Nordic Cool begins today.

Today is the first day of the month-long Nordic culture festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The festivities include panel discussions on architecture, exhibitions by 30 innovative and acclaimed Nordic designers and, of course, Legos. Building block trivia: Lego was founded in Billund, a small town in Denmark, by carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen in the 1930’s. Today they are the world's third largest manufacturer of play materials.

Oslo Opera House, designed by Snøhetta. Craig Dykers, a senior partner at the firm, will be a panelist at the Feb. 24 forum.

A few highlights from the calendar:

Forum: Master Builder/Master Builders Performing Architecture
Forum: Living by Design: A Holistic Approach to Everything
Lego Exhibition and Play Space: open daily in the Nations Gallery
Exhibition: Nordic Design Illustrated in the North Atrium Foyer

Making weekend plans? Go to the DWR Outlet Sale!

Here's another sneak peek of what you'll find at this weekend's DWR Outlet Sale. These photos were taken today at the DWR Outlet in Secaucus, New Jersey.

This Saturday through Monday, save an extra 20% on already drastically reduced prices on over-stocked, returned and scratch-and-dent furniture. Prices are up to 75% off original retail.

The DWR Outlet Sale also includes Herman Miller furniture from Art Basel Miami. As the show's furniture sponsor, Herman Miller furnished lounges and VIP areas for people looking to take a break from the show.

You can also shop our Online Outlet at dwr.com/ebay.

 

Type away, my valentine.

We’re celebrating a different kind of Valentine – the Olivetti Valentine Typewriter designed by Perry King and Ettore Sottsass.

Feel the love ... in 3–D.

We’re feeling the love today … in 3-D.

We used the DWR Room Planner to create this rendering of a studio loft with a space for dining (and after dining). Featured Pieces: Saarinen Round Dining Table, Panton Chair, Min Bed, Pelican Chair, Nelson Sunburst Clock, Lampe Gras Task Lamp and Random Pendants.

For more design advice, give us a call – 1.800.944.2233.

Love, Chairs.

This Valentine's Day, we're celebrating our love for chairs. No matter what your relationship status is, an iconic chair is always there to greet you after a long day. And you don't have to buy it dinner (but if you do, we know that most chairs like stuffing).

Welcome to NYFW, weary fashionistas.

Who needs the front row when you’ve got the best seat in the house? DWR is the official furniture provider for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. We’ve seen you at the tents and hope you’ve had a chance to relax fashionably in our official lounge.

Huge savings at DWR Outlet, Feb 16–18.

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll find at this weekend's DWR Outlet Sale. These photos were taken today at the DWR Outlet in Secaucus, New Jersey.

This Saturday through Monday, save an extra 20% on already drastically reduced prices on over-stocked, returned and scratch-and-dent furniture. Prices are up to 75% off original retail.

Looking for a belated Valentine's Day gift? Express your love (of modern design) with a red sofa or chair.

Verner’s Pantower Power

I’ve always been a little obsessed with Verner Panton’s Living Tower (nicknamed “Pantower,” above), and today, what would have been his 86th birthday, seems like a great time to take a look at it. Panton’s work brings a bit of play to the midcentury modern milieu and this “living wall” epitomizes that. Hip and versatile, it evokes swinging ’60s parties where beautiful people lounge languidly, while stacked vertically, sipping classic cocktails. (Either that or a cat tree.) According to the Vitra Design Museum, Panton was envisioning a “new form of communal living.” Introduced in 1969, it was made by Herman Miller briefly before Fritz Hansen took over production in 1970. Difficult and unwieldy to create, though, only a handful were made and the Danish master’s Pantower was out of production by 1975. Learn more about Panton – and see more of his bright and brilliant work – here.

A letter from our president.

Dear Readers,

At Design Within Reach we make authentic modern design accessible. Sometimes I feel as if we have not explained what that actually means. Authentic means it is the real thing. We don’t do “inspired by” or “just as good as” or “in the spirit of.” If it’s a Milo Baughman piece, you can be assured that he designed it and that the company that has the rights to produce his work is making it. The same goes for pieces by Saarinen, Eames, Mies, Bernett and the rest of our designers. If you buy it from DWR, you know it’s the real thing. We value our designers, and it’s our job to protect the future of these modern pieces.

Mr. Jacobsen’s big 111th.

“The key thing is seeing everything grow, setting out with a small sketch and seeing the whole and details spring to life,” said Arne Jacobsen. “It is the act of creation itself, and it is equally exhilarating whether one is working on a teaspoon or a national bank.” The midcentury Danish master sprang to life himself 111 years ago today and we salute him. From the Ant Chair to the Swan, Egg and SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel itself (as well as the hotel’s coordinating teaspoon, pictured above), Jacobsen’s contribution to the modernist milieu is unparalleled. Learn more about him here.

Get "Stollerized" at the Yossi Milo Gallery in NYC.

Chamberlain Cottage by Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius, Wayland, MA | Gelatin Silver Print by Ezra Stoller (1942)

The stunning work of photographer Ezra Stoller is on display at Yossi Milo Gallery through March 2, 2013. Michael Kimmelman reviews the show and discusses Stoller's work in today's New York Times.

General Motors Technical Center, Eero Saarinen, Warren, MI | Gelatin Silver Print by Ezra Stoller (1950)

A very grand Grand Opening.

We send a very warm "thank you" to all the folks who joined us for the Grand Opening of our new Costa Mesa Studio in California. Many familiar faces were in the crowd, including designers Sean Yoo, Christopher Farr, Jeffrey Bernett and Nicholas Dodziuk. Eames Demetrios joined us from the Eames Foundation and architects Sayigh+Duman, who designed the space, were also there to soak in the praise for their beautiful work.

DWR CEO John Edelman with Eames Demetrios, grandson of Charles and Ray Eames and Chairman of the Eames Foundation.

The dream team: DWR Area Managers.

Keep reading to see additional photos >

A Grand (Central) Centennial.

 
Flickr

Happy anniversary to Grand Central Terminal, New York’s favorite Beaux-Arts style building.

Today marks the centennial of the historic New York landmark. We’re particularly excited because many of us use it to get to and from the office. In fact, of the 750,000 or so travelers who pass through Grand Central every day, many are DWR employees. We like to think of it as an old friend you can always depend on – or are sometimes stuck with for a while. Nevertheless, we’re truly happy to celebrate it.

Check out the Gothamist for a breakdown of Grand Central restaurants and shops that are rolling back to 1913 prices on food and more throughout the day.

Five Fun Facts

1. Grand Central is the largest train station in the world by number of tracks and of platforms.

Pop the Champagne – winners have been chosen!

Congratulations to the winners of our 2013 DWR Champagne Chair Contest. Choosing the top three was one of the toughest decisions our judges ever had to make in this contest. Our judges -- DWR President and CEO John Edelman; COO John McPhee; VP of Merchandising Kari Woldum; and VP of Marketing and Creative Michael Sainato -- send their sincere appreciation to all of the entrants this year. 

First Place and $1,000 DWR Gift Card goes to Miwa F. for her "Rockin' Chaise." This design is truly masterful with a functional drink holder that moves. Our judges loved the innovation of this design using mid-century aestethics and were impressed with how the materials come together into one seamless piece.

Second Place a $500 DWR Gift Card goes to Jeffery Molter who designed a modern folding chair as well as a case to store it in. Our judges were so impressed with this design and we cannot remember ever receiving anything like this before. Form meets funciton in this whimsical yet useful piece.

Third Place and a $250 DWR Gift Card goes to Aaron Padilla. Named "F8 Chaise," this is beautifully constructed, unique design. The underside of the seat is fully sculpted of cork and the the upholstery overlaying it is a foil basketweave. Thank you Aaron for this clean and well thought out design. We also loved the packaging it came in! 

On behalf of our judges and everyone here at DWR, we would like to congratulate the winners and all of the contestants on their beautiful, innovative and functional designs this year. Thank you for taking the time to create a champagne chair for our special contest. Please browse all 319 submissions here. 

We'll see you next year!

Till Tuesday: The Living Room Sale.

The Living Room Sale: Save on sofas, chairs, rugs and lighting through Tuesday, January 29.

 

The ABCs of Architecture.

The ABC of Architects from fedelpeye on Vimeo.

Thanks to our friends at Metropolis magazine for sharing this video on their blog. Designed by Andrea Stinga and Federico Gonzalez, it's an engaging (and alphabetical) spin through iconic buildings by some of the world's best architects. "A lot of them have been left out with grief," says Stinga, "because we only need one for each letter and we have made an effort to have different nationalities."

In today's New York Times...

Today's Times features auction house owner Richard Wright shopping for Scandinavian design. His company holds two auctions devoted to Scandinavian design a year, and Wright understands the power and beauty of the work produced in this region. “There’s a really great sense of modernity and restraint balancing each other,” he says. “They have long winters, and a little hit of humor or color can be pretty welcome.” In naming good examples of the work coming from young Scandinavian designers today, Wright highlights our Kaleido Trays by Swedish designer Clara von Zweigbergk. "The trays come in various sizes and colors, and fit together in a modular system, so users can create their own compositions. 'It’s just pure geometry,' says Wright. 'In color.'"

Named "Best Bet" by New York magazine.

Kudos to the editors at New York magazine for naming our Allen Log Carrier a Best Bet. "New Yorkers lucky enough to have a fireplace this winter can spruce it up with this handsome log carrier," they wrote on their blog (which also features an awesome pair of long underwear. Correction: leggings. Either way, they rock.). "Fashioned by Italian creative team Cristiana Giopato and Christopher Coombes, the Log Carrier envelops timber in the kind of supple hand-stitched leather that makes urban woodsmen go weak in the knees." Indeed.

Champagne Chair Contest finalists and honorable mentions.

Wow. Thank you to everyone who designed a chair for the DWR Champagne Chair Contest. We were so overwhelmed with the response this year and absolutely delighted to the see the amount of innovation, creativity, originality, thought and time that was put into each and every one of these chairs.

After careful consideration (and really tough decisions) we are ready to announce the 10 Finalists along with 7 Honorable Mentions.

The 10 Finalists

Rockin' Chaise, Designed by Miwa F.

It's Philippe's Day.

Happy birthday Philippe Starck!

Known as a designer who approaches design in a subversive, intelligent and always interesting way, his objects surprise and delight even as they transgress boundaries and subvert expectations. 

In 2012, Starck brought us the Broom Chair, perhaps one of the most passionate design stories of modern time. "Imagine a guy who takes a humble broom and starts to clean the workshop, and with this dust he makes new magic," says Starck of his famed Broom Chair.

Today we celebrate this inspiring designer. Cheers, Philippe. We know you are doing something fabulous for your birthday!

Broom Chair, Saarinen Pedestal Table, Chilewich Abstract Lounge Weave Floor Mat