Who knew bunkbeds could be so sophisticated?  The moldings, thoughtful staircase, and muted colors make this built-in bunkbed wall tres chic.  (I lost the photo source on this one…if you know who the designer is, please let me know so I can add the credit!).

 

 

The right piece can be the bunk bed that launched a thousand (make believe) ships!  I like how this pirate-inspired bunk bed has antique aged brass portholes, but still fits in well with a room’s decor without being too themed.  This is also from the collection of wooden bunk beds at BunkBeds.net.

This vintage 1975 bunkbed by Luigi Colani is simply ingenious.  The desk feels intimate yet productive, while the chalkboard hides the closet – perfect for small spaces.

And just to put a smile on your face, here’s another repurposed luggage cat bed from the Etsy shop lovenotsalgicwhimsy, but this time in a bunkbed fashion, complete with baseballs for feet.  Who says our felines can’t enjoy bunkbed fun too?

When you no longer need bunk beds, what can you do with such a large piece of furniture?  Repurpose them into sofas or daybeds, but of course!  Designer Deborah Parks took bunkbeds and repurposed them into sofas for her sleeping porch, as seen in the 2010 Decorators’ Showhouse.

Great furniture design transcends not only time, but its original form.  Let me illustrate with four examples of iconic chair and sofa designs – and how they beautifully translate into beds!   From chesterfields to Eames, it is clear that these antique and vintage designs live happily both in living rooms and bedrooms.

While Pltrona Frau’s white chesterfield sofa is a recent design, the chesterfield itself is as iconic as an antique sofa gets!  Of course, the chesterfield is beautifully interpreted as a bed, which is the Kensington from the collection of faux leather beds by Our World of Interiors.   Remember, not any button-tufted headboard will do, as the gently wrapped lines of the chesterfield are just as important.

The chesterfield button style combines with the classic wingback chair to create a piece that stands the test of time — and different rooms.  This wingback chesterfield chair from Sevens becomes a lovely headboard for a bed, which is the Sandringham, again from the collection of leather beds from Our World of Interiors.  This type of darker leather chesterfield inspired bed is great for a gentleman’s room or even a modern couple’s bedroom.

The Eames Lounger is one of the most iconic and coveted mid-century modern pieces.  If you want your pup to have as exquisite MCM taste as you do, then the Vurv Ellipse dog bed fits the bill!  This is the perfect canine sleeping interpretation of the Eames Lounger.  Wouldn’t it look lovely at the foot of your bed in your mid-century modern inspired bedroom?

Modernica’s Case Study Alpine Bed takes the beautiful, iconic lines of the Eames bentwood chair and turns it into a work of art for your bedroom.  I appreciate how the design thoughtfully translates the feet and curves, but I do think the headboard could have paid a bit more homage to Eames.  Nonetheless, it is a lovely bedroom interpretation of the Eames bentwood chair.

I’d love to hear about any chair-to-bed transformations you’ve seen – or would like to see!

Although it’s been five years since I left the hallowed hallways of Berkeley, the fall always reminds me of the promise of new knowledge.  For the fall issue of UPPERCASE magazine (which you can still enjoy through a subscription), I was inspired by the quintessential symbol of  timeless wisdom: library card catalogs.  Of course, in the spirit of Poetic Home, my article is filled with ideas on how to repurpose these wonderful biblio-antiquities.

Here is a closer look at the current rendition of my most recent library card catalog cabinet find.  It’s a cabinet of vintage curiosities for now, but I’m in the process of repurposing it for the baby’s nursery.

Does the fall remind you of back-to-school nostalgia too? It may be time for me to take a trip to the library this afternoon….

Habitat 67 holds much allure for architectural, history, and vintage enthusiasts such as myself, although most either hate it or love it.  Built for the ’67 Expo and designed by McGill University’s Moshe Sadie, Habitat 67 was a social experiment, architectural innovation, and art expression rolled into one.  Comprised of 354 cubes, nearly 150 homes are tucked between the majestic river, city lights, nature, and the sky.   While there are an abundance of photos of the exterior of Habitat 67, it is hard to find interior photos of this revolutionary architectural statement…until today!

During my search for vacation rentals in Montreal, I gravitated towards finding one for a several month stay in Habitat 67.  Lo and behold, I found one with gorgeous photos that give us a peek into the beauty and innovation of Habitat 67, inside and out.  I love how there is a wonderful nod to vintage, mid-century modern inspiration, yet the space still feels quite cutting-edge — which is quite an architectural feat.  My favorite is the final photo, where the beauty of Habitat 67 really shines in how it innovatively and inspirationally connects the building with unique viewpoints.   You can almost feel the rush of the river beneath you through the unique view in the concrete wall.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed about the availability of this vacation rental for my upcoming jaunt to Montreal!

The best way to describe my home’s interior design style is vintage eclectic.  I love mid-century modern designs, but I also love the romantic lines of French antiques.  To be honest, the list of vintage and antique treasures I love could go on forever!  Here is a peek at my (mostly dismantled for the move) dining room, where I think mid-century modern chairs live happily with a French provencal table.

While the furniture lines are quite distinct, the clean lines of the MCM dining chairs are well offset by the curves of the French provencal table.

Bon appetit, eclectic vintage style!

To live in a home where each piece of furniture is a work of art is one of my lofty goals.  However, for me, art is not necesarily found in high brow design — but quite literally, artistic creations melded with vintage furniture pieces.   The Old Cinema proves that even the humblest of cupboards and vintage school lockers are transformed into artistic heirloom pieces with creative coats of paint.  From numbers to the Union Jack and illustrations in between, it will be difficult for me to look at any vintage furniture piece the same again!

I wish you a marvelous upcoming weekend filled with finding treasures that bring out the artist in you!

This week’s Room Without a Key Tour brings us to the lobby of an intriguing hotel in Dire Dawa, home to the  only occasion of secular mid-century modern design cosmopolitan traveler A. Davey witnessed in Ethiopia.   Can you imagine lunching amongst these gorgeous room mid-century modern inspired room dividers?

Intrigued by the presence of such western design in Ethiopia, A. Davey was kind enough to delve into the history of Dire Dawa, whose existence was largely influenced by a railroad that connected Addis Ababa to Dijibouti on the Gulf of Aden.   Decades ago, passengers frequently traveled this route, but its prevalence in commerce and leisure has since diminished.

As a French-Ethiopian enterprise, the railroad ran through Dire Dawa, creating a resting point for passengers.  Subsequently, the French may have very well influenced the design of this lobby, especially considering that the imagery on the room dividers represent coffee service — much more European in influence than Ethiopian.   A. Davey concludes that the brass containers that are showcased in the room dividers are most likely shell casings.

According to A. Davey’s research, the Dire Dawa hotel dates back to 1964, which concurs with the heyday of mid-century modern design.  I love how there is such strong mid-century modern aesthetic, made even more unique with the influence of local materials.  Thank you so much A. Davey for sharing your beautiful photos, knowledge, and travel experience for this fascinating Room (or rather, lobby) Without a Key Tour!

I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful weekend!  I’m making the trek up to the monthly Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market extravaganza!  I’m quite excited, as I haven’t had the chance to visit in a few years.  I’ll be back on Monday with lots of pictures and hopefully vintage treasures!  (Fun fact: yours truly was once a Rose Princess with the Tournament of Roses – several moons ago!)

Whether you are a mid-century modern connoisseur, or a relative newcomer (check out the mid-century modern furniture guide), it can be difficult to discern an authentic mid-century modern piece from an imitation counterpart, unless you know where to look for the subtlest of clues. Mid-century modern furniture is best exemplified by the quintessential pieces that showcase beautiful lines, such as the Saarinen Tulip chair, the Knoll Barcelona chair, and the Eames lounge chair. Before splurging on any of these purportedly “authentic” mid-century modern furniture chairs, make sure it meets the checklist of authenticity.

Telltale Signs of an Authentic Knoll Barcelona chair

This Knoll-licensed piece of mid-century modern furniture won the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977. A genuine Knoll piece will display the signature name of “Mies Van Der Rohe” on the chrome frame, usually on the rear leg on the left hand side. It should be noted that Knoll simply owns the manufacturing rights in America, and Barcelona chairs were initially made by other mid-century modern furniture manufacturers; thus, some pieces not bearing the Knoll stamp may still be authentic Barcelona chairs.

Before you buy your Knoll piece, also check that it has an authentic-looking serial number located beneath the fork of the chair. Mid-century modern collectors most often cite Knoll chairs as having the best quality upholstery – potentially well worth the additional investment.

Real vs. Faux: Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman

The Eames Lounge chair was designed and introduced by Ray and Charles Eames around 1956. The Eames mid-century modern furniture embodies luxury, comfort and exquisite elegance in its design. Though the task of distinguishing an Eames Lounge chair from any other chair made of molded plywood might appear to be formidable, there are some definitive clues to aid you in your authenticity quest.

Eames wannabes have screws and bolts visible from the outside; these will not be apparent on a genuine mid-century modern Eames chair. In addition, Eames Lounge chairs have a welt and a separate piece of leather on the armrest, whereas mid-century modern furniture copies are generally upholstered with a single piece of leather wrapped around. Look for the Vitra logo stamped on an authentic Eames lounger, as well as five legs on the chair – most imitators only have four legs, as it is less costly to produce.

Also, the ottoman cushion and the chair cushion should be the identical size – you should be able to swap an authentic Eames lounge chair’s cushion with the ottoman’s pad.

Break out your protractor! Keep in mind that the authentic Eames lounge chair is permanently angled at 15 degrees to provide the most comfort for your body. Unauthorized reproductions or copies are usually not mounted at 15 degrees.

Elements of an Authentic Saarinen Tulip Chair

The Saarinen Tulip chair is thought to be one of the most recognizable pieces of mid-century modern furniture. There are many variations of the Saarinen design available, but few are the real McCoy. Authentic Saarinen Tulip chairs have been made by Knoll since 1957, NOT by Burke as is widely thought.

The easiest way to distinguish a genuine Saarinen from a copy is to look at the base. An original mid-century modern Saarinen Tulip chair has a tulip-shaped pedestal base, which was added to eliminate the need for chair legs. There will also be a Knoll logo on the base. There are no casters on any authentic Saarinen, and the back of the chair should not appear to be “square” like so many imitators.

Whether you are examining a Saarinen, an Eames, or a Knoll piece of mid-century modern furniture, conduct piece-specific research, as well as locate a photograph of the original. You can then compare the supposed “authentic” piece of mid-century modern furniture with the real deal first-hand. Stay tuned for future guides articulating how you can discern the real from the imitation in other mid-century modern pieces.  Best of luck my stylish friends!

(Photo credits from the top – Knoll Barcelona chair images from the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Collection Picture Book; Eames Lounger chair images from Herman Miller and Cool Retro Shack; Saarinen Tulip chair images from the Eero Saarinen Collection Picture Book and a user-submitted photo on Apartment Therapy)

After being quite tired from my shoot yesterday, I slept in and missed an estate sale…so to comfort myself, I still went vintage treasure hunting and scored….the mid-century modern nightstand version of Wall-E!    This mid-century modern design line is actually a trapezoid, but it looks like a square in the picture.  I’m thinking of painting the outside frame white, and then leaving the drawers the natural wood grain…or vice-versa…what do you think?  Or…perhaps I shall simply keep it in its original splendor…per the urging of my friend Amy. 

Happy fantastic Friday!  I hope you all have a splendid weekend enjoying the best of summer!