How designers live

While researching an upcoming post, I happened upon some extraordinary images of interiors of homes of well-known designers. The photographer, Leslie Williamson, has a spellbinding website that I urge you to visit. Her portfolio includes portraits of craftsmen and artists, as well as interior shots of beautiful spaces. What you see in this post are only a few of my favorites. I'm sure you will have favorites of your own.

All images from lesliewilliamson.com

Russel Wright's dining area - Garrison, NY

Vladimir Kagan's living room - New York City, NY

George Nakashima's Reception House - New Hope, PA

Irving Harper's bedroom - Rye, NY

Eva Zeisel's studio shelves - Rockland Co., NY

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Charles and Ray Eames's studio - Pacific Palisades, CA

Walter Gropius's living room - Lincoln, MA

John Kapel's living room - Woodside, CA

Christmas wish list: 1stdibs

I've posted wish lists from eBay and Etsy already. I figured, while I'm at it, I might as well up the ante and choose a few things from 1stdibs. After all, if my loved ones are going to have to take out a loan, it might as well be a big one. :) Here are a few things that would jingle my bells.

Isamu Noguchi tripod lamp - $1,600
1stdibs.com - Just in Modern

Poul Henningsen light fixture - $2,600
1stdibs.com - Gallery L7

Alvar Aalto Paimio chairs - $3,400
1stdibs.com - Sputnik Modern

Jens Risom bench - $4,800
1stdibs.com - ABC Modern

Richard Stein daybed for Knoll - $5,800
1stdibs.com - Collage

Peter Hvidt settee/sofa - $7,200
1stdibs.com - Dual

Adrian Pearsall sofa - $8,650
1stdibs.com - Las Venus

Hans Wegner Papa Bear chair - $10,800
1stdibs.com - Machine Age

Vladimir Kagan sofa - $27,000
1stdibs.com - Almond Hartzog

Vanishing art

Most of us are so accustomed to firing off a quick email from the computer at our utilitarian desks that we forget people in the mid-Twentieth century sat at exquisitely crafted pieces of furniture and composed letters by hand with elegant instruments called fountain pens.

I hope these beautiful desks, along with a glimpse of an extremely rare Parker T-1, will inspire you to pick up a pen and write a note to someone you love.

Images from 1stdibs.com unless otherwise noted

Extremely rare titanium Parker T-1
fastcompany.com

Arne Vodder

Bullet-shaped Danish teak, designer unknown

Edward Wormley

George Nakashima

Hans Wegner

Ib Kofod-Larsen

Jens Risom

Kidney-shaped Danish with tambour doors, designer unknown

Milo Baughman

Nanna Ditzel

T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Vladimir Kagan

Walnut desk with tambour doors, designer unknown

Pssst...They're called plinths.

A plinth is a type of furniture base that sits directly on the floor, rather than having legs. I'd be willing to bet that if you stopped 50 people on the street, most of them would say that mid-century furniture has tapered legs, but a number of MCM designs incorporated plinth bases.

Edward Wormley side table
griffintrading.com

Gilbert Rohde Paldao table, with one leg and one plinth base
treadwaygallery.com

Harvey Probber night stand
1stdibs.com

Milo Baughman night stands
metroretro.com

Renzo Rutili credenza
metroretro.com

T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings double plinth base table
1stdibs.com

Peter Hvidt chest
lookmodern.com

Paul Lazlo cabinet
1stdibs.com

Paul Evans credenza
galere.net

Paul Evans sofa
galere.net

Milo Baughman chairs
1stdibs.com

Vladimir Kagan Serpentine sofa
edition20.com

This is a contemporary sofa designed by Vladimir Kagan in 1999, but I just had to include it in this post.  The piece may not fall into the mid-century time frame, but Kagan opened his first shop in 1949 and has been designing gorgeous furniture for decades. Since this sofa appears to be a variation on his 1950 Serpentine sofa, it definitely deserves a look, in my opinion.

Bilbao sofa by Vladimir Kagan
1contemporary.com

Pssst...It's called a tight seat.

No, not the kind you get by going to the gym. I'm talking about the upholstery term for a chair or sofa on which the seat fabric is attached directly to the frame and does not have a removable seat cushion.

While loose cushions were typical in mid-century pieces, I found some beautiful examples of classic MCM chairs and sofas with fixed seat cushions. My sofa has loose cushions, but I'm considering changing it to a tight seat and back when I have it recovered. Let me have some feedback on that. Which style do you prefer?

Hans Wegner sofa
1stdibs.com

Vladimir Kagan Fireside chair
vladimirkagan.com

Isamu Noguchi sofa
prweb.com

Terence Conran Steinbeck chair

Harvey Probber gondola sofa
1stdibs.com

Adrian Pearsall swivel chairs
vandm.com