form follows function
We obviously love classic modern furniture, but one thing we have learned through the years is that furniture must be as functional as it is beautiful. I thought I would take this opportunity, right before the 20th Century Cincinnati Show, to share a photo timeline of our now legendary 3/ $25 coconut chairs. It seems that they are as comfortable as they are functional and beautiful. Now that’s good design!
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We ‘found’ three of these original early production George Nelson Coconut Chairs in a GTE office building in Lafayette, IN in 1986. New chairs were on order and they ‘sold’ them to us for a $25 donation to the American Heart Association. Right away, our cats took to them. This is the sweetest cat that ever lived, Tyler, taking a siesta on one of them shortly after we acquired them.
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Evidently word got our about how comfortable the chairs were, and our cat Ryan had to see for himself (circa 1986).
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The chairs had just been recovered in 1987 when our friend Jenny could not resist their particular charms at a New Year’s Eve party. Either that or we throw really bad (or good?!) parties……
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Tyler, again (circa 1988).
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Our 2 ½ year old son, Trent (now 23), taking a coconut nap in December 1991.
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Daughter Tenley, just shy of her 3rd birthday in 2000.
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Tenley showing that the chairs are comfortable so many ways!
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Daughter Tenley when she was 13 posing with her violin (circa 2010).
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Our family photo for Best Magazine with daughter Kirsten (then 18) in the chair in the foreground, and Tenley in the background (circa 2010).
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Our cat Harper circa 2011 proving that orange cats LOVE to nap on coconut chairs!
featured publications
research + articles
- thesis on the work of architect james (jim) alexander melissa marty, 2002
- benjamin dombar various sources
- abrom dombar various sources
- woodie garber various sources
- rudy hermes various sources
- dick calef various sources
- carl strauss + ray roush various sources
- and the rest
modern books
- 50 from the 50s: modern architecture and interiors in cincinnati udo greinacher, elizabeth meyer, susan rissover, patrick snadon, margo warminski, 2002
- atomic ranch midcentury interiors michelle gringeri-brown (author), jim brown (photographer), 2012
- implosion elizabeth garber, 2018
- charley harper, an illustrated life, todd oldham & charley harper, 2007
- about design: insights and provocations for graphic design enthusiasts, gordon salchow, 2018
- cincinnati's terrace plaza hotel: an icon of american modernism, shawn patrick tubb, 2013
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