IQ Haus is a recent take on prefab from shipping containers. The model showing at Dwell on Design is turnkey at $39,000 which isn't bad considering everything is included. In Southern California, permitting can be a real problem for would be home owners and this unit actually simplify the process a bit. At, 300sf however some more suburban dwellers might find it just a great guest house (or place to keep your clothes?). The company actually has other models available (at a higher) price point that are gorgeous but still cost effective considering what you're getting but you're still not looking at under forty thousand. Definitely worth checking out.

This unit from reclaimed space was on ebay selling for around $60,000 when we were viewing it. The materials were salvaged from an old brewery and assembled in Austin, TX and shipped to Dwell on Design. Pictured is the front and back which has a natural wall and the insulation (made from recycled denim).

So much going on a Dwell on Design this week. TONS of pictures to come and the full story. Great innovators from furniture, prefab, and the like. It's all about re-cycle, up-cycle, re-claiming. So much more to come.

Just before heading out to the desert, I showed some work at the Riverside Arts Market in Jacksonville. I love, love, love, shows like this. I would have done the show for free just to meet the great people that came out to support the arts. We got the confirmation a little late that we could show so we had to leave the towering displays and the blinking neon signs at home. Still with such an enthusiastic turn out, I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Upcoming Outgoing Work

I'm currently visiting California and trapped in the high desert until Dwell on Design this weekend but in the interest of keeping the blog fresh and current, here are some pics from my hard drive to throw in some previous works. Pictured here are my "Belt Deco Chair", "Sculpted Accent Chair" and the "Sutra Coffe Table".

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned...

You may notice that my last blog post was about a year and a half ago. Endeavoring to remedy this, look forward to some great new posts including one from the Dwell on Design trade show in a week. Many more photos of work, happenings, and good times to come. Thanks for checking in and looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Hand Made American Modern Furnishings

I wasn't alive to witness the era where things were "made" instead of "manufactured". I never experienced the revolution of design were the likes of Ray and Charles Eames ushered in a shining era of modernism. Like many design professionals, I worship at the alter of Sam Maloof and George Nakashima. I relish in the innovations of Patricia Urquolia and Terence Conran among others.

However, in the wake of the housing boom and the resurgence of goods made in industrial, sterile invironments, I've started wondering "When did hand made modern become campy and unatractive?" When did modernism stray from the hands of craftsman and into a sweat shop in China? Now, I know what you're thinking (especially if you live in California or New York) that there are plenty of hand made modernists. Let me throw out a couple of names:

BDDW, Palo Samko, Eric Manigian, Tucker Robbins, John Houshmand, etc, etc, etc....

These are atisains and they produce an extraordianry level of quality. If you are not aware of a name of two, and are interested in hand-made american modern, these sites would be inspiring and enticing to the craftsman, the modernist, and the design enthousiast that want to purchase and preserve the best that our design community has to offer.