Mid Century Modern Occassional Chair

A stickler for stick legs, the moment I saw this chair on Craigslist I was drawn to it. The mid century modern piece was as uncomfortable as a block of wood, with no seat cushion or padding. But for $25 how could we go wrong? The beagles has shredded a couple throw pillows, so I recycled the stuffing from those and bought a yard of this faux zebra-like material, with a slight velvety touch.

For another $10 of material and a few staples, this chair has the look without the cost. Sure of u look closely it looks a little lumpy, that's why I always recommend dimmers on all light switches. Everything looks more refined when you squint.


Total Project Cost: $35

Modern By Nature - Patio Center Piece

One overriding theme around the house is to do stuff for less. The beauty of this approach is that quite often if a home project costs less, it's also inherently easier on the environment. Now I know if my partner reads this, he's going to laugh his ass off. On top of thinking I'm crazy, he gets a kick out of my mickey mouse approach to so many projects, especially in the garden, where I rule my kingdom with a green fist.

Moving from a 2 BR loft to a 4 BR house meant getting lots of stuff we didn't have. A patio off the dining room called for extending living space to the outdoors in the tradition of mid century modern living popularized by the Eichler dynasty. Starting with Craigslist I set up an RSS feed http://www.craigslist.org/about/rss and then watched for the terms 'modern patio'. It was over an hour driving round trip but for $70 we picked up a 5 piece modern patio set. Then I found a simple little pot at Home Depot for $12 and dug up some succulents laced with a bit of wild grass. Hubby thinks the grass is a weed, but isn't a weed just a plant growing in someplace you don't want it to?

Personally I love the unique and graceful lines of this living modern center piece. The complex texture of the chicks & hens succulents with the wisps of wild grass provide depth and movement to the delicate lines of the table and chairs' metal mesh. Yes domestic plants need a weed free environment to thrive, but sometimes I think controlled use of nature's brush paints a
far more refined portrait than an of us mere mortals could possibly create.

And besides, you gotta respect those damn weeds.

Total project cost: $82

Curb Appeal - Spore Doorbell

When we moved into our house there were lots of things I wanted to change and sometimes the littlest things can make a big difference. For example, the doorbell that graced our front entry way just really bugged me - not to mention the ornate wrought iron porch light that was as much anachronistic as it was just plain butt-ugly. Starting with the doorbell, I went to work on ebay and found this Spore doorbell for $25. Not really cheap for a doorbell by any means, but it was one of those things I just had to have.

A friend had done a remodel on a house and had an extra outdoor light fixture, so we gladly took it off his hands to replace the hideous one we had. I added a fluorescent light bulb in order to be more energy efficient and to compliment the blue of the doorbell light and our solar garden lights - the result is an aligned outdoor lighting theme that is modern, ecological and was all put together for under $100, including the garden lighting.

Together these design elements really highlight the entrance and slick up the curb appeal to support our continuous attempt to modernize our mid century modern home.

Sofa So Good

For something like a sofa, it's difficult to go vintage and get something that's both sleek and comfortable. Plus for me, a sofa is almost like a bed - you kind of have to buy it new. Not to say there aren't some really great examples of modern, minimal, vintage sofas out there, but when you do find one, the price of often higher than getting something new.

One of the best sources I've found in Seattle is Modern Design Sofas. www.moderndesignsofas.com. Not only do they have a great selection of central entertaining seating systems, but they also stock some very cool chairs, lighting, accessories and more. We bought the sofa shown here and ordered a second set of washable microfiber covers to handle the heavy traffic of our 2 kids and rambunctious beagles. Their prices are really affordable with the sectional shown selling for $1400, we didn't find a better deal locally anywhere.

DIY Modern Photo Project

Like most modernists, I'm not a big fan of the family photo portraits in the living room. Nothing to me says schmaltz more than family likenesses posed in their Sunday best - I have to admit it makes me throw up in my mouth. Not that portraits are a bad thing...I just think they should be reserved for family rooms or guest room or any room that isn't easy to see. Hey, this is my blog, so I can spew off my opinion any way I want - especially since no one reads this! Ha!

I do love photography though. And the right images, cropped and framed in the right way, on the right wall, can make a pretty solid modern statement. And there's nothing more satisfying than seeing your own creative work, working its magic in your own home. One of my personal favorites in terms of subject matter, is architecture.

Here's an easy and inexpensive way for you to create your own photographic modern masterpiece in just a few easy steps, that works for hallways, entry ways and more.

Pick a related subject matter - I personally think that architecture makes a strong visual statement.

Take digital shots...think abstraction..think taking pieces of your subject matter and making them a graphic play on reality. Try turning the camera on an angle, flash on, flash off, experiment and have fun - that's what makes digital photography so amazing.

Get a simple photo editor on your PC if it doesn't already have one. I have Photoshop but you don't have to spend that kind of money to get the effects we're looking for here.

Play with Brightness, contrast and saturation...in the latter case think about desaturating all color for a stark black and white look.

Edit photos to the same size, cropping out parts of the image that work the least.

Print out on photo paper...matte finish is best.

Buy matching frames and matting, if necessary to create consistency and further create the aura of a holistic piece.

Mount the framed pieces evenly...I prefer a single straight line, but sometimes vertical lines work well as do diagonal lines climbing a staircase.

Be amazed at your creative genius...and when guests comment on the photography, you can hold back on your enthusiasm when you say, "oh ya, I took those.."

Shown here are some images I shot while in Boston. One neat idea for your photo essay is to shoot images from your neighborhood, bringing the familiar and outdoors, in.

#2 Hand Blown Glass Vase

To the collector of modern furnishings there are a number of approaches to take. There are those for whom expense is not option and there are a lot of great choices right here in the Seattle area, including Area 51, Chartreuse Moderne and Design Within Reach. For larger, more prolific pieces I recommend Modern Design Sofas. Anthony stocks great stuff and the prices are far less than what you'd pay elsewhere.

For smaller pieces and accents, I prefer to take a less hurried, more random approach. Every once in a while, I'll stop by at Salvation Army, Value Village or Goodwill and have a look around. And every once in while I stumble onto something really sweet. The vase shown here was among the reams of garage sale quality, run of the mill glassware at Salvation Army in downtown Seattle. The minute I saw it, it was love. Its sandblasted surface and elegant profile meshed with the colder stainless that dominated most of the kitchen, while the buttery yellow Silestone of our kitchen island mapped to the golden hue of the glass. I carefully checked the price tag. $2. That was in my budget. A few sticks of black bamboo later and I had a killer modern center piece for our kitchen island - total cost: $2

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a hot look - especially for accent pieces. Take your time, look around, hunt and let the joy of discovery make it all that much more fun.

Objects of Desire - Mid Century Coffee Table and Ceramic Vase

When thinking green, I like to think reusing vs. recycling. And nothing speaks to the ethos of this mindset more than searching thrift shops, garage sales and Craigslist to find modern gems for your home. Sometimes you just have to go new too - like I wouldn't want to buy a bed someone else has slept on, right? But there are many things you can find for your home that have a pricey slick look without breaking the bank. Here are just a few items, I've found for far less than what you might think.

1. Mid Century Modern parquet coffee table and ceramic vase

I found the coffee table on Craigslist. It was one of those times I didn't even try and get the price lower. The owner was asking $25. It was one of those times my heart skipped a beat when I saw it. Yes, I have issues. No chips in the parquet inlays and sweet metal mid century stick tapered legs sat perfectly with the rest of my mid century and contemporary decor. TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS!!! I found the perfectly round little ceramic vase at a local garage sale for the rich price of $1...yes ONE DOLLAR! Total cost for this look - $26.00