Respect…

Barcelona Chairs (circa 1970 - designed by Ludwig Miles van der Rohe, manufactured by  Knoll).  Icononic…it’s that simple.    If you don’t agree or don’t like these chairs, then you have no taste…it’s like that.     

The chair was designed by Ludwig Miles van der Rohe in 1929.   It was exclusively intended for the German Pavilion as one of Germany’s entry into the International Exposition which was hosted by…Barcelona, Spain.   Along with the other entries, this piece was intended to show that Germany was back baby.    The chair is still in production today…I think Germany has shown well.    

I found these chairs posted online in my area.   The listing noted “Authentic” chairs.   This usually means one of two things: (i) they are authentic (and some items are worth noting in this context, these chairs among those, as knockoffs are all around - yes Fred C, I am looking at you as I type this) and the seller is a real guy; or (ii) they are so fake it hurts, but claiming authentic will stop people from asking questions.   Vintage always is its own safety net.    Most reproductions are new or more recent build (they were not in production years ago, and if they were, they are not going to age well given the lower quality materials).    If something is obviously vintage, that alone should provide comfort.  

Luck for me, this was (i) above.   The chairs retained their labels.   The seller also had the tag from when the chairs were shipped to the original owner.    After checking the label versus others and confirming it with Knoll, I felt good about the chairs.  The leather is also an atypical color (these chairs seem to be mostly black and white)…I was able to find others with the same label and leather color.  It is impossible to be 100%, but the mosaic suggested that these are the real deal. 

The story is also fun, as always.  The seller purchased them when he found them in the storage area at his firm.   This architecture firm purchased the chairs for their offices and had since moved on.   His parents had Barcelona chairs when he was young and he felt an attachment to them.   I didn’t ask about his purchase price, but I imagine he is in the money.   He had them before he was married.    Now with two kids (I suspect he had the chairs for maybe 10 years), his family was moving and his wife was making get rid of “the boys” as he called them.    Side note – ladies, if you find a guy who’s bachelor furniture is in this realm…he is either a catch, maybe gay (not mutually exclusive I guess), or not single.    He had posted them at a slightly higher price than we discussed.   I negotiated him down a little as I need to have a small cut fixed.   He was also happy that these chairs are going to live happily next to my other period items (these and the Sofa Compact in the same room…oh yeah).  

The seller thought these were 1940s builds…and so did I, until I started to think about it and “do the work”.   The leather has some great “patina” (note: nice stuff has patina while low grade stuff is worn), but it seemed hard to believe that it is ~70 years old.    I estimate the build date based on the following:

·         They are Knoll production, which means no older than 1953.

·         Knoll office at New York office at 745 Fifth Avenue, New York.    These tags appear on pieces in the 1960s and 1970s.   The latest reference I found was on a catalog for the 1976 year.   It would be cool if these chairs were born the same year as me, but I don’t think that is the case.

·         Leather color.   The color is kind of funky.  I found single chairs in the same color way that claim build from 1961 to the 1970s.  

I have not decided on refurbishment yet.  The frames are in fine shape for the age (some small scratches, but mostly in need of a good polishing).  My guy DL is going to review the cushions for me.   At the very least I want to have the small cut repaired to prevent spreading and the leather could use some reconditioning (to soften it).   Beyond that, I may have some of the deeper patina re-dyed to protect the leather (if needed), but I also want to be mindful so as not to remove the story from the chairs.   

I am into the chairs for $2,300.     I think this is my biggest pre-work ticket to date.   A pair of new chairs can run up to $16,000.    Vintage chairs like these in interesting colors (browns, reds, etc. with patina) go for ~$3,500 for singles and more than $8,000 for pairs at higher end dealers.    I jokingly call these projects/finds PA trades (personal account – that probably tells you more about my day job that I wanted to let out) when I discuss the value with my coworkers…this is another nice trade.   These are not for sale, but if you want to leave a comment supporting the iconic nature of the chairs, please do.    

Retask, reuse, reclaim…

Outdoor Table (2012 - by JLS, for JLS).  As with my dining table, the legs are standard “Parsons” flavor (this time in an aluminum tube-stock as the fabricator recommended a rust proof material for outdoor use).   The top was created using re-milled bourbon barrel staves, which are white oak.   One side, the old barrel exterior, has a nice patina from 40+ yrs of untreated exposure to the elements.   The other side, the old barrel interior, was charred, as required for bourbon aging, and maintains a dark hue and charred texture.  The top is treated with multiple coats of high-linseed content exterior oil (clear color).    Between this treatment and white oak’s natural properties, this piece should be good to go for a number of years.   

Unlike other projects where I find myself in need of a purpose for an object, this project began with the end in mind and I needed to find the inputs.    It is easier to find wine barrels in Minneapolis as a number of businesses sell them to people for use as rain barrels.   Actual bourbon barrels are much harder to find.    Luckily I have my ways and I was able to locate a few for sale about an hour west of Minneapolis.   

Transport was the next hurdle.   Outside of getting lost without cell service for a bit, the barrels are huge (or larger than expected).  Where I had hoped to take three so as to have more than enough materials (my production method was very much in flux), I was only able to cram two into the back of the Landy.   This is probably reason enough to think about stepping up to the 110, but that’s another story.  

Production required some thought (it always does, but this project more-so).  The table top I had in mind required 1” “square” pieces.   The issue is that the staves are not uniform in size, and the sides are angled in order to allow them to come together to form a barrel that is wider in the middle than on the ends.   After considering a few methods ranging from complex and precise measurements to purchasing a new band-saw to some likely serious post milling sanding, I returned to a core axiom (brought by an old friend):  if you cannot make something that is perfect (or if you believe, to a high degree of confidence, that trying to create perfection will fail), then you should design and build with imperfection as part of the end goal.  With this in mind, I decided to use masking tape as a guide and milled each stave by hand, freestyle (without guides or jigs).  I also left the ends of the stave (the ridges that were milled to allow the barrel top and bottom to fit securely) in place as they complement the lack of surface uniformity. The result is a surface that is slightly uneven and not uniform as well as an overall surface dimension that is not uniform or square, but by design.   I think this adds to the flavor of the piece.

This is the first piece that I have designed where I contracted the fabrication and finish of elements with another party.   This is not entirely true as the frame for my dining table was outsourced, but in this case, I went to a welding firm and a powder coating firm (not a furniture business that sells things a la carte in certain cases).   While this required a few extra trips to the contractors’ offices, I was also able to design to the exact dimensions I needed and to the exact specs…and for ~75% less than the quote I received from the same supplier I used for the dining table.  

I have said this before, but being a mensch gets you points.    In this case, this was the second job I sent to the powder coating firm.   The proprietor was happy to refer me to a welder, and was excited to see the final finished project.    The proprietor printed the photo I sent to him and has it on the shop board so the crew can see where the often plain things they make end up…pretty cool.  

I am into this table for around $500 and a few hours of work.  As with other projects, this is time and money well spent as the generic tables I found of similar size retail for at least $1000 (and often 2x that level).  It is also interesting to note that most of the tables I found for sale at retail only come with steel legs, which seems like a “designed to fail” strategy.   

 

This table is not for sale, but I would entertain interest in reproductions.   I also have four barrel tops that could become interesting side tables (perhaps another post).    

Day off

I've been in the lab with a pen and a pad trying to get this new table off...

Coming soon...

It's been a bit since my last post.    I have more in the works, but I also have a larger scale project that has been taking most of my time.    More on that when I have things gathered.    In the mean time, here is a teaser...

Who is ready for some reuse, recycle, remember in your closet?  

Recycle, resource, rethink…

Design Idea – Vintage/Recycled Frames.   Framing is a total racket.   Sure you should probably pony up for some things, but not everything.   I have also found that the low cost prefab frames you find at the usual places are typically cheap, often ugly, and always hang funny.   There is an easy solution – vintage recycled frames.   Buy the art for the frame!   For a few dollars, you can get the frame, with real glass and a multilayer backing…who cares if it is framing a bad print when you buy it. 

The photos show two of my painting that I framed in vintage/reclaimed frames.   A little paint, new matting, and you are done. Granted this is not as easy as just buying something new, but it is an easy way to save money, support different retailers (and their constituents) and also help recycle goods.  

If you are interested in using vintage/recycled frames, ping me on the blog.  I would be happy to work with you to find, and perhaps prepare and rehab as needed, the frames that you would like to have for your home.  

Reclaim, recycle, reduce, retask…

Design Idea – Tile Coasters.    I had a great model (thanks to Bells’ Hopslam for being a part of the shoot).  

Those extra tiles from your recent remodel can do a lot more than just take up space in your storage area…they make great coasters.  Shown here are extra tumbled marble tiles.    I have applied slim felt pads to the bottom of each tile to prevent damage to tables, etc.   These make awesome coasters as they are heavy enough to stay in place and deal well with both hot and cold exposure.   We have also found them to be great bases for pedestal candles.  These also look far better than disposable paper coasters, and it is a simple way to reduce consumption of paper products (you can also wash these with ease). 

We have taken this idea bigger.  You can use larger tiles under planters as a barrier to protect wood floors.   We have also arranged a few large tiles directly under a dart board in our basement (classy, very classy) to serve as a guard for the wood table that sits just below the board and as a medium to add some color to a very neutral area. 

Recycle, resource, rethink…

Design Idea – Hand Bent Metal Frames.   When wood frames won’t do, and there are few other alternatives…hand bent metal frames allow you to add an industrial look to any photo or art piece, and more importantly in some cases, match the tone of a piece more properly to a frame.  

The photos above show two examples.   The photo of the Brooklyn Bridge is framed in hand bent flashing and is housed in plexi-glass to reduce weight.  This frame was originally designed for a loft space, but fits in well with a frame “collage” in one of my bedrooms.   The other shows two art pieces in hand bent metal frames housed in glass (much heavier).   These two are strung together with wire and finally mounted to the wall with a piece of electrical conduit and two brackets.   This system allows you to change the height of suspension (and spacing) by simply manipulating the wire.   The frames are all in four pieces, and held together with common hardware.  

These items are not for sale, but I would entertain interest in having additional items produced to fit your photos and art pieces.   Ping me on the blog.  

Reclaim, recycle, rethink…

Design Idea – Reclaimed Flooring.  One of the most visually appealing places to use reclaimed wood in your house is to lay reclaimed wood flooring.    There are many different “flavors”.  You can go as simple as flooring that was removed from a building before demolition all the way to items like barn board that needs to be planed before installation.  In any case, the patina of reclaimed is in so many ways superior to new wood, and if you get a little further out there on the spectrum of possibility, you can do some very unique things.  

Retask, reuse, reclaim…

Bud Vases (2012 – by JLS, for ???).  In 2000, I received a very cool spice rack as a gift for my first NY apartment. 

http://www.deandeluca.com/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=160213194

While cool, it lacks practicality – it takes up a lot of space, the labels on the tubes are not designed to stay on for long, etc.   Left with a cool wire rack and 40 test tubes, I finally got around to this project in 2012.   The metal rack and a few of the tubes are now a “vase” in my dining room.     The other tubes were added to a new project.

The new racks were constructed with remnant wood that was hand-distressed to make it look a lot older than it is.    The tube holes were purposefully mis-drilled to make it look like they were intended for something else (the addition of the felt pads also suggests heavy retasking).  As a friend once told me about design (paraphrased)– if you cannot make it perfect, why not then make it imperfect and gear to make it look like you worked around the imperfections as much as possible, in an intentional manner.  The metal rods were the most challenging and new for me.   They are new stock made to look old – note the rusting.   There are many ways to do this, but I needed a process that I could do inside (it’s cold in MN).   The final finish you see above was accomplished by: (i) polishing the rods with a normal metal polish in order to remove grease and other surface materials; (ii) some light sanding with coarse sandpaper; (iii) soaking the rods in normal white vinegar overnight; and (iv) a final overnight soak in super-saturated salt water (warmer water will hold more salt in suspension than cold, if you remember some basic chemistry).  My research tells me there are likely better ways to age metal – if you are doing this and have the ability to do it outside, I recommend looking into other methods.  

Ah, design flaws.    This one was a bonus “flaw”.   The mis-drilled holes ended up being large enough for dinner candles.   The frame can then be converted into a unique candle holder, and the added distress/texture from the wax adds to the patina.   

Hit me up on this one…I love the distressing process and there are a lot of different and fun ways to go with it.    

Retask, reuse, reclaim…

Orange Lounge Bench (2012 – by JLS, for ???).  As Paul Harvey would say, this is the rest of the story for what was the headboard of the now dead and gone railroad bed.   The orange panel came to me from Room & Board.    It was offered, sans legs, at the outlet in 2009.  It looks to be an early prototype for the top of the Ravella Studio Sofa (    http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=19652)   The price was right and we needed a headboard…done.

This was born to be a bench/sofa top.  While things can be other things, some things seem to need to be certain things (beautiful sentence).   

What you see here is the panel with new legs.   The dimensions of the structure were borrowed from the classic Nelson Bench (http://www.dwr.com/product/nelson-platform-bench-48-in.do).    The materials were reclaimed from other projects, and hand-distressed to project a vintage look.   I love the visual juxtaposition – new slick orange leather versus what appears to be very aged, beat up, dark stained wood.

I think panels like this could also look great using a chunkier build – perhaps reclaimed cedar fence posts/similar.   As with others, this one isn’t for sale, but I am open to discussing similar projects if you are interested.    

Recycle, rethink…

Railroad Bed by JLS for JLS – 2000 (RIP 2010).  As the title indicates, this piece is no longer with us, but I wanted to highlight it anyway as it was one of the first real items I created. 

I moved to New York for the first time in late 2000.   The move took me from a ~1300 square foot loft to a ~600 square foot apartment.   In anticipation of the move, I started to think about space saving ideas and storage requirements.   A number of companies that tailor to small apartment dwellers offer beds with under-frame storage in some form.   You can also purchase long slim containers at your favorite store that will easily slide under a standard bed frame.   Both of these ideas seemed pretty boring and I needed a project.

What you see here is the combination few items.   Note that the orange headboard was added in 2009 (and has since become something else that I will discuss another time) - the original design had no headboard.   I built a series of five beams that were made to look like stainless railroad rails.   “Real” steel or iron would have weighed a ton, so they were faked by using pine studs wrapped in sheeting with bolts near the ends to mimic rivets.  I also built four drawers using cedar and hemp rope.   As with most of my projects, the materials used here were (mostly) reclaimed or remnants from other things.  The result was a fairly cool platform bed that also allowed me to feel ok about losing a closet in the move.  

Ah, design flaws.   As you can see in the photos, the “rails” stick out quite a bit and have some nice corners…that are also sharp and take a lot of getting used to if you are used to a “normal” bed frame.   I got used to it over the years, but it was not a winner when this because the frame for the guest bed in recent times.   As with other sharp metal things, this became a liability when my daughter arrived, and needed to go.  To every season turn, turn, turn...the cedar has gone into some outdoor benches, the metal was all recycled, the studs are now a wine rack, and the rope is on reserve.   Remember - reuse is part of the equation!

If I had to do over again, or, say, if someone wanted to talk to me about recreating this design, I would either look to dull the metal corners or perhaps use interesting reclaimed timbers instead of the fake metal rails.   Real railroad ties are another option, if your floor can support the weight.  Ping me on the blog if you want to chat about this one. 

Rescue, refurbish…

Eames Sofa Compact.  Direct from the horse’s mouth (in this case, the Herman Miller website):

“The Eames sofa compact started out as a built-in sofa in the Pacific Palisades home that Charles and Ray Eames designed for themselves in the 1940s. They liked the sofa so much that they developed a freestanding version—first in wire, then the current model, which has been in continuous production since 1954.

The design, which looks nothing like the big, plush traditional sofa, is crisp and light scaled. And while it's perfect for smaller rooms and smaller spaces—in which a traditional sofa would look bulky and out of place—it also lives beautifully in larger rooms in which an airy, modern look is desired”

 Before the rework.   Note the poor condition of the fabric and also that the metal frame had not been well maintained, and in certain areas, had been repainted with what appears to be cheap spray-paint.  The chrome legs were badly tarnished, but did not require new electro-plating as come elbpw greese and polish did the trick. 

I “rescued” this model from a collector who had been using it as a bed (!!!).  The fabric is original, and my upholstery guy (thanks DL @ Remnants – go check him out!) suggested I reserve it in case I want to make some funky pillows.  This is a reserve piece for me – I found it without having a specific use for it – and is therefore refinished in a neutral wool fabric that can easily go anywhere when it is ready to be a feature piece.   

After the rework.   I decided to keep the original springs and spring brackets as they remind the viewer that this is a vintage piece.  

There are two basic versions of this sofa: (i) the “original” design, which folds down into a (cough cough) compact piece that is great for smaller rooms; and (ii) the updated version that doesn’t fold, so amended as people were concerned about getting things (fingers) caught in the folding mechanism.   I am not a purist, but if you change something so much that it no longer makes sense to call it “compact”, then it’s not the same thing at all.   The seller represented that this was the latter, which then would require some machining in order to convert it into a fake “real” version.    The lesson in this case is never trust that everyone knows basic mechanics.   Upon some inspection, or rather unscrewing two blots, my new sofa folded…it is older than the seller believed, and is clearly an original design.   That makes it at least an early 60’s model, and perhaps a 50’s model.   

I bought the sofa for $1,000.   From there, I have spent ~$150 on powder-coating, $125 on new fabric, and another $800 on having the upholstery work.   In all, I am into this for ~$2,100, one of my more expensive projects.   If it were for sale, I would be able to get north of $4,000 and perhaps as much as $5,000…another nice “p.a.” trade to keep in my basement.  

UPDATE.   The original fabric on this sofa appears to be Alexander Girard for Herman Miller, and more specifically one of his Mexicotton pieces.  The fabric was likely made in ~1960, which reaffirms my assertion as to this sofa's age.    I am going to reclaim the fabric as well and look for a "correct project".   Bolts of similar fabric are part of the SF MOMA collection, and well for ~$250/yard (!!!).   Granted my pieces aren't in perfect condition, but the sofa has ~5 yards of the fabric...nice.  http://www.architonic.com/dcsht/mexicotton-wright/4100690. 

Recycle, resource…

Design Idea – Reclaimed Flooring for Non-floor Applications.   When we moved into our house, the main floor bathroom was one of the selling points for me.   It still has the original tiles and fixtures, but one of the previous owners went with fairly aggressive wallpaper that creates an interesting vibe.   I liked everything except for the cheap looking “laminated” counter top that someone decided was the best idea for the old cabinet (boo).   Granted this material resists water and is maintenance free, but you can get there in many ways that also look nice. 

Removing the top was off the table (here all night everyone, 9 o’clock show is different than the 7 o’clock show), so I had to limit options to overlays.   A single piece of ply with some stain and seal would do the trick, but that is too easy and texture-less.   That also seemed inappropriate for this room given everything else that was going on.   After some thought, I arrived at the idea of using reclaimed tongue and groove flooring, the same board size used throughout the house (the original oak), as the overlay.   This was beneficial not only as it would produce a texture (uneven boards), but it was also relatively easy to work with as this was to be an indoor winter project.  

The results you see here are better than I had imagined.   I was able to find a small bundle or remnant flooring that I simply glued over the plastic.   I used another piece of remnant pine to produce an “end cap” that is the face board.   Instead of staining the wood and adding yet another color to the busy room, I painted the surface black to match the cabinet.   The wood grain was “lost”, but the gaps between the boards and general variations in level produced by using smaller pieces instead of spanning sections provided the desired texture.

There seem to be many other ways to go with this idea.    I used the left over pieces from this project to make a small tray.   I could also see using many small pieces to create a cool mosaic that could be a table-top…lots of angles.  

Ping me on the blog if you want to discuss this concept.   Of all the oddball things I think about, this one is near the top of the list of interest as the results could be amazing in certain applications, not to mention 100% unique.