Blurred Lines or What if Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke designed furniture?

On March 10th 2015 a jury at the Central District Court of California in Los Angeles concluded that Pharrell Williams

smow blog Design Calendar: March 27th 1886 – Happy Birthday Ludwig Mies van der Rohe!

How to celebrate the birthday of man all celebrate? What words can one find to honour the birthday of the

smow blog 2014. A pictorial review: December

With ever more of our fellow train passengers displaying acute symptoms of over exposure to cheap Glühwein it can only

smow blog compact: Isamu Noguchi, George Nelson and the Ball Clock

As many of you will be aware, for us no post about 20th century American design is complete with the

Design and Violence at the New York Museum of Modern Art: George Nelson – “How to Kill People”

In our recent design calendar post on the 85th anniversary of the opening of the New York Museum of Modern

(smow) blog Design Calendar: September 11th 1949 – For Modern Living Opens at the Detroit Institute of Arts

As has oft been noted in these pages, the years following the Second World War were years of quick, radical,

(smow) blog 2013. A pictorial review: October

What with the sweet afterglow of Vienna Design Week behind us we entered October 2013 full of enthusiasm – not

Lost Furniture Design Classics: Coffee Table 4662 by George Nelson for Herman Miller

There is currently a lot of “buzz” in the contemporary furniture and interior design communities about bringing nature in to

Vitra Design Museum: Lightopia

“My, my, my, Delilah! Why, why, why, Delilah!”

The morning of Friday September 27th 2013 was one of those misty autumn occasions that cause SANAA’s immense new Vitra Factory Building in Weil am Rhein to merge, almost unseen, with the grey background. Even Herzog & de Meuron’s new Basel Messe complex was reduced to nothing more grand than a continuation of the uncaring monotonous sky. The glitzing, shimmering palace of high summer just the weak shadow of a memory.

And so it was perhaps fitting that the Vitra Design Museum choose this dank September morn to open their latest exhibition, “Lightopia”, an exhibition devoted to light.

For today was a clear warning, in the coming months we will all be in need of a little light.

George Nelson meets Alvar Aalto. Extended Version.

In our post on Vitra’s purchase of the Finnish furniture producer Artek we quoted from a letter George Nelson wrote

Vitra acquire Artek. Eames meets Aalto. Again.

At Design Miami Basel 2013 one of the more impressive presentations was without question the collection of Alvar Aalto furniture

Passenger Terminal Expo 2012: Pascal Berberat, Vitra Airport Division

We suspect the reason we write so much about designer furniture in an airport context is simply because of the

Design for Use, USA

“Wooden spoon for pickled vegetables by John F. Kennedy” ? ? ? John F. Kennedy. Green Mountain Woodcrafters, Vermont. And

„Schöne neue Welt – American Mid-century Design“ @ Frank and Oliver, Zurich

Just as the Man in the Corner Shop was famously satisfied with his life until the Boss from the Factory

(smow) offline: Win a Vitra Organic Chair

It may not be the most universally recognised example of either Charles Eames‘ nor Eero Saarinen‘s canon however their 1940

(smow)offline: VitraHaus in Spring

On account of the horrendous hotel prices demanded during design week the (smow)blog team camp in Milan. And that despite

From iRmann desk to iSlate: A history

In what is quite possibly the most eagerly anticipated announcement of 2010, Apple Supremo Steve Jobs will unveil the companies

Christmas TIME…

…and the mistletoe and wine will almost certainly be in abundance – so why not give someone the gift of

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat…. liesmichl and other assorted gift ideas

As traditional as roasted chestnuts and corked sherry, gift recommendations are what make Christmas for us. This year, however, we

(smow) congratulates: 20 Years Vitra Design Museum

On 03.11.1989 the Vitra Design Museum opened. On 09.11.1989 the Berlin Wall “fell”. Coincidence? Almost certainly. But while the Vitra

George Nelson Ceramic Clocks

Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor. The Trial by Franz Kafka. Madonna and Child with St John and

(smow)abseits:3 fish studios, Modern Furniture Linocuts

Idling on the internet the other day we inadvertently clicked on an advertisement. Fortunately. For the link took us to

(smow)offline: designer bookkeeping

It must be a summer thing. Not only are our newspapers and magazines full of authors recommending their chums books,

Designed for work: smow and office furniture

In a recent article wired magazine presented their own take on the evolution of office furnishing. From the introduction of

New by smow: Fernando the fish and friends

Fernando the Fish, Talulah the Toucan, Elihu the Elephant and Omar the Owl – four irresistibly cheeky chronological creatures born