Designer Spotlight . . . George Nelson

Nelson Sunburst Clock


Nelson Marshmellow Sofa


Nelson Crisscross Pendant

Thanks to R 20th Century for the great bio of George Nelson. I've included a bit from their site that talks of his contribution to Herman Miller and really, the entire mid-century design movement. For a more detailed biography, you can find it here.

"In the late 1940s Nelson came up with two popular innovations: the "Grass of Main Street," which evolved into today's pedestrian mall, and the "Storagewall" system. This was a plan for integrating storage systems into the structure of the home, as in room dividers, or built directly into the walls. This project got the attention of the Herman Miller Company who hired Nelson as their Design Director. His effect on the company was extraordinary. His keen eye for modern design led to his bringing on people like Charles Eames and Isamu Noguchi to round out an impressive team of designers and consultants . . .

Some of his best known pieces are the 1950 "Ball Clock," inspired by representations of the atom, the 1952 "Bubble Lamp" and the 1965 "Marshmallow" sofa, a grid of brightly colored upholstered circles. The Herman Miller catalogues are full of other pieces that he created, and of interiors that he put together. He also designed the company's showrooms in Chicago, New York and Washington. Additionally, Nelson worked as an exhibition designer on several projects. Among these were the Chrysler and the Irish pavilions at the 1964 New York World's Fair and, in 1976, a show called "USA '76" for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration."

Designer Spotlight . . . Jens Risom

Jens Risom armchairs - Available at the Treadway Gallery

Risom lounge chair - Available at DWR for $734

Thanks to Design Within Reach for this bio of classic mid-century designer, Jens Risom.

With a career that has spanned nearly 70 years and is still in the making, Risom made his mark designing one of the first chairs to be manufactured by Knoll®. Constructed of a birch frame and surplus parachute straps, the chair made the best of the few materials available during WWII. When Risom began his collaboration with Knoll in 1941, they set about on a tour of the new “modern” home to gain insight into what would be needed to market a line of modern furniture. After consulting with the architects along the way, Risom was encouraged to try out a few of his Scandinavian-inspired designs that fit the modern bill and the new modern home. The result was the Jens Risom collection, which was featured in one of the first Knoll catalogs.

When he was drafted by the army, Knoll continued to successfully market the simple, well-crafted modern furniture that is Risom’s trademark. Many of these items have been in continual production and are much sought-after today. When Risom returned to civilian life in 1946, he broke away from Knoll to open the doors of Jens Risom Design, where he sat at the helm for 25 years. Risom’s work continues to reflect the Danish approach to modernism, with its emphasis on traditional values and the human need for warmth, beauty and simplicity.

Above: Three pieces from Ralph Pucci's reissue of Jens Risom pieces. Courtesty of Metropolis Magazine and Ralph Pucci.

Designer Spotlight . . . Paul McCobb

It's mid-century week and today's focus is on one of my favorites, Paul McCobb. For a complete profile of McCobb, please check out Lost City Arts. Here is some of his work, courtesy of 1st Dibs.

Designer Spotlight . . . Charles and Ray Eames

This week is dedicated to mid-century, and each day I'll feature one designer. Whether their work is your taste or not, knowing a little about the person behind the pieces will make you appreciate them more (and maybe better understand why they appeal to others).

We're kicking things off with a biography of Charles and Ray Eames, courtesy of Biography Base. Here's a taste, but you can go here for a more complete biography.



"Charles Ormond Eames, Jr (June 17, 1907 - August 21, 1978) was an American designer, architect and filmmaker who, together with his wife Ray, is responsible for many classic, iconic designs of the 20th century. He was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he studied architecture at Washington University and later opened an architectural practice . . . In 1941, Charles and (his first wife) divorced, and he married his Cranbrook colleague Ray Kaiser, moving with her to Los Angeles, California, where they would work and live for the rest of their lives.


In the late Forties, as part of the Arts & Architecture magazine "Case Study" program, Ray and Charles designed and built the groundbreaking Eames House, their home. Located upon a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and constructed entirely of pre-fabricated steel parts intended for industrial construction, it remains a milestone of modern architecture. In the Fifties, the Eameses would continue their work in architecture and furniture design, often (like in the earlier moulded plywood work) pioneering innovative technologies, such as the fiberglass and plastic resin chairs and the wire mesh chairs designed for Hermann Miller . . .

The Office of Charles and Ray Eames, which functioned for more than four decades at 901 Washington Boulevard in Venice, California, included in its staff, at one time of another, a number of remarkable designers, like Don Albinson and Deborah Sussman. Among the many important designs originating there are the Eames Lounge Chair (1956), the Aluminum Group furniture (1958) and the Eames Chaise (1968), designed for Charles's friend, film director Billy Wilder, as well as the playful Do-Nothing Machine (1957), an early solar energy experiment, and a number of toys.

Charles Eames died in 1978 while on a consulting trip in his native Saint Louis."