Mid Century

Mid Century Moments, Floating

May 27, 2026 Mid Century

Gray Malin is a photographer with a large sense of place. His work is fun and instinctual, and this latest series called “Art of Living” is an extension of his colorful imagination.

A modern wooden desk with a chair and colorful books sits on a reflective platform in turquoise water, with a mountainous landscape in the background under a bright blue sky.

Placing mid-century furniture on a mirrored floating platform, Malin uses the gorgeous backdrop of French Polynesia to take this scene to a new level.

The result is dreamy and surreal, a bit oddball, but a very enticing place to hang out. Via DesignBoom:

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog — A classic Eames Lounge chair floats on a platform looking out on tropical mountains

These photos taken in Bora Bora can be purchased framed on Gray Malin’s website.

A floating modern lounge setup on a platform above turquoise water, surrounded by mountains and a clear blue sky. — Screenshot

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog9 — An entire living room set, complete with Arco floor lamp

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog2 — A desk collection looks strange indeed on this mirrored platform

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog3 — Imagine waking up to find yourself floating in emerald waters

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog4 — Classic Tulip chairs almost look at home in this setting

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog5 — The Egg chair complete with fur throw rug

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog6 — Bent birch plywood chairs and matching table set

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog7 — A single Vernor Panton chair floats in the ocean on the mirrored platform

gray-malin-the-art-of-living-midcentury-modern-furniture-mossandfog8 — A striking red door creates a great illusion on this platform

Images © Copyright Gray Malin. See more on GrayMalin.com

Architecture

Banyan House is a Mid-Century Architectural Gem

December 18, 2024 Architecture

The Banyan House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Mark Mills, is a mid-century treasure nestled in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It’s also for sale, listed at $2,795,000.

The home fits into the Californian landscape beautifully. Mills embraced Wright’s principles of organic architecture, crafting a home that harmonizes effortlessly with its natural surroundings.

The design incorporates local materials, including original redwood beams, siding, and Mills’ distinctive “desert masonry” concrete, creating a textural interplay that grounds the home in its environment.

Natural light pours into the interiors through expansive windows, blurring the boundaries between indoors and out, while stained glass details in more intimate spaces bring a touch of artistry and tranquility.

The result is a home that feels both vibrant and serene, designed to adapt to the rhythms of its surroundings.

Just steps from downtown Carmel, the property balances retreat and accessibility. It features a sunlit solarium, a separate studio, and a striking custom iron gate that welcomes you to its lush, manicured grounds. The design and layout would make Frank Lloyd Wright proud.

Custom stained glass adorns the bedrooms, and brings a unique flow of light into the spaces.

A unique combination of architecture and nature, the Banyan House is a tribute to mid-century design and the vision of Mark Mills.

Architecture

Flea’s LA Hilltop Compound is Striking, and it’s For Sale

March 3, 2022 Architecture

It pays to be a bassist, it seems. Well, one of the most well-known bassists in the world, perhaps. Michael Balzary, better known as Flea, is the bassist for The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and has made a name for himself in music, movies, and pop culture.

He also has a good eye for architecture, purchasing this impressive hilltop compound in Los Angeles in 2018.

Comprised of an authentic Richard Neutra home (originally designed for the architect’s secretary), and a geometric home added in 2008, the property is one of the most unique we’ve seen, and we love the details of the Neutra house, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, and a bear valley stone fireplace.

The 2008 geometric home on the property is also noteworthy, with a stunning penny-tile bathroom, clever courtyard spaces, and additional sweeping views of the valley below. It was designed by award winning architect Michael Maltzan. Flea also commissioned Maltzan to build a small redwood cabin on the property, making it even more eccentric and lovely.

The property is now on the market for just under $10 Million from Compass Realty.

Architecture

80 Years of Design – An Eames Retrospective

November 5, 2021 Architecture

Charles and Ray Eames are instrumental figures in the world of modern design, helping to define the mid-century-modern era.

Their work spanned furniture, product design, as well as office layouts, and even home design.

The Eames’ grandson, named Eames Demetrios, has gathered an amazing collection of rare and iconic examples of the couple’s work for the 80th anniversary retrospective.

Some of the classic, recognizable items are included, like the Eames Lounge chair, and other bent-plywood furniture. The collection also includes rarer items, like sculptures and prototypes, and some new collaborations, including a shoe line with Reebok, and skateboard deck made from eucalyptus.

Via Dezeen:

Eames Elephant, 1945

“Another fantastic element of the exhibition is that our two longest-standing partners have created special editions of some of the pieces we’ve produced through them for many years.

“For Herman Miller, standouts are the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in Natural Leather and the 1960 Time-Life stool, originally designed for the Time-Life building in New York and typically crafted in solid walnut, available in exclusive red-stained ash.

“For Vitra, highlights see the 1941 Eames Plywood Mobile, one of the biomorphic shapes created during their early plywood experimentation, available in natural birch veneer, alongside the iconic and playful 1945 Eames Elephant.”

Eames Eucalyptus Skateboard Deck, 2021

“The Eames Eucalyptus Skateboard Decks have all sorts of surprising resonance. Firstly, they are made from beautiful wood that Charles and Ray literally touched for over 30 or 40 years, as they were born from a eucalyptus tree (‘Molly’/#236) at the Eames House in Pacific Palisades.

“‘Molly’ lived right next to the studio and had to be removed (with the help of local sustainable lumber company Angel City Lumber) as the roots were uplifting the walkway to the house – thus posing a threat to the structure.

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80 Years of Design is on show at Isetan the Space in Tokyo from 5 November to 5 January 2022.

Architecture

Beckoning Path, a Fabulous Home Designed by Jens Quistgaard

February 24, 2021 Architecture

If you aren’t familiar with the architecture of Jens Quistgaard, that’s ok. He was much better known as a product designer, leading design work at Dansk for many years. There he created some iconic homeware pieces that defined some of the mid century modern movement.

The Danish designer does have a few houses to his name, however, and one of them was recently restored. It’s called Beckoning Path, and it’s an architectural gem. Recently restored by BarlisWedlick, the home is now a private wellness retreat, located in Armonk, New York.

The home’s stunning profile has twelve peaks clad in copper, dramatic timber framing, and a serene meditative quality that is rare in the architectural world.

The renovation builds on the home’s quality, restoring key elements and adding a swimming pool and bedrooms, while maintaining the minimalism that makes it feel like a true retreat.

Danish modernism is clearly evident in the lines of the home, and the way the interior blends smoothly with the landscaped exterior. This is definitely a special property, and we hope to be able to visit it someday.

Beautiful photography by Peter Aaron.

Via DesignBoom:

Architecture

Brasilia’s Mid-Century Modern Wonder

December 26, 2019 Architecture

It’s a unique opportunity to design a nation’s capital from scratch. That’s the idea behind Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, built as a planned city in 1960. At the height of the mid-century modern era, the architecture has a very distinct and futuristic sensibility, even sixty years later. It was built to centralize the nation’s capital, as Rio De Janeiro is geographically disparate from so much of the massive country.

French photographer Vincent Fournier shows us some great angles and perspectives of the Brazilian capital, framing details of the city’s unique geography and built environment. It’s a fascinating city, if only Brazil’s leader was less of a human rights and environmental tyrant, the world would be in a better place. Via Inspiration Grid:

“My work on the city of Brasilia comes from a mixture of fascination and nostalgia for the stories and representations of the Future.”

–Vincent Fournier

Architecture

Retro-Futuristic Home Designs by Charles Schridde

April 26, 2019 Architecture

We love taking a time capsule back to the 1950s and 60s, seeing how designers then were visualizing ‘the future’. Often times their estimations were spot-on, while other times they seem laughably out of touch.

Illustrator Charles Schridde made his mark by visualizing the home of the future. This collection of fascinating illustrations was commissioned by Motorola, and Schridde was tasked with featuring their technology at the center of the designs.

The mid-century designs still look cool today, and some of them have gone on to inspire movie sets (Incredibles 2, anyone?) and 21st century architects. Great retro-futurism. Via Atomic Ranch:

Architecture

Mid Century, Floating

January 4, 2018 Architecture

Gray Malin is a photographer with a large sense of place. His work is fun and instinctual, and this latest series called “Art of Living” is an extension of his colorful imagination. Placing mid-century furniture on a mirrored floating platform, Malin uses the gorgeous backdrop of French Polynesia to take this scene to a new level. The result is dreamy and surreal, a bit oddball, but a very enticing place to hang out. Via DesignBoom:

Architecture

Avocado Acres House

May 15, 2017 Architecture

Situated just a few blocks from the beach, this modern gem has an avocado pit divot cut out of it’s roof, creating a curving roofline that also blends the inside and outside elements beautifully.

A collaboration between Surfside Projects and Architect Lloyd Russell, the result is fun, inviting, and charming, with a great mid century aesthetic, surfboards on the walls (of course), and muscular concrete walls. Great work, via Surfside Projects:

Architecture

Wegner’s Shell Chair

June 13, 2013 Architecture

Screen Shot 2013-06-12 at 7.26.49 PM Hans Wegner’s Shell Chair, designed in 1963, is the epitome of elegance. Visually perfect from every angle, the chair elevates seating to an art form. It remains one of the more beautiful designer chairs around. Here is a stunning collection of 20 new colors and finishes by CarlHansen for the chair’s 50th birthday.
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