A Sordid Boon

Lookout Mountain Rocker by Wood Studio

cal — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:36:53 +0000

Wood Studio is a family operation. Randy Cochran and his sons Keith and Dylan craft handmade American furniture in their workshop in Arley, Alabama. This is truly real people, making real furniture.

The Lookout Mountain Rocker has been in production for over 30 years. Although strongly craftsman in design, I think this piece would complement a mid-century modern room and easily play off of more industrial elements or even look great juxtaposed with Danish or classic furniture as well.

The chair comes in a variety woods including walnut, cherry, maple, red and white oak, and ash. Leathers are typically dark brown and saddle tan. However, when you pay $3950 for a rocking chair custom requests are entertained.

This is very serious heirloom furniture.

Swarm Lighting/Found Objects from Animal Farm (South Africa)

cal — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 20:02:36 +0000

These walnut light fixtures from South Africa design consultancy Animal Farm evoke a strong mid-century feel – craftsmanship, design and whimsy all in a single pendant. Some of these lights are clearly influenced by the Eames stools/side tables while others look like tops and tear drops. Walnut wood and consistent color lets them all hang together beautifully. Clever.

My only concern here is that Porky Heffer, the designer behind Animal Farm seems to be in sales prevention mode. Finding commercial information about these lights is frustrating.

Lounge Chair by Richard Patterson at Propeller

cal — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 08:42:24 +0000

Three measures of Danish, one of craftsman, half a measure of the tropics - Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?. Never mind…got carried away. But this is really a chair that calls elements from multiple furniture genres.

This fusion chair blends the best of its antecedents. Richard Patterson is known for elegant joinery and beautiful organic lines. You can get this chair at Propeller in San Francisco for $2025. A steep price no doubt, but this is heirloom quality – to be passed down for generations.

Tribeca Chair from Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company

cal — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:54:14 +0000

The Emeco Navy chair homage is from hipster favorite Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company. They have a number of nifty pieces of furniture that I am sure I will have to take a look at for future posts. However, our first look is at this aluminum side chair.

Ok, you buy this chair because you like the look of the Navy Chair but can’t see: 1. spending $450 for a real one (or six) 2. buying a Chinese knockoff. This is a compromise purchase. It has all the features of the real deal, but is just different enough.

At $198 this is good deal I think. Schoolhouse is a solid name in the retro game and I am sure they would not sell junk. Lot’s of folks want the Emeco look for less and this chair fits that requirement.

Token Lounge Chair

cal — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:01:03 +0000

Token is Will Kavesh and Emrys Berkower who met as undergrads at Alfred University in 1992, fast forward to 2005 when the two reconnected and eventually formed Token in 2007. These guys make great stuff that blends a high-design feel and craftsman (small C) aesthetic. Not sure if this is truly new mid-century modern, but I think these guys are doing work that builds on the heritage or Le Corbusier and the team Eames.

This lounge chair is built in Brooklyn and combines wool, wood and metal in a clever fashion. The cantilever is daring, but controlled and when paired with the ottoman forms a nice balance. This chair is an important chair.

Price? I don’t know. Drop them a line.

Classic Credenza from Eastvold Furniture

cal — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:45:38 +0000

Minnesota-based Eastvold brings us the Classic Credenza. I just love the word Credenza – it sounds much more exotic than say buffet or sideboard. It should since it is derived, according to Wikipedia from the Italian word credenza or belief – apparently credenzaing was the act of a servant tasting someone else’s food for poison. The name eventually got attached to the furniture on which this process took place. Seem like we were very close to calling this furniture a “Beefeater.”

Anyway, this is a really swank piece. It looks like it should contain an embedded Hi-Fi or something. What really does it for me here are longish legs that give the piece a elegant look. Other than that clean mid-century lines and solid workmanship from a small company focused on building great furniture. Almost $2000 – a reasonable price for small batch style.

Champlain Chair from Blue Gum Design

cal — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:42:36 +0000

Rob Tuckerman and Kieran Andrews are from Canada and they have the corporate environmental policy to prove it – they are also the guys who run Blue Gum Design.

The Champlain Chair is their take on the classic Safari chair. Oak frame, vegatable-tanned leather – cool style. Humphrey Bogart would have sat in this chair. I think this is a great bold accent chair that would play off of the straight lines of some of the standard pieces out there. Pair this with Barcelona Chair or get two and use them to place opposite your Gracie Couch. I really like the organic feel of this chair. Not everything in your new mid-century living room needs to be steel and glass and this chair adds a bit of the unexpected.

The chair goes for $700 (Canadian?) which I think is decent price for high-quality, handmade furniture from two guys you can reach on the phone.

Men of the Cloth Film

cal — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 03:00:46 +0000

This blog is trying to be about real people making real furniture. Well here are real men (I think they are all men) making real clothing. The bonus is you could be a real producer if you donate enough on Kickstarter!

Midcentury Modern Chair by Urbangreen

cal — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 01:39:06 +0000

This seems like a looking chair and not a sitting chair to me. But you never know. I don’t have a place for it in my house, but others may like the strong lines and clean look. Almost $1500 from Brooklyn-based urbangreen.

Curve Lounge Chair from Cane Line

cal — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:34:56 +0000

We are back.

I am not that into cane, bamboo and other bent grass furniture. But this is a really sharp mid-century modern chair that has a classic look and can really play off off those standard industrial pieces that everyone has in their living room. Brilliant juxtaposition. From designers Johannes Foersom and Peter Hiort Lorenzen this chair is only 398 pounds from this retailer.