they were worn by sailors, seal hunters, and fishermen to protect them from the frigid seas.[4] Before the rya rug in Sweden, peasants would sleep between fur skins, but the skins could become stiff and the fur could not be washed.[3] The peasants then used wool plucked directly from the sheep without spinning to simulate fur as close as possible.[3] They used the natural colors of the wool, which were black, white, and grey, to make simple patterns in the high pile.[3] During the weaving, the wool was knotted in.[3] The pile side of the rya had a soft sheen that resembled fur and was placed facing the body just like the fur skins were used previously.[3] The pattern of the flat surface of other side was given less attention, and was the part on which the owner worked in their initials into the striped geometric design.[3] Later, the wool was put into hot water before being used, which shrunk, stiffened, and tightened the wool.[3] Consequently, the rugs were more durable, but were not as soft and glossy as earlier rya rugs.[3] At around 1690, a new kind of rya emerged that mimicked foreign Baroque floral patterns, woven by the daughters and wives of burghers in Stockholm and later in the country.[3] This new rya had shorter piles and closer rows of knots, which made the rug lighter.[3] Additionally, the pile side now faced up to display the design.[3] Motifs from cross-stitch samplers were incorporated into the rya if foreign Baroque fabric was not available to copy.[3] The new rya concept spread from southern Sweden to northern Sweden.[3] Thus, the rya no longer kept its original practical role and instead became a daytime spread, thus forming the basis of modern-day rya rugs.[3] In Sweden, ryas were used by the nobility as bedding as well as a display of social status.[6] However, by the 17th century, they lost their popularity with the nobility, and became bedding for the lower classes.[8] In eighteenth century Finland, ryas became decorative, with animal, flower, and symbolic designs.[8] They were used in weddings as prayer rugs.[8] Rya rugs were part of the bride's dowry,[9] and the brides were married standing on them.[2] These ryas would be displayed in the home like tapestries as mementos of the wedding and would often be passed down for generations as family heirlooms.[6] A rya blanketIn the 1970s, rya rugs became popular in the United States, though shag carpet was not extensively advertised or promoted by trendsetters.[10] Finnish hand-knotted rya rugs were expensive and considered trendy.[10] Some say that the shag rugs helped keep people warm during times of cold weather during the 1973 oil crisis when energy was expensive, but the rugs' popularity began before this period.[10] oday,Today, more than ever, the midcentury modern look is everywhere. DVRs are set to capture Mad Men's final season playing out on AMC. Flip through the April issue of Elle Décor, and you'll find that more than half of the featured homes prominently include midcentury furniture pieces. Turn on The Daily Show and you'll see the guests sitting in classic Knoll office chairs. If you dine in a contemporary restaurant tonight, there's a good chance you'll be seated in a chair that was designed in the 1950s—whether it is an Eames, Bertoia, Cherner, or Saarinen. A few years back, you could stamp your mail with an Eames postage stamp. ADMeanwhile, type the words "midcentury" and "modern" into any furniture retailer's search pane, and you'll likely come up with dozens of pieces labeled with these design-world buzzwords—despite the fact that there is nothing "midcentury" about the items they describe. Over the past two decades, a term describing a specific period of design has become the marketing descriptor du jour. AD"Midcentury modern" itself is a difficult term to define. It broadly describes architecture, furniture, and graphic design from the middle of the 20th century (roughly 1933 to 1965, though some would argue the period is specifically limited to 1947 to 1957). The timeframe is a modifier for the larger modernist movement, which has roots in the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century and also in the post-World War I period. Herman Miller pieces. Image courtesy Herman Miller.Author Cara Greenberg coined the phrase "midcentury modern" as the title for her 1984 book, Midcentury Modern: Furniture of the 1950s. In 1983, Greenberg had written a piece for Metropolitan Home about 1950s furniture, and an editor at Crown urged her to write a book on the topic. As for the phrase "midcentury modern," Greenberg "just made that up as the book's title," she says. A New York Times review of the book acknowledged that Greenberg's tome hit on a trend. "Some love it and others simply can't stand it, but there is no denying that the 50's are back in vogue again. Cara Greenberg, the author of 'Mid- Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950's' ($30, Harmony Books) manages to convey the verve, imagination and the occasional pure zaniness of the period." The book was an immediate hit, selling more than 100,000 copies, and once "midcentury modern" entered the lexicon, the phrase was quickly adopted by both the design world and the mainstream. The popularity of midcentury modern design today has roots at the time of Greenberg's book. Most of the designs of the midcentury had gone out of fashion by the late 60s, but in the early- to mid-eighties, interest in the period began to return. Within a decade, vintage midcentury designs were increasingly popular, and several events helped to boost midcentury modern's appeal from a niche group of design enthusiasts into the mainstream. ADBy the mid-90s, a niche market of collectors had already driven up prices of the original midcentury designs. A New York Times article notes that an original Eames molded plywood folding screen, which had been out of production, was worth as much as $10,000 in 1994. In December 1999, a George Nelson Marshmallow sofa sold for an unprecedented $66,000. A year later, two George Nelson "pretzel" armchairs sold for just over $2,500 apiece, while a 1965 George Nakashima cabinet sold for $20,700. Some midcentury furniture designs, like the iconic Eames Lounge Chair, never went out of production, but many others had fallen out of production by the mid 90s. And even getting your hands on the pieces that were still being produced would have been challenging without an architect or a designer to order a piece for you. In the early 1990s that began to change: In 1993, Knoll, a major manufacturer of iconic midcentury designs, opened its SoHo showroom, once to-the-trade only (meaning pieces were sold only to designers and architects, not to consumers), to retail shoppers. Knoll's direct-to-consumer strategy was in part a reaction to a major downturn in the office furniture market in the late 1980s and early 1990s—the company needed to increase its customer base to make up for lost office business. The manufacturer also did away with special pricing for architects and designers (typically 40 percent less), and instead offered the lower prices to anyone who walked into the showroom. ADKnoll immediately saw a huge boost in business, and eventually converted its contract showrooms into "more visible, consumer-oriented sales centers." As the years passed, more and more pieces that were once to-the-trade only would become available directly to average consumers. Simultaneously, the 90s brought about reissues of many iconic midcentury designs. Furniture manufacturer Herman Miller was synonymous with the midcentury modern style during its heyday. Under the guidance of George Nelson, Herman Miller was among the first companies to produce modern furniture. However, by 1994, Herman Miller had scaled back its business to focus almost exclusively on office furniture and had been out of the residential furniture market for 30 years. Like Knoll, Herman Miller would have been impacted by the downturn in the office furniture marketplace. Noticing a trend towards people working at home and creating home offices, Herman Miller saw an opportunity to return to the retail market. The company decided to reissue pieces from the Herman Miller archive under the name Herman Miller for the Home, and to offer these pieces directly to consumers. The new pieces remained true to the original designs, but they were updated to use current fabric and material technology (the reissues were also stamped with a medallion to distinguish them from vintage pieces). The company was also motivated by consumer frustration, according to Mark Shurman, director of corporate communications for Herman Miller. Both the limited number of vintage pieces and the low-quality knock-offs that had flooded the marketplace inspired Herman Miller to reissue the beloved designs. By bringing these classic designs back into production, Herman Miller was protecting its designs and its reputation. The copycat market also gave Herman Miller confidence that the designs had a market. Herman Miller also took an early wager on e-commerce, launching a website in 1998. The company's bets paid off: From the moment they were reintroduced, the Herman Miller pieces have been in high demand. The sales of the contemporary reproductions of the vintage midcentury designs got a huge boost in 1999, when a California entrepreneur, Rob Forbes, launched Design Within Reach, a direct-mail catalog and online business. (While many make fun of the company's name today, it was meant to describe the ease with which consumers could purchase the products, not their prices.) Not only did DWR give consumers direct access to midcentury modern pieces that were once sold only to the trade, but the catalogs also functioned as a design education for the masses. Every piece of furniture was accompanied by a biography of the product's designer, making Eames, Noguchi, and Saarinen into household names. DWR quickly became Herman Miller's largest retailer. A pair of Knoll Barcelona chairs once owned by Charles Gwathmey, offered for $24,000 via 1stdibs.com.At the low end of the collectors' market, vintage mass-produced pieces commanded (and still command) what some might consider astonishing prices for items that were made by the thousand. Today, an Eames fiberglass shell chair in good condition might sell for just $150, but an Eames Lounge Chair from the 1970s can command easily $7,000. (Prices for some pieces did drop-off with the reissues and the advent of eBay, which made the vintage market more accessible. For example, it would be unusual for an original Eames screen to command today the $10,000 that the New York Times mentioned in the late 1990s.) And prices can quickly climb: collectors of the midcentury value the patina of age on the original pieces, and are willing to pay, especially if a piece is in original, non-restored, condition or has an interesting provenance. A pair of Barcelona chairs, another common design, was recently offered for $24,000 on 1stdibs.com, an online marketplace for antiques (a similar pair with no provenance might fetch a mere $4,000), but collectors would have been paying a premium to own chairs that came from the estate of architect Charles Gwathmey. ADMany of the sites dedicated to second-hand furniture sales are flooded with genuine midcentury designs, but they are also overwhelmed with thousands of pieces that are labeled "midcentury modern" but are not of any design significance. Savvy sellers may even add a list of major designers and manufacturers to their listing keywords to lure collectors to click on non-designer items. The Carlo Mollino table that sold for $3.9 million. Image courtesy Christie's Images Ltd.True collectors aren't just snapping up vintage Eames lounge chairs. Rather, they are after one-of-a-kind pieces that have documented history and provenance. The market for these midcentury gems has exploded in the last ten years. Joshua Holdeman, Sotheby's worldwide head of 20th-century design, points to the 2005 auction of a Carlo Mollino table that sold for $3.9 million as a turning point for midcentury modern furniture's auction market. "It was the first time that something in the midcentury had made such a breakout price," says Holdeman. "That [sale] was a signifier that these objects were extremely important in the history of design—and to collectors." Media also played a role in midcentury modern's popularity. Wallpaper* and Dwell are two magazines that deserve much credit for championing the midcentury look. Wallpaper launched in 1996 and Dwell in 2000. The mainstream design media has also taken notice of the trend; the now-mostly-traditional House Beautiful, for example, devoted multiple pages to Herman Miller for the Home's launch in 1994 (after having covered midcentury modern design extensively in the 1960s). In its review of the century, Time magazine called the Eames Molded Plywood Chair the "Best Design of the 20th Century," describing the design as "something elegant, light and comfortable. Much copied but never bettered." Mentions of "mid-century modern" and "midcentury modern" in the New York Times show a sharp upward spike from the mid-80s to the present day. ADCultural institutions also did their part to celebrate the midcentury designs. The Museum of Modern Art, in particular, championed the modernist furniture movement from its start. MoMA's 1940 "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition brought attention to modern design (the competition was won by two then-unknown students, Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, who collaborated on a chair design). The Museum was so interested in promoting modern design that visitors could actually sit on the furniture in the 1941 exhibition of the finalists from the Organic Design competition. Just five years later, MoMA devoted an entire show to Eames's furniture designs. More recent exhibitions have raised the public's awareness of midcentury design. In 1999, the Library of Congress organized an expansive exhibition devoted to the work of Charles and Ray Eames. The show was mounted in six major cities over three years, making Eames a household name around the globe. A decade later, MoMA exhibited a selection of more than 100 midcentury objects from its design collection under the title "What Was Good Design? MoMA's Message 1944-56." In 2001, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presented the first major study of midcentury modern California design, "California Design, 1930-1965: "Living in a Modern Way." Exhibitions of midcentury modern design continue to be popular across the country; in fact, the LACMA exhibit was still touring last year, when it was shown at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts. In 2014, The Contemporary Jewish Museum presented "Designing Home: Jews and Midcentury Modernism." The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has an event scheduled for April 10 called "Mad Style: Midcentury Modern Design." Inspired by Mad Men, the event offers a curator-led tour of MFA's collection of midcentury design and cocktails and encourages guests to "dress in your 1950's chic." As MFA's event suggests, popular culture has also helped to bring midcentury modern design into the mainstream.Mad Men, which premiered in 2007, is one obvious cultural source. The show's reputation for period accuracy extended to the sets, which were specifically designed to reflect East Coast interiors in the 1960s. The set design team's research involved direct communication with Herman Miller, who helped to advise on period-appropriate furnishings and even provided period artwork from the company's archive that appeared on-screen as creative work that the agency was involved with. However, it's not just period pieces like Mad Men or Jason Bates' immaculate 1980s apartment, complete with Barcelona lounge chairs and ottomans, that made the public aware of the period. midcentury icons are everywhere in film, television, and advertisements. On The Daily Show, Jon Stewart has interviewed all of his guests sitting on Mesh Management Chairs from the Eames Aluminum Group. ADIn a late ’90s television ad for L'Oreal, Heather Locklear appears seated on an Arne Jacobsen Egg chair; the same design appeared again in a Razr phone print ad in 2008. Midcentury modern furniture makes frequent cameos in advertisements because of its clean, well-designed lines, but also perhaps because of a familiarity that advertisers believe the pieces lend their promotions. Midcentury modern design is by no means the only furniture style to have come back into vogue after its day. In the late 1960s, the Art Deco style became very popular. (Like the term "midcentury modern," "art deco" was not coined until a later generation took an interest in the period.) Likewise, the early American looks of the Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal periods, which originated in the 18th and early 19th century, all enjoyed revivals in the 1920s and 30s, and then again in the 1980s when well-to-do Boomers took an interest in the period. Collectors in the 1980s who could not afford the original early American pieces began buying the early 20th century reproductions, which had a patina of age that contemporary reproductions did not. It's possible that if the midcentury look falls out of popularity and comes back into fashion decades from now, the early 21st century reissues will become collectible in the same way a 1930s Chippendale reproduction did in the 80s. Why does midcentury modern continue to be popular, and why have contemporary retailers and manufacturers embraced its clean-lined look so emphatically? Midcentury pieces are simply well-designed objects, with a timeless look, says Sotheby's Holdeman. "[Midcentury modern designs] sit very well in contemporary homes and interiors—they still feel fresh today, they still feel modern. A lot of those pieces haven't been bettered. They still stand the test of time." Familiarity is also a factor in midcentury's enduring popularity. Baby boomers who grew up with midcentury designs are certainly part of the market for both the originals and the reproductions. For this generation, the designs are a direct connection to their youth. (At the same time, many Boomers want something different. Stacey Greer, a midcentury furniture dealer interviewed by NPR, told a reporter, "They grew up with it and their parents had bought it, so they want anything but that.") Generation X can also be blamed for midcentury's more recent prevalence. In a 1998 article about Gen X's interest in midcentury design, interior designer Jim Walrod hypothesized that the appeal of the period to "Generation X, even those without knowledge of its origins, is natural because of ''an invisible reference point'' young people acquired after years of exposure to the art direction of old movies and television shows, not to mention the teak and stainless-steel contents of their parents' living rooms." With "midcentury modern" designs available at retailers like West Elm, the period's look is also being marketed to millennials. At the higher end of the market, Holdeman sees the interest in midcentury furniture running parallel to the market's taste for contemporary art. (Above, a circa 1950 low table from Sotheby's December 2014 auction of the Jon Stryker collection of European Modernism.) "The entire French midcentury portion of our category has become one of the blue-chip anchors of our market today," says Holdeman. "It's largely connected to the contemporary art world—the way in which those two categories complement each other." A Damien Hirst or a Jeff Koons is going to look more at home with a Prouvé chair than a Louis XIV one, so contemporary art collectors have embraced the period. The trend toward urban living may also be part of what keeps the midcentury look alive. "The designs were conceived for the smaller post-war home," says Greenberg, who notes that they were designed to be mobile and lightweight for city residents who moved frequently. "All of that still plays into the way we live today

Price: 623.58 USD

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

End Time: 2024-12-03T17:06:21.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD