Enjoy another fabulous decor (and history) lesson by our talented interior design contributor Kathryn Miller. We know you will enjoy the trip to the 60’s as much as we did. xx
They say that, “If you can remember the sixties, you probably weren’t there.”
The 1960’s were all about free love, psychedelia and all kinds of experimentation, including revolutionary changes in art and design. The birth control pill was approved by the FDA, Alfred Hitchcock released Psycho, Andy Warhol exhibited his Campbell’s Soup can, JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Martin Luther King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech, the Beatles and Rolling Stones burst onto the music scene, the first heart transplant happened, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, Sesame Street first airs… just to name a few of the radical markers of the 1960’s.
In between all of these revolutions in life, art and science, interior design experienced change of its own. So long, wooden Chippendale chairs and dark still-life fine art pieces. Hello plastic, color, and pattern! Plastic material set designers free to create every shape and every color imaginable (with or without psychedelics), birthing function and FUN!
Many of you may own (or know someone who owns) authentic and/or re-created versions of many of the products created during this bitchin’ baby-boomin’ decade.
Andy Warhol //
The leading figure of the visual arts movement in ‘Pop Art’ (using art from POPular culture and the attitude that led to it). His bohemian life took place mainly in The Factory, his New York City art studio. He was fascinating, brilliant and fascinatingly brilliant, so much so that I could write an entire article about Warhol. Should you have a movie night in your future (and you should), then I suggest renting Factory Girl. It gives a glimpse into his life and The Factory.
Eero Saarinen //
Here’s how to pronounce it (unless you’re Finnish and can reeeeally nail it): e-row / saah-reh-nin. Saarinen was an architect from Finland, transplanting to the U.S. in 1940. Though he died too soon in 1961 at the age of 51 from a brain tumor, his designs from the late 1950’s became very prominent in the 1960’s, especially his tulip chair and tulip table. You are still able to find some of his authentic vintage Knoll pieces but you can also purchase new productions based on Saarinen’s designs from a certified dealer, like Design Within Reach.
Another great addition from Saarinen and his firm was the iconic TWA flight center at JFK Airport (now only partially evident due to renovations). But if you’re ever at JFK and at the JetBlue terminals then you’ll be lucky enough to see parts of it.
Eero Aarnio //
Another Finnish interior designer (proving – tooootally unscientifically – that the name Eero was Finland’s most popular boy name in the early 1900’s) who introduced the iconic Ball Chair then, as an encore, the similar hanging Bubble Chair. The Bubble Chair has been redesigned many different ways by a wide swath of designers. For an example, see the Anthropologie’s Rattan Hanging Chair.
This just begins to touch on the whole movement of the 1960’s. If your eye is as mesmerized with the design and aesthetic of 1960’s psychedelia, then grab Furniture & Interiors of the 1960’s by Anne Bony or Op to Pop: Furniture of the 1960’s by Cara Greenberg. Both also make great coffee table books. Or a personal favorite coffee table book of all times: Morris Lapidus: an Architecture of Joy by Deborah Desilets and go stay groovy baby.
with love,
Kathryn
Kathryn Miller | Interiors & Design
SHOP MOD FOR HOME
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