If Barry is happy the ...
If Barry is happy the way his place looks that is all that matters.
More than likely he was proud of the way his home looked and he wanted to share it with all of us, like he has so many times with all the interesting clocks that he has napped on Ebay.
From our end we were just trying to critique his home and all the wonderful items that his has collected, and assist him with making his home more beautiful than just a vintage modern store, with chair here sofa here, In this forum we can not make every one happy.
points
In no particular order they are:
My comments weren't meant to be offensive. I think Barry has a beautiful collection that needs editing. I tried to keep my comments relative to the initial posting and keep them as concise as possible to avoid the character limit imposed on posted replies. Sorry that came off as snarky.
I made my comments because I assumed the initial posting was a request for input not merely an excuse to show off. Barry has certainly been here long enough to know that we're a bunch of opinionated freaks - commentary should come as no surprise.
In reading responses to postings people should read all of the posting. Especially the parts about not taking things personally.
Nick - Absolutely. Lovely. My jealously for your Jacobsen lamp knows no limits 🙂
No problem, guys
We all can get touchy sometimes, no blood spilt!
In that corner of my living room, I have a 1928 British Columbia wind-up phonograph (I've always wanted a nice floor model), which I do occasionally play. I moved the Nelson typewriter desk (which is my pride and joy) over to that corner as well. When i play records on the wind-up, I need a chair, so I moved that upholstered Eames office chair over there, which doesn't really belong there.
I moved it away again. I doubt if that corner will ever been properly realized because of the phonograph. Oh well, no matter.
I have one Saarinen tulip stool, which I had recovered in orange wool and one Ray Eames walnut Time Life Stool, neither of which belong anywhere, so they float. Contrary to Herman Miller's description, the beautiful walnut Time Life stools do not make a good table surface, so I put a large Bitossi ashtray on it...and it look terrible!
I know that shoving the sofa in front of the fireplace is an odd choice, but I resent the fireplace dictating the placement of the furniture, so, since I'm not using it, I thought the sofa fits there.
I sure did luck out on that sofa, to be sure...amazing - won it on eBay for $450.00 and paid $372.00 to get it delivered from Cincinati to Minneapolis....and (thank god), it's nearly mint.
that fireplace
I don't like fireplaces either. We have one that has been stuck in mid-renovation for 8 years now and I am really tired of it! If there was just a wall there, I'd have had it finished a long time ago.
Anyway, I think your beautiful sofa deserves a more neutral backdrop. The mass of those dark bricks competes with the sofa. If it were mine, I'd either paint it or get a folding screen to cover it. Or maybe hang a fabric panel from the ceiling, though then you'd lose the mantel for display.
Interior designers are the answer!......really!
most of us longtime collectors lose sight of the importance of creating a pleasant home enviornment due mostly to our excitement of new treasures. let us not forget the sage advise george nelson gave us about creating a harmonius enviornment through the use of a practical and minimal approach.
i have had alot of great stuff that looked dumpy in a confused and crowded room. i hired an interior designer for advise. this designer friend didnt even care much for modern but her sage advise transformed my apartment into a pleasure for everyone who enters it. by subtracting 30% and focusing on harmonious shapes and colors the rooms actually came alive in a warm and fashionable manner..........i highly recommend it!
Wow, you really really have...
Wow, you really really have some nice things, Barry. Geez, what a collection. Although I might say that such strong design icons would require some more space around them, it's your home and it seems to be quite a nice place to come home to every day.
I really enjoy seeing how you design addicts choose to live, so I might as well put my own home in the line of fire 🙂 I've found some "old" pictures from my own flat as it looked about two years ago. Much has happend since but I thought you all might wanna take a look as it stands out a bit from the previous examples. At that time I was quite into Verner Panton and Pop'ish design.
Ok I'll weigh in
Barry, I understand you like your space, and clutter is you. I agree with others that your collection - impressive as it is - could use some editing. The beautiful pieces get lost because there are so many. The room also seems to lack a certain coziness and/or unifying element. Even without editing, perhaps some color on the walls or window treatments would help to bring the space together and soften all of the hard elements in the room.
You might just try some editing, or have someone else do it for you, and see how you like it. You could always put everything back.
For what it's worth, I grew up in a clean, tidy, but visually cluttered space and it bothers me to no end. I don't think I would feel comfortable in your space. I think a few changes might make your guests more comfortable and help show off your collection better.
Just my $0.02
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