Furniture




 * Louis Tiffany-** American, 1900's-1930's. Tiffany glass refers to the many and varied types of glass developed and produced from 1878 to 1933 at the Tiffany Studios, by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany was an interior designer, and in 1878 his interest turned towards the creation of stained glass, when he opened his own studio and glass foundry because he was unable to find the types of glass that he desired in interior decoration. His inventiveness both as a designer of windows and as a producer of the material with which to create them was to become renowned**.** Tiffany was the most famous American artist of the Art Nouveau movement.


 * [[image:Stickley_Bow_Arm_Morris_Chair.jpg width="282" height="282" align="right"]]Gustav Stickley**- Born in Germany, but immigrated to US at a young age, early 1900's. Gustav Stickley and his brothers Charles and Albert burst into international prominence in the early 20th century with their Mission Oak designs. These were based on the notion that furniture should be “honest”—a reaction against the fake joinery, unnecessary gaudiness, and shoddy workmanship of many of the pieces created in the early days of industrial furniture making (mass production).

The Stickleys used solid construction, what-you-see-is-what-you-get joinery, and the highest quality woods. But even more, they showed a genius for design, creating hundreds of new forms that were at once beautiful to look upon, practical to use, exceedingly strong and long-lasting, and perfect for the new ways American families wanted to live.

Stickley furniture was not for shutting up in formal parlors—it was to be used and loved by young and old. Great emphasis was placed on letting the gorgeous, organic forms of quartersawn oak and other woods speak for themselves. Finishes were not thick gums, but clear dyes that allowed natural grain to sparkle.


 * [[image:eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman-thumb.jpg width="309" height="209" align="left"]]Charles & Ray Eames-** American**,** 1940's. Worked in and made major contributions to modern architecture and furniture. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art and film. Early in their careers together, Charles and Ray identified the need for affordable, yet high-quality furniture for the average consumer -- furniture that could serve a variety of uses. For forty years the Eameses experimented with ways to meet this challenge, designing flexibility into their compact storage units and collapsible sofas for the home; seating for stadiums, airports, and schools; and chairs for virtually anywhere. Their chairs were designed for Herman Miller in four materials -- molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh, and cast aluminum. The conceptual backbone of this diverse work was the search for seat and back forms that comfortably support the human body, using three dimensionally shaped surfaces or flexible materials instead of cushioned upholstery. An ethos of functionalism informed all of their furniture designs. "What works is better than what looks good," Ray said. "The //looks good// can change, but what works, works."


 * [[image:kettle-with-bird-whistle.jpg width="140" height="140" align="right"]]Michael Graves-** American, 1970's-present. Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States. Graves blends classical allusions and whimsy. He refines an idea to its essence and then adds a distinctive stroke. It's this educated eye and sense of humor that have made him popular. The list of items he's put his mark on runs the gamut from the unusual to the mundane: charm bracelets, kitchen timers, frames, lamps, personal organizers, vases, t-shirts, salt and pepper shakers, china, book ends, weather vanes, and tuxedo studs are just a sampling. It has been said that he combines fun and function**.** It was the creation in 1985 of the Alessi teapot (pictured here) with its whimsical bird spout that pushed Graves into stardom. More than a half million of those stainless steel tea kettles whistle in homes now.


 * [[image:0127_IPAD_PRICE_full_600.jpg width="300" height="200" align="left"]]Apple** (Steve Jobs, CEO, and Jonathan Ive, senior vice-president of design at Apple whose innovations include the iPod and iMac) **-** In the 1970s, Apple talked about being at the intersection of technology and the arts. Their defining qualities are about use: ease and simplicity.

Typically, a new Apple product starts with a big idea for an unmet customer need. For the original iPod, it was for an MP3 player that, unlike earlier models, could hold and easily manage your entire music collection. Then, Apple's product architects and industrial designers figure out what that product should look like and what features it should have -- and, importantly, not have. "Apple has a much more holistic view of product design," says David Carey, president of design consulting firm Portelligent. "Good product design starts from the outside, and works its way inside." (click here to visit site where this text was found)