Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham

The 192 page book features 52 fun and easy-to-follow projects inspired by many iconic mid century modern designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, and Alexander Girard. This book is perfect for any school age children with all skill levels. Some are simple enough for kids to do by themselves and some are fairly challenging that require adults’ assistance. All projects have easy to follow instructions and appropriate photographs. Most of projects can be done with inexpensive supplies and/or ordinary household materials.

Fort of Cards Project

Kid Made Modern is not only a creative craft book, but also a great educational tool. The book introduces youngsters to art and design by integrating sections called the “All About” pages that explains the fundamentals of art media and techniques. There are sections on mid century modern designers that inspired the craft projects as well. If you are a parent, this book will provide hours of creative fun for your child. If a project is too complicated for your child, why not join your child? It will be a good bonding experience for you and your child.

Learn about Designers

Todd Oldham has successfully introduced the readers a concept that good design was for everyone by coming up with brilliant mid century modern inspired DIY books for both adults and kids: Handmade Modern and Kid Made Modern – what’s next? I have five dogs and two cats, so I’d like to see a DIY book dedicated for pet stuff. Call it “Pet Made Modern” – what do you think?

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Special thanks to Sara at AMMO Books

The exhibit will display Ju-Nel Homes artifacts and memorabilia including original Ju-Nel Homes drawings and blueprints, photos and period advertisements. The exhibition will be open to public between April 23 and May 28, 2010. The exhibition will kick off with a speaker forum and reception on April 23 from 6:30pm to8:30pm.

Event Summary

Ju-Nel Homes: Dallas Jewels of Mid-Century Modernism Exhibition
When: April 23, 2010 to May 28, 2010, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Where: Dallas Center for Architecture, 1909 Woodall Rodgers Fwy., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Free and open to the public

Speaker Forum and Reception
When: April 23, 2010 (Friday), 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Where: Dallas Center for Architecture, 1909 Woodall Rodgers Fwy., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75201
RSVP: Space is limited to 100 – reserve your spot at info@dallascfa.com
Parking: Free after 6pm in garage under Dallas Center for Architecture

For more information, contact Dallas Center for Architecture at 214.742.3242 or info@dallascfa.com

Great news for Dallas area mid century modern fans – White Rock Home Tour, the area’s all-modern home tour will be held on April 24 – 25, 2010. The tour will feature five modern homes: four mid century modern homes including two Ju-Nel Homes and one sustainable home (designed by Alan Hoffman) in honor of concurrent Earth Day. Proceeds from the tour will benefit Hexter Elementary School.

One of the Featured Homes

Event Details:
Date: April 24 – 25, 2010 (noon to 5 p.m.)
Cost: $10 in advance at White Rock Coffee, Green Spot or Select Tom Thumb stores, $15 at the door of any tour home during event hours
More information: Visit website or call Home Tour Hotline at 972-502-5815.

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Special thanks to: Christine R. and Tesa G.

Bruce Goff (1904–1982) was an American architect, who spent most of his life practicing in Oklahoma, Illinois, and Texas. Goff designed numerous residences in the American Midwest as well as commercial and civic buildings. His remarkable style of organic architecture was influenced by a variety of sources, including the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan.

Bruce Goff's Green Glass Cullets

My first encounter with the architecture of Bruce Goff was the Bavinger House, the last stop of the Oklahoma Modernism Architecture Tour in May, 2009. The world renowned Bavinger House is considered to be one of the most significant designs of Bruce Goff. I was impressed with the Bavinger House so much that I wanted to visit other buildings by Bruce Goff. I have known that there were many buildings designed by Goff in Bartlesville, so I planned a mini self-guided tour of Bruce Goff architecture.

The Bavinger House in Norman, Oklahoma

Between 1956 and 1964, Bruce Goff set up his home and studio in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. So I thought it was appropriate to start my tour at the Price Tower. The Price Tower is the only realized skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was commissioned by Harold C. Price of the H. C. Price Company, a local oil pipeline construction firm. The 19 story tower was open to the public in 1956 – the tallest building in Bartlesville at the time. It was Bruce Goff who referred Harold C. Price to Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Price Tower by Frank Lloyd Wright

My next stop was the Redeemer Lutheran Church Education Building (1959). The two story rectangular building is located behind the main church building. The building is sheathed with stone and the same green glass cullets seen at the Bavinger House in Norman. It is located at 3700 SE Woodland Road, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The tour of the building may be arranged by contacting the church office in advance.

Redeemer Lutheran Church Educational Building

There are two houses located just down the street from the church: Harold Jones House (1958) at 3411 SE Wildwood Court and Russell Collins House (1959) at 3400 SE Wildwood Court. Both of them are pretty much hidden behind the trees. Needless to say, these are private properties and you can only view them from the street.

Russell Collins House

I drove by two more houses: J.R. Akright House (1959) at 2412 SE Circle Drive and J.O. and Mary Motsenbocker House (1957) at 2416 SE Circle Drive.

J.R. Akright House

J.O. and Mary Motsenbocker House

I then drove a few miles north of Bartlesville to see C.A. Comer House (1957), located at 1316 N. Creek in Dewey, Oklahoma. This amazing house stands out on an quite neighborhood filled with ordinary houses.

C.A. Comer House

There are few more structures designed by Bruce Goff (that I didn’t get to see) in Bartlesville:
Play Tower (1963) at Sooner Park
Robert White House (1958) at 1525 SW Whiteway Court
James Fitchette House (1961) at 1900 SE Saturn Court
Richard Bennett House (1959) at 2841 Silver Lake Road

The details of the structures mentioned here are listed in the Bruce Goff Oklahoma Guide published by Friends of Kebyar. If you are interested in visiting Bruce Goff’s buildings in Oklahoma, I recommend you pick up a copy. If you are visiting any of these properties, please remember to respect the privacy of the owners.

What: Win an Eames House Sunset Tour
Date: March 11, 2010
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
How To Enter: Type the words EAMES HOUSE into the COMMENTS box. The lucky three winners will be notified by February 23, 2010. Contest does not include travel costs to the Eames House in Pacific Palisades, California.

For more information, visit House Industries’ website.

Mid Century Modern Books

This list is by no means complete – if you have a book to suggest, please let everyone know by adding a comment!

Alexander Girard Designs for Herman Miller (Schiffer Design Book)
By Leslie A. Pina

An Eames Primer
By Eames Demetrios

Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes
By Michelle Gringeri-Brown

Case Study Houses (Taschen 25th Anniversary Special Editions)
By Elizabeth Smith

Cliff May and the Modern Ranch House
By Daniel P. Greg

Eichler: Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream
By Paul Adamson

Forgotten Modern: California Houses 1940-1970
By Alan Hess

Julius Shulman: Modernism Rediscovered
By Pierluigi Sorriano (Author) & Julius Shulman (Photographer)

Mid-Century Modern: Interiors, Furniture, Design Details (Conran Octopus Interiors)
By Bradley Quinn

Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s
By Cara Greenberg

Retrospective Pattern Laptop Sling

This particular BUILT Laptop Sling features Alexander Girard’s “Retrospective” pattern and fits a 14 – 15” laptop. As you can see in the picture, a 15” MacBook Pro (even with a protective hard-shell on it) fits snugly in this laptop sling. It may not look big enough to fit a 15” laptop at first, but the material stretches to custom fit the laptop. The unique hourglass shape is designed to secure the laptop in place.

Unique Hourglass Shape

The laptop sling feels cushy and seems to protect the laptop well during use. The laptop sling is made from extra thick protective neoprene (the wetsuit material). Neoprene was developed by DuPont in 1931 as a substitute for rubber. It is known to be tough, water resistant, stain resistant, and flexible – doesn’t it sound like a perfect material to protect a laptop?

Perfect Fit

The laptop sling (available in two sizes: 12 – 13” and 14 – 15”) comes in three patterns: January, La Fonda and Retrospective (shown). The interior features Girard print as well. It has an adjustable shoulder strap and a “LOVE” heart charm. This laptop sling can be hand washed if necessary. Visit BUILT website for more details.

Interior Print

Not in a market for a laptop bag? BUILT also offers Shoulder Bag, Lunch Purse, and Digital Case in the three colorful Alexander Girard patterns mentioned above. Check out their website to see their entire Alexander Girard collection.

BUILT + Alexander Girard Collection

Special thanks to: Deborah at BUILT

Whether you are looking for authentic originals, licensed reproductions, or unlicensed lookalikes, you may find the special piece you have been looking for at Lushpad – just browse through their website and find out! If you don’t find what you are looking for, you can place a “wanted” ad for free.

Selling your surplus mid century modern furniture on Lushpad is easy. You can list your item for up to three months with just one listing fee. There are no commissions or back-end fees on your sold items. Sign up for a FREE account and start selling! Be sure to use discount code TWEET50 and get 50% off ad listing fees until the end of March, 2010.

Listing Pricing Information (as of February 2010):
Wanted items – FREE
Items under $250 – FREE
Items between $250 and $800 – $8
Items over $800 – $12

For more information, visit Lushpad website.

Make It! Mid-Century Modern

“Make It! Mid-Century Modern” is divided into six chapters according to designer: Charles Eames, Alexander Girard, Alexander Calder, George Nelson, Piet Mondrian, and Eero Saarinen. Each chapter includes designer’s background and DIY projects with user friendly step-by-step instructions and pictures.

One of the easy projects

If you are looking for a simple, easy, yet stylish DIY project, this book is perfect for you. Most of the projects featured here are small and not time consuming. The instructions are very well written with appropriate pictures. The book is available in two formats: high-resolution PDF download (US$9.99) or print version (US$18.00). For more information, visit Curbly website.

or try something more challenging...

The exhibition features 100 rare images chosen from archival images. The exhibition will run from February 4, 2010 to March 4, 2010 at the Smart Furniture Studio in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On February 4th, 2010 at 6PM (EST), Smart Furniture will host an opening reception for the exhibit. Eames Demetrios, Director of the Eames Office and grandson of Charles and Ray Eames will give a presentation at this reception. In order to join the opening reception, RSVP by emailing giftedeye@smartfurniture.com with the number of guests planning to attend. Visit Smart Furniture website or contact Karen Liwanpo (423) 822-2266 for more information.

Event Summary:
What: The Gifted Eye of Charles Eames: A Portfolio of 100 Images
When: February 4th, 2010 to March 4th, 2010 (opening reception is on February 4th, 2010 at 6PM, featuring Eames Demitrios)
Where: Smart Furniture Studio, 313 Manufacturers Road, Suite 107, Chattanooga, TN 37405
More Information: Contact Karen Liwanpo (423) 822-2266