Midcentury modern Geek

This picture is of the massage studio I have in my house.What I wanted you to see was the orange chair on the right side.I love that chair.It has been in the house since 1960.....and is a sure icon of mid-century modern furniture.There is a company now called Modernica who are manufacturing these chairs again.This time they are a hard plastic rather than the fiberglass of the 60's.Every now and then I go through my mid-century modern obsession.My most recent stint was triggered by a book I bought from my favorite used book store.It was written by a Norwegian in 1958 and was about Easter Island.The picture on the cover,the font,the little squiggly design,the lay out.....I just had to buy it....(I do want to find out about Easter Island)...but I was drawn to the art and style of the day.

I did not even know I had this obsession until I started going through my mom's stuff after she passed away...The 50's and 60's were the hey day for this style and she and my father certainly had their share....mostly in furniture and dinnerware.I was hooked.The dinnerware is highly collectable...but I will never sell the Vernonware or the Fransiscan everyday patterns.Neither will I get rid of old ads for linolieum or those chrome dinnettes (of which I am a proud owner).Instead I am decorating my house with them.I kept my parents living room furniture and most of the bedroom suite.Very retro indeed.I also am quite the fan of the old cruiser bikes that Schwinn use to make.You know the kind that Leave It To Beaver rode.Now those bikes are coming back.Check out www.electrabike.com.

Mid-century modern design came around during the time of sputnik so some of the design was considered "atomic".Very apparent in the dinnerware and watches.Much to my delight,alot of the design style is on it's way in.Certainly Micheal Graves(the archetect) has that atomic flair with some of his tea pots and other kitchen appliances he made for Target.Todd Oldham the designer did too.In the last few years,Pier one has had some wonderful vintage,atomic patterns for dinnerware.I bought some....I figured it would be the mid-century atomic of the future.

I subscribe to 2 magazines devoted to this style:Atomic Ranch and Modernism.I read them cover to cover.The artist who have cornered the market?Shag...he has the whole atomic clock thing as well as the Tiki thing going on...and Kerry Beary.Both have websites and sell on ebay and cafe press.If I had my skill pool together,I would download pictures of these artists renderings...but alas....I fall short...you will have to Google them.