D. J. De Pree - Herman Miller Millwright Story

Beginning fall 2006, BarryBlog was once vibrant and daily, but now rather sleepy and sporadic. But if you look through the archives or Google Search Herman Miller and BarryBlog, chances are you'll find the many times I've spoken of the great company Herman Miller. I've gained a deep appreciation since I first experienced the performance and aesthetic of their wares at a small design firm in East Lansing Michigan, right out of college. The owner of that shop bought only Herman Miller, and I have been hooked since. Then while working as a senior art director in a small Grand Rapids marketing communications consultancy, I had further opportunities to learn about the company. While in Grand Rapids, I spent hours at their refurbished product store which at the time was called REMARK. I so miss that great store.

In the must read "The Design of Herman MIller", by my hands down favorite writer, Ralph Caplan, I learned how D. J. De Pree founded the company based on his Biblical worldview. As I read that, it was easy to compare with the current company who employs me, Tyndale House Publishers. Like D. J., Ken Taylor built a company with people as a priority. Like D. J., Ken realized how important people are to the overall day to day success of the business.

So tonight while I was further researching Herman Miller, I came across this wonderful example of how D. J. approached business, and more specifically, the people who worked for him.

Someday I would love to help grow Herman Miller using my God given skills. Like Tyndale, they are one of the few great companies left.

See for yourself, in D. J. De Pree's own words.

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.

Interesting To Me: Allsteel Acuity Chair

BarryBlog posts on ideas, issues and objects that are really all over the map. This is a reflection of who I am as a thinker, a designer, a christian, and is how I originally envisioned the blog from day one. I post on things which have caught my attention and which I find interesting and at times important. Things I observe by intention, by happenstance, by referral, or by The Spirit, as a way and a place to file interesting things away for future consideration. And for you too, if you find them interesting. The feedback I get in these regards has always been a high point of the process.

The last few months I've been posting less, but with more frequency regarding my flea market finds and the collection I am curating 50 cents at a time via St. Vincent DePaul, Goodwill and other local flea market haunts. Judging by my stats, this is less interesting to some, though ironically my core reader still remains rather solid. It is always fun to see which posts spike readership, but I never set out to gain a following or to boost readership. In fact my blog can best be summed up by a quote from Samuel Butler from The Way of All Flesh which I discovered in reading my book by Herman Miller called "Notes on Attention" by Ralph Caplan."

Butler says...

"The literacy instinct may be known by man's keeping a small notebook in his waistcoat pocket, onto which he jots down anything that strikes him, or any good thing that he hears said, or a reference he thinks will come in useful to him." (I would add: "Or to you").

One thing I never tire of and always find interesting is contract and residential furniture. Furniture industry insider I am not, but having grown up in Mid-Michigan in a small design boutique that was furnished predominately in Herman Miller, then calling Grand Rapids home for a few years as a communication designer, I have developed a passion for contract furniture. All furniture really. I always seem to find incredible furniture and decorative art finds at garage sale prices, which has only fueled by desire to learn more. Perhaps it's learning I enjoy mostly about furniture, not the finds themselves. Maybe that could be another blog post.

Anyway, what I really appreciate the most about the furniture design industry is the leadership role it has earned in the overall design landscape. Furniture design is approached holistically, and design is considered and relied upon at every level of thinking— from the board room to the retail floor. Those who have followed BarryBlog know the business of design is an issue that's been discussed here frequently.



All that to say, the new Allsteel Acuity chair has caught my attention. In a big way. Mainly because of all it isn't. It sits quietly and expectantly for it's user to draw near. In my estimation, the chair's personality takes on the personality of the user, not visa versa.

In some ways I see the Allsteel Acuity chair more representative of Audi than BMW, if you will. The Acuity does what it says, the Aeron says what it does.

You get the picture. Do understand I am a major Herman Miller fan, but like the Aeron, I see the Allsteel Acuity chair in a really small group of excellent products. Perhaps the reason this chair is so excellent, and has so little, is because of Bruce Fifield at Continuum. According to Allsteel's president Eugene Sung, Bruce is a relative newcomer to chair design. I have always been a relative newcomer to each industry I have designed for, and often find this to be a distinct advantage. Mainly because of so little preconception. But as always, you must have a client who trusts your intuition, instinct and voice. After seeing Continnum's previous work, I can see how this would not have been a stretch for Sung.

In reference to paying attention, and to all that this chair is not, here is a great quote by Ralph Caplan from the same publication On Attention I referenced earlier in this post...

"Pay attention so that people are free to attend to what they care about. Ironically, though, the freest societies invariably create environments that militate against attention. Visual pollution is harmful not just because it is ugly but because it is distractive. And therefore destructive. Like other pollution, it destroys the balance of nature–in this case, human nature. A climate loaded with designs clamoring for your attention is a climate in which you end up paying attention to nothing."

Bravo Eugene and Bruce and team. Thanks for paying attention. It made a connection. With me, anyway. And that's why it's on BarryBlog.

Flickr: Vintage Mid-Century Modern Furniture

Attention anyone who loves furniture in general, especially that with a rich history: I created a new Flickr home for all the vintage furniture images I have scattered throughout my various Flickr sets. The slideshow is here. It's fun and convenient to see everything in one place. Most of the images reflect my taste for mid-century modern, but there's a real mix here.

Eames Lounge Debut: Arlene Francis Show

Charles Eames in 1956, interviewed on the Arlene Francis' Home show—the precursor to what is known today as the Today Show. Eames was given this prime opportunity to describe and debut his Herman Miller Eames Lounge chair to America for the first time. Major furniture history in the making.

DWR: Are We Out Of Our Materialistic Minds?

Lifestyle of the rich and famous store Design Within Reach now has a blog. It's called Design Notes. I have always appreciated their Design Bio site on the DWR main site. It's free. But as a normal Joe, somewhat representative of the typical designer salary-type who is rather design goo-goo, I have a question. I suspect it might be something you've thought about to.

It's about the Name. "Design Within Reach." Come on, it can't just be me? Isn't their name worth reconsideration? Currently, I find it to be a bit of a kick in the teeth.

An example: On their blog right now is featured the Herman Miller Eames Soft Pad Management Chair in Espana Leather at a mere $2,948. Now perhaps this chair at this price is Within Someone's Reach, but not mine. Now as some of you know, I do own one of these beauties, having been at the right place, at the right time, and paid the right price at a tag sale. Now if I could only get similarly lucky seven more times, because if I were to pay DWR's price for the conference room down the hall from my office with eight chairs, it would set me back just shy of 24 thousand dollars ($23,584, for 8 chairs!).

Seriously. Who buys this stuff? Are we out of our materialistic minds? I assume the name DesignWithinReach indicates their ability to bring high design products to the masses, but the name feels like the rabbit that races about 15 yards ahead of the race dog. We all know he's never gonna catch it, even though it is "Within Reach."

No one wants to admit they can't (or shouldn't) afford a $2,948 chair, right? I would love to hear your comments on this under-blogged reality.

( I thank Nate at Design Feast for the link to BarryBlog as well as Design Notes )

Bauhaus 2 Your House: Modern Furniture Direct

Modern Furniture Classics from Aalto, Bellini, Bertoia, Breuer, Gray, Jacobsen, Knoll, Le Corbusier, Mackintosh, Nelson, Noguchi, Saarinen, Van Der Rohe, and Wright can all be purchased from a plethora of dealers and wholesalers across the country and on the web. But what caught my attention here is this particular companies' name: "Bauhaus 2 Your House." I'm sorry, but that's funny. The prices, apparently wholesale, are still well beyond my means, but they appear to be factory direct originals—not knock-offs. The site's design is rather uninspired (a bit ironic), so if for nothing else it serves as an opportunity to learn more about classic furniture design and legendary designers. You'll also find bios for each of the designers represented, though if that's what you're looking for Design Within Reach does a better job. As many of you know, I am a HUGE fan of these design classics, and though I can't afford these prices personally, I have been fortunate over the years to collect two tan Marcel Breuer Wassily chairs (Knoll) for $75/e from a colleague 10 years ago; a Charles Eames Aluminum Group softback Executive side chair (Herman Miller 1969) at a garage sale for $5; an Eero Saarinen Executive Side Chair (Knoll 1957) on the side of the road for free; and a Heywood Wakefield Butterfly table (1954) and 4 chairs for $225 at a flea market.

Bauhaus 2 Your House. That name kills me.

Neocon, Alvin Lustig, and a Design Realization

Neocon is just another furniture show to many. But to me, it's the Superbowl of design. Something I look forward to for months ahead of time. It's an experience that for me is way more valuable than any other design show in terms of charging my creative batteries. And for those who know me, being creative is not generally one of my deficit areas. But something's different about Neocon.

It inspires in a totally unique way. I see colors. Shapes. Materials. Applications. Human enthusiasm and possibility. Execution and good old fashion trade sales. Real ideas being pitched and sold for real money. Not just great ideas, but great ideas with legs. Ideas that are going places. Ideas with schedules and agendas. You get the idea. Rubber meets the road, if you will.

Anyway, in my weekly design group meeting today I spoke to the team about my enthusiasm and perspective regarding the show. I recently received approval from my supervisor to take the whole commercial design team to Neocon so they too can experience this magnificent event. Shortly after discussing this but in the same meeting designer Alvin Lustig came up, as I referenced having posted about him in an article in BarryBlog just the day before. Out of both discussions came a vivid realization regarding the value of design.

As I thought of going to Neocon, I pictured myself back in time and walking the show with Alvin. As we walked together, his presence was felt everywhere. Why? Well, Alvin designed the timeless furniture in the Knoll booth– a tradeshow booth he himself also designed. Continuing further through the Merchandise Mart we notice the catalogs, advertising and collateral pieces being handed out at the show, that as it turns out, he too conceptualized, designed and produced. As mid day approaches and we begin to consider lunch, we're guided to the food court area by Lustig's comprehensive signage system. Pretty much anywhere you look, you see his design influence. One person with such an over arching perspective and skillset, in addition to the ability to think big.

One other important factor in Lustig's sucess was the fact that he was often hired by clients who trusted him, and by trust I mean the fairly rare kind of trust where the client has the confidence to step back, and to step away from preconception. A client who has a vision for something bigger than themselves. A vision so big not any designer could accomplish it. This is part of why he was so successful, aside for a tremendous intellect, drive and talent. If clients really want their result to have, well, results, they will get out of the way of strategic thinkers and innovators and let them do what they are gifted to do. Any designer can conduct themselves in a karaoke type of service to the end product, but only when a client trusts a designer can true innovation and break through work actually take shape with true voice.

I literally had a dream about Neocon the other night. This from a person who barely ever dreams. But it's people like Alvin Lustig who lead the way with projects that not only get results, but inspire. To dream. To build. To take the bar a notch higher. And who in the end serve the entire process best through genuine creativity, guts, big picture thinking and ultimately value to a companies' bottom line.

See ya' at Neocon. June 12. I can't wait.

Hotel FOX: Lifestyle Art in Copenhagen

Volkswagon, in conjunction with the launch of their new VW Fox automobile, invited 21 international artists from the fields of graphic design, urban art and illustration to turn central Copenhagen's Hotel Fox into individual works of art—and as a result the world’s most exciting and creative lifestyle hotel. 61 rooms, to be exact. Each room is an individual piece of art. From whacky comical styles to strict graphic design. From fantastic street art and Japanese Manga to simply spaced out fantasies. Flowers, fairytales, friendly monsters, dreaming creatures, secrets vaults and more. Extra Large, Large, Medium and Small rooms. Fun.

( via CJ )

eBay design.addict: Mid-Century Modern

design.addict is an eBay Power Seller who sells amazing and hard to find mid-century modern furniture and accessories. What's really cool about design.addict's store is the photography of the products. There are multiple angles and shots, with great comments as to the exact condition, good or bad. Once you go to his feedback page, look for "items for sale" link and check out what he has on auction. If you're a mid-century modern fan, you will love this.

It's Just Like, It's Just Like. A Mini. Mall.

The original.



The Spooky Remix




The Remixed Remix



A cappella



Welcome to Hollywood

Design Firm: Ding3000

Ding3000 is a great design team, with an emphasis on product design. I have a ton of Billy Bookcases from IKEA, and they've designed a couple shelf accessories especially for the Billy line that are real fun. Peruse through their site and you'll find furniture, lighting, accessories and the like. Their work is really excellent.

( Thanks to my friend Nathan Stock for the heads up)