Eames: The Architect and the Painter

A new documentary comes out this week on Ray and Charles Eames, the dynamic couple who heralded a new modernism in America, and who are perhaps best known for their famous Eames chairs. I'm intrigued, especially as the narrator (provided by James Franco) refers to the Eames' Office in Venice Beach as the Google of its day.

images via the style file

190 Bowery, NYC

This cozy little kitchen with the cobalt-blue pressed tin wall has plenty of character and loads of charm. Shocking that it's actually one of 72 rooms in this downtown mansion in New York City's Lower East Side. According to this article in the New York Magazine, most real estate experts had pegged the building as abandoned. In reality it is occupied by a family of three - photographer Jay Maisel, his wife, and daughter - who bought it for just over $100,000 in 1966. Maisel uses the first two floors as gallery space, and has kept the architectural features intact - it was once a bank. Quite a spacious family home with its six floors, roof top patio and garden, and apparently rooms still being discovered...

all images via new york magazine: "the 72-room bohemian dream house"

The London Train

I've been guilty of judging a book by its cover on more than one occasion. But book design and packaging is supposed to make you want to read it.

That said, I've been perusing the internet for new titles and am enchanted with this gem. It's just been longlisted for the Orange Prize, so it's not just a pretty read, but presumably a good one, too.

The London Train by Tessa Hadley

Other books to admire/read:

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda
Claudine at School by Colette
Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan
A Room With A View by E.M. Forster

Colour Coordinating

My obsession with colour blocking my books started over a year ago when I got distracted from thesis writing by the chaos of my bookshelf.

This is my goal:

image found on flickr 

This is the state of my bookshelf as of today:

It's an ongoing process of editing and reorganizing...and a great excuse to justify new books, always (especially if it's a Penguin Modern Classic - love that row of white with the little penguin icons).

Industrial Desk Lamps

I really like the vibe of this work space from the 2010 Ikea catalogue. I was reminded of it a while ago after watching a Taylor Swift video that featured a vintage desk lamp similar to the one in this photo, and now seeing it again is making me want to rethink my workspace.

Love how this space has been curated from the March/April issue of LONNY.

This one is from Graham and Greene, a UK store. I love the 'bulb cover' and the use of chrome (anything shiny is good in my books), also that it is free-standing and not a clip-on like the one from ikea. It's on sale too.... 

But this Roving Rays lamp from anthropologie (which I think might be the same one from TSwift's video) might be my favourite:

Not Your Typical Movie Poster

(or at least by today's standards)


La Boca International posters for Black Swan

Images from debut art