Design Lesson

Sony Walkman

Sometimes you just need to disconnect from everything. Today that usually means putting down your phone to stop scrolling through Instagram, but once upon a time it meant putting on headphones, pressing PLAY, and tuning out the world. It’s hard … Continue reading

Fiskar Orange Scissors

  They’re easy to spot, affordable, and won’t disappoint. Is there anything worse than grabbing a pair of scissors to open a box and finding the blade is too dull to cut through the tape? The Finnish company Fiskars introduced … Continue reading

The Proust Chair

It’s not considered to be the most practical chair, but it has had a serious impact on design history. In 1978 Italian designer and architect Alessandro Mendini (1931–2019) designed his Proust chair for the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara during … Continue reading

Vladimir Kagan’s Serpentine Sofa

His name might not be as familiar as that of Charles and Ray Eames or George Nelson, but Vladimir Kagan is one of the great pioneers of modern furniture design in America. Kagan’s father was a Russian master cabinet- maker who … Continue reading

Tinker Toys

  It’s that time of year when the classic holiday movie A Christmas Story airs on television. When Ralphie, the main character, is asked by his mother what he would like for Christmas, he responds, “I guess I would just … Continue reading

Pyrex

Most Thanksgiving tables are not complete without a piece of Pyrex. Pieces made from 1945 through the late 1960s might be the most popular vintage collectible right now due to the nostalgic aspect, price point, and of course, remarkable design. … Continue reading

The Ghost Chair

Bean Boots