Tag: midcentury modern

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Back in the 1950s, General Electric sponsored a campaign encouraging folks to upgrade their houses with fully electrical appliances. Houses with an electric clothes washer and dryer, an electric refrigerator, electric waste disposal and all-electric heating earned the title of Gold Medallion Home and sported a fancy metal plaque with the designation.

On one of my past road trips, I came across an original metal sign advertising the movement with its "Live Better Electrically" tagline. Having recently dug it out of my closet, I decided to follow the sign's advice and upgrade it with a bit of lighting.

Love classic, midcentury signage as much as I do? Well, now you can own a piece for your very own, available at my new site, Satelluxe!

In all the time I've spent on the road researching my books, driving through aging and historic towns, I acquired an insatiable love of Googie, a style of design prevalent in old motels and their eye-catching signage. These days, I can't hit the road without stopping repeatedly to photograph a collection of big arrows, oversize type and flashing neon.

Unfortunately, such treasures are quickly disappearing from the roadside, and acquiring a piece for oneself is becoming exceptionally difficult due to surviving signs' size or deteriorating condition. For this reason, I started producing designs of my own, inspired by the very items I see out on the road.

If you've ever hoped to grab a piece of Googie to take home with you, head on over to Satelluxe and have a look. And keep checking back, because there's more to come soon!

There are few words that could adequately describe the awesomeness of what I consider one of the most beautiful toys I've ever seen.

An unnamed reader of Motoblog, an Italian Web site geared toward motorcycle enthusiasts, sent in pictures of a Vespa rocking horse he built for his nephew, Diego. Mind you, it isn't a refashioned scooter built from scrap Vespa parts, but a work of art built to scale and handcrafted from fiberglass and metal.

Diego, don't you ever, ever sell that thing. Except to me.

Finkbuilt and Dinosaurs and Robots have simultaneously turned me on to this 1970 video titled The Fiberglass Chairs: Something of How They Get the Way They Are, which follows the making of a Charles Eames chair from conception to finish.

The footage, and especially the music, are oddly captivating. It actually reminds me of something Mister Rogers might have shown, only without his soothing voice explaining each step.

Video below. ... Continued

At the Dwell on Design convention held last weekend in Los Angeles, Apartment Therapy Unplggd (or Unpluggd or Unplugged ... even they can't seem to decide) discovered Wilkerson Furniture's brilliant answer to the bland design of today's flat-panel TVs.

The M21 Flat TV Console beautifully captures the midcentury style of a classic black-and-white set with its slick hardwood cabinet (black walnut or cherry), but will house a brand-new 42" high-definition screen. Plus, the cloth-covered lower section is designed to house a center speaker. It's the perfect answer for anyone wondering how they'll fit their new TV in with their retro-style living room.

Unfortunately, reports indicate that Wilkerson is so far only testing public interest in the design. They aren't quite ready for production. However, Finkbuilt, who originally turned me on to the M21, reminds us that one could always build his own. ... Continued