CasaSugar

Do You Own Any Eames Furniture?

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:28:11 -0700

Charles and Ray Eames were some of the most influential American designers. Though their heyday was in the '40s and '50s, their designs are still relevant and fashionable today. Do you own any Eames furniture?

Photo by Big Blue Photography

Designer Couples: Charles and Ray Eames

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:00:27 -0700

In honor of wedding season here at Sugar, I thought I'd take a look at some marriages that have made major contributions to the world of design. You've heard of "designer babies," but I'm talking about designer couples - be it architects, interior designers, or product designers, there are plenty of wedded duos who prove that "the couple that designs together, stays together."

It's only natural to start with Charles and Ray Eames, arguably some of the most influential designers, who made their mark in the fields of industrial design, furniture design, art, graphic design, film, and architecture. Charles and Ray met in 1940 when Ray enrolled at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where Charles was teaching and later became the head of the industrial design department. They married in 1941, just a few years after Charles had divorced his first wife. Check out this slideshow to see some of their iconic designs.
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Nice and New: Charles & Ray Eames Stamps

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:45:32 -0700

Back in January, I wrote that the United States Postal Service would release Charles and Ray Eames stamps featuring the Eames Wire-Base Table, the Hang-It-All, the Lounge Chair and Ottoman, the House of Cards, the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, the Aluminum Side Chair, the Molded Plastic Side Chair, the Storage Unit, the Wire Chair, and the La Chaise. Well, the time has come folks. You can pick up your own pane of 16, self-adhesive 42–cent Charles and Ray Eames stamps ($6.72) at your local post office. That's right, if Eames furniture wasn't already out of your budget, stamps now cost 42 cents. I plan on framing one sheet, and saving another for letters to my favorite design-fiend friends.

This Just In: USPS to Release Charles & Ray Eames Stamps

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:00:26 -0800

Next Summer, the United States Postal Service will release a pane of 16 stamps honoring and recognizing husband and wife design partners Charles and Ray Eames for "their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts." To get all the details, read more.

The designs featured include the Wire-Base Table, the Hang-it-All, the Lounge Chair and Ottoman, the House of Cards, the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, the Aluminum Side Chair, the Molded Plastic Side Chair, the Storage Unit, the Wire Chair, and the La Chaise. Design Notes writes that "it may also be the only time you can get an Eames La Chaise for 41 cents." It's interesting (and fun!) to see these designs in a new form (much like the coasters). It's also fitting to use the designs as stamps, since as the USPS points out, "Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public."

Nice and New: Eames House of Cards

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:00:21 -0700

The Curiosity Shoppe is now selling Eames House of Cards ($35), a set of medium-sized cards designed by modern design hero Charles Eames in 1952. The deck contains 32 interlocking pieces featuring delightful and colorful images of what Eames and his wife Ray referred to as the "good stuff." Printed on the cards are pictures of "familiar and nostalgic objects from the animal, mineral, and vegetable kingdoms," as well as gorgeous textiles and patterns collected on their world travels. It amazes me how something so inexpensive designed half a century ago can have such a lasting value in the world. I think the set is a great inspirational tool for kids and grown-ups alike; it seems like something the smarty-pants, gifted students in Little Man Tate would have used. It's also just a good looking home accent, however you build it, and would make a perfect housewarming gift for any design fiend. Wish list!
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Coveted Crib: The Eames House

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:30:08 -0800

Charles and Ray Eames are legends in the design world. Their furniture designs, from the molded rocker to the Eames lounge and ottoman, are pieces any modernist worth her salt is either saving for or proudly displaying. The Eames are also known for their modular work, which was first seen in the 1940 Organic Design competition, and established the beauty and practicality of a modular approach to architecture. Their Pacific Palisades, CA, home echoes this philosophy, with its modular, affordable construction and open plan layout. In 1978, the Eames House received the American Institute of Architects' Twenty-five Year Award. If you're in California, you can visit the house, but only the exterior. And, if you're lucky enough to be an Eames Foundation Member who's let in for the once-a-year interior tour, you can't take photos. So, to get the inside scoop, check out the slideshow, which contains original images of the home, Charles Eames, and his designs from 1950. Peter Stackpole for Life Magazine

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Flashback: The Famous Eames Lounge Chair Debuts

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:12:01 -0700

Even if you don't think you know the Eames Lounge Chair, you probably know the Eames lounge chair. Created by husband and wife Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, the iconic mid-century modern design debuted in 1956, and it's still wildly popular five decades later. (One person even thought it would make a good tattoo.)

For a bit of background, Dwell Blog (via Design Observer) found this pretty hilarious video of when the Eames lounger debuted on NBC. The television host, who is just tickled by the idea that wife Ray actually works, talks at length to Charles Eames about the pair's manufacturing process and materials. The video is in two parts, and the dramatic unveiling is in Part II. To watch, read more

Sale Alert: Hive Modern's Annual Vitra Sale

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:46:43 -0700

By manufacturing furniture designed by legendary mid-century modern legends like Charles and Ray Eames and Verner Panton, Vitra creates some of the most crave worthy furniture around. But rarely can you find those desirable pieces discounted.

So allow me to direct you to the annual Vitra sale at Hive Modern, where every item in the store's extensive Vitra selection is 10 percent off. So if you've been eyeing a George Nelson Petal Clock (sale price: $261), now is the time to buy. I pretty much want everything in this sale, which ends on Sept. 21. What are you craving the most?

Decorating With the Eames RAR Rocker

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:46 -0700

Legend has it that the Eames RAR (rocking armchair rod) Rocker was designed by Charles and Ray Eames as a gift to employees who'd just given birth. Since I've seen the rocker pop up in photos of nurseries all over the Internet, I wouldn't be surprised. Anyone who's sat in an Eames Rocker knows that it's beyond comfortable - something you might not expect from a fiberglass chair. The RAR rocking chair is well over 50 years old, but it still looks as fresh as it did when it was designed for the MoMA. See some gorgeous examples of how home enthusiasts have integrated this rocker into their décor.
Source: Flickr User Flo and Me

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Found It! Magazines' Favorite Bird Sculpture

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:03 -0700

Can you see the common element in both of these photos? There's a black bird sculpture hovering on the shelf in Emily Walker's Canadian crib, recently featured in Canadian House and Home. Not to be outdone, the same bird's perching on the Living Etc July 2009 cover. I've actually written about this bird before, and it was originally featured in the house of two famous designers. Do you recognize this black bird?

To see where you can find this bird, read more.

It's the Vitra Eames House Bird ($208). Charles and Ray Eames originally decorated the Eames House with numerous objects from their travels, and this American folk art wooden bird was apparently one of their favorites. Originally found in the Appalachian mountain region of the eastern United States, this Eames bird is based on the original sculpture, and made from alderwood with a black lacquer finish.

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