Modernism Week 2021
A merited celebration of mid-century architecture and design
Since 2006, Modernism Week has been whisking design devotees and architecture afficionados back to the height of American aesthetics. Join us for a celebration of the design paradigm shift that has delighted and enraptured the country for more than 70 years.
What is mid-century modern design?
At the movement’s peak in the 1950s, designers, architects and artists drew inspiration from the International and Bauhaus styles of design as they searched for ways to combine beauty with affordability. The zeitgeist of the period placed function on equal footing as form, targeting the everyday needs of the American family.
By prizing clean lines and truth to materials over ornate embellishments and form-forward choices, this organic offspring of modernism rooted itself in functionality, elegance and simplicity to produce a singular and timeless aesthetic.
Sunburst Palms
Palm Springs has long served as the beacon of mid-century modern design’s endurance, and the city’s pervasive design influences have provided plenty of inspiration for designers on local and national levels. H3K Design—a design company based out of Palm Springs—attributes their love of the aesthetic to the SoCal oasis.
“It was one fateful trip to Palm Springs in the early 2000’s that we saw prime examples of Mid-Century homes and fell in love,” explained Kevin Kemper, part of H3K Design’s driving force alongside Howard Hawkes. “The roof lines, the glass, the indoor-outdoor living. The amazing desert climate. We were hooked.”
Their aesthetic incorporates mid-century modern design elements, emphasized by the incorporation of JennAir and Brizo products. JennAir’s attention to detail and intentional footprint provided an ideal marriage of modern convenience and cohesive visuals.
“The kitchen is an original St. Charles kitchen from the early 1970’s in goldenrod. St. Charles is a very high-end cabinet company and these cabinets were in pristine condition,” said Kemper. “We knew we had to keep them. But that also created a scenario where we were limited with appliance size. JennAir offers a line called Urban Living 60CM and these fit perfectly!”
The marriage between the bold brass and geometric grates of JennAir’s RISE™ design expression and the functional sculpture of Venuto® Kitchen faucet with SmartTouch® Technology by Brizo® works in perfect synergy in the Sunburst Palms home.
Seventies Sackley
Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker comprise the creative team behind Grace Home Furnishings. Grace Home Furnishings can tailor each of their home projects to the stylistic appetites of their customers thanks to Ostrow and Stoker’s backgrounds in interior design, furniture manufacturing, art history and architecture:
“We always begin our design process with a conversation with the homeowners to find out what they love and how they are going to use their space. From there, we pull fabrics and furniture and meet with them to see what they are drawn to. Once we have narrowed down some choices, we typically compose mood boards so they can see how all of the pieces and colors work together.”
It’s a process they’ve used to grand success since opening their Brentwood Village showroom in 2000.
In the Seventies Sackley home, the Grace Home Furnishings team paired the clean Scandinavian design of the Odin Bath Collection by Brizo® with the JennAir NOIR™ line of appliances to unify the home’s fixtures from room to room.
“The Brizo pieces we selected came in a beautiful Luxe Gold finish that really complemented the home and interior design,” said Ostrow and Stoker.
Preserving the past with Ferguson
For sourcing top quality mid-century modern elements, H3K Design and Grace Home Furnishings lean heavily on the offerings of Build with Ferguson and Ferguson Showrooms.
“We have used build.com and Ferguson for years in our design work,” said Kemper. “There is always new product and offerings—sometimes we just sit down and explore the site to see what’s out there!”
For the Grace Home team, the expertise of showroom consultants provided an invaluable complement to the vast furnishings inventory.
“We love having Ferguson customer service work with us throughout the design process. They always have great suggestions and are able to help us navigate all of the choices,” said Ostrow and Stoker.
Both the H3K Design team and Grace Home Furnishings worked alongside a Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery consultant in Palm Springs to find the products that best fit their unique projects. Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery serves as one of Modernism Week’s grand sponsors for 2021.
Use the Shop By Look buttons above to see the products these designers used to outfit their projects and learn more about how Build with Ferguson can help you keep mid-century modern design alive in your own home.
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