What's on your DWR wish list? Our newest hire shares his top five.

Meet AJ Simone, the newest member of the sales team at Design Within Reach. "I knew this position would be one I'd quickly grow to love, and it didn't take me long to realize I was right. The people here are great and the office is absolutely stunning. But the real bonus? The furniture, of course! I had always dreamed of the day that I could actually purchase some real furniture. You know, furniture that I planned to keep longer than the length of my apartment rental? And now, with more direct access to such a fabulous collection of home decor, my days of fighting with the masses through the winding tunnels of big-box furniture stores are finally over!

So, without further ado, here’s my wish list for year one at DWR..."

Six Degrees of Cranbrook.

Attention Design Geeks! May we present to you our new game: Six Degrees of Cranbrook. 

The Cranbrook Academy of Art, as you well know, is the art school associated with many of our favorite designers. Think of any chair, designer or firm, and it's bound to be linked to the school in one way or another. Therefore, we figured we would use the rules from the eponymous party game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and apply them to the design world for some know-it-all fun.

Each week we will post something and the lovely commenter who replies with the fewest "degrees of separation" to Cranbrook, in the least amount of time, will be declared the winner. The winner will be able to choose next week's challenge (in addition to gaining our undying adoration and respect). 

So who's in? This week we will start out the game with this challenge:

Three options for a sleek Superbowl Sunday.

We heard that 30% of TVs are purchased in the two weeks before the Superbowl. Which means you may need a smart way to display your new tube. Whether you're rooting for the Patriots, 49ers, Giants, Ravens, (or just watching for the ads), we've got your living room covered.

Cord tackler
Designed by Jesus Gasca for Stua, the Sapporo Shelving with Cable Management is finished on all sides in white lacquer, like Sapporo's snow in Japan. It can be outfitted with or without sliding doors, allowing you to hide DVD players and other unsightly devices if you wish. The recent addition of cable management expands the versatility of this system.

Living in a Small Space.

Note: This article was originally titled "Leben Auf Kleinem Raum" and ran in the German magazine Couch. It has been translated into English (and slightly edited) by Iris in 't Hout.

33 sq meters

From a family home to a doll size apartment. How do designer Michael Sainato (V.P. Marketing + Creative at Design Within Reach) and stylist Iris in 't Hout solve this? With lots of style - and storage room.

The table barely measures 70 cm x 80 cm, so the built-in seat benches can have storage drawers underneath. Dog Miles always finds a spot by Iris and Michael.

Designing for Good: Yves Béhar's XO-3 Tablet.

As the founder of fuseproject and the chief industrial designer for One Laptop Per Child, Yves Béhar is no stranger to creating socially conscious designs. OLPC provides affordable laptops to underpriveleged children from around the world, allowing them to use technology for individual learning and growth. The non-profit program currently reaches more than 2.5 million students and teachers in 42 countries. 

The punchy green design of the XO-3 tablet is both functional and rugged. The grip-friendly rubber case folds back to reveal a scratch resistant, sunlight-readable screen. Since power consumption is a problem in many developing countries, the ecologically minded device charges with solar power, hand cranks or other alternative power sources. With more than 75,000 units already ordered, the XO-3 will ship out in March 2012.

Yves Béhar views his role as something more than product development. "I believe design's purpose is not only to show us the future," he states, "but to bring us the future." The Swiss-Turkish designer heads up Industrial Design at California College of the Arts (CCA,) where he encourages students to become involved in all aspects of object making. He also attempts to install a global sensibility and to instill a sense of the designer's responsibility to culture and our collective future.

New Year's Resolution: Get Organized.

Although the task of getting organized can seem daunting, the key is to equip your space with the proper tools for the job. Luckily for you, our storage systems are like Swiss Army knives; customizable, modular and ready to tackle even the messiest of situations.

Doron Lachisch’s Cubitec Shelving combines the exceptional strength and stability of injection-molded polypropylene with simple, modular design. In addition to being superbly strong and lightweight, optional Doors and Backs can transform the system into a concealed cabinet, letting you decide what you want to display or hide. Also, depending on your needs and the configurations of your space, Cubitec can be attached vertically or horizontally.

In today's New York Times.

Photo: Mark Veltman for The New York Times

The LC2 Two-Seat Sofa appears in today's New York Times, in an article about how furniture keeps getting bigger. "Furniture has been bulking up for several years now," writes Steven Kurutz, "partly to match the scale of all the cavernous 'great rooms' that became must-haves in new homes (and perhaps also to match expanding waistlines)." He compares the size of the LC2 Sofa (left) to that of a contemporary armchair (right) to show how the pieces today "dwarf the furniture of an earlier era." Le Corbusier Group designed the LC series in 1928 as a modernist response to the traditional club chair, referring to the LC2 and LC3 as "cushion baskets."

What do you think about the size of furniture on the market today -- is bigger better?

Our red Neutra Numbers are so loud, they go up to 11.

Update: Thank you so much for all of your imaginative entries. We have chosen five winner who will be contacted shortly.

There are countless ways to use Neutra House Numbers. From building a kid’s height chart, to bringing logic to your kitchen drawer handles, to numbering the steps in a staircase … these sleek digits inspire many creative ideas. (Neutra Numbers are also available in Aluminum.)

Got a creative idea to share? Tell us how you’d use Neutra Numbers and you could win a set for your house (or for anywhere you want to use them).

In today's New York Times: Shopping for Fire Pits.

Industrial designer Joe Doucet goes shopping for fire pits, described by the New York Times as "those vessels, often made of ceramic or iron and fueled by wood or gas, that lovers of the outdoors set up in chilly weather for heat and light and charm." When he sees our Cast Iron Fire Bowl, he says "it strikes the perfect balance -- the reductive design can fit into a modern environment, but the cast iron adds historical significance, so it can sit in environments that aren't so contemporary." He also liked its portability and the optional stainless grill top. "It becomes multifunctional," he says. "In urban environments, where space is at a premium, you want things to do more than one thing if possible." Photo by Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Video: A soothing and visually rich treat for the holidays.

“The modernists were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of furniture danced in their heads…” Begin your long winter’s nap with this soothing video from our partners at Stua. Happy holidays.

STUA CHRISTMAS from JAVIER GUERRERO on Vimeo.

 

Craving culture? Museum exhibitions to see.

Here are just a few exhibitions to see around the country. Do you have suggestions to add to this list? Drop us a comment and we'll post it. Shown: Ocean Park #79, 1975. Oil on canvas. ©The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn. Image courtesy The Estate of Richard Diebenkorn

NEW YORK
MoMA: 194X-9/11: American Architects and the City (ends Jan. 2) 
Dec. 26 hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm

LOS ANGELES
LACMA: California Design, 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way 
Dec. 26 hours: Noon – 8pm

SAN FRANCISCO
SFMoMA: Richard Serra Drawing (ends Jan 16)
Dec. 26 hours: 11am – 5:45pm

FORT WORTH
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth: Richard Diebenkorn: The Ocean Park Series (ends Jan 15) 
Dec. 26 (closed). Dec. 27 hours: 10am – 5pm

CHICAGO
The Art Institute: Architecture for Urbanism: Selections from the Bertrand Goldberg Archive (ends Jan 2)
Dec 26 hours: 10:30am – 5pm

 

 

New items added to our 3D Room Planner.

Our 3D space-planning tool has even more furniture than before. Choose from dozens of renderings of DWR furniture that you can mix, match and move (no heavy lifting) until you find the perfect arrangement. For inspiration, browse the Gallery of Furnished Rooms.

Our Holiday Wish Lists: Kimberly Phillips

Job: Managing Editor.

Favorite Holiday Song: Jingle Bells by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters.

Best Winter Treat: Red and Green Jelly Wreaths – I think about them all year.

Wish List: Oh! It’s hard to pick just one! Right now there are three items on my wish list. (And lucky for me, they coordinate!)

1. City Wall Throw

I would like to thank Diane von Furstenberg for encouraging Suki Cheema to design textiles inspired by his travels. They’re a visual treat, and his City Wall Throw is an effortlessly stylish accent for any room.  

2. Uten.Silo I

I love the story behind this product. It was inspired by a multi-pocketed fabric storage system and intended to be easily mass-produced in plastic. Unfortunately, because of the oil embargo in the mid-70s, plastics became too costly to produce, and it fell out of production – until it was reissued by Vitra Design Museum in 2002. 

3. Coatrack Dots

The Dots are a quirky way to hang coats, dog leashes, bags, just about anything. But it’s because of the designers’ humorous quote that they made my wish list: "Being a very social set of hooks, the Dots love to welcome other Dots to join them on the wall. The only thing the Dots demand from you is that you uncover them every now and then to admire their shape and material."

Our Holiday Wish Lists: Michael Sainato

Job: V.P. of Marketing + Creative.

Favorite Holiday Song:  There is no such thing as a good holiday song.

Best Winter Treat:  Black Squirrel - maple syrup, Bourbon, bitters, orange and Heering (Danish cherry liquor).

Wish List: The Eames® Aluminum Lounge and Ottoman in black powder coat and black leather - black on black. What more do you need to say. The coolest chair.

Our Holiday Wish Lists: Jae Hah

Job: Northeast Area Manager

Favorite Holiday Song: An old Johnny Cash Christmas record I found in a vintage store in Kewaskum, Wisconsin while I was visiting my husband's family one year. I'm not sure what the title is because the cover was in tatters when I found it. That's my soundtrack of choice during the holidays (especially while housecleaning).

Best Holiday Treat: "Dduk Guk," a Korean soup made of savory rice cakes and stuffed dumplings in beef broth traditionally consumed on the morning of New Year's Day. My mom only makes it once a year, and although it can be ordered at Korean restaurants anytime, her version is obviously the most delicious.

Wish List: The Grasshopper Floor Lamp designed by Greta Grossman is on my wish list, in Blue Grey. It reminds me of a louche, worldly woman. Or a dandy silent film star with jazz hands. Or, The Thinker. It has so much personality that it trips off a reel of delightfully anthropomorphic images in my mind every time I look at it. And the understated, perfect color. I want all the walls in my house to be that color; Benjamin Moore doesn't quite have it down. It's the new neutral.

Happy Birthday Ray!

Today marks the 99th birthday of artist, designer, filmmaker and innovator Ray Eames – and she's had quite a year. With last month's premiere of documentary film Eames: The Architect and the Painter, the Eameses have been enjoying a renewed presence in the cultural spotlight. Ray's fashion sense was recently chronicled on the New York Times' fashion blog, and this Monday, December 19, PBS will premiere the much-talked about Eames documentary as part of its American Masters series.

For more information on the film and to check local listings, visit pbs.org.

 

Watch: The Eames Lounge Chair's 1956 Debut.

Eames Lounge Chair debut in 1956 on NBC from The O on Vimeo.

To celebrate the last day of our Herman Miller Sale, we're rewatching this vintage NBC clip of Charles and Ray Eames introducing their now-iconic design to the world. Save 15% on the Eames® LCW, Eames® Lounge Chair and other great items through midnight tonight! Sale ends December 12. 

The Andy Warhol Experience.

Not long after arriving in New York City in 1953, a young artist named Andy Warhol began to make his way in the world of commercial illustration. Edelman Leather was one of Warhol’s first clients and over the course of several years he worked closely with owners Arthur and Teddy Edelman, producing everything from advertisements to showrooms. Their relationship culminated in a coloring book that could have only come from the mind of Warhol, created especially for clients' children for Christmas in 1961. Now back in print, A Coloring Book: Drawings by Andy Warhol (1961/2011) will amuse and charm a new audience, both young and old.

We recently had opportunity to speak with the Edelmans (if the name sounds familiar it's because they're our CEO's parents) about Warhol and what is was like working with the young commercial illustrator who would go on to become the most famous pop art artist in the world.

DWR: Describe the first time you saw Andy Warhol.

New York Times: Shopping for Bar Carts.

Imagine being the global brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin and living in NYC ... so many bottles, so little cabinet space. Fortunately for Raj Nagra, there are many smart Bar Carts to choose from, and he showcased his favorites in The New York Times. Among the finalists: The Barboy designed by Verner Panton in 1963. The Barboy is available at Design Within Reach.

Popuphood.

Did you know that in the early days of DWR, our office was based in West Oakland? This is a place that is near and dear to our heart, and we're excited to report that the city has just implemented an interesting new way to revitalize it's beautiful downtown historic district. "Popuphood" is a new urban initiative that placed six new locally-owned retail shops in previously vacant store fronts with six months free rent. Watch the video to get the full scoop on this cool community-based initiative.