Thrift is the New Black. - Barry A. Smith

ThisAintNoDisco is a brilliant site (and soon to be book) allowing agencies to flaunt their interior workspaces. I only now heard about the site via Rule29's space submission (my uncharacteristic lateness to the game is a result of more than a little social media burnout). Votes elevate the submissions into subcategories of best looking and most popular, and the site's simple blog like interface makes browsing and drooling a breeze.

A great inspiration if you're looking to spruce up the place, or a downer if not. (I warned you).

I noticed a great deal of vintage sprinkled in and around the IKEA and CB2, which leads me to believe thrift is the new black.

They Say Symtio. I Say COOLIO.

REPOST: Occasionally I repost something from BarryBlog which in the interest of context, seems relevant again. I posted about Symtio on November 25th, 2008. Since the model of publishing, marketing, and blogging are obviously morphing, I wonder now if anyone has seen this in captivity, and even better yet, used it?

This seemed so forward thinking at the time. It made me want to send a representative kiss (I believe I called it a Hat-tip at the time) to Zondervan for breaking through the familiar and innovating with such gusto.

Have you seen it? Used it? Know the behind the scene story and are willing to share it? Is Zondervan (and their loyal customer) reaping the benefits? Was this forward thinking innovation important to their culture regardless of the immediate sales numbers?

I wonder.



Hat tip to Zondervan. Complication and bureaucracy hidden below the surface. Content delivered wherever, whenever...which is all about the end user. Bravo.

Jubilee Furniture - What Caught My Eye

Photography is a hobby, and today I had a chance to shoot a few pieces of Jubilee Furniture's current inventory that caught my eye. If you haven't been there recently, you should. Susan, Dave, Connie and all the other great people at Jubilee put in a lot of work to keep the donations streaming through, and a few new business relationships with impressive local big name companies have made the prospect of getting interesting new donations a reality. Judging by today's inventory, I am personally excited by how this may make things really interesting. For those who trust my eye and thrifting skills, understand that Jubilee just got even more interesting. As these partners deliver new furniture all across Chicagoland, the old stuff they remove (sometimes in like new condition) will end up at Jubilee.

I didn't take a ton of photos, but check out the stuff that caught my eye.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Lushpad: Steelcase Stow Davis Continuum Series Chairs

Lushpad is an amazing Mid Century Modern marketplace, and tonight I tried it out for the first time. For sale are 11 amazingly mod Stow Davis Continuum Series chairs by Steelcase. They have deep dark wood and original upholstery, and would look awesome in a design or photography studio, or similarly modern interior. If you know anyone who might be interested, send them to my first listing in what I hope will be more to come.

Ettore Sottsass, Olivetti, Thrift Stores and Me

Those who've followed BarryBlog, especially through the three years of rather regular postings from Fall 2006 until Winter 2008, know that I have a rather informed design eye, combined with a consistent thrift store routine, which gives me a great deal of opportunities to find important design items at thrift store prices. As an example, one afternoon I came across a rare Olivetti Praxis 48 typewriter by famed designer, artist and architect Ettore Sottsass. Just to rub it in for my fellow thriftsters, it was $4.99. It just so happens that Sottsass is one of my long-time favorite designers, since I cut my design teeth in the late 80's, right about the time Sottsass founded The Memphis Design Movement. During this formative time in my young design career, Memphis was at full stride and had influenced the design thinking of Mark Johnson and Lauren Ciesa at JCI (JohnsonCiesa) – the design firm where I worked at in East Lansing Michigan. During this time, the bold, whimsical colors and shapes where a complete departure from the bland work being done in Corporate America, where the archetypal color combination was burgundy and grey. Lauren always sprung for great office lighting, modern decorative arts and high end furniture, and that passion for well design items made a lasting impression.

Though Sottsass’s iconic Valentine typewriter has eluded me, I do have a couple other fine examples of his work in the form of the Olivetti Lettera 36; Olivetti Lettera 32; and Olivetti/Underwood 319. The Praxis 48 is among my most prized items in my growing collection of important design. I keep hoping I will come across a piece of his incredible pottery, but that would surprise me considering they routinely go for $5,000 on up.

So this afternoon, savoring a newly sore throat and achy body, I came across this great Sottsass film by his last collaborator, Enesco Corporation. Ettore’s design fire was not extinguished until his death at the ripe old age of 90.

If you have any stories of Sottsass, or have any of his design work in your collection, do share it here.

I am not certain if these last two recent posts are a sign of things to come, but for some reason I am feeling the desire to contribute, and realize how I still have plenty to add to the conversation. We’ll see.

Do you know what you want? Spielberg Does.

Incredibly easy for me to understand; not particularly easy to explain; and a complete lack of understanding (or a denial) by many businesses, are the myriad of reasons why senior design thinkers (Creative Directors, Art Directors, [not design stylists]) should be involved in the crafting of every day business, not just design. Spielberg says it best here. Knowing what you want is in large part the result of having spent years of your life imagining things from the inside out. Making things that are completely unrelated and intangible, that when connected in a new context, create a tangible whole. The supreme irony to the business bottom line is this: many people who can champion this often untapped business tool are themselves unable to picture it. The exact people who hold the purse strings literally don't see this potential, and by familiarity and lack of action relegate design to the important but marginalized business of aesthetics. As everyone looks to innovate, compete and pursue business in this new economy, I recommend looking close to home. As Spielberg says..."Can you see this?" For me, that's an easy answer. Vision is the ability to see. Seeing is the ability to think. And in companies wanting to prosper, top thinkers are given the chance to grow.

Mostly Mid Century Modern Video

So I am messing around with new apps a bit, trying to cut my teeth with design that moves, and in this case, grooves. This is just a one-off test using my various mid century modern housewares, furniture, and things I sell on etsy. Well, a small disclaimer...I have a ton of things yet to post on the CUR8TOR Shop. Stay tuned. And give me some feedback. I can take it. Rather...I can delete it.

The Unborn Child (1973) Seals & Crofts

Perhaps I am the only one surprised by the fact that Seals & Crofts was concerned about the life of the unborn. I would have taken the now unfair guess they would be like so many on the side of abortion rights. The album Unborn Child (Art Direction – Ed Thrasher; Design – Lockart; Illustration – Margo Zafer Nahas) was no doubt a timely response to the January 1973 passing of Roe-vs-Wade.

I often stop at Goodwill on the way home from work for a chance to clear my head, and for an opportunity to experience that therapeutic "no one is expecting something creative of me this very moment" that is so infrequent of late. In so doing, I go through the LPs looking for covers designed by master designers like Colin Forbes, Milton Glaser, George Tscherny, George Salter, Paul Rand, Seymour Schwast, S. Neil Fujita, George Giusti, Paul Davis, Lawrence Ratzkin, Andrew P. Zutis, Charles Beck and others. Due to the frequency of my visits, I have struck up some casual friendships. As I was pouring through the LPs the other day, one such employee stopped with a welcomed smile and greeting, and we spoke briefly about his family, how his second job was fairing, etc. As the conversation grew to a close, I looked down and I believe with providence, the album "The Unborn Child" by Seals & Crofts was in both my hands. It took me by surprise, so I immediately turned it over and read the words to the song which I have posted below.

Sometimes I notice these providences and brushes with grace, but most of the time I find myself in despair and yearning as I and my wife are still without children after so many years. It strikes me as ironic how I am impassioned for children, and they with me at times, and yet we have none of our own. It amazes me even more than women would see an unborn child as an inconvenience and "choose" to kill this promise inside them, especially considering all my wife and I have been through emotionally, physically and financially in our 8 year desire to be parents.

All that said, I thank God today for giving me a glimpse into his greatness, as he sparks my desire to save the unborn, with what little I have in me to do so.

Unborn Child (1973) Seals & Crofts

Oh, little baby, you’ll never cry,
Nor will you hear a sweet lullaby.

Oh, unborn child, if you only knew
Just what your momma is plannin’ to do.
You’re still a clingin’ to the tree of life
But soon you’ll be cut off before you get ripe.

Oh, unborn child, beginning to grow,
Inside your momma, but you’ll never know
Oh, tiny bud that grows in the womb
Only to crushed before you can bloom.

Momma, stop! Turn around, go back, think it over,
Stop! Turn around, go back, think it over.
Stop! Turn around, go back, think it over.

Oh, no, momma, just let it be
You’ll never regret it, just wait and see
Think of all the great ones who gave everything
That we may have life here
So please bear the pain.

Momma, stop! Turn around, go back, think it over,
Stop! Turn around, go back, think it over.
Stop! Turn around, go back, think it over.

To truly appreciate the The Unborn Child album, buy it from iTunes. I did and will say it is full of courage, power and emotion.

Imogen Heap - Endearing, Delightful, Generous

I will never tire and will never stop being fascinated and appreciative of people who I admire sharing so much about themselves freely and with no strings attached. The tools of the web allow this like never before. These tools allow anyone to publish their thoughts with the whole world. Or in my case, the 150-200 people that stop by this blog daily.

One of the musicians I admire is Imogen Heap. My friend Beth at work shared her with me a few years back. Imogen was basically on repeat for the whole of 2008 in iTunes for me. She is an amazing singer, songwriter, thinker and artist in general. I have yet to tire of her music, and recommend you check her work out if you haven't heard her talent.

One thing we don't have in common is her love for twitter. I can't stand it. My day is a constant battle with occupational interruptions and the attempt to set and stick to priorities, so keeping up with what my "friends" had for lunch just isn't that important to me. But Imogen seems to love it, and in this video, among other things, she shares her fascination and appreciation for twitter in a very transparent way.

Imogen also shares a ton of behind the scenes thinking and snippets of unfinished songs that to me is both fascinating and generous. She also speaks of her desire to share and not guard her music and videos, which is something I also enjoy doing. My dozen or so sxc.hu images have been downloaded over 4,000 times, and are completely free. Sharing is fun, and hearing on occasion how someone benefited by my photography is really rewarding.

So get to know Imogen Heap in a very endearing and personal glimpse behind the scenes. And her other video blog entires here. Thank you Imogen for your spirirt of sharing.

A Random Thought Regarding Big Brands

Random thought. And not a particularly important one as you consider the trouble people of all types are facing due to the tanking ecnomy. But an idea worth considering in my estimation.

So I'm thinking on my way home from the office how much people have always loved their brands. Big name brands. Expensive ones. Then I'm thinking about how many talented people are making absolutely incredible stuff and flocking to etsy to sell it. High end stuff. Then I start thinking about how people are pulling back on their spending either by choice or by necessity. And how the faces I am seeing in thrift and resale stores are changing. Cool hipsters rifling through the clothing racks. People with means. People out of work. Everything in between. Empty malls and car lots. A Chicago auto show that was D-E-A-D (but fun anyway).

So then it hits me. The economy tanked and all, I see an opportunity. It's this:

People who are unknowns, but who make amazing stuff are the new hot brands.

It used to be people wanted to be seen in high end brands. It meant you were part of an elite club. By association these brands made you look successful in the eyes of the world.

That, in my estimation, is changing. It's a bit clumsy and perhaps repugnant in our current economic condition to show up dressed in these high brands. For some any way. Even those with money are shying away from this excess, perhaps cognizant of how many around them are struggling. Living within our means is top of mind like never before, and excess is being scrutinized. Perhaps as it always should have been, but never the less, simplicity and living within one's means is certainly more the trend of the day.

So I predict that small niche brands will be hot. Not just people on etsy but one and two people shops who do and make wonderful stuff. Fashion. Objects. Food. Furniture. Statements of Faith. You name it. And as these companies remain focused on small in terms of payroll, as well as expenditures like marketing and advertising, they will not have to get big to sustain a healthy profit. Distribution is no longer an obstacle. And getting the word out is simple. It is being done for them. Word of mouth. Niche service and insane client satisfaction. All hot, and getting hotter.

This is no doubt not new thinking. But the idea that wearing Armani and driving a BMW seems a bit silly. If my thrift store focus group is even close to correct, I may be on to something here.

What do you think? Do you still love you high end brands? Does seeing your household, your extended family, your friends and neighbors struggle financially make you want to refocus on less, but better. It does me. And buying from people on etsy feels right too. To me it's the equivalent of buying tomatoes directly from my next door neighbor, and knowing 96% of the profits go into his pocket.

It would blow you away if you knew how many amazing items I have bought for $3.99 or less at thrift and resale shops. All my clothes. Everything. Stuff that in some cases is worth several thousand. But even the stuff that isn't is 100% better than anything I could buy new at retail.

So that's it. I see big brands making way for high end niche at the local level. That's my story. My thinking. Weigh in if you feel like it.

Lock the Company Supply Cabinet

Seeing the direct need to lock the supply cabinet, I share with you a video from Eepybird that I was made aware of from Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan at Apartment Therapy.


EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.

Who wants their brand to matter? Yudu.

Your company creates something. What is it? What does it offer your customers? Why do you think your product matters? And how do you communicate this? What do you say? More importantly, how do you sound? Do you matter? Is it on sale? Is it better than the competitor's offering? What other things make your product distinctive? And do you really think your distinctive is really, well, distinctive? Do you think your customer cares? Does any of this matter?

When I speak of brand, I speak of trajectory. You must aim to inspire. To intrigue. To surprise. In ways that honor the audience's uniqueness and where it is you find them. Their condition. Their attention span. Their fears and desires. In ways that challenge your audience to something greater. That in the end, make them buy. And then drives them to convince others to do the same. It's your personality. It's your brand. It matters.

I have found a company who REALLY understands this. They are called yudu. Their product is cool. But so are their competitor's products. They've realized their ability to inspire people. To catch a vision for their product. A product that on the surface is like many others. But they frame their distinctive uniquely. Their product helps their customers express themselves. See for yourself. Watch "I Am Here." It's beyond marketing. The trajectory is higher. It inspires and delights. It creates emotion. And it is memorable.

Sit back and enjoy the inspired brand efforts of Yudu. Boy would I love to have one of these products.

Jewels Of Luxury : ETSY goodness

Representing Columbus Ohio, Jewels of Luxury, a fellow Etsy store owner, uses brains, mad skills and the precision dissection of vintage watches—that results in jewelry that's out of this world. Etsy is a great community, known for handicrafts, do-it-yourselfers, and anyone who makes stuff like Jewels of Luxury or Jess.

Jewels of Luxury says...

"...I specialize in taking vintage and antique finds and creating unique jewelry pieces that revitalize the old. I incorporate the “new old” as well, which are new brass filigree and stampings recreated from Victorian designs. Recently I have been incorporating more antique watch parts into my designs and have been loving the new stylings I have created. I usually utilize sealed patinaed brass chain in my filigree pieces and sterling silver chain with my silver pieces. Only the best!

I agree that Jewel of Luxury does the best kind of work, and am glad to be a part of the Etsy community among sellers of this caliper.

Etsy CUR8TOR shop. Open for business.

CUR8TOR shop is open for business. It's a place to share vintage and modern things I find unique, in the event you do too. Vintage decorative art objects, mid-century modern style, one-off finds, and an occasional handcrafted good. I'm enthusiastic about craftsmanship, charm, and innovations of the past, so I share these vintage treasures with you.

* * *
I see the world through the eyes of faith. While I realize not everyone shares my Christian worldview, I hope what I say, what I portray and how I treat you will adequately reflect my heart to serve, and my desire to glorify God.

* * *

West Chicagoland Thrift / Resale Driving Map

Thrift stores and resale shops are plentiful in the West Chicagoland area. Those who follow BarryBlog know of my thrift scores. And it's almost every day I'm asked where to find these stores. So, below is a list of some of my favorites, with comments about the experience each store offers from my perspective. I will add more stops as I learn of them. If you know of other stores in this general vicinity, leave a comment on this post with the name and address and I'll be happy to add it here. Just bookmark this page, and/or subscribe to the map via RSS and you'll be notified in your reader if anything's added. It's my hope that you'll enjoy and get good use out of this map. I highly recommend that you go to a larger view of the map from Google's page by clicking this link, or the link right below the map which says "view larger map."

If you appreciate this map, and you're feeling charitable, feel free to leave me a tip.

UPDATE: Scott from the awesome journal ars longa has also shared stops for Decatur, Springfield, and Indianapolis IN to the comments section below this post.

Update to my update: I forgot to mention my friends at Jubilee Furniture (Hi Dave and Susan!).


View Larger Map

Great Flickr Set: Mid-Century Graphic Design of Olivetti

ninonbook has very little in his Flickr stream, but what he lacks in quantity he more than makes up for with the quality of his contribution. His one and only set is a bunch of amazing Olivetti marketing and promotional graphic design efforts smack dab from the mid-20th century. Absolutely inspirational work. I know very little about how he got the work, and know a great deal about the work itself, but since my schedule is a bit upside down, I will pass on explaining the Olivetti design empire, trusting if you are interested you will pursue that further. Google Olivetti and you will quickly learn what a powerhouse this design driven company was. From a previous post of mine (in which a person named Neil McBean ripped off my image), Dieter Rams is quoted as saying this about Olivetti...

Today there is only Apple and to a lesser extent Sony, but not to the same degree as was the case with Olivetti and BRAUN, or Peter Behrens at AEG, or Herman Miller and Charles Eames, Florence Knoll with Saarinen and so on. These kinds of connections are missing today.

I am fortunate to own the Olivetti Lettera 36 and am constantly on the prowl for the Valentine by one of my favorite designers, Ettore Sottsass.

Enjoy nonenbook's Olivetti Set.

A special thanks to Neil McBean. The stated purpose of his blog is to "inspire filmmakers, designers and artists (like me [him]) to develop and produce their own work." Ironically however, he refuses to remove my image that he stole, which he is using to ask the question..."So is Jonathan Ives merely a rip-off artist?" Then he states..."We always build on what came before, and sometimes all that's required is the adaptation of a great design for a new purpose." Then he goes on to state..."When developing storyboards it would be irresponsible not to find out how similar scenes have been shot in earlier films."

Guess McBean doesn't feel it's at all irresponsible to steal. Sweet.

George Nelson Exhibition at Vitra Design Museum

Anyone who reads my blog with any frequency knows I am a Herman Miller and specifically George Nelson admirer. In fact as I watched this video, I felt a real connection with him for the way he thinks, and his passion for the integration of design into all areas of business. He was a lifetime educator in and out of the classroom. He was a leading writer on design. He was also a designer. And an architect. And to me the most value he added to the world at large was his abilities as a thought leader. He was so ahead of his time. I suspect part of what made him successful was Herman Miller's leadership and their desire to have someone of his caliper involved in the decisions of the company. The rest of his success I'm sure can be chalked up to vision, passion, intensity, and a spirit to innovate that I bet was really contagious. Hope you enjoy this video as much as I have.



( via whatwedoissecret )

Stevie Wonder: Christmas Time, or Anytime.

Admittedly I'm a big Stevie Wonder fan. We both have roots in Lansing Michigan, and, well, he's famous. So as we approach a wonderful season of love, grace and anticipation, I give you Stevie wonder.

( Seaqpod recommend by colleague DJ Mark Lane )


SeeqPod - Playable Search

Neocon and The Big Three

: : : : : : : : : : : : R_E_P_O_S_T : : : : : :: : : : : :

Ugh...Ford, General Motors and Chrysler are kinda IN THE NEWS lately, so for those who never heard my perspective on this, here it is (again).

( Begin original post from June 11, 2008 )

So I'm in Chicago at NEOCON 2008. Everywhere I look, I'm amazed. And it made me think. People are genuinely friendly, knowledgeable, and seemingly happy to see me as I walk into their space. I'm not asked if I'm "looking for something special." I'm not immediately apprised of sale items. I am not even asked for my email. Well in a couple I am.

All that said, "The Big Three" come to mind. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. But also the Furniture Big Three– Herman Miller, Steelcase and Haworth.

These Big Three couldn't be more different.

I'm reminded of how amazing the contract furniture market is. It is so obvious that the Furniture Three see design as THE product they sell. They are selling experience and story. Unlike Pontiac's Driving Excitement®– the Furniture Three are genuinely excited and passionate about furniture. So much so that talking to them about it is more like going to lunch with a friend than arm wrestling a car salesman would be.

The thought that keeps coming to mind is how amazing it might be if the Auto Big Three would begin to be more like the Furniture Three. As I shared before here. Even though we find ourselves in tough economic times, it is apparent the Furniture Three have not cut back. Yes, there was noticably way less printed brochures and flashy food, but the commitment to design quality seemed to have been taken up a notch. Everywhere I looked, I was blown away by the thinking, the execution, and the delivery of the products they were just then bringing to market. It was an amazing showcase of design ingenuity and commitment to high design.

I realize I have been picking on The Auto Big Three unmercifully here, some of which is unfair generalization, but the point of all this jabber is to point out one thing.

Those who see design as a function and process will lose. Those who see design as core to what they do, how they do it, what they sell, and who they are, will win.

If the automakers saw the world through the lens of design, and by design I don't mean this year's body-style, then I would likely be driving one of their products. Instead, I buy the product that promises me an experience, that I see as relevant, and that I want to see succeed.

NEOCON is amazing. It is a tangible example of why the furniture industry is a leader in so many ways. Design thinking, business strategy and marketing communication, product innovation, environmental impact, sustainability, and so much more. I maintain that the best marketing is simply doing business well, consistently and with integrity, and with the understanding that nobody cares about your marketing as much as you. Herman Miller gets this. As does Steelcase and Haworth. And each of these three companies, although they are part of a struggling economy like everyone else, rise above the rest and are able to ask a premium for their products. A fact that when you attend NEOCON you will begin to understand why this is no big mystery. It's truly a cradle to cradle way of thinking. A renewable enterprise.

Making an Eames DSR Molded Plastic Shell Arm Chair

Eames Molded Plastic Chairs – the "making of" video, featuring the legendary Eames DSR Fiberglass Chair. This chair has been reissued to the exact same specs as the original, but is now being made with a more environmentally safe product called polypropylene.

Without question, this post is yesterday's news. In fact, a large percentage of those on my Newfire syndicated feed list have already pointed to this video. Having said that, this friendly reminder: BarryBlog is about sharing, and yes, that includes with me. Being a HMI fan, I could not face not having this on my blog, if for nothing more than posterity. I did post this video in the past. It really is an amazing video and it provides an even greater appreciation for just how much effort goes into making one of these design beauties. Surprisingly, this is one of Herman Miller's lower cost classics. But as I have said before, any Herman Miller product you buy will likely last as long as you do, or longer.