Whether you are an entry-level or a hardcore Eames fan, you will enjoy the new documentary film “Eames: The Architect and the Painter” by filmmakers Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey. This fascinating documentary covers the career of Charles and Ray Eames, including the insightful personal account behind the designs and the nature of the collaboration of two of  America’s most important designers (design pioneers). Narrated by James Franco, this is the first film dedicated to the couple since their deaths.

Eames: The Architect and the Painter

I sometimes find documentary films rather boring, but there is never a dull moment in this 84-minute film filled with a wide array of archival materials and interviews with individuals who had close proximity with Charles and Ray Eames. It is very well-crafted in presenting how the couple defined postwar modernist aesthetic through not only with their furniture designs but also with their other projects such as films and exhibitions.

In addition, the film reveals more intimate and emotional side of the couple’s lives which remained very private while they were alive. If you ask me about what I think of including Charles’s love affair in the film – I’d say “that’s a little TMI.” All these years, I sort of “romanticized” about the couple’s relationship – their partnership seemed so perfect in work and life. However, what I have learned about the couple in this film doesn’t change anything about how I admire them – actually I see them as more “real people” than just the “design legend.”

If you are fairly new to the world of Charles and Ray Eames, “Eames: The Architect and the Painter” will give you a wealth of information well beyond their furniture design. If you are a big Eames fan like me, this film will let you fall in love with the Eameses all over again for sure!

Now playing at selected theatres – find playdates here.

Filmmakers – Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey
Studio – First Run Features
Run Time – 84 minutes
Language – English
Format – Digital
Year – 2011
Genre – Documentary

Will be available on DVD on December 13th, 2011. Preorder available at First Run Features and many other retailers:

I put a halt on my kitchen update project, because my husband and I had been house hunting for last three months. I didn’t want to add a piece of furniture not knowing if it was going to fit in our new house. But I couldn’t get out of the habit of checking Craigslist and found a piece I had always dreamed of – a Danish modern teak dining table.

Danish Modern Teak Dining Table

The table was simply listed as “Teak Expandable Table $55.” I had seen the similar table for at least $300, so I thought it was a pretty good deal. The seller said the table belonged to his mother-in-law. She bought it when she got married in the 60’s. Too bad he didn’t have the matching chairs! The table has two hidden leaves underneath of the table top. It is a perfect size for a family of three. The leaves have some water stains, but overall it is in a great shape for its age. There is no marking to identify the manufacture. It is simply stamped “MADE IN DENMARK.”

Without Leaves

Now the chairs – turned out I wasn’t so lucky with finding chairs. After a month long search on Craigslist, eBay, thrift stores, used furniture stores, and antique malls, I gave up on a thought of finding a set of four matching Danish modern teak dining chairs at $150 budget. In a meanwhile, I did find three Bertoia side chairs for $100 (not the vintage ones).

Bertoia Side Chair

These chairs are not very comfortable without cushions. Knoll sells the cushion for $162 – no thank you. I picked the reddish orange vinyl to make my own and broke the sewing machine while stitching the second cushion. So the table and three Bertoia side chairs sat in my living room for another month. By the way, my cats love the table, too – it’s perfect height for them to sit and spy on the neighbors.

Much Worse Before

Two months later, I finally found the teak chairs I like on eBay. The seller stated the chairs were new old stock from a closed upscale import shop originally located in Minneapolis, MN and stored in the warehouse for over 30 years. They were manufactured by Sunwood Industries in Copenhagen. I scored them for $56 and paid $69 for shipping, a total of $125. Not too bad… except it is another set of “THREE” chairs

Unassembled Danish Modern Teak Chairs

The chairs were never assembled, so they came in a bunch of pieces. They have solid teak legs, back and woven natural cord/rope seat. I didn’t realize the colors were off from the listing pictures. So, here they are, my mismatching Danish modern dining table and three chairs. The fact I only have three chairs doesn’t bother me too much. It will be just two of us sooner or later anyways, but I am not 100% happy – so my search for a perfect Danish modern dining set continues…

A Little Better After

Links to some retailers…

12 Days of Eames Holiday Giveaway : www.SmartFurniture.com

SmartFurniture.com will be giving away one of a dozen timeless Eames products to registered contestants. From classic toys like the House of Cards to ageless designs like the Eames Molded Plastic Rocking Chair, they will be bringing the goods for 12 straight days. The grand prize is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Enter from November 16, 2011 until 11:59 P.M. (ET) on December 11, 2011.

Superstar Holiday Tree Sweepstakes: Modernica, Inc.

Enter the Modernica Superstar Holiday Tree for You and a Friend Sweepstakes for your chance to win. A winner will be notified on November 28th and will receive two Superstar Mini Trees- one to keep and one to share! Enter from November 16, 2011 @ 08:00 am (CST) until November 27, 2011 @ 10:27 pm (CST) on their Facebook fan page.

The Rejuvenation Made-for-You Sweepstakes: Fresh Home Ideas

Fresh Home Ideas has teamed up with Rejuvenation for a giveaway, just in time for you to make over your home for the holidays! One lucky winner will win $750 worth of Rejuvenation products. You choose what you win: Lighting, hardware, house parts and more. You can enter once a day between 12:01AM CT on October 31, 2011 and ends at 11:59PM CT on December 9, 2011 (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

West Elm Win Your Holiday Wishlist: West Elm

Create a wish list and win up to $5,000 worth of West Elm products. The Sweepstakes ends at 11:59pm PST on 12/31/2011.

2011 Holiday Giveaway: Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy is giving away a hundred great design gifts for your home until December 18th, 2011.

Please be sure to read official rules and details to make sure you are eligible to enter before you enter these sweepstakes.

We must have:

Three bedrooms
Two bathrooms
A large backyard for our dogs
Two living areas (a formal living room and a dog room, aka family room)
A garage or carport

Of course, I’d love a house with original features intact, but that’s hard to come by. I’d rather buy a fixer upper than a “move in ready” house with brand new things/updates (that are not period appropriate or not my taste) installed by a previous owner.

There are quite few neighborhoods feature nice mid-century modern ranch style homes in Tulsa. Among all, Lortondale is definitely my favorite. Lortondale is a mid-century modern neighborhood built between 1954 and 1956 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As of this writing, there are six houses up for sale in Lortondale – all in our price range. Unfortunately, none of these houses are “the one” for us (Don’t get me wrong. These are all great houses – just not a perfect fit for us). Lortondale has its great website filled with its history and pictures – you should check it out!

One of My Favorite Lortondale Houses

Another neighborhood I like is Wedgwood neighboorhood my friend Jennie lives (By the way, Jennie has the coolest house in Wedgwood. Her house will be featured in upcoming Atomic Ranch hardcover book).

Jennie's House

I have been driving around to see the houses I like. This one is for sale at $109,900 in the Redbud neighborhood. I LOVE the way it looks from the outside, but not so much inside… This is one of those “move in ready” houses with not so great updates.

Love this one!

We are not in a hurry to buy a house, so we will keep looking – someday we will find the one!

Love and Food by Jan Skácelík

This wonderful work was done by a multi-talented artist Jan Skácelík from Olomous, Czech Republic. Jan works as a graphic designer/photographer/composer (wow!). Many of his posters are inspired by mid-century modern/Danish design and Scandinavian designers like Grete Prytz Kittelsen (Cathrineholm), Stig Lindberg, and Marianne Westman.

Home Sweet MCM Home by Jan Skácelík

I am in love with his work and having a hard time choosing which posters to post here – so, be sure to visit his Esty shop (“ReStyle”) and check them all out!

I Like To Rock by Jan Skácelík

If you are also a Star Wars geek like I am, Jan also has some poster prints made in retro, scandinavian, and mid-century modern style!

Empire Strikes Back by Jan Skácelík

Be sure to check out Jan’s blog and other social netwoking sites:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/handznet
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/ReStyle/119677241398948
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21547777@N03/

Jan had generously offered me to run a little giveaway for readers. Here is the detail:

Check out Jan’s Etsy shop and appreciate his amazing work. Leave a comment on this site’s Facebook wall which poster (in A3 or A4 size – A2 size posters are not eligible) you like the best – just ONE poster, please. One entry per person.

Two lucky winners will win the poster they have picked. The giveaway entry starts on Monday, September 12, 2011 8:30 p.m. CDT (USA Chicago time) and ends on Sunday, September 18, 2011 10 p.m. CDT. No purchase neccessary to win. Winners will be picked randomly and announced on this site’s Facebook.

Cathrineholm by Jan Skácelík

Why someday? I probably mentioned this before – even though I blog about mid-century modernism, I do not own a true mid-century modern ranch home. My husband and I didn’t plan to live here forever, so we bought a house that suited our needs at that time – but, now that I already have the Cathrineholm poster, I decided I would update my current kitchen around it.

Things need to be updated in my kitchen are: 1) coffee maker stand (?), 2) dining table and chairs, 3) curtains and 4) lighting – I am leaving the kitchen cabinets/hardware and counter top “as is.” They were already updated to some degree when we bought the house. No reason to spend a lot of money on something we cannot take with us when we move.

Our coffee maker and toaster sit on the hand-me-down microwave cart. The cart also holds many junks behind the doors. The top surface has water damage. There is nothing really I can do to update this ugly thing – but what can be a good replacement? I need something that fits in the space and hold those junks (36” wide or less).

Before - How embarrassing...

I came across a custom made (that’s what the lady of the house said – not a professional quality) TV stand at a yard sale . The legs gave the stand a nice “retro” look, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was only 10 dollars, so why not…

After

I moved the toaster to the kitchen counter and displayed the Cathrineholm plate instead. I am still working on the little cubby part. I like this a lot better than the old microwave cart. One update done, four more to go!

Gemini Lighting:
The Gemini, featuring dual-cone shades, is based on a popular fixture offered by Prescolite in the early 1960s and complements Rejuvenation’s existing hourglass lighting collection. Gemini is available in Brushed Aluminum with a choice of shiny opal or etched opal hand-blown glass shades. Price with shades: $175

Gemini

Casper Lighting:

The Casper is a simple, yet stylish flush-mount fixture. “Starlight” pinholes and a saucer shaped shade add a subtle space-age feel to the design. Available in Brushed Aluminum or Bronzetone finishes. Price with shade: $155

Casper

Bath Hardware:
Rejuvenation’s introduces period-authentic new bath collection. The square backplate (or diamond when turned on end) hails from the Hall-Mack Aristochrome Series of the 1950s and 1960s, while the star option, with its twinkling space-age optimism, fell from the Star Line by Bush Bros.

Towel Ring

The bath collection includes: towel ring set, single hook, double hook, 14” and 20” tempered glass shelf set, toilet paper holder and towel bar sets (18”, 24”, and 30”). All bath hardware comes in Polished Chrome or Brushed Chrome. Prices range from $23-$90.

Doorsets:

Rejuvenation’s new Mid-Century Modern exterior doorsets feature three iconic shapes from the 1950s and 1960s: the star, the square, and the circle. Whatever the shape you choose, it is a perfect complement for your mid-modern ranch home or any sleek contemporary architecture.

Wide Star Doorset

Doorsets are made in solid brass and available in three period-authentic finishes: Brushed Chrome, Polished Chrome, and Lacquered Brass. These doorsets are designed to fit the Schlage Orb door set, but can be purchased separately. Matching star, square or circle doorbell buttons also available to complete the look. Prices from $22-$228

About Rejuvenation:
Rejuvenation was founded in 1977 with a passion for old houses and buildings. Inspired by history, period-authenticity and customer creativity, Rejuvenation’s diverse line spans the 1870s to 1960s. Collections include: Victorian, Period Basics, Classical Revival, Old World, Arts & Crafts, Colonial Revival, Mid-Century Modern and Deco. Products are sold through the company’s catalogue, retail stores in Portland, Ore. and Seattle, Wash, and website www.rejuvenation.com.

Photo and Product Information: Courtesy of N. Curcio @ Rejuvenation

Pioneers of American Industrial Design Stamps

On June 29, 2011, the U.S. Postal Service issued a sheet of stamps cerebrating 12 influential industrial designers. Each stamp features an image of an object and its designer’s name. A description of each stamp is written on the back of the sheet. The 12 designers featured are: Peter Müller-Munk, Frederick Hurten Rhead, Raymond Loewy, Donald Deskey, Walter Dorwin Teague, Henry Dreyfuss, Norman Bel Geddes, Dave Chapman, Greta von Nessen, Eliot Noyes, Russel Wright and Gilbert Rohde.

Gilbert Rohde Electric Clock Stamp

I know that industrial design is not the same as mid-century modern design, but I figure many mid-century modern fans probably enjoy these stamps – I certainly do!

Frederick Hurten Rrhead Dinnerware Stamps

The Pioneers of American Industrial Design stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and are available at the USPS website or the U.S. post office.