The Studio of “Coast Modern” Filmmaker Gavin Froome

By Amy Feezor

Six years ago, Gavin Froome set out with friend Mike Bernard to explore the Pacific Northwest coastline — and its legacy of modernist architecture. The result is “Coast Modern,” an independent documentary that’s been featured in festivals across the globe and is about to show again on June 4 at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Between touring for the film and his work as a freelance art director and music producer, he showed us around his bright, clean-lined Vancouver studio.

Tell us about your background and how it led to “Coast Modern.” I work as a freelance art director, music producer, and more recently, a filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. I’ve made numerous records and singles for Nordic Trax Records available on vinyl and in the iTunes Store.

I got a little burned out from the club scene around 2005 and embarked on making a film to cleanse my palette and try something new. I was becoming more and more obsessed with mid-century design and architecture and wanted to get to the bottom of it. After working five years part time with my co-director Mike Bernard, we released “Coast Modern” in May 2012 to a receptive worldwide audience. The film has taken us to festivals in Italy, New York, Toronto, Boston, Montreal, Portland, and New Zealand, to name a few. We play LA this June 4 at the Hammer Museum and we’re designing a DVD package with some great bonus materials and a booklet for a June 2013 release. The film is also on its way to the iTunes Store this July. Big shouts to our producer Leah Mallen at Twofold Films and editor Peter Roeck. We haven’t screened in Michigan yet, so maybe Herman Miller could put on an event in Zeeland…

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I’m inspired by my family, nature, music, and food. I like when technology reaches a point where it can facilitate creativity on a large scale. In the early 90s, MIDI technology, affordable computers, and discarded 80′s drum machines came together in a way that made making records at home possibility. Kids around the world pushed electronic music to new levels and I got involved with that and still continue to explore it.

More recently, the DSLR video/high-speed Internet combo and platforms like Vimeo and WordPress have given aspiring filmmakers the ability to produce incredible-looking work independently. I love the Internet and the possibilities that it creates, but I also believe in turning it off. Kids need to learn how to build a raft after a two-day hike into the mountains.

Describe your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? We just moved into a great old Post & Beam in West Vancouver that we’re renovating. It’s classic open plan with an incredible connection to the outside. In the office, we’ve done simple plywood built-ins for records and a long shared table for everyone to work around. My wife Jody should actually be featured here — she has a great aesthetic and the ability to bring ideas to life. We’re soon building a detached music “shed” in the garden out of some renovation scraps, which is very exciting — modernism at its best, intended to connect people to one other and to nature. We’re just building on that 95-year-old idea. One thing I would love is a sunken living room. Why did those go out of style? Bring back sunken living rooms!

You have a few pieces by Charles and Ray Eames in your space. Why did you choose them? We bought our first Herman Miller piece (an Eames Sofa Compact) about 14 years ago while living in Boston. We’ve since added a few other classic Herman Miller pieces both new and used. Every time we add another piece it’s a considered decision that will be with us for life.

The thing about buying authentic Herman Miller is you only have to buy it once. Cheap knock-offs are an insult to everyone — the designers, the manufacturers, the craftspeople that build them, and the landfills they ultimately occupy. Authentic furniture can be expensive, but every piece we buy will serve our entire lives, my daughter’s life, and if we decide to sell it, someone else’s life. Buy something once and get on with living.

Photos: Tina Kulic

Playlist: Music to Start the Summer

By Jamie Latendresse

Throw open the doors and windows, the first long weekend of the summer is upon us. Let’s kick it off with some of our favorite tunes from the past few months’ worth of Playlists.

Song: This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Talking Heads
From the Playlist of: Artist April Wagner

Song: Fly Me To the Moon, Frank Sinatra
From the Playlist of: Designer Eduardo Alessi

Song: Nancy From Now On, Father John Misty
From the Playlist of: Hum Creative

Song: Escape in the Afternoon, French Films
From the Playlist of: Evernote’s Jeff Zwerner

Song: The Wanderer, Johnny Cash
From the Playlist of: Graphic designer Christopher Dina

Song: Shuffle, Bombay Bicycle Club
From the Playlist of: Designer J. Zachary Keenan

Song: Parallel Flights, Ryan Francesconi
From the Playlist of: Sea Chant’s Andrew & Carissa Gallo

Song: Temple of Unfed Fire, Pepe Deluxe
From the Playlist of: Artist Thedor Erkamps

Song: Care of Cell 44, The Zombies
From the Playlist of: Design Colleen Hill

Song: Summer Wind, Madeleine Peyroux
From the Playlist of: Architect and designer Max Gunawan

Song: Vision One, Röyksopp
From the Playlist of: Architect Amélie-Phaine Keller

Song: What’s On Your Mind, Tony Cook feat. Dam-Funk
From the Playlist of: Illustrator Grace Danico

Six Ways to Daydream

By Jamie Latendresse

We all hit mental blocks during our work week. Why not take a break and let your imagination run wild and free. You might be surprised at how a little spell of daydreaming will help you solve that tricky problem or clear that seemingly impassible obstacle. Here’s six ways to step outside yourself and daydream.

1. Classic ViewMaster Model L with Scenic Americana Reel - Try a little nostalgia with your daydreams and gaze through the beloved ViewMaster toy. It’s the perfect desk-size daydreaming accessory. Get started with the classic viewer and a reel of scenic America. Available at Amazon.*You can even make your own custom ViewMaster reels.

2. Alphabet Factory Blocks - Employ imagination, spatial relations, physics, and motor control for daydreams that add real structure to your life. No login, Bluetooth, or USB cable needed. Just a hand or two and a tabletop. Start building at House Industries.

3. Spun Chair, Thomas Heatherwick for Magis - If your work has you going in circles, try unwinding yourself for a spell in the Spun Chair designed by Thomas Heatherwick. It’s the most comfortable, enjoyable revolution you’ll ever start. Find it at Herman Miller.

4. M4U 2 Active Noise Canceling Headphones, PSB Speakers - If you’re having trouble tuning into your daydreams, try tuning out of your environment for a bit with noise canceling headphones by PSB Speakers. The natural-sounding M4U 2′s are lightweight and comfortable. Fold and stow in their travel case for mobile daydreaming. Get them at Crutchfield.

5. Scissor Chair, Ward Bennett for Geiger - Modeled from the classic hammock deck chair of yesteryear’s ocean liners, the Scissor Chair mixes refined materials and finish option with reclining comfort. Situate yourself near a window, sit back and watch the clouds bend to your imagination. Customize yours at Herman Miller.

6. Marimekko Picnic Blanket - When your workspace starts to close in on you, move your daydreaming to the park for a bit. You’ll quickly forget your worries laying down on this collectible, all-natural fiber Marimekko picnic blanket. At 57″ x 58″ it’s over 23 square feet of daydreaming space. Available on Etsy.

Photos linked within text.

Above the High Line: Celebrating NY Design Week 2013

By Amy Feezor

For this year’s New York Design Week, Herman Miller raised a toast — and gave special guests a glimpse of upcoming designs — at the High Line room of the Standard in downtown Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Take a look at our favorite posts from the past seven days.

1. Architect Loïc Picquet’s simple, streamlined renovation of this rural guesthouse in the Alsace region of France (via Dezeen).

2. Design*Sponge’s tour through photographer and blogger Jessie Webster’s home in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

3. “Architecture on Repeat: Hypnotic Photos of Seaside Façades” at Architizer.

4. California Museum’s Pinterest page dedicated to its “Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design” exhibition.

5. Design Milk’s look at the first residential design project — a joining of two neighboring properties into one family home — by London-based design studio Bureau de Change.

6. The impressive collection of Eames Aluminum Group Executive Chairs in the new Infor headquarters in NYC designed by VOA (via Contemporist).

7. The compact and cool Sydney apartment by designer Nicholas Gurney featured at Desire to Inspire.

8. “Elevator B,” an urban habitat for a colony of honeybees designed by architecture students from the University at Buffalo, at eVolo. (Learn why bees are near and dear to Herman Miller in this video.)

9. The 25th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair begins tomorrow and runs through Tuesday the 21st in New York City. Get details here.

10. Did you commute today via bicycle for Bike to Work Day? If you’re still dreaming of riding two wheels to the office, here’s the top 10 places to do so, according to Co.Exist.

Featured in photo: Nelson Pedestal Table by George Nelson

Bikes in the Office

By Amy Feezor

Warmer weather delivers a few extra excuses for breaking out a bicycle for your work commute — or for just taking a break during a long day in your home office. In honor of tomorrow’s Bike to Work Day, here’s how a few work spaces accommodate the larger, sometimes unwieldy bodies of bicycles into their interior design (something we know a little bit about here at Herman Miller).

With only 875 square feet to work with, the inhabitants of this New York City space had to think smart — and look up — when it came to bicycle storage. “Storing our bikes was an issue as they’re always visible,” says apartment dweller Jeremy. “Thus, we chose minimal bikes, such that they simultaneously served as an unobtrusive decorative elements when stored in our rooms.” (Photo: Jason Loper for Apartment Therapy)

The Boulder, Colorado, office of advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky serves up plenty of parking space for bike commuters. (Photo: This Ain’t No Disco)

Alone and set against crisp, white walls, a bicycle in the Silver Lake, California-based office of Warren Techentin Architecture makes a striking statement. (Photo: Warren Techentin)

In Los Angeles, a pair of bicycles also go vertical in the home office of stylist Amy Pigliacampo and husband Corey Szopinski. (Photo: Bethany Neuart for Apartment Therapy)

Artist Andrew Neyers uses motorbikes as part of the decor in the upstairs studio of his Cincinnati, Ohio, home. (He’s got two in the space — see them both here). (Photo: Andrew Neyers)

The compact size of artist and designer Ryan Brinkerhoff’s apartment in Columbus, Ohio, ensures that more substantial everyday items, like his bike, must live right alongside his other furnishings. (Photo: Ryan Brinkerhoff)

Andre Andreev and G. Dan Covert of Dress Code (the studio that helped create the stop-motion video for our recent “Everywhere in Your Day” Contest) make ample room for bikes in their downtown New York City space. (Photo: Dress Code)

Top photo: Jay Fletcher

Playlist: Christy Lai & Michael John of Colorcubic

By Jamie Latendresse

Christy Lai and Michael John like the term “multidisciplinary.” We can see why; together, they have a lot going on. First there’s Colorcubic, their interactive studio specializing in UX/UI, 3D modeling, animation, and motion graphics. In addition to the studio, Christy and John run a record label called Nueva Forma. Nueva Forma produces and releases high-caliber records in multiple genres and — channeling their affinity for design — often produces limited-edition packaging as well. Next the duo plan to launch an online shop to sell their design products including music, apparel, and printed goods called The Color Bureau. For this week’s Playlist, they share a few tracks that inspire their multidisciplinary activities.

What do you listen to while you work?
The usual suspects on rotation are pop, electronica, hip-hop, two-step/garage, Italo disco, dub, and occasionally, classical music.

How do you listen?
Headphones and studio monitors.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
There are so many, and it’s impossible to list all our favorite ones. The ones that immediately come to mind are: The Life Aquatic, Diamond Atlas, Gorilla vs Bear, Earmilk, The Hype Machine, lyfstyl music blog, Marinate Media, Neon Tape Deck, Hypebeast, High Snobiety, Hearing Gold, Assembly Line Collective, and disco naïveté.

Does music influence your work?
It absolutely does! We also run a boutique record label called Nueva Forma, and Colorcubic handles all of the creative aspects of our artists’ music, from branding to album art to 3D animation/motion graphics. We also organize an annual audiovisual event called Kontrast, which combines our love of bringing communities together with good music and visuals.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Usually by random discovery during late-night YouTube/SoundCloud/music blog trolling and recommendations from friends.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Michael: Boards of Canada
Christy: Grimes

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is the Eames Chaise on a graphite satin frame in black leather. Music is therapy, and when we listen to this mix, we envision a comfortable chair to lie on. A chaise made the most sense!

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your office?
In our studio, we use Herman Miller Celle Chairs. We like that they’re 98% recyclable, highly adjustable, and nice looking. They’re great chairs, and we’ve had them for about five years now.

Colorcubic’s Playlist:
1. L.O.V.E., Onra
2. Hawaii (Niva Remix), Blackbird Blackbird
3. Turbulence (), Loveskills
4. Orbit, Teengirl Fantasy
5. What Can I Do (Com Truise Remix), Sally Shapiro
6. The Truest Faith (CFCF Remix), Korallreven
7. Bad Girls, Blood Orange
8. Nazca, NZCA/LINES
9. Dying in Africa, Nicolas Mackelberge
10. Summer Nightrunner, A Gap Between
11. Everything is Working, Games
12. My Fire Burns the Same, The Bear and The Sea

Photos: Colorcubic

Workspace Tour: Photographer Christy Cassano-Meyer & Web Developer Kyle Meyer

By Amy Feezor

The shared home office of photographer Christy Cassano-Meyer and web developer Kyle Meyer is a charming blend of vintage and modern style. Take a look through their creative space in Portland, Oregon, in this tour led by Christy’s words and photographic eye.

Tell us a little about your backgrounds. We’re both creatives who spend equal time working out in the world and from home. I’m a freelance photographer specializing in weddings, portraits, and events, but my work is continually evolving. Kyle’s a web developer for Treehouse, a startup creating an online school for technology learning. We collaborate during wedding season when Kyle joins me as a second photographer.

Tell us about yourselves and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I spent a lot of time studying art and design while in school, and photography has been a natural progression into a field where I can hold onto my creativity and make a living. People, beauty, and happiness inspire me, and I feel fortunate to work with clients during their most joyful times.

Kyle’s worked professionally as a graphic designer, photographer, web developer, and snowboard instructor. He’s driven by a love of nature and simplicity, and created a social backpacking network for the Pacific Northwest called Went Hiking. At Treehouse, he garners inspiration from helping people get better jobs and improve their lives through technology learning.

I think this David Bowie quote sums up each of our lives: “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? I love all things vintage, and Kyle appreciates a more modern aesthetic. Our apartment has taken on an eclectic combination of our individual tastes that we both appreciate.

The apartment was built in the early 1900s and is bursting with vintage charm. Our favorite room is the sun porch, which is gloriously warm and bright and is currently serving as a small library.

We could definitely use an extra room for our office area. Both of our desks are sharing space with the dining room, which isn’t ideal, but it works for now.

There is a SAYL Chair in your office area. Why did you choose it? I was extremely picky about this decision because too many office chairs are bulky and unappealing. We both love Herman Miller designs, so when it came time to choose an ergonomic chair for Kyle to sit and program in every day, it was an easy choice. The SAYL is attractive and comfortable, and I appreciate its low profile and lightweight look. We would definitely recommend it to others!

Photos: Christy Cassano-Meyer

Six Great Events at NYCxDESIGN 2013

By Jamie Latendresse

NYCxDESIGN is New York City’s inaugural event to showcase and promote design of all disciplines. Held through Tuesday, May 21, it will celebrate NYC’s contributions to and embrace of design. Here are six great events you shouldn’t miss if you’re in the Big Apple for this citywide celebration.

1. Bordo Bello NYC: A Skateboard Design Show, May 13 – 17, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. - Hosted by AIGA Colorado, “Bordo Bello” is the annual skateboard art show featuring the work of more than 1,000 professional designers, artists, and students, creating an exhibition of skateboard decks and simultaneously supporting charitable causes. Read more…

2. Parsons BFA Product Design Flat-Pack and Micro-Manufacturing Exhibition, May 7 – 24, 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. - Parsons BFA Product Design students are challenged by the Flat-Pack Studio to create a furniture than can be flat-packed in standard shipping materials from UPS; the Micro-Manufacturing Studio helps students with design, modeling, prototyping, and testing of a family of household accessories or furniture, focusing on small-scale and self-sufficient production. Learn more…

3. NYCxDesign Workshop: Sustainable Design Thinking, May 14, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. - Led by Neil Chambers, founder/CEO of Chambers Design, Inc. and author of Urban Green: Architecture for the Future, the workshop explores how environmental issues can be affected by design, as well as what successes and priorities for the future exist. Learn more…

4. BKLYN DESIGNS 2013, May 10 – 12, 10:00 a.m – 8:00 p.m. - The BKLYN DESIGNS exhibition features a distinctive array of cutting-edge design from Brooklyn-based designers and manufacturers showcasing the “iconic Brooklyn style.” Learn more… 

5. INTRO NY, May 18 – 20, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. - Network or just take a break at INTRO NY. The “capsule event” provides a unique environment comprised of a series of design-branded vignettes. The styled spaces allow visitors to talk shop, socialize, or just plain relax. It also includes an outdoor café by Brooklyn Roasting Company. Learn more… 

6. Cutlog NYC Art Fair, May 10 – 13, 10:00 a.m – 8:00 p.m. - After five successful years in Paris, Cutlog NYC debuts on the city’s Lower East Side. Some forty galleries and curators will showcase art, installations, talks, and more throughout the Clemente Soto Vélez Center’s classrooms, halls, and theaters. Outdoors the parking lot will be transformed into a showspace for sculpture, music, food, and films. Learn more…

*Is your cab budget a little stretched? Does the subway not show you enough of New York? See NYCxDESIGN x Bike! Download the free bike map.

Photos linked within text.

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Here is a look at what we’ve been bookmarking this week.

1. NYCxDESIGN, New York City’s inaugural event to showcase and promote design of all disciplines, starts today and runs through May 21.

2. “12 Homes Made from Shipping Containers” at Design Milk.

3. This piece on the power of co-working spaces by the New York Times.

4. Esoteric Survey’s post on photos of the Eames House from the Aline and Eero Saarinen Papers.

5. Dexinger’s look at our new Mirra 2 work chair by Studio 7.5.

6. This mid-century modern home in Phoenix, Arizona, renovated by John P. Twigg and Steve Watson at Plastolux.

7. The light-filled Berlin home by architectural firm + Quehl Miethe featured at automatism.

8. Inthralld’s look at the loft that houses boutique billboard company Prince Media Co. in New York City.

9. Info on “Michigan Modern: Design that Shaped America,” an exhibit beginning June 14 at Cranbrook Art Museum, on Dwell.com.

10. Another not-to-be-missed exhibition: Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s retrospective show at Les Arts Decoratif in Paris beginning September 1. Details at It’s Nice That.

Featured in photo: Osso Chair by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Studio Tour: Artist Will Bryant

By Amy Feezor

How much creativity can be produced within one co-working space? Plenty, if you consider that this personality-packed workspace — courtesy of illustrator, art director, and artist Will Bryant — is within a stone’s throw of the desk of Kate Bingaman-Burt, an illustrator who gave us a look around her office digs just last month. Get a new perspective on their shared studio (also the headquarters for three other illustrators/designers) in this newest tour from Portland, Oregon.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I am an easygoing, light-hearted Southern gentleman with a knack for goofing around. I work as an independent illustrator, art director, and artist in Portland, Oregon. As an artist I work in sculpture, events, drawing, painting, and printmaking.

I grew up in a small town in East Texas playing sports, trying to charm my neighbors, and obsessing over Michael Jordan. My family is all from Mississippi, so I spent summers there and eventually attended Mississippi State University. I had no clue what graphic design was or that I was going to major in it. I am very fortunate that Kate Bingaman-Burt, long-time friend and mentor, was starting out her teaching career there. She, among other faculty members, had a huge impact on me. Being in a secluded Southern town with very few design agencies and resources, I developed the ability to display my personality on the internet. I made friends! (Not in real life, but was in dialogue with contemporary designers and illustrators.) I was making piles of work and trying to figure out what I wanted to do.

I began throwing themed dance parties under the persona “The Hooded Deer,” which brought together an amazing community. What started as a DIY house party quickly exploded into a collaborative production with a huge stage and professional lighting and sound. It was an over-stimulating, excessively visual bombardment of positive energy and healthy dancing. It was about sharing music, having a positive attitude, and creating the opportunity for people to have a good time, frat brothers and art students alike.

After graduating, I married my childhood sweetheart and we moved to Austin, Texas. There, I expanded my style and voice at Public School, a studio composed of designers, illustrators, and photographers. For almost three years I learned about the business side of freelancing and worked on numerous collaborative projects with some amazing folks.

In 2011, we moved to Portland so I could pursue an MFA in Contemporary Art Practice and teach alongside Kate at Portland State University. For two years I immersed myself in unfamiliar territory (Contemporary Art) and tried to once again find myself, but in a new way. I tried to experiment, absorb, and challenge myself in this new territory. What I discovered was that there isn’t much distinction between my work and me as a person. At first I thought of having a split studio practice of commercial work and exhibition work. But it’s not really split; it’s mashed together, blurring the lines between the two.

My work stems from Push Pin Studios, Space Jam, Memphis Group (especially Sottsass & Shire), Saul Steinberg, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Geoff McFetridge, Andy Warhol, Talking Heads, and Hannah Barbera/Looney Tunes cartoons. Lately, I’ve been into the work of Matt Connors, Brian Bress, Julia Dault, Wendy White, Alex De Corte, Ben Medansky, and Anna Lomax.

I have just completed my MFA, so what’s next? I am easing back into full-time freelance work and will also continue teaching and working on personal projects (in and around the art world). I hope to do more installations, pattern-based projects, and sculptural work.

Tell us about your studio space. What’s the aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? My space, aka “Will’s World,” has beautiful light, high ceilings, and great energy from wonderful people. The aesthetic is a “controlled color blast hyper field”—think Pee Wee meets Jock Jams meets the trippy star gate scene from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

In response to my space, my friend Nicole said, “I am looking inside your head, or your inbox, or your bookmarks folder: this is perfect!” There’s a lot happening on the walls, but my desk is relatively clean. Everything has a place. My wall is covered with inspiring things that other people have made and some things I have made. At Public School, I had it mostly tucked in flat files or in boxes. Now it exists above my head as constant hovering confetti. It makes me so very happy! What would I change? I am planning on investing in an even nicer task chair and would eventually like to replace the desk itself with a custom table with brightly powder-coated legs from my talented friend Eric Trine.

My secondary space is at my home — upstairs next to my wife’s office. I have a beautiful George Nelson Swag Leg Desk that I use for reading, correspondence, and drawing (no India ink!). There’s not as much personality going on up there, but I’ll likely make some changes since I am finished with school.

Playlist: Illustrator & Designer Andy J. Miller

By Jamie Latendresse

The narrative-driven work of artist, illustrator and designer Andy J. Miller combines bold, figurative imagery with abstract details and patterns like stars, spots, icons, and more. Though modern in influence, the work has a handcrafted feel to it, at once introspective and emotive. In addition to client for work the likes of Sony and Smart Car, Andy created the Indie Rock Coloring Book, a charity collaboration with the Yellow Bird Project. His site Art Directions offers online pep talks to artists and creatives. In this week’s Playlist, we asked Andy take a moment to pep us up with a sampling of his music tastes. Lend your ears.

What do you listen to while you work?
Recently, I have realized I work best with music that is nearly instrumental but with a slight peppering of vocals which do not take center stage.

I like that it doesn’t demand my attention, which is ideal for concentration. Also it follows the approach to my own work. Most of my work is wrapped around a subtle narrative which is sort of abstract, and I liken that to vocals which are abstract but still add to the song.

How do you listen?
I use Spotify on my iMac while I work. I have music playing from the moment I start to the moment I finish. It’s very integral to the work.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I like Pitchfork and Stereogum. There is a lot I don’t like about those sites, but they are good for finding new music. Soundcloud is really awesome, and I use Spotify all the time.

Does music influence your work?
Majorly. I couldn’t over-exaggerate this if I tried. Three or four years ago I started to dig a littler deeper into my personal work.

Music is probably the art form that moves me the most. I started keeping track of music that I deeply responded to, and I created a little playlist that I call “Soundtrack to My Work.” Then I would try to approach creating visual work that felt the same way as this music. All of my NOD project and most all of my personal work in the past three years has been made this way.

A lot of this music is vocally abstract and sort of whimsical with a twist of melancholy, and I think you can see that in the work.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I have been doing a lot of music-focused editorial illustration for the fashion company Aritzia. They have introduced me to some fantastic new music lately. I look through my favorite new bands related artists on Spotify too. I would say that if my peers on Twitter bring up a band a few times, I’ll usually go check it out.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
If my work was a song, I would want it to be this little one minute piano piece called “Row” that Jon Brion made for the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s so beautiful. I can listen to it on repeat. I think it feels exactly like the work I try to create, sad but hopeful, childlike but sophisticated.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is sitting in an Eames Lounge Chair oiled santos palisander veneer and black MCL leather. This playlist is for nighttime, hence the dark-colored chair. Preferably listened to in a warm climate, windows down, alone, leaning back, relaxed, and lost in the music.

Andy’s Playlist:
1. Row, Jon Brion
2. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto
3. Rain Smell, Baths
4. Garden 1, Teen Daze
5. Undo, The 1975
6. The Great Estates, Freelance Whales
7. Cleam, Mister Lies
8. Want U 2 Know, Different Sleep
9. Accordian, Madvillain
10. Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst, Kendrick Lamar

Photos: Andy J. Miller

The Innovative Studio of Web Designer & Developer Brad Cerasani

By Amy Feezor

He may be a full-time web designer and developer, but one look at the home workspace of Brad Cerasani and you know he’s also got music in his blood. In fact, the owner of the web shop Shedbot has written, recorded, and produced two albums with a trio called Hoist from his Winnipeg, Manitoba-based studio. Get a look at the high-tech haven in this latest tour.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I focus on responsive, future-friendly, front-end design and development. This means I design and code websites that flex and adapt to the device the user is viewing them on. Progressive enhancement ensures that users visiting a site from their phone on a congested mobile network aren’t forced to download the same site assets they would see on their 30″ display at the office. Future-friendly development means writing flexible, modular code structure that is mindful of what’s next in tech.

I’m inspired by quality craft, regardless of medium. It is endearing to witness a maker who is good at what he or she is making. I’m also inspired by my city and the people who call it home. Winnipeg has an incredibly rich arts and cultural scene, especially for a city of relatively small size. In the past few years our downtown has seen some really cool architectural installations, like a huge steel/LED sculpture called “Emptyful” that’s shaped like an Erlenmeyer flask, and OMS Stage, an open-air performing arts venue that looks like it’s straight out of a science-fiction movie. When the rivers freeze in the winter, we clear the longest skating trail in the world and line it with warming huts designed in an annual architectural competition. I think there’s something to be said for the resilience and outward thinking this city embraces.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike? My space is a bit of an audio playground, with instruments and recording gear and a life-size cardboard cutout of Raj Koothrappali from the TV show ”Big Bang Theory” (he’s camera shy). I have a flawless Fender Rhodes piano that was built in March of 1972, and will forever be the coolest thing I own.

The studio monitors on my desk sit on foam/steel wedges that isolate the speaker vibrations from my work surface. These are my go-to for listening to most music, but if I’m listening to a concert recording I’ll also bring up the mono speaker stack for a different timbre. If I’m listening to something with poor quality sound, I’ll route the audio through an old GE stereo I modded a few years ago that can plug directly into my mixer. This is kind of like the aural equivalent of taking a mediocre picture of your feet with Instagram and applying a filter to make it “better.”

The big white pillow things on my walls are broadband absorbers that help eliminate sound reflections and frequency nodes. Each panel is 4″ of rigid fiberglass insulation and an open wood frame that is wrapped in fabric and hung with picture frame wire.

My window treatment (if I can even call it that) is several layers of translucent plastic tablecloth, held in place with binder clips and magnets. It turns my basement window well into a big softbox. When rabbits hop in the garden above it’s like a shadow puppet show without the puppets.

I’m constantly exploring ergonomics, and love finding new ways to make working better. Currently my wrists rest on a water-damaged piece of hardboard from an old drawer. This sits atop a stack of dollar-store craft foam that raises the leading edge of my keyboard and trackpad so they parallel my desk. I think most people have increased fidelity in their fingers and thumbs with their wrists either parallel to their desks or relaxed forward, instead of pulled back as most keyboard designs imply. This is in part why pianists are trained not to drop their wrists while playing.

My display sits on a 3″ roll of black duct tape, the underside of which is covered by parchment paper. Parchment paper has a low coefficient of friction, so slides around my glass desk with ease.

If I could change anything about my current setup, I definitely wouldn’t be working on a black glass desk. It is an incredible pain to keep clean. I’d like to try a sit-stand desk with a wood surface and motorized legs.

You have both an Embody and an Aeron in your space. Why did you choose them, and how do they differ for you? I like them both, and they are very different. I typically start the work day in the Aeron because I love its forward tilt. It arches my back and keeps my body in attentive posture, which helps me kick-start productivity if I stayed up too late writing code or playing hockey. The Embody feels more relaxed to me, and I’m most comfortable in it slightly reclined. I usually tackle less intensive tasks in the Embody, like long-form reading or answering email. The Embody’s arm rests adjust closer to my body than the Aeron’s, which I find helpful in reducing shoulder strain.

It may seem excessive to have two high-end chairs in such close proximity, but an investment in design and comfort is easily justifiable to someone who spends as much time at a desk as I do.

Photos: Brad Cerasani

Six Ways to Mix Craftsmanship with Technology

By Jamie Latendresse

Explore the unique and innovative results that emerge when modern technology and design merge with traditional craftsmanship and artisanal skill.

1. Eames Molded Wood Side Chair, Charles and Ray Eames - In its longstanding commitment to the Eames vision of continued exploration, refinement, and discovery, Herman Miller introduces the Eames Molded Wood Side Chair, a beautiful expression of their timeless design, achieved with the help of today’s 3-D veneer technology. Available now at Herman Miller.

2. Craft Design Technology Leather Pen Case - Normally found only in Japan, Craft Design Technology produces products that unite the word and worlds of its name. Their handsome and compact pen case begins with artisan-colored leathers. Then, innovative treatment and processing are added to help the leather age and wear more gracefully. Finally the materials are merged with stylish, minimal design. The perfect addition to your bag or briefcase. Find one at Vetted.

3. Branca Chair, Sam Hecht and Kim Colin - In partnering with Mattiazzi, Sam and Kim welcomed the Italian manufacturer’s mix of high-tech manufacturing and dedicated hand-craftsmanship. Their unique chair design combines highly complex, robotic-made parts with traditional shaping and finishing by hand. Find yours at Herman Miller.

4. ADA Quilt, Meg Callahan - ADA mixes up the time-honored tradition of American quilt-making with modern techniques like digital printing and industrial-machine quilting to offer a truly unique approach to a classic home accessory. Find it at Matter.

5. Medici Chair, Konstantin Grcic - Creating the unique components of the Medici Chair require a combination of state-of-the-art technology and skilled craftsmanship – a perfect collaboration for Grcic and Mattiazzi. The parts are machine made and then meticulously hand-assembled in specific order. Choose from four striking finishes at Herman Miller.

6. Quilt, Artisan Collection, Bolon Floor Coverings - The Artisan Collection blends the careful craftsmanship and creativity of traditional carpet-making with the wide array of design options that modern technology now affords. Great tactile feeling mixed with high-tech design and durability. Find them at Bolon.

Photos linked within text.

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Take a look at what’s on our radar this week.

1. Beautiful photography of modern interiors captured by Michael Wells via Plastolux.

2. This interview with brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec on the Magis Facebook page.

3. Impressed by the launch of the new home decor site Domaine (and glad to see its love for Charles and Ray Eames).

4. Inspired by clue #4 in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest: “Insane Photos Snapped From Kites” from Architizer.

5. “Brilliant Words of Advice from 14 Great Graphic Designers” (including Charles Eames) via Co.Design.

6. Contemporist’s feature on the simple elegance of Casa Sulla Morella by Studio Cittaarchitettura in Castelnovo di Sotto, Italy.

7. The fluorescent shades of green, yellow, and blue in this sports hall design in the Netherlands by Slangen + Koenis Architects (via Dezeen).

8. “Bold, punchy, in-your-face sculptures” by artist Matt W. Moore featured at It’s Nice That.

9. Interior Design‘s look back at the ”greatest hits” of Maharam, the textile company recently acquired by Herman Miller.

10. Don’t forget: May 5 is the last day to enter for a chance to win in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest. Click here to find out more.

Featured in photo: Eames Desk Unit, Eames Storage Unit, and Eames Molded Plastic Chair by Charles and Ray Eames

Charles & Ray’s Journey to the Single Shell

By Amy Feezor

Today’s clue in our “Everywhere in Your Day” Contest takes its inspiration from the continual design journey of Charles and Ray Eames. For these designers, everything was a process and an exploration. And when they married and began working together in the 1940s, part of their journey involved exploring seating solutions crafted from one piece of material — a curved, single-shell form in which the seat and back are one.

In 1939, while working at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, it was Charles and architect Eero Saarinen who explored the first single-shell expression, using molded plywood, through their Kleinhans Chair design. They did not have the ability to produce its three-dimensional curves, however. In 1941, Charles and Eero once again took on the concept of a molded-plywood single-shell chair, placing entries in the Museum of Modern Art’s “Organic Design” competition. They won first place, but once again, could not produce their design due its manufacturing difficulties.

That same year, Charles and Ray, who had met at Cranbrook, married and moved to California. There the couple experimented with their own plywood-molding techniques in attempts to render a three-dimensional, curved form. Along the way, their efforts yielded stretchers, lightweight, stackable leg splints (1942), and a glider seat (1943) for the U.S. Navy during World War II. While they learned much from these developments, they still had to cut and score the veneer in order to manipulate it.

When the war ended, Charles and Ray applied their plywood-molding process to the concept of a mass-produced chair that found comfort in dimensionally shaped surfaces instead of cushioned upholstery. When plywood still could not withstand the stresses of a single-shell form, they created a chair with separate molded-plywood panels for the back and seat: the Eames Molded Plywood Chair (1946).

By 1948, the duo returned to the single-shell form, entering a prototype in stamped metal in the Museum of Modern Art’s “International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design”; it won second place. The design was heavy and expensive to produce, however, so Charles and Ray investigated something new: plastic, a lightweight material that could be molded into organic shapes to conform to the body. The result in 1950 was the single-shell Eames Molded Plastic Chair, the first-ever mass-produced plastic chair.

Through the years, Charles and Ray — believers that their designs should be refined — allowed this chair to continue to evolve. Among its changes and updates: in the late 1980s, fiberglass-reinforced plastic shells were found less suitable for the environment. Ray and Herman Miller discussed discontinuing the chairs, and in the early 1990s, Herman Miller ceased production. By 2000, after exploring more sustainable solutions, the company reintroduced the design, sourcing it from Vitra in 100% recyclable polypropylene.

This year, the landmark design takes another step forward in its journey as the Eames Molded Wood Side Chair. This new expression of the classic introduces wood material to the form for the first time. Today’s 3-D veneer technology slices the wood into spaghetti-thin strips and then glues them back together — giving the material the flexibility to be curved, molded, and shaped into Charles and Ray’s ever-evolving, single-shell design.

The Eames Molded Wood Side Chair is available now in the Herman Miller Store. Want to try your luck in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest? Click here.

Playlist: Sarah Labieniec and Ryan Meis of Lab Partners

By Jamie Latendresse

Soon after moving to the Bay Area in 2007, Ryan Meis and Sarah Labieniec collaborated on a letterpress announcement for friends and family announcing their new digs. They enjoyed their collaboration so much, they founded Lab Partners to continue to explore their shared creative passions. With a focus on design and illustration, Sarah and Ryan approach visuals with a combination of imagination, storytelling, and craft. This week’s Playlist has the creative pair storytelling with music. Take a listen at what they have to say.

What do you listen to while you work?
In the morning we usually listen to something mellow and ambient since that’s when we do a lot of our emailing. In the afternoon, we usually put on something with a little more kick, and if it’s going to be an all-nighter then 80′s music is the go to.

How do you listen?
We usually listen to music throughout the day on our Sonos and we each take turns putting on different music. If one of us really needs to focus or our cat won’t stop nagging for food, we throw on some Bose noise-cancelling headphones.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
iTunes and KEXP.

Does music influence your work?
We recently illustrated some idyllic forest scenes for a children’s hospital and we listened a lot to Beethoven’s Symphony No.6 while creating them. That music really invoked the feeling that we wanted to portray and helped us get into the right mental space while we were creating the various scenes.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
KEXP in Seattle is probably our favorite source for new music.

If your work was a song or a musician, what or who would it be?
Ha! This is a tricky one. We honestly have no idea, but it’d be pretty sweet if it could be “Linus and Lucy” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is the Eames Molded Plywood Chair in walnut.

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your studio, home office (or anywhere else in your home)?
We have several Herman Miller pieces in both our home and office, and while they’re all fantastic, we’d say our favorite is the Eames Aluminum Management Chair. When you’re sitting all day long, it’s really important to have a chair that’s comfortable and supports your back for long hours. And it doesn’t look too shabby either.

Sarah & Ryan’s Playlist:
1. You Send Me, Sam Cooke
2. Heaven or Las Vegas, Cocteau Twins
3. Rebel Girl, Bikini Kill
4. When Doves Cry, Prince
5. Gimme Little Sign, Brenton Wood
6. When Harpo Played His Harp, Modern Lovers
7. Fire Alarm, The Fresh and Onlys
8. Hey, Pixies
9. Daylight Sky, Frankie Rose
10. Vapour Trail, Ride
11. My Prayer, Roy Orbison
12.  My Favorite Things, Tony Bennett

Photos: Lab Partners

Six Ways to Live & Work with Herman Miller

By Jamie Latendresse

Since variety can be the spice of life and work, check out today’s clue for Herman Miller’s “Everywhere in Your Day” contest which leads us to Pinterest, a vast resource for variety.

Your living and working spaces shouldn’t be a stranger to variety either. Each has its own purpose, needs, and style. Here’s six great options for adding that Herman Miller touch everywhere you live and work.

*Don’t forget to play ”Everywhere in Your Day.” You could win great prizes, including a chance at the grand prize, an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman!

1. Stool_One, Konstantin Grcic - In your kitchen, space can be a premium. Keep seating stylish and compact at your breakfast bar with Kostantin Grcic’s Stool_One. Sold conveniently in sets of two, the stools come in two heights and in all-black anodized aluminum, or finished aluminum in red or white. Get a couple at Herman Miller.

*No breakfast bar? Pair two Stool_One stools with the Everywhere Standing Height Table for a simple, standalone dining solution.

2. Aeron Chair, Bill Stumpf - The Aeron is the ergonomic support superstar of the office chair world. Create the perfect workspace for mind and body with its breathable mesh upholstery. The Pellicle suspension conforms to your shape while keeping you cool and collected throughout your day. Find all the Aeron options at Herman Miller.

*Need to bring in a collaborator for a bit? Sit them beside you on a Nelson Pedestal Stool, ideal for a quick brainstorm.

3. Eames Sofa Compact, Charles and Ray Eames - Despite its modern, minimalist profile, the innovative Eames Sofa Compact conserves office space without sparing any comfort. Sit three colleagues across from you and pitch your ideas in a comfy, casual review meeting. Add in a Nelson Platform Bench as a showcase surface ideal for layouts, foldouts, or whatever your working on. Configure the perfect Eames Sofa Compact here.

*After the review meeting, celebrate your victory or regain your momentum with a spin in the Spun Chair.

4. Everywhere Flip-Top Table, Dan Grabowski - Of course, not every workspace has the real estate for a dedicated conference room. Enter the Everywhere Flip-Top Table, which enters on wheels naturally, and folds down to create the perfect mobile meeting space. When the meeting is done, fold it back up and roll it on to its next big pitch down the hall. Get yours at Herman Miller.

*Don’t forget to offer cooling comfort and support to your clients and coworkers around the table with a quartet of Setu Chairs.

5. Nelson X-Leg Table, George Nelson - Subtle and uncomplicated, the X-Leg Table is the epitome of elegance through simplicity and function. Choose from multiple depths, heights, and leg finishes, as well as veneer and laminate tops. Its clean design pairs easily with everything – try a white laminate top and surround it with pops of colors from Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs. Configure your X-Leg Table here, and don’t forget the Eames Chairs.

6. Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Charles & Ray Eames - With the goal of designing a “special refuge from the strains of modern living,” Charles and Ray Eames created the enduring symbol of lounging comfort. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman symbolize the union of design with innovation and style with pure comfort. Make it your own with a selection of five striking veneers and a wide array of upholstery materials. You’ll forget all about those modern living strains. Get one at Herman Miller.

* You might need to set down some refreshments nearby – try pairing the Eames Lounge Chair with another iconic design, the Noguchi Table.

Photos linked within text.

Workspace Tour: TODA Design Studio

By Amy Feezor

With its streamlined-yet-slightly-eclectic interior and striking panoramic view of the Manhattan Bridge, there’s no doubt that creativity is the main objective of TODA, a multidisciplinary design studio in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. This tour from Apartment Therapy Tech takes a look inside the company’s space, a mix of neutral tones and minimalist style with pops of color and artistry that aren’t surprising in a studio dedicated to visual communication, industrial design, and architecture. Get a peek inside the inspiring, versatile space here.

Original post and photos by Pablo Enriquez. Used in partnership with Apartment Therapy Tech.

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Get a glimpse at what we’ve been reading this week.

1. Cool Hunting’s preview of our redesigned Mirra 2 Chair by Studio 7.5.

2. Phaidon’s preview of the Wireframe Sofa by Sam Hecht and Kim Colin.

3. “The Psychology of Seating” at Dwell.com.

4. A look inside the portfolio of Sydney architect Madeleine Blanchfield, which demonstrates “the new Australian aesthetic,” at Desire to Inspire.

5. More from Australia: this simple modern home by architect Jessica Liew in Melbourne (via HomeDSGN).

6. 10 chalets, spas, and sanctuaries that help combat stress via Architizer.

7. This south-facing home just above the Miño River in Spain, built mostly of glass and concrete, at Inthralld.

8. The mix of mid-century modern and vintage industrial style at Irvine-based design firm Mattson Creative, courtesy of California Home + Design.

9. The American Institute of Architects’ top ten sustainable projects of the year, covered at Dezeen.

10. Did you see the making of our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest video? If not, be sure to check it out here.

Featured in photo: Branca Chair by San Hecht and Kim Colin

Inspiration: Artist Patrick Long

By Amy Feezor

Being the son of an architect influenced every aspect of the colorful and varied career path of Patrick Long, illustrator, designer, and occasional stylist for Herman Miller. “It really informed the way I look at things,” he says. “He pointed out the minutia. He helped me see the doorknobs, the door handles, the chandeliers in the volume in a room. He was a great teacher.” An architect father also ensured that paper and pencil were always around while Patrick was growing up. “I was encouraged to draw. And no one told me I couldn’t — that gave me the freedom to continue,” he says.

Today, Patrick splits his time between illustrating for clients like The New Yorker and Nike, and running his own venture, Chester Wallace, in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. Named after his two grandfathers, the company creates bag designs that find inspiration in Portland’s bicycle culture and a need to easily cart things from Point A to Point B. The versatile totes and carryalls, popular since their introduction, are locally hand-cut and -sewn — an important factor to Patrick. “That way, you are immediately able to change things and pay attention to details and to relationships,” he says. “You get the sense that you are forming a community out of it. You become a little team, and you do your utmost to make sure everybody wins. That’s really satisfying.”

Patrick’s unique way of seeing the world (not to mention his impeccable taste) drew the attention of the Herman Miller team, who asked him to help style the Herman Miller Pop-Up Shop in New York City in 2012. “The space was really fun to fill out. We wanted it to be like the ‘home’ of Herman Miller, with rooms containing the furniture and the things that that person, that spirit, would live with,” he says. “We sourced a lot of ceramics and art. And since designers Charles and Ray Eames were interested in collecting things, we also included lots of collections.”

Since being part of the Pop-Up shop team, Patrick has continued to share his eye and his talent with Herman Miller, including styling for the healthcare division as well as additional retail projects. “I am so impressed with the creative bunch of people at Herman Miller,” he says. “I feel really fortunate to have crossed paths with them.” And we feel fortunate, too. In fact, today’s clue in our “Everywhere in Your Day” contest is inspired by the artist. Check out the Herman Miller Store now for your chance to spy Patrick’s creation — and for your chance to win the grand prize: an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Good luck!

Photos and image: chesterwallace.com and patricklong.net

Playlist: Architect Ray Tam

By Jamie Latendresse

Architect Ray Tam left the advertising industry to begin studying architecture at the University of Oregon. After finishing his degree, he began a new focus on the rehabilitation of affordable and market-rate multi-family housing while working at BASIS Architecture and Consulting. Ray is also involved with the Bay Area Young Architects, part of San Francisco’s AIA chapter, and is a photographer. We asked him to take time out of his creative endeavors and design a sound musical structure for us in this week’s Playlist. Take a listen.

What do you listen to while you work?
It really depends on what I’m doing. If it doesn’t require heavy thinking, I usually like to catch up on podcasts, mostly from NPR. If it is somewhat design oriented, I tend to prefer down-tempo electronica or classical music.

How do you listen?
Depends on where I’m at. If it is in the office, I usually listen with headphones either plugged into my computer or iPod. I use a Bluetooth wireless headset so I don’t worry about accidentally yanking out my earbuds when I get up or move around.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I have several Pandora stations and I’ve been meaning to check out Grooveshark.

Does music influence your work?
Not at this point in my design career, but it does help me slow down and pay attention. For songs that I’ve listened to over and over, there have been several occasions where I’ve noticed a particular sound, beat, or rhythm that I didn’t notice before and I try to carry over that awareness to my design process.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Pandora or the iOS App Shazam if I’m out in public and hear something I really like.

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
I am just beginning my career in design, so I don’t have a body of work to represent. But I wouldn’t be able to narrow it down to one song or artist, it would depend on the type of space. For example, if it were personal space, like a home or private office, I’d like it to be calming, minimalistic, and relaxed, something like “In the Waiting Line” by Zero 7. If it were a public or social space, it would be something much faster and more upbeat.

The ideal place to sit and listen to this playlist is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman if you’re relaxing at home or the Aeron Chair if you’re listening at work. I’ve had an Aeron in my home office for almost a decade now. I got it because it was the perfect balance between form and function.

Ray’s Playlist:
1. Viejo Abasto, G-Spliff
2. Gotta Be Love, Joey Youngman
3. Arrabal, Gotan Project
4. Dunk, Noiseshaper
5. Mi Swing Es Tropical, Quantic & Nickodemus
6. Reality Check, Stigmato Inc.
7. Get Enough, Telemark
8. Transcendence, Thievery Corporation
9. Intro, The XX
10. A Little Soul, Pete Rock
11. Yachts, A Man Called Adam

Photos and renderings: Ray Tam

Six Ways to Yves Béhar

By Jamie Latendresse

It’s week three of the Herman Miller “Everywhere in Your Day” contest, and we’re celebrating today’s new clue with a look at six unique design solutions from Yves Béhar.

Be sure to check out the latest clue here for a chance to win an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman!

1. Ardea Personal Light – Inspired by the graceful necks of Ardea Herons, the energy-efficient Ardea Personal Light offers a flexible illumination source that can brighten every corner of your work or craft space. Find them at Herman Miller.

2. WHOLE WORLD Water – Looking for a way to help the nearly 1 billion people worldwide without access to clean water (and help the environment, too), Yves Béhar and Fuseproject reached out to the hotel industry. WHOLE WORLD Water replaces high-priced bottled water with re-usable bottles filtered on-site. 10% of the proceeds benefit global safe water programs. Learn more at Fuseproject.

3. Jawbone JAMBOX – Gone are the towering speakers that dominated your parents’ living room. Despite its relatively diminutive size, the JAMBOX’s precision drivers and dual passive bass radiators will stir your senses with remarkably clear and full sound. Find them at Jawbone.

4. Sodastream Source – Combining a distinctive design with even greater ease of use, Yves’ Source design for Sodastream dramatically enhances the home soda maker’s beauty and functionality. Choose from white, black, red, or blue. Find them at Sodastream.

5. PayPal Here – This is a new type of swipe, the portable type: the PayPal Here mobile card reader and app. Now businesses of any size can accept credit cards, PayPal, and even checks with an iPhone, iPad, or Android device – wherever you do business. Learn more at PayPal Here.

6. SAYL Chair – Uniting inventive design with low environmental impact, Yves Béhar created the SAYL. Eschewing a traditional back frame the chair allows for a new freedom of movement without any loss of support. Customize with a wide array of colors and materials. Configure yours at Herman Miller.

And speaking of SAYL Chairs, if you play the “Everywhere in Your Day” contest here, you could win one of your very own!

Photos linked within text.

Studio Tour: Artist Christopher Silas Neal

By Amy Feezor

We find endless inspiration in the work of award-winning artist and illustrator Chris Silas Neal. Find out what inspires him in this tour of the straightforward, no-nonsense studio he shares with four other illustrators/designers in Brooklyn, New York.

Give us a little info on your background. I make drawings and images for books, posters, packaging, advertising, animation, and magazines, which I’ve been doing for nearly 10 years. I stumbled upon illustration in a roundabout way. It started with a Graphic Design elective in the School of Mass Communication at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The instructor of that course, Michael Signorella, offered me a job on the last day of class. I went to work the very next day, skipping my graduation ceremony to go start designing and spent three years learning on the job the ins and outs of typography, visual communication, color, and composition. I entered school as a music major, playing drums, so it’s anyone’s guess that nearly 18 years later I would be a visual artist and designer. I moved to New York in 2002 and it’s there that I eventually quit working as a full-time designer and started my own one-man business as an artist, illustrator, and letterer.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. My work is a mix of drawings, and painted and inked shapes that are scanned into my Mac and then pieced together into a final illustration. I most often look back to mid-century designers, vintage children’s books, tattered record sleeves, and old-fashioned book jackets for inspiration. The goal is for my work to be truthful to what is happening in this moment — reflect contemporary culture — while holding on to some simplicity and innocence embodied by images used in commercial art of the past. Since I wasn’t formerly trained as an artist, a lot of what I do is rough around the edges, so to speak, and I think there’s something to be said for approaching art and design from an indirect or obtuse route — working around limitations and personal quirks to solve a visual problem. I’m currently illustrating and writing children’s books and hope to have kids of my own someday. If all goes to plan, my kids will have a library of books made by their dad. In addition to my books and other commercial work for print, I’ve been directing and designing animated videos and I’m excited to see where that goes.

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Take a look at what we’ve been bookmarking all week long.

1. This article and video on the Re-Think the Eames show in Milan exploring the “Eames condition,” the “ideal paradigm for a reflection on design understood as a narrative, curatorial, and collective tool.” (Via Abitare.)

2. Craig Steely Architecture’s compelling design for Lavaflow 7, a house on the Big Island of Hawaii, at Contemporist.

3. Inhabitat’s look at the reopening of San Francisco’s Exploratorium, now the largest net-zero-energy museum in the U.S.

4. The clean, compact workspace of graphic designer Alex Yeske featured at Eva Black Design.

5. How many designs by Charles and Ray Eames and Alexander Girard can you spot in “Through Don Draper’s Eyes: A Tour of the Time-Life Building of the Sixties” at style.time.com?

6. This smart bedroom addition (complete with a new home office) featured at Modern Findings.

7. The vibrant Brooklyn home of identical twins Teman and Teran Evans at NYTimes.com.

8. The stand-out Orient IV Residence on Long Island by Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects (via Inthralld).

9. “Why Some Spaces Make Us Feel Right at Home” (penned by Herman Miller’s own Betty Hase) at the Drucker Exchange.

10. A double dose of inspiration from Illinois-based artist Chad Wys: his personal Tumblr and his graphic design Tumblr.

Featured in photo: Eames Sofa by Charles and Ray Eames

Inspiration: Fredericks & Mae

By Amy Feezor

Today’s clue in the “Everywhere in Your Day” contest at the Herman Miller Store takes flight thanks to Fredericks & Mae, the art/design team of Jolie Mae Signorile and Gabriel Fredericks Cohen. Based in Brooklyn, the duo met after forming a “materials crush” on each other as students at Oberlin College. When they moved to New York City in 2008, they began collaborating on projects and soon found success with a series of decorative arrows hand-crafted from wood, feathers, thread, and gold or silver. “We became interested in the idea of making objects that had a muddled heritage,” explains Gabe. “We started looking at things that popped up in different places around the world, seemingly at the same time, and how those objects would then appear in other places and change over time and space.” The result is the studio’s current collection of objects for the home, garden, and sky — board games, kites, bocce balls, and a skim board included — whose ancestry can be traced throughout history and in several spots across the earth.

“The first real collection we did as a company was War Games, which started when Jolie came back from a trip to Greece and had played a ton of Backgammon,” says Gabe. The two started researching — a critical component in their creative process — and found out that Backgammon is the oldest known board game, with excavations in Iran showing a similar game existing there around 3000 BC. “The way games like these adapt to suit cultures as they move through the world — via colonialism, missionary work, or just as a natural extension of exploration — is exciting to us,” he says.

Their research also revealed the inspiration for the collection’s name: the Buddha games list, the earliest known listing of games. Dating back to the 6th or 5th century BC, it is reputed to be a naming of games Gautama Buddha would not play. “War activities are lumped in on that list,” says Gabe. “We started noting that most games take warfare as a format — capturing land, killing your opponent, etc.” The concept resonated, especially in conjunction with the idea that games are a communal activity in which family and friends gather to play together and feel close. “But games almost always produce a winner and a loser, so these communal activities differentiate and separate people. That became interesting to us as we were figuring out what to create,” says Gabe.

The studio’s focus on research also produced a collection of kites that mix new materials with traditional shapes. “We started with kite heritage in the UK and traced it back to India and to China. They appeared all over the place,” says Gabe. He says the diversity of kite applications beyond recreation was surprising. “Kites are used in fishing, to get lures past waves in the ocean. They have agricultural applications for spreading seeds. There was the famous electricity experiment. And kites were the real precursor to aeronautics; the Wright Brothers were incredible kite makers,” he explains. “I read once that kites are ‘tethered aircraft.’ It’s a beautiful way to describe how peculiar they are.”

Some of Fredericks & Mae’s current kite offerings combine silk-screened Indian kite paper in the shape of a British diamond kite. “The form is nostalgic, but in a new material vocabulary that hopefully creates a little confusion around what the heritage of this particular object could be,” says Gabe.

A love for summer and time spent on the beaches in the Rockaways in Queens inspired the duo’s Endless Summer collection. “It’s mostly about Jolie and me feeling enthusiastic about summer. A lot of these products — Skim Board, Beach Tennis — have been brewing for a long time,” says Gabe. The objects also reflect Fredericks and Mae’s “muddled origins” theme. “Beach life and beach culture has a funny consistency all over the place, but it obviously looks different in different countries,” he explains. “That’s what we’re tapping into.”

Learn more about Fredericks & Mae at fredericksandmae.com. To find the clue inspired by the art/design team in our Everywhere in Your Day contest, visit the Herman Miller Store and enter for a chance to win several prizes, including an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.

Photos: Darroch Putnam

Playlist: Detroit’s Nora Modern

By Jamie Latendresse

In the heart of Detroit’s creative and cultural midtown lies Nora Modern, a treasure trove of modern housewares, gifts, and accessories. The store was created by four friends looking for a way to change the tone of retail in Detroit. Together, owners Liz Boone, Toby Barlow and Joe Posch, and manager Michele Unverzagt offer Detroiters a unique source of thoughtful design — everything from stone and glassware, to timepieces, bags, and artwork. The Nora team has a saying: “We honestly don’t know what you want, but we have a store filled with things that we love, and maybe you will, too.” Sounds good to us. And speaking of sounding good, check out Nora Modern’s musical soundtrack in this week’s Playlist.

What do you listen to while you work?
Any music that helps make Nora a nice space to spend time. New stuff, old stuff, we really like to mix it up. Sometimes it depends on the weather or the time of day, but it’s never just mellow and it’s never just upbeat.

How do you listen?
On a portable speaker system that we can tuck out of eye shot in the store.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
Honestly, it’s impossible to pick out just one or two!

Does music influence your work?
Music plays a role early in our creative process because we play music while we think about what we want to the store to be, and later on because we use music to help create the Nora environment. It’s kind of a chicken-and-egg thing — did this song inspire ideas that go into Nora? Or did what Nora is inspire us to pick this song? We haven’t really figured it out yet.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
Boy, all over the place. We are lucky enough to get Canadian radio here so CBC Radio 2 is always great, as are the music shows on our own public radio station WDET (which broadcasts just across the street!). Michele, our store manager, gets a lot of music ideas through her husband Christian, and he’s a fan of eMusic. A lot of our music is recommended by friends.

Do you have Herman Miller pieces in your studio, home or office?
All four of us on the Nora team have Herman Miller pieces we love in our homes. We really have a deep appreciation for Michigan’s modern design heritage and Herman Miller is a huge part of that. We love that Herman Miller continues to operate here in Michigan honoring the classics and innovating with new products.

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist is the Eames Soft Pad Lounge Chair with tilt swivel in Divina Melange #220, a warm light grey. With ottoman, of course. It seems a little sacrilegious to do something other than leather but that Divina Melange fabric is, well, divine. It’s perfect for our mix because it’s so comfortable, and it lets you dream during the mellow parts and dance in your seat when it’s upbeat.

Nora Modern’s Playlist:
1. Sooner or Later, Slumber Party
2. La Belle et le Bad Boy, MC Solaar
3. Beat Control, Tilly & the Wall
4. Losing You, Solange
5. The Late Great Cassiopia, The Essex Green
6. Song for Zula, Phosphorescent
7. Like a Motorway, St. Etienne
8. Autobahn, KraftWerk
9. The Black Keys Work, Erlend Oye,
10. Tombé Pour la France, Étienne Daho
11. Redemption Song, Moodswings with Tanita Tikarim

Photos: Michele Unverzagt

Six Ways to Add Color to Your Day

By Jamie Latendresse

Nothing says springtime like a little pop of color. Let’s celebrate the vibrant energy of the season with these six ways to add color to your day.

And don’t forget: right now at Herman Miller, the “Everywhere in Your Day” contest offers a colorful opportunity to learn about great design and maybe even win some for yourself. Check it out now and you could win a SAYL Chair!

1. House of Cards, Charles and Ray Eames - With their vibrant and varied decks of cards, Charles and Ray ask animal, mineral, or vegetable. Each card features a different image, die-cut on four sides allowing for a never-ending range of structures. Available in small, medium, and giant sizes at MoMA.

2. Fort Standard Balancing Blocks - Test your spacial relations and understanding of weights and balances with these faceted stone-size blocks. Each set includes ten water-based-paint tumbled blocks in a cotton bag. Get them at Design Public.

3. Hattie the Elephant, David Weeks - Hattie is a most durable and posable playmate. Her firm and friendly hardwood frame is fastened with sturdy elastic bands allowing her to move about the playroom savannah for many years to come. Find her at Areaware.

4. Rosy Casa Dolls, Marilyn Neuhart - Marilyn Neuhart originally created her dolls for children from scraps of bold printed fabric. After one found its way to Ray Eames and eventually Alexander Girard, the dolls became the centerpiece of the Textile and Objects store in 1961. Today they’re handmade in the USA. Available from House Industries.

5. Best Made Famous Red Wool Blanket - X marks the spot in the center of this signature wool blanket crafted by Best Made in partnership with legendary Pendleton Woolen Mills. Warm up with one at Best Made.

6. Hang-It-All, Charles and Ray Eames - Part coat and hat rack, part colorful wall art, the sculptural Hang-It-All is unmistakably Eames. Originally designed for a child’s space, the bright painted wood balls stand out from the wall on their welded steel frame, ready to hold everything from a hoodie to a fedora. Get yours at Herman Miller.

Photos linked within text.

Studio Tour: Illustrator Julia Rothman

By Amy Feezor

In our regular office tours, we often see studios that serve as co-working spaces for the creative professionals who work there. It’s not often, though, that we get to hear these studio mates talk about each other’s work. In this thoughtful interview with illustrator Julia Rothman, we not only get a glimpse inside her workspace, but also get a glimpse of the admiration she has for the women with whom she shares the office: artists Caroline Hwang and Meredith Jenks. Get to know them all in this week’s tour.

Can you give us a little info on your background? I graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2002. I work as an illustrator and pattern designer in Brooklyn, New York. I do editorial work for newspapers and magazines like The New York Times, The Washington Post, Food & Wine, and Bloomberg Businessweek. I also make patterns and have a range of products like wallpaper, stationery, and fabric and make patterns for companies like Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and Crate and Barrel. I authored and co-authored The Where, the Why and the How, Farm Anatomy, The Exquisite Book, and Drawn In and am currently working on a book about New York City that will come out next year. I’m also part of a three-person company called ALSO with designer Jenny Volvovski and animator Matt Lamothe.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. Lately, I’ve become more interested in working on self-driven projects. Whether it’s a book project or a set of patterns, I like doing work that generated from my own ideas because it gives me complete freedom to do what I want. I’m currently trying to experiment with new mediums, too. I’ve always drawn with a tight pen line so lately I’ve been switching to a thicker brush and trying to loosen my work up a bit. I’d really like to push the handmade quality of my drawings and use the computer as little as possible.

Describe your studio space. What’s the aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? How is it different from your home office? The studio is great because it’s completely different from my home office. At home, I have a tiny room that’s basically closet-size and it’s always a complete mess. Sometimes you can’t see the floor because there are papers and drawings everywhere. I decided to have this second space because I wanted a cleaner place that I could go to to work on bigger projects, away from my computer. I bring my laptop to the studio, but mostly I come here to paint and draw. It’s about a 35-minute walk from my apartment in our Park Slope neighborhood to the studio in the area of Crown Heights. I like that it gives me an excuse to walk a little bit, especially now that the weather is getting so nice.

The space has really high ceilings and great light. There are two enormous windows and they look out over subway tracks. The train runs right outside the window every 20 minutes, only a few feet away. The first few times it happened I gasped because it comes so close.

Before Caroline and I moved in here, her boyfriend, designer Joel Speasmaker, shared it with Meredith and another designer. Joel left some of his stuff behind for us to use which includes shelves, flat files, and a giant ladder that they found. He has great taste, so we’re lucky that he’s lending his furniture to us.

The floor above us has another studio of our friends, illustrators/designers Josh Cochran, Mike Perry, and Jim Datz. It’s great to have them close by to visit or get coffee with.

Tell us about your studio mates. What are the advantages of sharing the space with Caroline and Meredith? What’s a typical day like? Do you influence or inspire each other? Caroline Hwang is an amazing illustrator and artist and Meredith Jenks is a super talented photographer. But honestly, we don’t see each other that much. We have such different schedules that it is pretty rare that all three of us are working here at the same time. The day we took these pictures was an exception.

Caroline is here nights and I get to see what she’s been doing when I get in the next day. Lately she’s been indigo-dying fabric which looks like a crazy science experiment. There are tubs filled with colored liquids lining one side of the studio. Her results are stunning, rich blue fabric pieces and color-saturated clumps of yarn hanging around the studio drying. She’s preparing for a big show coming up at Beginnings, a gallery she, Joel, and some other friends run in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Sometimes she’s working on illustrations in studio and she uses embroidery in most of her work. Her desk is full of string of every color and there’s bin under her desk full of hundreds of fabric pieces. I’m always peeking at her desk to see what she’s been up to, whether it’s a drawing for a New York Times article or a little zine she’s put together.

Meredith keeps absolutely tidy and it’s rare that I can tell what she’s been working on since it goes straight from her camera to the computer. The other day, though, I found a stack of gorgeous test proofs from a shoot in our recycling bin and had a hard time throwing them out. She’s able to really capture stories in her photos and they all have such beautiful bright palettes. One of my favorite photos of hers, that she hung behind her desk, is a photo of an abandoned ice cream cone that had fallen to the pavement. Caroline asked her if she set the whole thing up because it seemed to be such a perfectly captured moment, but Meredith said she just found it that way. It takes a really good eye to notice that something like that would make such a striking picture. Currently she’s traveling for a big editorial photo shoot of some famous chefs.

You have a few vintage Eames molded plywood dining chairs in the studio. Which chair is it, and why did you choose it? What do you like about it? In the middle of the studio, we have a little common area that has a table and a couple Eames molded plywood chairs. These we also got from Joel and were all in place when I arrived at the studio. I asked Joel where he got them and he told me he found them at a small furniture store in Richmond, Virginia, many years ago. I always eat my lunch at the middle table; they’re pretty comfortable.

Photo: Meredith Jenks

Top Ten: Best of the Web This Week

By Amy Feezor

Take a look at what’s been on our radar this week.

1. Five black and white offices that are “anything but boring” at Apartment Therapy (agreed).

2. Happy to see our Mirra Chair in one of the greenest structures in the world: the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes, designed by Design Alliance Architects for Pittsburgh’s Phipps Conservatory (via Architizer).

3. The “Quiet Motion” installation by designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for BMW i at Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2013 (via URDesign Magazine).

4. More Bouroullecs: check out the brothers’ Steelwood Galva for Magis (a new iteration of their Steelwood chair and stool in galvanized steel and beech wood) along with other photos from Salone del Mobile from Wallpaper* Magazine.

5. And even more from Salone del Mobile: enjoying Snap Assembly’s Tumblr coverage of the show.

6. The solitary Eames Molded Plywood Lounge in this composer’s Wisconsin practice studio designed by Johnsen Schmaling Architects at Dezeen.

7. Classic mid-century chair stencils by Stencil 1 spotted by Design Milk.

8. The sunny Fresno House — nicely situated between the forest and the ocean in Carilo, Argentina — co-designed by Felix Raspall and Federico Papandrea and featured at Dornob.

9. The thoughtfully designed L23 House by Pitágoras Arquitectos in Portugal found at Archello.

10. Patrick Rochon’s eye-popping photos of wakeboarders riding special boards affixed with LEDs at Colossal.

Featured in photo: Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Eames Walnut Stools, and Eames Sofa by Charles and Ray Eames