Displaying items by tag: mid century modern design

Since 1984, Cullman & Kravis has been crafting elegant yet inviting interiors that exude a “modern traditional” aesthetic. From posh penthouses to breezy beach homes and sophisticated ski retreats, every  Cullman & Kravis interior...

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When discussing Edward Wormley, a master of mid century modern design, the words timeless, elegant, and refined often come into play. Rooted in tradition, his decidedly modern designs boast an understated aesthetic, seamless integration of classic elements, and singular twists, which give each piece a unique identity. According to Fred Shaw of Assemblage Ltd. in Chicago, Illinois, “His pieces have a certain je ne sais quoi that I’ve come to call ‘Country Club Modern.’ By that I mean it was built for affluent mid-century people who had rejected traditional furniture designs as boring but were not yet ready for the spare modernity of Eames et al.  It was unimpeachable good taste.”

Born outside of Chicago in 1907, Wormley spent a couple of years studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before a lack of funds forced him to abandon his collegiate career. In 1928, he took a job in the interior design studio at the Marshall Field & Company department store.

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In his seminal book, Modern Americana: Studio Furniture from High Craft to High Glam (Rizzoli), Todd Merrill, a New York-based dealer of mid-to-late 20th century design and studio furniture, describes Karl Springer as having a “flair for glamour without ostentation.” Using exotic materials, bold proportions, and striking colors, Springer took classic forms and made them his own. His aesthetic was a perfect match for the glittering Disco Decade, and in the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, Springer was one of the most well-regarded and in-demand mid century modern designers in the world.

Born in Berlin in 1931, Springer studied bookbinding and worked as a window dresser at a prominent clothier before leaving for New York in the late 1950s. At the age of twenty-six, Springer began styling windows at Lord & Taylor. In an effort to advance his career, he started applying his bookbinding skills to making jewel boxes, desk accessories, and telephone tables, which he expertly wrapped in animal skin. Soon, his work was garnering attention from the upper echelon, including a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman and the Duchess of Windsor, who introduced Springer to an array of high-end clients.

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