Now on to this piece of furniture.  I heart it.  But in researching it I found more.  Oh MY GOD!! It’s gorgeous.

It started here at The Mid-Century Modernist

With this piece.  I don’t know if I should classify it as an end table, filing cabinet or shelves.  It’s all and one and better.  Again with the hearts.

FinnJuhl - Table

Following their link I went to FinnJuhl.com.  From their site:

Production of the Finn Juhl products have been spread out all over the world.

Today the license for producing Finn Juhl furniture lies solely with the company Hansen & Sorensen in Denmark. After producing the sofa Model ‘57 since 1999 Hansen & Sorensen was given the licens for the entire collection in 2001.

So landing on their site I see this chair.  It looks so comfortable.  I just want to settle into it.

Chieftan Chair - Finn Juhl

Chieftan Chair Detail

Until I find the next level of comfort. This chair on the OneCollection Site which is part of the Finn Juhl House.

Fuzzy Pelikan Chair

This is based on this chair which looks equally delightful.  Yummmmmy.

Pelikan Chair - beautifully photographed by Brahl Fotografi

Click on through their site.  The Photography done by Brahl Fotografi is esquisite as is the furniture.  I’ll have to see if any one in Texas can carry them.  They are from Denmark but it’s just too awesome to miss.

I saw this link from a friend of mine Dennis Convington. I don’t think he has a blog or I would link to him and give him some search juice but for now. LOOK AT THIS CHAIR.

This is from the site.

Designed by Isamu Kenmochi for Tendo Japan in 1961. The Kashiwado chair was actually created for a famous Sumo wrestler named Kashiwado from that time. This chair is truly a work of art. Craftsmen first cut out several blocks of the bottom roots of a Japanese cedar (Sugi) and then carefully select the best wood with the most tree-rings. The blocks are then carved and layered on top of each other by hand then polished and coated.

If you are a chair aficionado- check these links out.
Chair Blog
And the
Contemporary Australasion Chairs – Awesome chairs.

Enjoy.

Tonight’s is the puur design studios furniture collection.  I originally saw this on PicoCool where they have some great pictures of the Magic Four in One chair.  (Side note – please I know flash is cool, I realize this.  But it makes it soooo hard to feature deep linked stuff).

Puur Magic Four in One Chair

Here is it broken out for display. 

I like it nested and I like it taken out.  I imagine this in the kids room or a game room scenario.

If you go to their site they have other unique chairs and art forms.  I like this book shelf called Chaos, though.  I like the flexibility it provides you to be the architect in your house.  You can usually set the tone pre-purchase by color, shape and post-purchase with arrangement.  This shelf adds a new dynamic which is after arrangement times two.  Go vertical I say…

Chaos - Puur Design Studio

Chaos - Puur Design Studio

Chaos - Puur Design Studio

I was looking for furnishings that stir me.  I found some great ones and saw a bunch of dining chairs and it reminded me of my dad’s philosophy.  I visited my parents a few years ago and noticed that all the chairs around the dining room were business rolling chairs.  The kind behind your desk at the office.  I was like – “what’s this?  Ya’ll have a meeting here or something?”  My mother looked at me with an amused look on her face, and said “ask your father.”  So I did – the story was that my father took all the chairs out of the dining room and replaced them on purpose with business chairs.  He did this because he said he can have meetings all day long and his bum never falls asleep but after 45 minutes in dining room chair he’s always sore and his bum fell asleep.  Hahahaha.  I love that story.

Now on to the Store of the Week – Zuri Furniture.  They are on Alpha road in what I suspect is the Modern Furniture zone of Dallas.  There are other stores over there which I’ll highlight another day or week.

This is a lovely vase that has zen feel to it.  And it reminds me of my friend’s house that also has a modern house and is very zen in her design plan.  The only thing is she wouldn’t ever have a vase because that adds a cluttered feel.

Zuri 01 - Vase

Modern beds always suck me in. I love the expression that any bed brings to the bedroom whether master or other. But the unique flavor of a modern bed often sets the tone for the entire experience in the bedroom. I go for comfort. The bed is my safety net. I don’t just go to bed, I retire to the bedroom. But I understand other people think of the bed as more utilitarian and the modern culture definitely can welcome that aesthetic. But I know of no other genre of design where you can express yourself so completely in a bed frame.

Arezzo Collection

I wish their site wasn’t all in Flash so I could direct link these and also highlight a larger picture. I love the night table as part of the headboard. I’ve seen that a lot. We have that sort of in our Ikea bed in that the shelves behind the bed pull out for a night table or shove in for a cleaner look.

I also like the pedestal approach or on a platform. Again with my Zen theme today.

Finally chairs. I love the look of this chair. It has a funky flair but looks actually comfortable. I would hope a different color is available and of course I would have to give it an official bum check.

Mia Chair

I do want to remind everyone who is interested that the AIA Dallas Tour of Homes tomorrow.  I believe tickets are still available.  I found out that I can’t take pics in the houses and it’s not encouraged on the outside too much.  I don’t want to cause a ruckus so I may or may not have some photographs to show you.  I will write about the experience and link all over the place to the press.

Now back to the idea of use of space.  One of my favorite sites is Apartment Therapy.  When this site grows up, it wants to be like Apartment Therapy.   Recently I ran across this article on Conversation Pits.  I love the idea of a cozy place in a home for relaxing, conversation and snuggling up and reading a book or watching a good movie.  In a way, these pics remind me of those recessed or tiered living rooms of the 70s where you would have a few steps down into a seating area.   In fact, they took these pictures from a book that was published in 1974.  Goes to show you there are no bad, old ideas – only good, recycled ideas.

Image from ‘The House Book’, Terence Conran, 1974

Image from ‘The House Book’, Terence Conran, 1974

Now I promise to write more about the concept of space and it’s uses in a modern home.

That reminds me, that I need to actually find and do some research about homes over in our sister city Ft. Worth.  I worked in Ft. Worth for years and love the genuineness of the people and the energy that it contrasted with Dallas.  There is a ying and yang aspect to the pull and push of the two cities but as both continue to grow, it won’t be unthinkable to view the two cities as one very large city.  That’s my thought anyways.   I can here both residents of the cities collectively shout out “No” because we both like the seperateness of the cultures.  Either way, I need to dig in an do some research on the modern homes of Ft. Worth and report back to you.

Don’t forget that the AIA Home Tour is next weekend.  I’m very excited about the event and can’t wait to report back.  For tickets, go here.

And I ran across this shot the other day and wanted to share.  It’s a cabinet with a unique style.  From Yoav Avinoam, the designer’s home page.

in an ever changing world people are having their LCD TV hung on the wall. suddenly the cabinet doesn’t have to hold the weight of the T.V. This cabinet is preserving the qualities of the iconic wood cabinet texture with laminated bamboo plates to create similar and yet new flavored cabinet.

There is an entire site of great works from this Industrial Design in Bezalel.  Check it out.

There are, of course, lots of stores all over the nation that highlight modern aesthetic which I’ll move into after we have exhausted the Dallas area.  The internet has made cities just villages one click over and we should as appreciative consumers, exploit that as well.  However, I want to pimp the local as much as I can.  See my love affair with Dallas a few posts ago to understand.

Recently I a friend, gave me a flyer she got in the mail about a new store called Natuzzi.  It’s apparently new to Dallas as the card is for a “Grand Opening Sale”.  The sale is over tomorrow (October 24th, 2008) but I explored the site and found a piece that I’m attracted to.

DURINI WALL UNIT

This wall section appeals to me – I would prefer lighter lacquer which I swear “a wide range of finishes are available”.  The dark makes me think seventies decor but I like the flush shelf with the wall and the presentation of the objects versus what’s holding it  up.  The versatility of the arrangement allows multiple configurations and allow artful presentations.  I also can envision technology integrated which would fuse this together perfectly for me.  Think flat screen snuggled up in the space.  Here is Natuzzi’s page on the piece.

KOLE Sectional Couch

This couch is not exactly what I wanted you to see.  It looks comfortable though.  My dogs on it would be a disaster.  Perhaps another color.  But I was very attracted to the wall unit and shelving behind it.  Again flush, the color is lighter and the wall unit just accents the clean lines.  It looks modular so you could arrange it allow for heights and products but it’s really attractive to me.  Good for a common room.  But being wacky, I could see it in a kitchen for plates, glasses in an open setting.  See pics, details here.

I’m not on their payroll but in the essence of giving you complete data, here are their two addresses in the local area if you are interested.

NOW OPEN
Natuzzi Plano
7300 Lonestar Drive – C100
The Shops at Legacy
972-801-6933

Natuzzi Dallas
11700 Preston Road
Next to Whole Foods
214-363-7070

In site news, I got to go back to Urban Reserve.  I am very excited that Diane Cheatham has responded so enthusiastically to educating me and allowing me access.  If you notice a trend toward me highlighting both Urban Reserve and Diane Cheatham, you’ll know why.  An entire Modern Home community that I can walk and take pictures of and ask questions, I’m in heaven.  It’s easier than knocking on strangers doors and saying – HEY Can I take a picture or two of your house.  Most people are rightly creeped out by that.

But like this movement in many ways, the first impression is often too simple.  Deeper inspiration can be found. There can be a starkness to both Modern Design and Dallas. However, push that impression to the side, dig in a little deeper, turn over some rocks/thoughts and discover what both bring to the table. There are some similarities:

• Form follows function

Dallas – We, like Houston, ended up with a lot of corporate headquarters and businesses.  This meant executives, lawyers and workers for corporations.  One formal downtown and a lot of ways to get there is where we get highways and glass buildings.  But likewise as we have grown and OH how we have grown,  Dallas and Fort Worth has spread.  Some would say sprawl.  I prefer to think that each city has it’s unique flavor and even if it’s in the Metroplex proper.   So push through one aspect like corporations and businesses and realize that with that comes people with passions for art, dance, museums, style, etc.  People are unique, they bring different life experiences and so they add their particular seasonings to a pot.  Explore the food that is found with the cultures and you realize that there is a restaurant (not in a chain) for every ethnicity in this city.   Neighborhoods reflect likes and feelings.   Drive off the highways and explore.  Yes there are rich and not rich parts of every city (even Austin) but look at the homes in Richardson, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, “M” Streets off Greenville Avenue, Oak Cliff and see how we express our individuality in such unique ways.  Look at Irving versus Las Colinas, old Irving (across 183, yes keep going and check it out).  Grapevine, Bedford, Euless, Fort Worth with it’s hoods.  I admittedly don’t know as many over there but I worked in Downtown Ft. Worth for six years and I have a huge love affair with the people and neighborhoods there as well.  Drive by the Zoo, or keep going off of 20 and explore.

I don’t mean to gloss over the bad aspects of Dallas and there are some but overall I think that if we let our first impressions be the only impressions we lose a rich tapestry of discovery.

Modern Design – My whole argument for this can be summed up in these pictures:

Function is obvious – a shelf or a sink.  Form does follow the function but not in the strictest sense.  The form plays with us a bit.  Winking in our general direction, taking our assumption and making that form so delectable and gorgeous that who wouldn’t want to perform the function.  It makes what has to happen, something you want to happen.  You need to wash your hands but NOT touching that sink while doing it would be absolutely impossible to me.  I would have to feel the surface and trace the topography dips and grades with my hands. The same with the shelf.  I need to put things up for display (and I know need here could be a want) but the way they are displayed is so flavorful to me, so distinct, it adds the underlayer, the umph the grainy bits to my brain oyster that it warms up the whole process.

Perhaps that is why I love Dallas and I’m coming to love Modern Design.  They are unfinished.  They have this perception about them but if we use our imagination and dig just a bit deeper we find the grey area, the undiscovered bit that makes it real to us.  That my friends, makes it home to us.  Authentic, real, flawed and up for discussion.