Welcome to the DesignLAB
The Urn: Logo From Antiquity
When we see an Apple logo on our smart phone, we don’t think fruit, we think cutting-edge devices. When we see Starbucks’ green mermaid with long wavy locks, we don’t think sea creatures, we think a cool place for cappuccinos. And when citizens of America and Europe in the 18th century saw urns, they didn’t think funerals and ashes, they thought noble simplicity, beauty, and reason.
Design on Film: A Festival of Style
The focus in the design world last month was on the High Point Market, the largest home furnishings trade show in the world. So you may have missed another festival that took place in New York. The Architecture & Design Film Festival is in its fourth season, showcasing over 25 films on architecture and design from around the world.
The Sea Shell: Design Motif
“Why are there so many sea shell designs on furniture, textiles, and architecture?” As with many decorative and design patterns, the answer lies in a combination of ancient superstition, the borrowing from nature’s unchanging harmony, and
The Barcelona: iChair or Diva?
Is there any other 20th-century chair that is as iconic as the Barcelona? Designed in 1928 by German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and interior designer Lilly Reich, little did they know that by 2012, this chair would have been showcased in so many movies and television shows.
A Proper Setting
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the wildly popular BBC/PBS series Downton Abbey. Fans are eagerly anticipating the third season here in the U.S., which will begin airing in January. The series has sparked a renewed interest in Edwardian style and an appreciation for British historic homes like Highclere Castle, which is the real-life setting for the fictitious Downtown Abbey.
Learning Design
One of the things I enjoy most about my profession is the opportunity to meet and work with the talented design students attending or graduating from design schools. Thankfully, we have the privilege to host interns several times each year.
On Shaker Design and Ornament
Inarguably, Shaker furniture has influenced modern design. Many decades before phrases such as Sullivan’s “form follows function,” Mies van der Rohe’s “less is more,” and Wright’s “nature of the materials” became modern design mantras, the Shakers were creating chairs that were functional and unadorned while displaying integrity and honesty of construction.
Set Design: The Great Gatsby & Anna Karenina
Set designers are becoming more influential in the world of home decor, offering inspiration and nostalgia on the big screen and on television. A perfect example is the huge influence Mad Men has had on fashion and furnishings. Set decorators Amy Wells and Claudette Didul paid attention to the smallest details to recreate the homes and clothing of the 1960s, sparking a mid-century-modern trend that is still going strong.
Bookcases
I am a firm believer that yes, in this digital age, we still need books, libraries and bookcases. As Mark Lamster points out in "Still Here, Metropolis", libraries remain vital places. Many of them are more crowded than ever as people come to study, work together, consult with experts, and to discover rare and hard-to-find books.