CasaSugar

Home Away From Home: A Skate-Inspired Hotel Suite

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:30 -0800

Skateboard label Etnies is rolling into the world of hospitality. The California-based brand has designed a skate-inspired hotel suite in Laguna Beach's Casa del Camino. But you won't find any Etnies logo monogrammed sheets here. "We didn’t want to make it look like a trade show," said VP of marketing Don Brown. "We focused more on the culture of skateboarding, taking the movement, curves and shapes and injecting that into the design."

Elements include wheel tracks on the ceiling, a mirror framed with skateboard wheels, mounted skateboards for guests to use, and "Go Sk8" artwork in the bathroom. My favorite piece is the God Father Lounge Chair, a leather chair and ottoman inspired by Eames's iconic Lounge Chair, made of pieces which remarkably resemble a skateboard deck. It's part of the Skate Study House collection, which I wrote about back in 2008. Continue reading.

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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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

Desire/Acquire: Molded Plastic Rocker

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:00:00 -0700

The Eames Molded Plastic Rocker ($479) is a design classic. Originally produced in 1948, it's known as the RAR (rocking armchair rod) and was out of production for 30 years until Design Within Reach, with the Eames Office's blessing, started reproducing the design. The molded shell's deep seat is perfect for rocking a baby or relaxing on a front porch, and it's built from environmentally friendly molded polypropylene.

However, if you're comfortable rocking out on an unofficial reproduction, there's a much cheaper option available to you. To see what it is, read more.

Overstock.com sells the Vinnie Cradle Chair ($157) at a significantly smaller price than the official Eames rocker. However, it's kid-sized, so be prepared for its diminutive proportions. I'm guessing that the small size is the loophole around which this chair can be made. While I'm all for good design within everyone's reach, I'm not so comfortable with such a blatant ripoff of the Eames's classic, graceful design. What about you? Would you buy this knockoff?

Guess What This Chair Is Made From?

CasaSugar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:30:28 -0700

Designed in 1948 for MoMA's International Competition For Low-Cost Furniture Design, and inspired by Gaston Lachaise's 1927 sculpture "Reclining Nude," the Eames La Chaise is a design icon. Can you tell me what the body of the chair is constructed from?

Get the Look: Twilight's Modern Patio

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:26 -0700

Yesterday, I showed you photos of the gorgeous Pacific Northwest house used as the Cullens' home in Twilight. The home was designed by Portland, OR-based Skylab Architecture, and is fantastically designed both inside and out. I'm particularly fond of the minimalist, clean-lined patio. The white Eames furniture brightens the misty outdoor environment, and complements the chunky modern farm table and wood paneling.

To get the look, read more.

Eames® Molded Plastic Side Chair - $249.00	Kartell - prince aha stools by philippe starck for kartell - $110.00
Modernica nelson bubble lamp - cigar - $269.00	Walnut Table Kubus 55" Square - $2,150.00
Eames® Molded Plastic Armchair Rocker in White by Herman Miller - $479.00	Bullet Planter Short - $159.99

Love It or Hate It? Hang It All Coat Rack

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:15:17 -0700

The Hang It All Coat Rack was designed in 1953 by Charles and Ray Eames. It has an iconic look, but might be a bit too poppy and retro for some of you.

Source

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.
Source

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Desire/Acquire: Eames Aluminum Management Chair

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:00:16 -0800

Designed in 1958 by Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames Aluminum Management Chair ($2,299) is a revolutionary task chair that changed the face of office design. Its subtle shape and smart leather conforms to the body's shape, proving that comfort and aesthetics can exist simultaneously at a desk. The Eameses were some of the first designers to utilize affordable aluminum to create a lightweight, corrosion-resistant frame, and today the chair maintains its popularity, for those who can afford it. Unfortunately, that's a bit of a problem, as the price doesn't sit well with many! To hear where you can snatch up the next best thing, read more.

You'll be hard-pressed to notice a difference between the Eames original and this Crate & Barrel Ripple Leather Office Chair ($259). This chair takes the business of ergonomics seriously and shares the looks and function of the Eames chair, but it'll cost you a fraction of the price. But when it comes to paperwork, that task is up to you!

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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