Design Lesson

Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Table Popularized the Pedestal Base

Architect Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) is known for his sculptural forms, the most recognizable being the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, a symbol of the United States’ westward expansion. Other well-known designs include the TWA Terminal at New York’s JFK Airport … Continue reading

The Kit-Cat Clock Was Made to Put a Smile On Your Face

My husband gifted me a Kit-Cat clock soon after we were married. We hung it in our tiny Brooklyn apartment’s kitchen, and its kitschy design worked well with the rest of the space. The thing is, I felt like it … Continue reading

‘Memento Mori’ is a Spooky Take on Seizing the Day

Memento mori is Latin for “remember, you must die.” It is a classification for a type of jewelry popular in the late sixteenth through the seventeenth centuries but still being produced today. It is not to be confused with mourning … Continue reading

A Brief History of the Super Soaker®

Summer officially ends this month, so it seems appropriate to pay tribute in this issue to one of the greatest (if not the greatest) water toys invented. With one squirt you can totally drench your friend, relative, or enemy while … Continue reading

Plastic Flamingo

Is it kitsch, tacky, or a classic? In her book Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place, nature writer Terry Tempest Williams declared that the plastic pink flamingo was “our unnatural link to the natural world.” When designer and … Continue reading

Thonet No. 14 Chair

You have most likely sat in the No. 14 chair. It’s simple but elegant, and it easily blends with most interiors. This café chair is an icon and is considered to be one of the most successful mass-produced products in … Continue reading

Montblanc Meisterstück

My father, who worked in real estate, always had a gold Cross pen in his left shirt pocket. I learned at a young age that the type of pen you carry makes a statement. Like most kids in the ’80s … Continue reading