Brian Paul Nelson – Branding / Design / Illustration">Brian Paul Nelson

Well I finally got to sit in the Eames Lounge Chair when I visited Room and Board the other day and boy it doesn’t disappoint. It’s even more beautiful in person and is definitely as comfortable as it looks. I really enjoy the contemporary balance of the woodgrain and leather and the overall “lounge” shape of the piece. This chair is so inspiring that it is housed in museums in NY and Chicago, has its own fan website and even has its own book, The Eames Lounge Chair: An Icon of Modern Design.

The book is definitely worth checking out as it documents the evolution of the chair and the impact it has had in cultural society. It provides great insight from Ray and Charles Eames and is filled with many photographs and illustrations. When Charles Eames was asked to explain the overall design and experience of the chair he described it as “the warm receptive look of a well-worn first baseman’s mitt.” This is definitely a “Wish List” item.

Via Daily Icon

One of the best places on the net to shop for true vintage goodness is Three Potato Four. Sure some of the stuff is expensive, but most of the items are one of a kind and completely worth it. I spend hours on this site wishing I had a random stack of Benjamins I could throw down at some of my favorite pieces which I posted above.

• PK31, designed by Poul Kjaerholm

• The Ant, designed by Arne Jacobsen

Lately I have been drooling over furniture design and planning my long journey in acquiring more and more of it to complete my place with. This past weekend I made my first trip to Ikea with a good friend and was blown away by the 2 story, gigantic warehouse and the amount of stuff they carried. I have a pretty refined, modern taste when it comes down to the look of things, but never sacrifice form over function.

One period of furniture design that has always been intriguing to me is mid-20th century Scandinavian for its polished style using simple yet compelling shapes. Modernity is a site dedicated around this period of design and showcases originals that can be purchased for a hefty price of course. Though everything is well over budget, they are still nice to look at. Maybe one day…

“Good design is as little design as possible.” Truer words have never been spoken and by quite possibly my favorite industrial designer, Dieter Rams. To me, Braun produced some of the best industrial product and print design for nearly the last half of the 20th century, which was backed by the brilliance of Rams for more than 40 years. All of these products are perfect in their own right and don’t require anything more to make them functional or aesthetically pleasing, which is why they still look just as great today as when they were produced. Wonder why Apple products look so nice? Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design has stated before that he is heavily influenced by Rams and his work. Nonetheless, Ram’s work gets me so freakin’ excited about design each time I see it. Be sure to check out the flickr pages and short documentary below.

Dieter Rams flickr
Braun flickr

via AisleOne

Over the years I have acquired a huge taste and appreciation for modern architecture and one of my favorite architects from the field would definitely have to be Arthur Erickson. His website was recently updated with more of his beautiful work which features his wide use of different mediums in ways that really compliment the natural surroundings in which he built. His use of form really envelopes the landscape which makes it seem that the earth was created around his work rather than vice versa. I’ve always loved the photographs of his work because they really capture the essence of each design. Hopefully one day, if I can afford it, I will live in something like what you see above. View more work at Erickson’s website.

Via grainedit.

Give me anything with a nice woodgrain texture, real or not, and I am sure to love it. Here are a few cool gift ideas just in time for the holidays that revolve around the organic beauty that wood provides. My never-ending wish list continues.

Woodgrain Memo Block

Who doesn’t use sticky notes? If you don’t, you will want to after seeing this. A really cool take on the ordinary, the Woodgrain Memo Block will add some extra style to your desk. It may be a little on the pricey side, but it’s imported from Japan. Purchase at Dijitalfix.

Incase HunterGatherer Protectors

Keep your Macbook Pro and iPhone safe, scratch-free, and in-sync with each other with these cool HunterGatherer protectors provided by the NY studio under the same name. Purchase at Incase.

Tree Stump Side Table

A set of these will definitely end up at my place eventually. Not only could they be used as side tables but also as extra seats. I love how it looks like you could done the work by yourself in your backyard as part of a weekend project. Purchase at West Elm.

Notch Office Chair

I’ve been looking for a new office chair lately and I think I may have found the one. The Notch Office Chair has the sleek modern style that I love, but at a more affordable price than the Herman Miller chairs I drool over. Now all I have to do is find out if it is comfortable enough…fingers crossed. Purchase at Crate & Barrel.

Herman Miller Airia Desk

Seeing how I just mentioned Herman Miller, I’ll post what I’ve had my eye on for awhile now from them. The Airia Desk definitely has the form and function you expect from HM and not to mention the wood frame crafted alongside the off-white top and legs is just so alluring. This is definitely a timeless piece. It would look good in a vintage style house or a completely modern house…or better yet in my office. View at Herman Miller.

Taylor Acoustic Guitar

Quite possibly the best thing made out of wood ever is a guitar. In my opinion Taylor makes some of the best guitars in the world and the 814ce Grand Auditorium Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar is beyond words amazing. I have only played it twice, but I was sold after striking the first note. The sound is unbeatable from any other acoustic-electric guitar I have played. It produces a rich, deep sound with the perfect mix of bass, mids and treble. It truly sounds like you are playing in an auditorium sonically constructed for guitars. One day I will hopefully own this beauty. Purchase at Musician’s Friend.