Kardiel Modern Home Issue 1

Designer Spotlight: Florence Knoll

Meet the architect and interior designer credited with revolutionizing office design by heralding in modernist design aesthetics. Our design historian breaks down the “Knoll Look” and discusses how Florence Knoll rose to financial and artistic success in a male-dominated industry. 60

Fabric Masterclass: Velvet

64 Defined: The Media Cabinet Once introduced to house electronic equipment, this crucial piece of furniture has become a show stopper all its own. Discover the history behind the media cabinet, going back to the height of its pop ularity with our furniture historian, who explores its many uses and styles.

70

72

the Cover

Bret Gum

PHOTOGRAPHER

A Clean Slate • Page 14

How to Style It • Page 74

Photography became a relatively late pro fessional choice for Bret Gum, a West Texas native who started this iteration of his career in his 30s. Before that, he lived in an igloo, wore a suit and tie and did global business while traveling with his very own interpreter. At one point, he sailed across the South Pacific to Australia and has come close to death by way of drowning, snakes, fire, blood poisoning, sharks, an ill-fated border crossing and crashes of all sorts. At some point during his travails, it occurred to him that he should start carrying a camera: At least he’d have proof.

Sally Julien

@modernous DESIGN ADVISOR

Sun’s Out, Fun’s Out • Page 28

Sally Julien is the principal and founder of Modernous. Julien specializes in the remodeling and design of Mid Century Modern and other Modern homes. Her restoration of a Hugh Kaptur home in Palm Springs made it into a Class 1 Historic Site. Julien’s work has been published in Dwell, Atomic Ranch, Modernism, Seattle Magazine, 425 Magazine, Curbed and more. In this issue, she gives us a home tour of her fabulous new place.

Oscar Fitzgerald

HISTORICAL ADVISOR

Designer Spotlight: Florence Knoll page 54

Defined: The Media Cabinet • Page 64

Dr. Oscar P. Fitzgerald is a nationally known specialist on American furniture from Colonial times to the present. He is also a historian, author, lecturer and consultant on American and European decorative arts, fine art, archi tecture and maritime history. Fitzgerald serves on the faculty of the Smithsonian Associates/ George Washington University Master’s Pro gram in the History of Decorative Arts, where he teaches the American furniture classes. He is also the author of many books on furniture history. His latest book, American Furniture Designers 1900-2020, is forthcoming from Rowman and Littlefield.

Meegan Buschor

GUEST EDITOR

A Clean Slate • Page 14

How to Style It • Page 74

Meegan Buschor is an interior and product stylist based in Olympia, Washington. She is the owner of Mia Interiors, specializing in home design. Meegan has always had a passion for beauty, and started drawing blueprints and creating collages of make-believe homes even as a small child. After years of styling weddings and photo shoots, she founded her own design business. She now shares her talent for DIY projects and décor addictions with thousands of followers on Instagram. In this issue, she gave us a home tour (page 14) and created three design concepts for the “How to Style It” story on page 74. Born and raised in Olympia, she lives with her husband and four children.

Deborah Young, B.F.A., M.F.A.

TEXTILE EDUCATOR, AUTHOR AND CONSULTANT

Fabric Masterclass

• Page

60

Deborah Young is a career educator and author with more than 25 years research ing, teaching and creating textile science curricula. Her textbook, The Swatch Reference Guide for Fashion Fabrics, is now entering its 5th edition. Young also authored a companion book, The Swatch Reference Guide for Interior Fabrics Both are offered by Bloomsbury Publishing. As a consultant, Young is an experienced expert witness in legal matters involving textiles, whose expert testimony has been used in more than 75 legal matters that include product liability, quality control, copy right and even criminal matters. Young can be contacted at her website, thetextileexpert.com.

Scott Van Dyke

PHOTOGRAPHER

Sun’s

Out, Fun’s Out • Page 28

Scott Van Dyke is an American architectural photographer who has been shooting as a commercial photographer since 1994. He has partnered with respected brands such as JW Marriott, Burberry Westin Hotels, Quintess Resorts, Sunrise Senior Living, Norman Shutters and Caesar Stone counters. Years of experience have given him the ability to work well under pressure, adapt at a moment’s no tice, and innovate to the benefit of his clients. You can find his commercial work at www. scottvandyke.com.

Simple Sti Wapaper

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TM

EDITORIAL

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Brando Mataya Brand Advisor

Terry Rollman

Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Drury Wagner

Design Director

Elena Oh

Managing Editor Michelle Mastro

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FOR SOME, SPRING IS A SIGN OF RENEWAL. Other people love New Year’s and setting their intentions for the coming months. But we think fall, too, represents a fresh start. There are new colors to behold, new friendships to be made, and new styles to express ourselves with.

One of our favorite new design trends is the movement toward organic shapes, especially with curvy sofas. Learn more about how a sofa moves from an idea, to sketches, to a fully formed design in our interview with furniture de signer/product developer Katrine Bjørn on page 44. Bjørn is the designer behind the Izzah Series of sofas.

This issue features the dynamic, creative energy of Sally Julien, of the interior design studio Modernous. You may have seen her work on her Instagram at @modernous, and she has been featured in prestigious publications such as Dwell and Curbed. Her stunning, 1963 home near Seattle was the subject of a feature story in Atomic Ranch. We were lucky enough to get a tour of Sally’s home in Palm Springs, Cali. She turned a historic ranch home into a sophisticated and welcoming Mid-Century Modern showcase. Take a look on page 28.

We’re also delighted to feature the home of Meegan Buschor, an interior and product stylist. Meegan loves to rearrange furniture, and shares her incredible DIY projects with her followers on Instagram (find her at @mia.interiors) as well as on her website, mia-interiors. com. Turn to page 14 to get the tour of her Olympia, Wash., home. Meegan also served as a guest editor in this issue, styling the Color Theory 63" Hutch and Sideboard.

And because you’ll be entertaining again this fall, check out our stories on how to properly stock a home bar on page 50.

Here’s to fresh starts!

&

KARDIEL MODERN HOME | fall 2021 • kardiel.com | 9 Kardiel-Fall21-Ed Letter.indd 9 7/1/21 11:53 AM

kardiel.com

What to look for

on our website this season

BOUCLÉ IS BACK

Buzzy bouclé is stealing all the limelight lately, and rightfully so. The fabric, made from twisted wool fibers, is both stain-resistant and utterly stylish. Check out all the touchable Swagger Stool options—and also available in velvet.

UPGRADE YOUR SOFA

Firm, yet inviting. This sofa is everything you want in a Mid-Century traditional construction, updated with extra-soft, premium leather. Explore more at kardiel.com/woodrow-box/.

SCULPTURAL SHAPES

Stitched and crafted by hand, our new Circle 45” Hoop Chair provides deep seating—and equally deep conversations. That back pattern, by the way, comes courtesy of durable naval rope. Find it at kardiel.com/hoopchair.

SHIP IT GOOD

Did you know that in-stock items only take on average, 7 to 10 business days to arrive to you? For Canadian customers, the average delivery time is 9 to 12 days. For the states of Hawaii and Alaska, your goodies are coming via sea freight and will arrive 12 to 18 business days after they leave the warehouse. Learn more at kardiel.com/shipping-policy.

DESIGN + LIFE

Fall is all about creating visual interest with highly personal, layered interior designs. Gather inspiration with our seasonal room designs at kardiel.com/styling-a-space.

SET ANOTHER PLACE

Get ready for holiday entertaining with our curated selection of dining tables. From an extendable model with an insertable leaf, to a walnut and brass gem with a Lazy Susan topper, to stainless steel polished perfection, there’s a dining table that you’ll be proud to gather around. Shop them all at kardiel.com/dining/.

LET’S MEET ONLINE

SHOWN HERE

Swagger 20” Fabric Stool, shown in Gris Bouclé

SHOWN HERE

SHOWN HERE

Circle 45” Hoop Chair, in Urban Hemp

@kardiel @KardielModern kardiel.com

Woodrow Box 100” Leather Sectional Right, shown in Tan Aniline

mood board

into the woods

PLACID

WagneronUnsplash

Photo

Photo by MahadAamironUnsplash

Photo courtesy of

mood board

into the woods

PLACID

WagneronUnsplash

Photo

Photo by MahadAamironUnsplash

Photo courtesy of

HAVE A SEAT

In the sitting room, Buschor loves to hang out with her husband, Curtis, or work from home. She picked the Kardiel Maddox chairs in Cream Bouclé because they are beautiful and comfortable, and, she says, “I love bouclé! With the wood tones, they were the perfect style for this room.”

A CLEAN SLATE

Via her Olympia, Wash. home, interior and product stylist Meegan Buschor shares the power of DIY, upcycling and rearranging.

Photos by •• Bret Gum

CREATIVE SPIRIT

Buschor built the coffee table herself, using stones from an old fireplace as the legs. “One of my favorite things to do is to rearrange things and see how things work in different places, to repurpose,” she says.

“I‘VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN INTERIOR DESIGN AND HOMES, EVER SINCE I WAS LITTLE,” says Meegan Buschor. As a kid, she rearranged her furniture weekly. This ev er-evolving, “let’s see how this looks!” attitude has carried forward into her adult life. After a ca reer in event planning, Buschor says she final ly gave in to her artistic impulses and started her own business, Mia Interiors, specializing in de signs for home interiors a few years ago. These days, she shares her DIY projects and creative décor stylings with her followers on Instagram (@mia.interiors), inspiring them with the power of transformation.

Left:

The

ON TREND

Opposite:

STYLE ASCENDS

In this busy area, Buschor made sure there was ample storage, with the hooks for hats and coats and a bench for putting shoes on or taking them off. The shelf is a former table; she cut off the legs and mounted it to the wall. The terra cotta pot is also a makeover; she used baking soda mixed with paint to give it an interesting texture. An abstract painting on the wall is Buschor’s own work.

“One of my favorite things to do is to rearrange things and see how things work in different places, to repurpose.”

Top: THE WOMAN BEHIND THE PAINTBRUSH Homeowner and styling whiz Meegan Buschor.

touchable texture of the Kardiel Maddox chairs in Cream Bouclé.

Buschor lives in Olympia, Wash., with her husband, Curtis, and their children, Jack (17), January (7), Nixon (5) and Radley (4). “Curtis pushes me to be my best self and has always supported me while I was trying to figure out what my passions were,” says Buschor. While she does the bulk of the interior design, “he does have an opinion.” Fair enough, Curtis.

Buschor’s fans know her for her minimalist, vintage-inspired aesthetic, and kind, down to earth demeanor. Her DIY prowess is impres sive. She stripped and sanded her dining room table, for example, and creates lighting fixtures by drilling holes in baskets. As her family grows and changes, she moves furniture around, adjusting the living spaces. For example, in Nixon and Radley’s room, a bunk bed was sawed in half and painted white. A table from the living room became a bedside table, paint ed … white. “Curtis makes fun of me because I paint everything white,” Buschor laughs. But the result is a clean background that allows her furniture and accessories—many of them spe cial vintage treasures—to shine.

VINTAGE VIGNETTE

“The picture is from my favorite vintage shop,” says Buschor. “And the butcher block countertops we put in the week I was due with Radley—not stressful at all!”

As her family grows and changes, she moves furniture around, adjusting the living spaces.

SLIDING DOORS

The glorious green door is upcycled. “My parents were renovating their house and wanted to get rid of that door, and I was like “Nope! I want it,” laughs Buschor. “I painted it green. Their home is Mid Century modern, very 1950s. My parents were always into white walls, and as a child I wanted color. I hated it—and now here I am with white walls everywhere.”

LIGHT IT UP

Buschor DIY’d the light, layering two pieces and painting the underneath light white. She also put in the shiplap here. “My parents did the subway tile for me as a birthday present. My dad is very into renovating and projects. I have learned so much from him. When I was little, I’d help him build furniture or paint.”

COZY TEXTURES

“My parents were always into white walls, and as a child I wanted color. I hated it— and now here I am with white walls everywhere.”

Up close and personal with the Gris Bouclé fabric on the Kardiel Domus sofa.

STAY A WHILE

This space serves as the kid’s playroom, and family hangout area. “It’s gone through a lot of phases” says Buschor. “The shelves were walnut and in a different home, so we resized and painted them.” The fireplace area has similarly been through a lot of changes—it’s been black, white, faux marble, and currently, she did a stone-like finish using a rag and paint. That is a Kardiel Domus 93" Fabric Sofa. “It’s the perfect size,” says Buschor. She layered two rugs; the one on top is vintage.

Opposite:

ROOM TO GROW

“That dresser was the first piece I collected at the beginning of my vintage love,” recalls Buschor. “We wanted a dresser/diaper changing table, as we were in a tiny home at the time. I wanted to paint it, but Curtis wouldn’t let me, and I’m so glad. The wood is beautiful.” The floral pattern on the wall is a wallpaper mural. “January is very dainty and a perfectionist,” she says. “I felt like the mural suited her.” The ceiling fixture was a table that Buschor turned into a light, and that faux tree is also a DIY project. “I cut a stick from a tree in our yard and bought faux eucalyptus branches and assembled it,” she explains.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

“Radley is our wild child. She is hilarious and makes everyone laugh,” says Buschor. Since she shares her room with her brother, Nixon, Buschor went with a cool, California vibe that suits them both. The retro poster, for example, reads “Make art, not war.” Radley’s side of the room is a bit more feminine, with touches of pink such as Kardiel’s Mid-Century Orb pillows in Old Rosa velvet.

SURF’S UP

On Nixon’s side of the room, Buschor hung one of her husband’s surfboards. “Nixon is more mellow,” says Buschor, who loves to take walks with her family down by the ocean near their home.

On the walls, she used rope to create a textured surface. Kardiel’s Mid-Century Orb pillows in Gris Bouclé decorate Nixon’s bed. “The kids love these pillows—it’s like a beach ball.”

WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HAT

In the master bedroom, Buschor used some of her hats as wall art. She created the abstract over her bed, finding a canvas at Goodwill and painting over it. She put the shiplap on the walls. “I wanted a cozy, light and bright room that was easy and feminine but not too feminine, for my husband’s sake.” She used a door from her parents’ home to create a slider, providing more room inside the closet. “The chair was one I have wanted—it’s vintage—I had no idea where I would find one and then I was at a beach town and went into a vintage shop and there it was. I think I manifested it!”

SUN'S OUT, FUN’S OUT

For her Palm Springs home, this designer had a blast with vintage and Mid-Century inspired styles.

Photos by •• Scott Van Dyke

COLORFUL LIFE

The Great Room features Kardiel’s Miranda 82 " Fabric Sofas in Gris Bouclé and Platner 36" Coffee Table. The art is Joseph Katz and His Coat of Many Colors, by Dr. Seuss, based on the 1970 original acrylic on canvas board.

“This project was not for the faint of heart and took about two years,” says Julien.

IF YOU KNOW MID CENTURY MODERN, YOU’VE PROBABLY COME ACROSS THE WORK OF SALLY JULIEN. She’s the prin cipal and founder of Modernous, a firm that specializes in the interior design and staging of Mid Century and other modern homes. Her work has been featured in publications such as Dwell, Atomic Ranch and Modernism. In her personal life, Julien is equally creative, and she has over the years lovingly restored several older properties, transforming them into whimsical and sophisticat ed homes. Julien splits her time between the Seattle area and Palm Springs, and we were lucky enough to get a tour of her new place in Palm Springs.

MYSTERY SOLVED

The Scooby Doo-style secret door serves a design function. “You could see the laundry room from the living room, so we didn’t want to look into that,” says Julien. The solution was this door, which is on special hinges to bear the weight. Tilt her favorite book, Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, sideways, and the door opens. How cool is that?

Opposite: COUPLE TIME

Homeowners Sally Julien and Peter Loforte relaxing. Julien had always dreamed of having the lighting fixture at the top. The chandelier is a “85 Lamps,” by Droog. This page: A closer look at the Kardiel Miranda 82" Fabric Sofa in Gris Bouclé and Platner 36" Coffee Table in chrome.

HUMOROUS TOUCH

A jackalope presides over this room. Kardiel furniture includes a Womb Chair and Ottoman in Blanc Bouclé, Swell 32" Tray Coffee Table in Walnut and Architect 156" Fabric U-Sofa Sectional, Nuit Bouclé. Mid-Century 2-Pc. Orb Pillows in Monarch Velvet, Blanc Bouclé and Gris Bouclé.

with steel,” says Julien.

“It’s a typical ranch home for 1936 but had very modern elements like all-brick construction reinforced

The house has an interesting pedigree. It was the first home built in the historic Deep well neighborhood of Palm Springs, and was designed by architect John Porter Clark (1905-1991). “It’s a typical ranch home for 1936 but had very modern elements like allbrick construction reinforced with steel,” says Julien. Over the years, the home had some wonky construction done to it so Julien and her partner, Peter Loforte, were in for remedi ation work when they bought the home.

For example, the kitchen, which was “su per cut off, cramped, and had four doors com ing in and out of it,” was opened up during the renovation, stealing some space from an area that had once been a maid’s room in the 1930s. “I love the kitchen now,” says Julien. “We cook a lot, and I spent a lot of time mak ing sure that the kitchen worked for us and looked super sleek. The layout works really well now and there is tons of storage. All the appliances are basically hidden, which is one of my weird tics. We have a coffee station where you lift the lid to make your coffee and then close it back up again.”

Top: BOMBSHELL NEWS

Looking down the bar toward the hidden coffee station, you can spot the World War II test bomb, used for target practice. The bright colors are not original. “Someone had it as décor in a restaurant in Seattle and painted it,” Julien says of its vintage origins. A smidgen of the original blue can be seen in a band around it.

Right: GRAB A SEAT

Like this look? For something similar, shop for Kardiel’s Manta 40 " Bar Stool.

KARDIEL MODERN HOME | fall 2021 • kardiel.com |

TO THE MOON!

The rocket shaped liquor bottles are a lively addition to the home’s bar scene. “The vodka one was a gift but I’m a tequila drinker so I bought that one myself,” says Julien. The brick here is from the original structure; this was at one time an external wall.

“We cook a lot, and I spent a lot of time making sure that the kitchen worked for us and looked super sleek.”

Left: LESS IS MORE

Mies van der Rohe first designed the iconic Brno chair in 1930. Julien had her vintage Brno chairs reupholstered in black leather and they look new again. The table was custom-made by an artist on Etsy, and the base of the table is powder coated in a custom color to match the cabinetry. The unusual art serving as a centerpiece was discovered in a gallery in Michigan and is made from spent nitrous oxide canisters welded together.

Bottom: HOOP DREAMS

“I am a bit obsessed with these Swedish hoop vases,” says Julien. She began researching them and discovered that Japanese versions also exist from the same era (1960s and early 1970s). The blue one in the back is a true score: It’s a prized Holmegaard Gulvase, by Otto Brauer for Holmegaard. Her collection also has a few modern vases mixed in because she liked the color.

SERENE SANCTUARY

“We decided this was going to be the master bedroom within five minutes of being in the house,” says Julien. “It’s very quiet and surrounded by greenery. In the winter, I’ll sit in the rocker and read with my feet next to the fire. I got the art in Seattle. I just buy what I like and don’t worry about it too much.”

HIP HIP HOORAY

The chair is by Danish architect and furniture designer Finn Juhl. Julien added a papier-mâché hippo head because … why not?

Two studios were added on the property, so that Julien and Loforte each have room to work. “This project was not for the faint of heart and took about two years with all the permitting involved,” says Julien. But the effort paid off, and with the home’s layout reimagined, Julien had a blast with the interior design. “Peter and I are like two teen agers who had enough money to make a house,” laughs Julien. “There was a pickleball court al ready here, and that had just been repainted. So, we figured, well, we need a mini golf course!” They even installed a secret passageway style door hid den in a bookshelf.

Left: IN THE SWING OF THINGS

“The hanging chair is a vintage piece I had recaned because I just loved it,” says Julien. “I filled it with a sheepskin so now it’s a great place to sit and look out onto the garden.” The round art on the floor is a teak root that an artisan polished into a ball shape.

Right: SURPRISING DETAILS

In the pop-culture royalty powder room, the wallpaper is based off Andy Warhol’s Rorschach series. The photo on the wall shows David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed in London, 1972. It’s by legendary photographer Mick Rock. “I think a powder room should be fun, whimsical and different from the rest of the house,” advises Julien. “It’s mainly used by guests so it’s like a little present to them. Go with a little nod to something kind of crazy that is going on in your head.”

INDOOR/ OUTDOOR LIVING

Loforte loves an outdoor shower, so Julien had one built for him. “I prefer mine indoors,” says Julien. With this design, everyone is happy (and squeaky clean).

STAY AWHILE

In this guest room, Julien wanted to create a space “that felt fresh and clean and simple and bright, maybe a bit like a hotel so you can settle in and enjoy.” The lamps are by Italian ceramic maker Bitossi, known for masterful, Mid Century ceramic work. The painting is vintage and from one of the couple’s favorite shops, Bon Vivant in Palm Springs.

Oppposite:

MID-MOD STYLE

The chair is an Adrian Pearsall “Grasshopper” lounge chair and was originally upholstered in orange vinyl. The fixture is the Washington pendant light by Hudson Valley lighting. Steal this idea: The homeowners used leftover marble from the kitchen to top the desk here.

SEA CURVE

designer and product developer Katrine Bjørn has found inspiration wherever she goes, from Denmark to Vietnam and beyond.

“I have always been very curious and I think that is a natural characteris tic for most designers,” says Katrine Bjørn, creator of Kardiel’s popular Izzah Series sofas. Bjørn grew up in a small city in Denmark, Aars, with her parents and a twin sister she’s very close to. “In Aars, most people know each other and you always kindly say hello when passing each other,” she says. She studied visual merchandising, then she studied furniture design before receiving her bachelor’s degree in furniture design. She moved to Copenhagen to immerse herself in the business side of design and to be able to participate in events.

In 2019, she moved to Vietnam to work as a designer. There, she says, “I work with all positions in the devel opment of a design, from the first ideas and sketches to the product development and with customers around the world, including Kardiel.” She’s recently announced she will return to Denmark to work in a similar capacity.

Let’s learn more about this talented designer, and her inspiration for the Izzah.

Furniture

The Izzah 101" Fabric Sofa in Blanc Bouclé

“GOOD DESIGN CAN EVOKE A FEELING.” KATRINE

BJØRN

Kardiel Modern Home: HOW DID LIVING IN VIETNAM INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

Katrine Bjørn: I experienced all from a di erent culture, and in my profession, it is important to be able to adapt its designs to di erent cultures and continents, and design according to each individual market. I am inspired from many things, but specially the beauty and organic shapes of nature. Living in Vietnam, there was a lot of inspiration to be found in nature.

KMH: WHAT DOES “GOOD DESIGN” MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY?

KB: A design that can evoke a feeling— both visually and through the tactility, and at the same time fulfill the needs of everyday use. Most of all I think a design should have personality. A good design also has a focus on details. The details need to be aesthetic and precise, bringing important value to a design.

KMH: WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE IZZAH DESIGN?

KB: The Izzah Series is inspired by the curved shapes the sea creates when it hits the beach. These shapes

Furniture designer/product developer

Katrine Bjørn shares her design process, from observing the natural world, to sketches, to the final results (at right).

create a comfortable feeling that evokes the sense of being one with nature. Everyday life can be busy, but many people feel relaxed and free when in nature. Additionally, the curved sofa makes it easier to face each other having a conversation with three or four people sitting on it.

I also draw inspiration from history and architecture. Normally I get a lot of inspiration at Milan design week, which is normally held every year in April. Because of the Covid situation, it has unfortunately not been a possibility the last two years, so I am looking very much forward to the next one.

KMH: HOW DO YOU LIKE HUMANS TO INTERACT WITH YOUR DESIGNS?

KB: I want my designs to bring value for the users, in terms of comfort, tactility and the visual essence of the design. We all have personalities, that we show through our look, our clothes, and also through our

THE IZZAH SERIES IS INSPIRED BY THE CURVED SHAPES THE SEA CREATES WHEN IT HITS THE BEACH.

home and furniture. So, I hope my designs help users express their unique personality. That is why I put so much e ort in to do a design aesthetic, making it sculptural and giving it personality and making it eye-catching—but in a minimalist way, keeping the Scandinavian touch. One quote that I always keep in my mind is: “Less is more,” [the famous phrase from mid-century design icon Ludwig Mies van der Rohe].

KMH: SPEAKING OF THE MID CENTURY, WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE DESIGNERS FROM THAT ERA?

KB: One of my favorite designs is the Wassily Chair, also known as the Model B3 chair, by Marcel Breuer, that was inspired by the tubular frame of a bicycle.

Izzah 101” Fabric Sofa in Noir Bouclé

KMH: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO FRETS, “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DESIGN MY HOME!”

KB: Trust what style you like and feel comfortable in. Then attach personality into your home, with things that mean a lot to you, things from your story of life. Contrasts often work well in home design, whether that is contrasts of color, shape, the direction furniture is placed, or con trasts in the choice of designs. Personally, I love the mix of modern/trendy styles with classic designs with a long history. But keep it simple, so you can enjoy every part of your home and focus on the things you love.

The

KMH: WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU SEE YOURSELF WORKING ON IN THE FUTURE?

KB: Working with design every day is a pleasure and a lifestyle to me and hopefully I will continue this jour ney. I am very passionate and curious in this business, and I just love to work with design that makes people happy and makes sense.

Want more? Check out her Katrine Bjørn’s Instagram at @bjoerndesign for more from this talented designer.

Izzah 101" Fabric Sofa in Sand velvet, paired with Mid-Century 2-Pc. Orb Pillows in Sand velvet.

CHEERS! HOME BAR Stocking

From casual hangs to formal fêtes, entertaining at home is back, and back in a big way. Here’s how to stock an elegant home bar.

The happy sounds of conversation. The clinking of ice in glasses. The buzz of excitement seeing friends and family we haven’t caught up with in a while. Whether it’s cooking a big dinner or hosting a relaxed cocktail party, many of us are excited to entertain again. Having your bar stocked makes it easy to host spur-of-the-moment occa sions, but it also makes bigger parties easier to pull off. Here’s an essential guide to stocking your home bar.

TOOLS

Even the easiest drink recipes call for the right tools, so start with the basics. Those include a jigger for mea surement, a cocktail shaker, a bottle opener, corkscrew, long-handled spoon for stirring, and a strainer. An am ple-size pitcher allows for batched cocktails, allowing you to prep in advance and simply pour the beverage over ice once guests arrive. (Think sangria, margaritas, or rum punches.) You’ll also want to have an ice bucket and tongs.

COCKTAIL MAKINGS

Soju? Aquavit? Sure, but before selecting the less er-known spirits, cover the boozy basics with these, which are featured most often in cocktail recipes:

• A bottle of vodka, which can be used for vodka gimlets, martinis, Cosmopolitans, and Moscow Mules, to name but a few. Many people also stock flavored vodkas, such as grapefruit, vanilla or pear, in their home bar offerings.

• Two bottles of rum. A light rum is mixed in cocktails such as the classic daquiri or a refreshing mojito. Tropical cocktails such as a Dark and Stormy call for a darker rum. And some recipes, like a mai tai or a rum runner, call for two kinds of rum—batten the hatches!

• A bottle of whiskey. Some people just stick to a whis key, neat. Others want a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.

• A bottle of gin for martinis, or for the summer clas sic—a gin and tonic. If martinis are going to be served, add on a bottle of dry vermouth. (Some martini fans joke about a martini so dry that they keep their ver mouth in another room.)

• An orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

your

Kardiel’s Urbane 35" Bar Cabinet in Natural Oak. The Urbane comes with a retro mirror, shelves and a drop-down bar top for mixing and serving cocktails. It is a design-led piece, with a drawer face that completely conceals so as to not dominate the room.

Photo: Christin Hume on Unsplash

Kardiel’s Urbane 35" Bar Cabinet in Walnut

MIXING AND MATCHING

A well-stocked home bar should have these on hand:

• Tonic water. Note, for any of the carbonated beverages, buy them in small cans or bottles so a fresh fizz is easily available. Two-liter bottles would work for a big party, of course.

• Club soda

• Ginger ale

• Cola

• Bitters

• Simple sugar

• Sour mix.

GARNISHES

• Lemons and limes to cut into wedges.

• Good-quality maraschino cherries (none of those bright red kiddie ones!)

• Coarse salt for rimming a margarita glass

• Cocktail onions (use in a Gibson cocktail)

• Olives for martinis (bleu cheese or almond-stuffed versions are nice options, too).

NON-ALCOHOLIC OFFERINGS

About a third of adults in the U.S. do not drink alcohol, and the alcohol-free movement is also growing. Gracious hosts keep this in mind and have flavored seltzers, N/A beer, sparkling water and spicy ginger beers for guests who don’t imbibe alcohol.

One does not need to visit a restaurant or wine bar to enjoy a charcuterie platter—it’s an ideal appetizer to serve with cocktails from your home bar. The word “charcuterie” comes from a French term used to describe a shop that sold cured meats. These days, charcuterie still refers to cured meats, but increasingly covers the whole board—cheeses, olives, fruit, nuts, spreads, etc.

Instagram is rife with images of beautiful char cuterie boards laden with goodies. But beyond being visually appealing, there are good reasons to serve them. For one, they can be modified for many dietary concerns, appealing to both meat-lovers and their vegetarian friends, people on Keto, people who love carbs, people who shun carbs, hold the nuts if someone’s allergic—basi cally, there can be something for everyone.

Second, they are easy to prepare before guests arrive, meaning the host can relax and enjoy the conversation instead of jumping up to retrieve mini quiches from the oven. Lastly, charcuterie

boards can be scaled up or down—an oversize board for a boisterous big group, a small board for a quiet couple’s night. Here’s some tips for creating an epic charcuterie board for home entertaining:

START WITH A GREAT BOARD. A large cutting board can do in a pinch or buy a designated charcuterie board such as olivewood, marble, personalized, models that have drawers for cheese knives, or more.

NEXT, ASSEMBLE A VARIETY OF NIBBLY BITS. Unless the spread is solely for vegetarians, cured meats might include soppressata, prosciutto, pepperoni, salami or Parma ham. Offer a few types of cheese, from hard cheeses like aged Gouda to softer cheeses like Brie, and bread, toast rounds, crackers or breadsticks. Dried fruits add color and more texture. Arrange in olives, pickles and nuts, and don’t forget spreads such as mustard and honey. Lastly, garnish with a flourish—how about a sprig of rosemary? Enjoy the feast!

Photo by Juliana Barquero/Unsplash

Photo by Leilani Angel/Unsplash

designer spotlight florence knoll

This design pioneer is best known for defining the aesthetic of the high-end, modern office, creating bold and efficient interiors.

When it comes to the achievements of Florence Knoll, the word “extraordinary” seems like the best choice of words. She was a woman in a male-dominated industry, yet rose to financial and artistic success, and was the genius behind Knoll, considered one of the most important design companies of the 20th century.

When she died at age 101, in January of 2019, The New York Times reported in her obituary that her mid-20th-century de signs are “the essence of the genre’s clean, functional forms. Transcending design fads, they are still influential, still con

temporary, still common in offices, homes and public spaces, still found in dealers’ showrooms and represented in museum collections.”

FROM ORPHAN TO DESIGN EXECUTIVE

Knoll was born as Florence Schust in Saginaw, Michigan in 1917. Sadly, by age 12 she was already an orphan. She attend ed a girls’ school called Kingswood, then Cranbrook Academy of Art—a pre-eminent destination for learning art, architecture and design. She also studied at the Architectural Association

in London and the Illinois Institute of Technology. Her teachers and mentors include Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius and Eliel Saarinen, a Finnish architect who fathered her friend, the architect and industrial designer Eero Saarinen. (For a profile of Saarinen, see the Summer 2021 issue of Kardiel Modern Home.)

By 1941, Schust had moved to New York City to work, and in 1946, she married Hans Knoll, a member of a prominent furniture-mak ing family. The two formed Knoll Associates, where Florence was design director from 1946 to 1965. Knoll Associates grew into a worldwide empire, with showrooms in the U.S. and abroad offer

ing furniture, textiles and accessories. Florence Knoll also formed the influential Knoll Planning Unit in 1946, the interior planning arm of Knoll, and is credited with inventing something we now take for granted: the fabric swatch.

Hans Knoll died in a car accident while in Cuba in 1955, and Flor ence Knoll became president of their company. She later stepped down from that position in 1960 so that she could focus on design and product development. Florence married banker Harry Hood Bassett in 1958, and by 1965, left the Knoll company. She lived in Florida and ran her private architecture and design practice.

Left: Florence Knoll at work in 1956, the year after her husband Hans tragically died and she took the helm as president of Knoll Associates. Center: Eero Saarinen was a longtime friend of Florence Knoll’s and they collaborated to produce some of the Mid-Century’s best known product designs. Right: Florence Knoll, holding her own in an industry that was very male-dominated.

SHE WAS A WOMAN IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY, YET ROSE TO FINANCIAL AND ARTISTIC SUCCESS

PHOTOS: Florence Knoll Basset papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

THE KNOLL LOOK

“Simply put, the Knoll look defines a mod ern interior that includes sculptural seating furniture combined with other more neutral furnishings, and complemented by human izing elements, such as rugs and plants,” says Ana Araujo, PhD. Araujo is an architect, teacher and researcher, and is the author of the new book, No Compromise: The Work of Florence Knoll (see sidebar). This modern interior, Araujo notes, was first conceived of by Florence Knoll as a student, “when she designed her own dormitory at the Cran brook Art School. It included a chair by her close friend Eero Saarinen, a wall tapestry hand-woven by Knoll herself, plants and neutral furniture for storage. The Knoll look combines the Bauhaus aesthetics with the softer and warmer Scandinavian modernist language. In its origins, it was mostly asso ciated with working environments in the U.S. while in the rest of the world it was widely disseminated in the domestic realm.”

to door handles and down to the ash trays. Knoll preferred open spaces, with tables for employees to collaborate—concepts that are familiar to workers in hipster offices today.

“I think she did invent the modern office,” says Oscar Fitzgerald Ph.D. Fitzgerald is a na tionally known historian, author, lecturer, and consultant. His latest book, American Furniture Designers 1900-2020, is forthcoming from Rowman and Littlefield. “The idea of the Knoll Planning Unit. Instead of only selling furniture, she would say, ‘I will design your whole envi ronment, desk, chairs, everything you need.’ I think she and Herman Miller were the prime promoters of Modernism. You can’t pin it down and say she started it all but she certainly pro moted it. Miller and Knoll designs were both sold widely.”

Florence Knoll created her own furniture designs, too. “She was very modest about her own stuff,” says Fitzgerald. “It’s simple and lin ear, very angular.” Florence Knoll referred to her own designs as “meat and potatoes,” yet many,

Knoll Associates collaborated with ar chitects and designers, encouraging them to create visionary, original products. Flor ence Knoll brought in design concepts from her friends, including Mies van der Rohe (the Barcelona Chair) and Eero Saarinen (the Pedestal Table, and Womb Chair, for example).

Knoll created designs for some of the best-known companies in the U.S., such as General Motors, IBM, Seagram, H.J. Heinz and CBS. Prior to her influence, offices fea tured heavy décor, such as giant mahogany desks. She showed bigwigs that a neutral, simple space did not diminish their profes sionalism. For CBS’s 52nd Street headquar ters, dubbed “Black Rock,” she designed the 1,000-plus offices, from fabric wallcoverings

including the Florence Knoll Hairpin Stacking Table (first introduced in 1948 as the Model 75 stacking stool) and marble-topped dining table (early 1960s), are still produced. Knoll’s original work is on display at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

MAKING HER MARK

“Florence Knoll created a highly original de sign language,” says Araujo. “There was so much going on around her, and she was, in many ways, unfazed by it all: she was ‘do ing her own thing’. She knew how to create a look that was exciting but also subtle and sophisticated.”

Photo: Darren

THE KNOLL LOOK COMBINES THE BAUHAUS AESTHETICS WITH THE SOFTER AND WARMER SCANDINAVIAN MODERNIST LANGUAGE.

KARDIEL FURNITURE SHOWN HERE

Florence 89" Leather Sofa in Cognac • E-Gray Adjustable Side Tables in Chrome • Tripod 36" Fabric Chair in Neptune Velvet

Araujo notes that Knoll was bold in her interiors, but un assuming when it came to her furniture designs. “Emphasiz ing her role as a designer of interiors rather than of furniture was also a diplomatic choice. It enabled [Florence] Knoll to avoid competition or confrontation with her male men tors and colleagues, most of whom ventured into furniture design but remained removed from the field of interiors, which was largely marginalized for its association with the feminine.”

Perhaps it’s time to reassess Florence Knoll’s role as a furniture designer. “The pieces she created were certainly more subdued and less flashy than the designs of her male colleagues, but they were nonetheless very well thought through and had qualities that we are today perhaps better prepared to assimilate,” says Araujo. “An evidence of this is that much of Florence Knoll’s furniture is still in production, just like the other classics which, according to her, had more design caliber than her ‘meat and potatoes’ works.”

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING

At a time when design was overwhelmingly a male busi ness—the historical images of Knoll generally feature her surrounded by a tableful of men—what was it about Florence Knoll that allowed her to succeed?

“It was a combination of chance, talent and resourceful

ness,” says Araujo. “Her close relationship with the Saarinens, facili tated by her having joining Cranbrook as a teenage orphan, certain ly helped. It is interesting to remember that Knoll was the only girl in her class who chose to pursue architecture for a career. Maybe the other girls, who most likely had a more conventional upbringing, were more aware of the difficulties facing a woman who was willing to pick this path. Knoll was also very committed from an early age, and she knew how to make the most of the opportunities that were given to her.”

STEPPING BACK

Florence Knoll decided to retire from the Knoll company at only 48, when her career was at a peak, says Araujo. “Reading through her interviews, one gets the sense that maybe she felt she didn’t have as much agency as she would have liked (although she never states this clearly). This is hardly surprising considering that the world she operated in was entirely ruled by a status quo that privileged a male-centric way of thinking. Florence Knoll might have been able to face up to this reality, especially after she had achieved recognition, but she decided not to. Perhaps she wasn’t able to articulate clearly where her discomfort lied, perhaps she lacked the courage to con front people and legacies that had played such a seminal role in her trajectory.”

Knoll may have felt more at ease in her later work in her own prac tice. “In her last designs, Florence Knoll worked with a much freer de

PHOTO:

Florence Knoll Basset

papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

In 1959, Art Metal Construction Co., a large manufacturer of desks and filing cabinets, bought Knoll Associates, Knoll International and Knoll Textiles. Florence Knoll remained president of the three organizations.

Kardiel Florence 89" Leather Sofa, in Cognac

Kardiel Florence Leather Chair and Ottoman, in Night leather

sign language than the one she developed while working for her company,” says Araujo. “She played with different design legacies, which included the modern, the vernacu lar, the historical. Perhaps more importantly, she did this in a way that feels natural, sincere, unorthodox and unaffected.”

KNOLL’S LEGACY

Knoll was also the first woman to win a Gold Medal for In dustrial Design from the American Institute of Architects, in 1961. Forty-one years later, she was a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. When she died, Knoll left an enor mous design legacy. “The idea of a unified plan for an inte rior and promoting modernism in general, the modern ma terials, eliminating extraneous decoration,” Fitzgerald says. “She had a huge impact.”

Florence Chair

Ana Araujo, PhD’s new biography, No Compromise: The Work of Florence Knoll, came out this summer from Princeton Architectural Press and was an immediate best-seller in design books. Araujo is a practicing architect and teaches at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. “The Knoll aesthetic is so widely disseminated that we seem to know it almost by osmosis,” she says. “With that said, there was some fascinating anecdotal infor mation I came across, which reminds us of how risky and innova tive Florence Knoll’s approach was in her time. For example, when her company opened its first showroom in Paris, it was so different from what was around that people didn’t understand what they were selling. Some thought they were florists. It is inspiring to see how the Knolls, following their instinct, managed to build such a robust brand.”

No Compromise: The Work of Florence Knoll, by Ana Araujo, PhD. Published in June 2021, from Princeton Architectural Press.

Kardiel

fabric masterclass

VOLUPTUOUS VELVET

This sumptuous fabric has an intriguing history dating back thousands of years. And today, with its luxe presence and versatility, velvet beckons to be incorporated into home interiors.

The word “velvet” is so evocative. It immediately brings to mind characters from the literary world, like Romeo and Juliet. Or maybe a painting—a High Renaissance Italian art masterpiece. One might even envision a spectacular evening gown or tailored velvet suit. A timeless, elegant fabric like velvet never goes out of style, but it has evolved, and continues to do so.

Dwell 88” Fabric Sofa in Fern Velvet.

ANCIENT BEGINNINGS

According to Handwoven, a magazine for fiber enthusiasts, pile weaves made from silk and linen, somewhat resembling velvet, originated in Egypt in 2000 B.C.E. Versions closer to modern velvet existed in China as early as 400 B.C.E. The use of and production of velvet then spread to places such as Greece and Turkey.

These cultures “did a lot of preparation in terms of threedimensional fabrics, but really where velvet comes to full expression is in Italy,” says textile educator, author and consultant Deborah Young. “They added so many elements.”

DEFINING VELVET

Velvet takes its name from velu, the Middle French word for “shaggy.” It is made in a pile weave.

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, velvet’s structure is created by warps that are drawn up over rods or wires to make loops. As the weaving continues, the rods are removed, leaving the loops. Those loops may be cut to form a dense pile, or left uncut. Says Young, “It is a threedimensional fabric. You can sort of fall into it.”

Velvet was historically made from silk, cotton or mohair, but today, velvet fabric may also be made from polyester, nylon, rayon (also called viscose) or acetate. “The most luxurious velvets are still made from silk,” says Young. “Silk does last a long time, but it is fussy. It is dry clean only and it’s supremely absorbent.” That means that silk velvet is more commonly found in fashion than for furniture or window coverings. “You could use it judiciously on a pillow,” Young explains. “Voided velvet is often used for interiors. It’s perfect for upholstery and really lush.”

Polyester velvet, says Young, “is wash-and-wear, easy care. People are sometimes convinced that natural fibers are better, but polyester does not wrinkle or shrink.”

THE POWER OF VELVET

During the Renaissance, the center of the velvet world was in Lucca, a city in the Tuscany region of Italy. Florence, Genoa, and Venice were also important areas of production.

KARDIEL FURNITURE SHOWN BELOW

From left: Davenport 95" Fabric Sofa Sleeper in Rust velvet. • Brando 74" Fabric Sofa in Admiral velvet • Yasmin 84" Fabric Sofa in Obsidian velvet

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Expensive velvet fabrics were used to cover bolster cushions in the homes of Ottoman’s royals and elites. This piece, known as a “yastik,” dates to the 17th century and is from Turkey.

An exuberant Rococco settee, of German origin, features green silk velvet on what is called a squab pillow. It’s circa 1763.

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Talented craftspeople created the pricey, soft fabric for powerful families—including the Medici. “What made velvet so popular was its use in the Catholic church, for their vestments. And then the Medicis and other wealthy families followed suit,” says Young. They would use the velvet for garments and interior furnishings.

With the rich and influential besotted with velvet, the art of making the fabric was a closely protected industry. “It was a time of great secrecy,” says Young. “And there were all sorts of rules about who could wear what materials and what colors.” Sumptuary laws regulated consumption of luxury goods. A 1574 statute in England, for example, reserved crimson and scarlet velvets for the use of high nobility, such as dukes, marquises, and earls.

A pomegranate pattern—what the Met refers to as a “vegetal motif”—was popular in the Renaissance velvets. It featured flowers, ripe pomegranates, and artichokes or thistles. Kermes, a red dye derived from an insect, especially conveyed status of the wearer.

Sumptous velvet has been a sign of elegance for centuries. Sir Joshua Reynolds painted "Portrait of a Woman" in the 18th century.

VELVET VARIETIES

Depending on the materials and technique, velvet can be produced in many forms. For example, with panne velvet, “they press the pile in one direction; it looks smooth and luxurious,” says Young.

Velveteen, on the other hand, is duller in appearance, and easy to clean. “It will not waterspot,” notes Young. Lyon velvet is sti , often featured for coats and hats, while chi on velvet is extremely light. Velour velvet is woven for interiors, and for apparel, it’s a knit (like those super-soft track suits we all remember from a few years ago). Crushed velvet looks like it’s been smushed; the fibers are actually at an angle.

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This embroidery sample for a men’s suit features silk and metal thread on silk velvet and dates 1800 to

Made in Italy in the 15th century, this velvet was created by hand by arti sans of the time, whose skills were closely guarded secrets.

LOOM-ING LARGE

In the past, weaving looms were operated by hand, by highly trained tradespeople. In 1804, the Jacquard loom was patented, transforming the textile industry, and causing woven fabrics to be come more available and affordable. But there is no comparison, Young says, to the complex, silkthread, handmade velvets made by artisans in the pre-Jacquard era. “Even that with all our technolo gy today we can’t compete with it,” she observes.

While velvet is a class of its own and has nev er gone out of fashion, it’s particularly en vogue right now, both in the fashion world and in home interiors.

Velvet is known for its luxe appeal, but it’s also surprisingly versatile and user-friendly. A velvet sofa can be paired with a wood statement chair, for example, to have the two complement each other. Or choose a velvet-upholstered chair to bring sophistication and warmth into a room. Jauntily placed velvet pillows can give a sense of personality. It’s no wonder that velvet has been a beloved fabric for countless generations.

PLUSH ONE

Velvet upholstery features prominently in many Kardiel deisigns. Here are just a few of the options.

Glimmer

Dazzle

Sand Monarch

Petrol

Guac

Rose

Romance Fern Rust

VELVET IS KNOWN FOR ITS LUXE APPEAL, BUT IT’S ALSO SURPRISINGLY VERSATILE AND USER-FRIENDLY.

Swoosh Modular 147" Framingham 3-piece Sofa in Fossil velvet

hPto o : T h e

Metrop

of Art

defined

The media cabinet

created to discreetly hide electronic equipment, media cabinets went on to steal all the attention.

Few pieces of furniture scream “Mid-Century!” more than a media cabinet, conjuring up mental images of 1960’s teens listening to records while their parents sip Whiskey Sours. For decades, media cabinets have been providing both space and style, holding a special place in our collective conscious. The dawn of the media cabinet design, however, can be traced farther than the 1960s, says Oscar Fitzgerald Ph.D. Fitzgerald is a nationally known historian, author, lecturer, and con sultant. His latest book, American Furni ture Designers 1900-2020, is forthcoming from Rowman and Littlefield.

RADIO DAYS

“The design of the media cabinet goes back to the days of the radio cabinet,” explains Fitzgerald. Early 1920s radios were unsight ly—often even homemade by young enthu siasts. The commercially produced models weren’t terribly attractive, either.

“The technological displays that charac terized the early radio sets were unsightly additions to the home, many times hidden in closets and cupboards,” Shaun Moores

Photo: Christin Hume on Unsplash

KARDIEL

wrote in his book, The Box on the Dresser: Memories of Early Radio and Everyday Life As the device moved from an institutional use to the public, the aesthetics of the radio evolved from an “unruly guest,” he writes to “a good companion.” By the 1930s, devel opments in amplification and wireless radio systems let household groups sit back and enjoy the broadcast together, and the radio now needed to blend in with the fixtures and fittings of the parlor and eventually into the living room, according to Moores. Manufac turers became more interested in the outward appearance of the radio, playing with materi als such as Bakelite and creating sleek wood cabinetry.

NEW IN TOWN

Like early radios, early television sets weren’t made to be attractive. “We got our first TV in 1949,” recalls Fitzgerald, “and it was inside a wooden cabinet that sat on the floor, but you could see the TV. The cabinet designs with doors won’t come until later.”

Between 1949 and 1969, the number of Americans with at least one TV in their homes went from one million to 44 million, filling the pop culture landscape with Westerns, game shows, news, children’s programming, and comedies like I Love Lucy. As they gained acceptance and wide use, televisions were placed inside cabinets or on top of a long wooden credenza so they would appear more cohesive with the rest of the furniture.

Color Pop 70 " Media Cabinet in Orange/Charcoal/Natural Oak

Color Theory 63 " Media Cabinet in Walnut/Yellow

SETTING RECORDS

A true media cabinet, says Fitzgerald, features mul tiple media, like a stereo and a radio, and it’s a style that was at the height of popularity in the 1970s. People loved to stash their hi-fi, their records, their TV—basically, they built a little disco haven of enter tainment, stealthily concealed inside the clean lines of a media cabinet.

Today’s media cabinets can be found hard at work as TV stands in a screening room, but are also used elsewhere, such as in living rooms and in home of fices. With vinyl back in style—and music-lovers avidly shopping stores such as Music Millennium in Portland, Oregon, Amoeba Music in Los Angeles, and Dearborn Music in Detroit—the media cabinet is more relevant than ever.

Over many decades, the media cabinet has held stashes of music, pricey electronics, and memories. What will you keep in yours?

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Cabinets, of course, go back hundreds and hundreds of years. As discussed in the Summer 2021 issue of Kardiel Modern Home, in our story “Defined: The Side board,” buffets, credenzas and hutches have similar forms and many people have used the term interchangeably depending on their cultural background and where in the home the piece is being used. This 1861 piece is by British artist Philip Webb. Titled “The Backgammon Players,” the decoration on the front of the cabinet is meant to echo a medieval style. The Metropolitan Museum of Art reports “Webb’s straightforward design, however, which boldly displays the casework skeleton on the exterior, anticipated the emphasis on structural elements that would inform the design revolution of the next century.”

Photos: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo: Blocks on Unsplash

GROVER STORAGE OTTOMAN

This multitasker can play many roles, from coffee table to footrest to a place to stash a throw blanket, books and the remotes.

TABLE TALK

Durable and versatile, this storage ottoman can hold its own, whether being used as a coffee table or deployed as a comfy pouf for additional seating. The top surface area is made from American walnut.

STAY AWHILE

Go on, put your feet up and relax on this contemporary ottoman style. Pro tip: Contrast the ottoman color from other furniture to create a stylish accent piece.

Grover Storage Ottoman shown in Hunter Green.

PSST!

The tray lifts off, revealing storage for your design magazines, electronics (and those emergency “clean because someone is coming over” moments). The interior space is 24" wide and 13" inches deep.

The Grover Storage Ottoman is available at kardiel.com

kardiel.com | 70

Above: Grover Storage Ottoman shown in Jubilee.

KARDIEL FURNITURE SHOWN HERE Mosaic

" Ottoman in White

Domus 115" Sofa Sectional Right in Monorail Cord

Grover Storage Ottoman shown in Nickel.

beD head

Furniture and accessory pairing ideas from our design team

While opting for a whole room set is tempting, as it can simplify the process, the results can some times feel too “matchy matchy.” Instead, create a more interesting space by pulling together items that com plement each other, rather than mirroring each other. In this photo, we highlighted the distinct lines of the Starke Bed with the slightly retro lines of the Dream 39" Drawers and Dream 17" Modern Bedside Table. Note how the brass rings on the legs of both give a little pop to the room, while still fitting seam lessly into the overall design. A Protractor Jr. 67" Desk works with its sleek design and walnut material. And for a cheeky touch, we put the Mid-Century Orb pil lows on the floor as objets d’art.

how to style it THE COLOR THEORY 69" HUTCH & SIDEBOARD

Photos by •• Bret Gum Styling by •• Meegan Buschor

“With this hutch, I was thinking of all the different rooms it could be placed in, from uses in a dining room to a living room to a kitchen area,” says our guest editor, Meegan Buschor. An interior stylist based in Olym pia, Wash., she’s known for skillfully rearranging her home to both express herself and to meet the needs of her growing family.

With its thin industrial steel tubes capped in solid wood, the Color The ory 69” Hutch & Sideboard references a 1955 design. It’s been adapt ed slightly to make it more even more useable, with details such as a concealed finger groove in the drawer face that allows for slip-free drawer opening. Our guest editor offers three variations for styling the piece, showing just how versatile it can be.

The Entertainer

“A lot of times, people think a piece like this has to be specific for displaying dishes. It’s so much more fun to place a mix of objects to display, even in the kitchen,” Buschor says. “Incorporate décor in with your useful items.” With the tall grass and white candle holders, she captured an endless summer vibe ideal for hosting.

Mad for Mid-Mod

“This is a more of a collected look of vintage pieces, a Mid Century Modern inspired styling,” says Buschor. She showcased that the Color Theory hutch shelving is open at the back, making a clever use of the space by hanging art on the wall behind the shelf, as well as propped onto the shelf to create a mini gallery. Her display featured vintage finds, such as the blown-glass pitcher, from Mexico, at the top right.

Mix Master

For this last look, Buschor created a contemporary style, envisioning using this in a living room. “The mix of styles between the MCM style of the hutch and the more modern décor marry well together.” The painting and horse are both vintage finds.

“INCORPORATE DÉCOR IN WITH YOUR USEFUL ITEMS,” SUGGESTS GUEST EDITOR MEEGAN BUSCHOR.

HOW DO WE LOVE THE COLOR THEORY 69" HUTCH & SIDEBOARD?

(LET US COUNT THE WAYS.)

Sliding doors are rattan, one of the hottest décor trends.

An X bracket can be put inside the two

Ample storage inside the compartments. shelves that acts as both a bracket and a divider for books and other items.

The stiletto feet have floor protectors.

The drawer design cleverly hides contents.

The Color Theory 69" Hutch & Sidebar is shown in Natural/Rattan. Also available in Walnut Rattan, Walnut/Blue, Walnut/ Yellow and Natural/Grey.

Shop for the Color Theory 69” Hutch & Sideboard at Kardiel.com.

quick question snug as a RUG

WE SAY:

Area rugs are such a great tool! Rugs can add color or textural interest; they can serve as a focal point; they can tie together dis parate items; they can even hide flooring issues. When it comes to selecting the right size of area rug, proportion is important. But your personal style preference is also a consideration.

Most area rugs are rectangular and will come a standard size— common ones are 3' x 5' for small spaces, and increasing from there to 5' x 8', 3' x 9', 8' x 10', 9' x 12' and 12' x 15'. Rugs also come in ovals, circles and shapes like hexagons, as well as irregular shapes like a Sherpa rug or a cowhide.

DEFINING THE SPACE:

Start by assessing the room’s size, measuring the room with a large measuring tape. Also consider the room’s dimensions, such as square or rectangu lar, and which way you’d want the rug aligned. The main thing when deciding on the rug size is to remember that area rugs should not go right up to the wall—there needs to be 10" to 24" of breathing room coming between the rug and the wall. But what if you are still feeling uncertain as to the right size for your room? Here’s an easy way to feel confident: Use painter’s tape to mark the area where the rug will go and see how you feel for a day or two. You can always go up or down with the tape before purchasing the actual rug.

A READER ASKS: “How big should my area rug be?”

FURNITURE

PLACEMENT: Interior designers frequently use of one of the following designs when working with area rugs:

ALL ABOARD! One classic option is to place all the main piec es of furniture onto an area rug, so that, for example, the sofa, coffee table, chairs and end table are all on top of the rug, with space left over between the edge of the rug and the furniture. (Remember, you also want space between the rug and the walls.) This calls for a fairly large area rug, and you’ll want to ensure that you have enough room to walk between bigger items of furniture, such as your sofa and the coffee table. The plus on this “all in” arrangement is that it creates a unified appearance in the room.

The area rug in this room setup echoes the wall hanging, bringing a sense of balance to the space.

PUT YOUR RIGHT LEG IN

… Another way design ers position furniture on a rug is to create a conversation area with the main furniture partially touching onto the rug. For ex ample, the front legs of the sofa are on the rug, as are two legs of a chair or side table.

KARDIEL FURNITURE SHOWN OPPOSITE PAGE

Onvi 32" Fabric Ottoman, in Jubilee Troop 32" Fabric Chair, in Jubilee Biknit 78" Fabric Sofa

Eleanor 85" Leather Sofa • Monroe 37" Velvet Chair

KARDIEL FURNITURE SHOWN

“I

It’s so cozy.”

PILE IT ON

: What if you have a fabulous area rug, but it’s too small? Layer it on top of a larger rug. A natural fiber rug—think sisal, seagrass, jute, coir (coconut fiber), or abacá (a leaf fiber sometimes called “Manila hemp”)—offers texture and comple ments, rather than competes with, the smaller area rug. See our tour of stylist and guest editor Meegan Buschor’s home, starting on page 14, for some great examples of rug layering.

AREA RUGS SHOULD NOT GO RIGHT UP TO THE WALL—THERE NEEDS TO BE 10" TO 24" OF BREATHING ROOM COMING BETWEEN THE RUG AND THE WALL.

For son Jack’s room, interior stylist Meegan Buschor used a soft, shaggy rug near the bed, creating a sophisticated look befitting an older teen. See a tour of her whole home, beginning on page 14.

Buschor layered rugs in daughter Radley’s room.

used a jute rugs underneath. I love layering rugs, the different textures.

Photos by Bret Gum

SIDE hustle

Up a room’s style—and usefulness—with side tables.

Ideally about the same height or a few inches lower than the arm on the sofa or chair it is sitting next to, a side table is the perfect place to locate a lamp, beverage or book.

SIDE

TABLES

ARE OFTEN FEATURED IN PAIRS, BUT IT’S OKAY TO CHOOSE ASYMMMETRY WITH TWO DIFFERENT STYLES.

1. BUTTERFLY STOOL in natural oak (also available in Walnut). 2. E-GRAY ADJUSTABLE SIDE TABLE in black (also available in chrome). 3. SCAN 25” SIDE TABLE in natural oak (made to order and also available in Walnut).

4. URBANE 16” SIDE TABLE in Walnut.

5. SWELL 19” TRAY SIDE TABLE in Walnut (also available in Oak).