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.

Wright Auction Preview: Panton Chairs, Cobra Lamp, Frank Lloyd Wright House.

Here are a few highlights in next week's Important Design Auction at Wright in Chicago. The lot I'm especially eager to watch is a set of eight very rare bent plywood chairs by Verner Panton. First conceived in 1956 for the German WK design competition, it wasn't until 10 years later that he found a factory able to produce them. Lot estimate: $15,000-$20,000. There's also a Double Cobra table lamp by Greta Magnusson Grossman, with an estimate of $5,000-$7,000. Earlier this year, DWR worked with Gubi to bring this authentic collection back into production (and priced at a very reasonable $455.). Last but not least, the auction includes the Kenneth Laurent House and Furnishings, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Estimate $500,000-$700,000.

Ice Cube Celebrates the Eames House.

 

As an extension of “Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980,” today the New York Times’ profiled Ice Cube in a Q&A and video about LA and Charles and Ray Eames. In it, the Los Angeles native – who studied architectural drafting before becoming a rapper – discloses his a fond admiration for the Eameses and their innovative techniques.

“Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980” is a multipart event that celebrates the birth of the LA art scene. Over the next few months, more than 60 arts institutions across Southern California will host exhibitions highlighting every major art movement made in LA from 1945–1980. Theoretically, that’s everything from mid-century modern design to gangsta rap – or from Charles and Ray to NWA.

 

The Eames Living Room: Packed, Moved and Reassembled in 1:29.

 

Located in Pacific Palisades, the Eameses' Case Study House is an extension of their consummate performance, decorated with objects from their adventures and Ray's carefully considered vignettes. Its interior has remained virtually untouched since her death in 1988, until recently, when the living room was meticulously packed up and moved – a little more than 12 miles away – to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for inclusion in its exhibition California Design, 1930-1965: "Living in a Modern Way". It’s a daunting task to imagine, but thankfully, we don't have to. As the Eameses' living room was disassembled and reassembled, the LA Times' Bryan Chan captured the entire process on film and compiled it into a beautiful time-lapse video. 

California Design, 1930-1965: "Living in a Modern Way" is on view at LACMA through June 3, 2012. In addition to the Eameses’ living room, it includes more than 300 other objects that demonstrate the Golden State's role in shaping material culture.

Eclipse + Calder = Miro.

Our friends at Stua just shared this great photo with us. "The natural shapes of Eclipse Tables, with a Calder Mobile, create an image that looks like a Miro painting," says Jon Gasca. "Good ingredients are key to create an interesting result." We couldn't agree more. The photo below was taken in the lobby of a NYC hotel. Can you guess which one?

Auction watch: Scandinavian Design at Wright.

Here are a few highlights in tomorrow's Scandinavian Design auction at Wright in Chicago. The 1930s Lounge Chair with Reading Stand by Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson is a dream come true for a modern-loving bibliophilia, and if standing is more your style, his Book Stand is a great piece and a furniture form that is rarely seen today. (The description doesn't mention it, but it appears that this Book Stand is height adjustable, so you could use it while seated if you so desired.). In the "eye candy" category, there is a Vase by Stig Lindberg and Wastepaper Baskets made of rosewood and teak by P. S. Heggen. RESULTS: Lounge Chair with Reading Stand: $3,000 (estimate $700-$900). Book Stand: $1,063 (estimate $500-$700). Vase: $1,625 (estimate $1,000-$1,500). Teak Wastepaper Baskets: $16,250 (estimate $3,000-$4,000).

One can make a difference.®

This week in New York, and coming soon to other major cities, the annual Canstruction Competition will begin. This amazing charity competition will feature the work of 26 teams who will transform more than 100,000 cans into works of art. On November 21, the winners will be announced and the cans will be donated to City Harvest for distribution to those in need. Awards will be presented for: Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Best Meal, Jurors' Favorite and Honorable Mention. Check it out and let us know which one is your favorite.

DWR Presents: Brad Ascalon.

Made of solid Carrara marble, our new Ascalon Menorah designed exclusively for DWR by designer Brad Ascalon is visually modern and inexplicably classic. "I wanted to create something that kind of sat in the background to elevate the importance of the candles, but yet I still wanted it to be a striking form in itself," says Ascalon, "the eight facets correspond to the eight days of Chanukah, and the left and right diagonals create an 18 degree angle. In Judaism, 18 is a very important number symbolizing chai, or life."

Recently, we stopped by Ascalon's New York studio to learn more about the menorah and his design process -- we had no idea that he'd turn out be a skilled ukulelist, too. Watch the video to learn more about Ascalon, his menorah and how he's carrying on a family tradition as a designer.