2Modern Design Talk - Modern Furniture & Design Blog

Design Community and the Economy

Based on some positive response from my last posting regarding the economy and some indications of further interest on the topic, I will be randomly posting tidbits that I hope you all find useful. If not, please just ignore and scroll down for other great posts on modern design.

It is off topic for this blog a bit...but in the end, we are all part of a community and network and I think it is our job to collaborate to find solutions, rather than just watching helplessly from the sidelines.

Today's highlight (via zerohedge)

The list below highlights the firms that are on the hook to the FDIC in the form of implicit government-backed guarantees. The top five financial companies consist of CNBC's parent company (not for long) General Electric at $88 billion, Citi at $64.6 billion, Bank of America at $44.5 billion, JPM at $40 billion, and Morgan Stanley at $25 billion. Goldman is just out of the top five at the 6^th position, with current outstanding TLGP borrowings at $21.3 billion - nearly a dollar for dollar match with what is expected to be the firm's end of year bonus accrual.

It is only fair to propose to (CEO) Mr. Blankfein that instead of paying $20 billion in bonuses, the firm uses the bonus accrual to immediately repay every single last cent of its TLGP borrowings. If the firm wishes to approach the private (non-taxpayer subsidized) market subsequently, and reissue the full amount refunded, it may of course do so. Since the firm has repeatedly stated that it is not indebted to the US taxpayer any more, it would be very hypocritical if the firm proceeds to pay $20 billion in bonuses while it is still receiving the implicit interest rate benefits courtesy of having over $20 billion in debt on its balance sheet funded at virtually risk-free rates.

P.S. What is General Electric doing on this list anyway?!?

Win a Modern Nursery Winners Announced!

Thank you all who participated in our Win a Modern Nursery Sweepstakes! And the winners are...

GRAND PRIZE:
Argington Modern Nursery & Color Consultation from Danielle Hirsch. Including: Bam Changing Table, Bam Toddler Conversion Kit, Bam Bassinet, Bam Bassinet Canopy Support, Bam Canopy Drape, Bam Six Drawer Dresser, Bam Diaper Caddy, Bam Trundle Drawer

Kimberly Pacetti
Houston, Texas
Graphic Designer

"I am a designer and my husband and I own our own design firm in Houston, www.goodproject.com. We eat, sleep and live modern design and we are elated that our little one will be surrounded by stylish nursery decor thanks to 2modern. This is an amazing prize- thank you. As soon as we put the nursery together I will post the images on my blog http://ittyluxe.blogspot.com/ for you to see."

2ND PRIZE:
avalisa - Elephants Stretched Print

Jessica Trounce
Phoenix, AZ
Art Director & DIY Enthusiast

"WOW! Thank you so much! My arriving little one will love it I'm sure.'m an art director and designer for an advertising firm by day and an artist and crafter by night. Check out my baby blog http://stitchedlittleelephant.blogspot.com/. I'm always on 2modern's site and blog getting ideas on what to put in my home and my, soon to be occupied, baby room."

3RD PRIZE:
Inhabit - Plankton Pillow

Merry Warner
Salt Lake City, UT
Intern Architect

"Thank you! It made my day!"

Evolution of the mobile phone.

Kyle Bean is truly a master of 3D form and model making. Check out this awesome project he created showing the evolution of the mobile phone (from Zach Morris style to the iPhone!) in the style of Russian Dolls.

Pretty friggin' awesome, right?

Make sure to check out the rest of his portoflio at KyleBean.co.uk

via

--sdotg--

An Americans take on Danish Design

Last week was my first blog and I used an Americans perspective on Danish Lifestyle. This week I will share thoughts with you from an American so Danish he has been appointed Creative Director of Georg Jensen.

American designer Todd Bracher's own favorite among his design for Georg Jensen is the FLora collection of vases. They capture the essence and spirit of Georg Jensen with their mixture of symmetry and asymmetry. They were inspired by the magnolia bud that Georg Jensen himself found inspiration from. The scale and surface of the pieces sit well within the collection and feel they will stand the test of time as some of the now classic pieces as this was the goal, the idea of contributing at that level to the brand.

FLORA - a polished stainless steel vase with sculptural contours.

The national flower of Denmark inspired this Marguerite Daisy brooch. Launched in 1940 in celebration of the birth of Danish Queen Margrethe II, Georg Jensen’s brooch is a favorite of mine because I remember my grandmother wearing it growing up. My name Mette is the Danish diminutive of Margaret, so I was the lucky one to inherit my grandmothers Marguerite brooch.

The Georg Jensen Marguerite collection used to be really popular among older (much older, like in their 80s) Danish women. After a marked fade in popularity and years of style hibernation, it was re-launched under the name Daisy and is currently experiencing resurgence among women of all ages. It is huge in Denmark once again.

 
The Daisy is crafted in sterling silver, gilded with 23K gold and hand painted with white enamel.

It so happens my favorite Georg Jensen tableware is also inspired by flowers. The BLOOM serving bowls are perfect to use as part of the dinner table setting but can also be used as decorative bowls. The matt stainless steel is soft to the touch. It is modern without feeling industrial.

The Bloom bowls consist of languid high-tensile steel.

A Glimmer of Hope

Most likely...if you are reading, this you are a designer of one sort or another...if not, you are at least design-minded. I can not tell you how many conversations I have had with designers who are frustrated, burnt out, weary, tired, uninspired and otherwise on the verge of giving up in this economy. Resources are limited, clients are overly conscious of budgets, jobs are scarce and... 

"It's tough out there. So many huge problems in the world, so much noise, so hard to know what to do and where to begin. All of which means—it's a great time to be a designer."

In comes the Glimmer Manifesto. Think of it as your first sip from the fountain of designer-immortality. The fire under your feet. As designers (and, honestly, just as contributing members of society...) it is our job to create transformation within the world, to improve it...for everyone. This holds true in the toughest conditions even more so. I stumbled across Creativity's write up on the book earlier this morning and I am definitely adding this to my next Amazon shipment! Click here to read the write up.

 

Warren Berger is the author of Glimmer and the editor of the blog GlimmerSite.com

Its another awesome source of inspiration and I highly recommend checking it out!

Digital Design

Designing with a computer- is it really that much different?  Whether it’s a mouse or a pencil, it seems we have all been using laptops long enough so the design shouldn’t be effected that much… but it is.  When we get behind a keyboard and start drawing, the lines seem to go straighter-farther-faster and the methods and systems of proportion in design get pushed a little bit further.  The designs have a particularly structured quality, whether it be conceptual or detail, this is something that computers work with very well. 

 

      Then there’s CNC.  This pushes the idea of digital design further.  The project is designed on computer and the drawings are refined and used to run the computer-controlled cutter during the manufacturing process.  Modularity and the use of systems are often seen in the digital design process and this modular or system will be used some how in the manufacturing process.  CNC cutters adapt very well to sheet materials (plywood, resin panels, manufactured wood boards,…) so they work well with many of the newer materials that have come out on the market.  Some of the sharpest designs use the simplest edge and connections, accentuating the qualities of the materials in their designs.  

 

Great chair design by Sebastien Wierinck Studio.  One of the unique qualities of CNC cutting is its amazing accuracy which means the connections in the chair will fit perfectly. 

Panel Furniture, Sebastien Wierinck Studio

CNC cutter 

Cafe du 104 (Paris, France),    Sebastien Wierinck Studio  

Now you see it, now you don't!

    As a creative person and also one that needs a more formal work space occasionally, I have always been a fan of extremely adaptable and responsive work environments. Yesterday I stumbled across Clive Wilkinson Architects revamp for the VCU Brand Center in Richmond, VA. 

    Their work is idea driven and primarily architectural but they definitely know how to create an effective interior and graphic statement within their spaces. Most of us can attest to the fact that an improved work environment can have a multitude of impressions on the efficiency and communication that goes on within its walls. For this particular project, they did an excellent job of creating informal breakout areas throughout the original building and new addition. Hop on over to their website to check out the full project. What really caught my interest was the "folding" conference room that literally reaches out from the rafters to accommodate a fairly large table for gatherings, meetings and classes.

 

 

 

Craigslist Missed Connections and Art

Some browse the “Missed Connections” section on Craigslist in the hopes of spotting a posting from the dapper gent they exchanged a glance with in the checkout line. Others read the listings purely for entertainment.

Sophie Blackall, an illustrator living in Brooklyn, N.Y., saw it as an endless goldmine of material.

“I got completely sucked in,” she said. “I lost about two hours of my life reading them and thought this is just an extraordinary mine of material, ranging from the lyrical, poetic to unintentionally hilarious. Many of them threw out ideas for images to me right away.”

This is what I love about art, you can find inspiration in anything. See more of her work on her blog http://missedconnectionsny.blogspot.com/


Cushions with personality

It`s so nice to receive good news from Brazilian designers, and that happened this week. I know, being a Brazilian myself I`m biased, but I`m sure you`ll all agree: funny things make our lives better!

So, Gustavo Piqueira and Samia Jacintho, partners from REX design studio released a series of concept cushions that portrait influent personalities of our contemporary culture in a fun and non-conventional way.

Can you guess who they are? Go check their website and find out!

Francoise-Nielly

After stumbling across an almost explosive image of hers one morning before work, I just had to know more about Francoise-Nielly. As an artist that has explored almost every facet of art and design, including painting, photography, roughs, illustrations and virtual, computer generated animated graphics, she works with oil paint and her palatte knife to create enormous, vibrant portraits from black and white photographs. Her knowledge of how to render light and shadow is simply jaw-dropping. Her use of color and style contains so much energy and vibrance that the figures seem to be popping right through the canvas. Exhibited all around the world, this talented artist is never too far away. I suggest you find the gallery nearest to you and see these beauties in real life.

I hope you take some time to look at her website where she has a video of her work in action. It is truly inspiring.