Contemporary Art with a Mid-Century Modern Vibe at Swank Interiors

In addition to the vintage furnishings, lighting, art and accessories, at Swank Interiors we represent selected Southern California artists whose work compliments both the mid-century modern style but is also the current Palm Springs vibe. 

Currently we are showing the works of James Servais, Cole McLaughlin and John De La Rosa..  All three work in metal, a popular art form in the the 1950's and 1960's including the mobiles and stabiles of Alexander Calder, the sculptures of Curtis Jere and Harry Bertoia, enamel work from Bovano, and jewelry.  Metal was torched, crimped, sheared and welded into incredible abstract forms.  Servais, McLaughlin and De La Rosa continue in this tradition with their own explorations and creations in metal art.

A 1964 Curtis Jere Sculpture at Swank Interiors

James Servais, a Palm Springs resident with his wife Pam, graduated from art school in the 1970's.  He started by designing houses in a family contracting business.  He did most of the special work, including iron work, lights fixtures and stone work.  The structures were rustic and hand crafted of plaster, stone and recycled wood.  James eventually turned to creating sculptures of metal, enamel and stone.  His current work at Swank Interiors combine the colors of 1960's Pop Art and Calder's stabiles.  James's work has been installed at commercial and residential locales in the desert.

Servais Sculpture at the entry of an Alexander home in Palm Springs

Currently James's work is also on display at the Cody designed Horizon Hotel in Palm Springs.

An artist at heart, Cole McLaughlin is a metal master who started his own art/design company Revello Metal Craft, fifteen years ago.  He has worked with architectural, commercial, and residential firms.  And his metal art can be seen in many well known high-end hotels, bars and restaurants in Southern California.  Most recently he exhibited SNOWPOCALYPSE, a unique and amazing collection of giant metal snowflakes that took two years in the making.  

Mid-century Snowflakes created for Swank Interiors from Cole McLaughlin 

John De La Rosa makes sculptures out of scrap metal from his father's welding and manufacturing business and other found objects such as vintage Lane furniture.  His inspiration comes from his childhood when he and his sister were paid five dollars to sweep out his father's shop at the end of the day.  He loved "to see the torch-cut scraps of metal laying on top of one another, forming a mangled heap of shards and rust -- I thought there was something so beautiful about it."  A seed was planted that years later he is now only exploring his work. 

Spinal Tap by John De La Rosa is a wall sculpture of recycled metal, enamel mounted on a vintage Lane coffee table.

   Not only the metal and enamel but also the line of John's work evokes the Palm Springs vibe.

"Eye of the Storm" by John De La Rosa and the iconic E. Stewart Williams Chase Bank Building across from Swank Interiors on South Palm Canyon.  The swooping lines, one in concrete, one in metal, are all about mid-century Palm Springs.

So stop by Swank Interiors, we have multiple pieces from Servais, McLaughlin and De La Rosa.  And each artist continues to evolve and create dynamic work in metal.  A selection of their work is also on line at http://www.swankinteriorspalmsprings.com/.

Summer Games: A short history of vintage Marbles in the USA

As we enter into summer, I can think of no better way to celebrate the heat, light and playfulness of summer than a game of marbles!

Vintage Swirl, Slag and Milkie Marbles 

And more interestingly, vintage marbles made in America have a connection to the 1950's and 60's glass houses along the Ohio River.  Companies such as Viking, Blenko, Pilgrim, Rainbow, and Morgantown made large quantities of free-blown and mold-blown glass in modern shapes and vibrant colors.

Viking Swung Vases from the Epic series

And as to be expected there was broken glass at the end of the day -- and this is where the marble makers came in.  They would make the rounds of the glass blowing houses (there were over 100 alone in West Virginia at peak) collecting up the discards.

Blenko, Fostoria, and Viking ash trays and candy dishes

All this glass would then be mixed to create marbles of unsurpassed colors.

Wayne Husted designed Blenko decanters in front

So if you are inspired to play a game of marbles, check out this link:  http://www.landofmarbles.com/marbles-play.html

And stop by Swank Interiors Palm Springs or visit us online at www.swankinteriorspalmsprings.com to see our colorful selection of American made vintage glassware from Blenko, Viking, Fostoria and vintage marbles...we might just get down on the floor for a game!

Memorial Day Weekend in Palm Springs

While Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of the summer season for most of the country,  for Palm Springs it marks the end of the season.  As the vintage postcard below notes, Palm Springs was and still is a sunny "winter playground"!

Locations such as the Racquet Club celebrated the coming end of season with a mid-century cool that could only happen in Palm Springs.  Opened in the 1930's, the Racquet Club became a gathering place and party venue for Hollywood's showbiz elite.  And it was the birthplace of the Bloody Mary.

1960 May Issue of Palm Springs Life showing the growing  popularity of  "theme" parties.

Celebrities such as Tyrone Power, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Jane Russell, and a host of others came to escape the pressures of Hollywood at this private retreat.  

Marilyn Monroe at the Racquet Club pool.

In the 1950's Hawaiian buffets and BBQ s were the most popular for outdoor entertaining.  Punches, rum drinks, mint juleps, beer and dry martinis washed down all that food.

In the 1960's cocktail parties with Camembert amandine, cucumber, crackers and toast rounds were accompanied with chilled martinis, bourbon and scotch as the Hollywood Elite became Hollywood Regency!

At Swank Interiors we have a host of glassware and serve ware for celebrating the season -- whether end of season in Palm Springs or beginning of season in the Hampton's.  But we have to admit we are partial to Palm Springs!

Vintage Dansk wood with Blenko, Morgantown and Georges Briard glassware at Swank Interiors.

Relax by the pool in this vintage Salterini lounge chair and table 

Have a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Mid Century Danish Design at it's finest -- CADO Royal System Wall Unit

Earlier this spring, Lisa Sullivan, Owner/Designer of Swank Interiors Palm Springs, was on the road and came across an incredible find -- a full 5 bays of a 1950's CADO Royal System Wall Unit!  What was most spectacular about this was that it had been with the original owners since the late 1950's.  They were retiring and sizing down and their new home would not fit this design masterpiece.  And as a final gesture of the care and respect they had given this wall unit over the years, as it was disassembled to come to our Palm Springs shop, a piece of felt was cut to cover each shelve and cabinet for shipping.

5 Bay CADO Royal System available at Swank Interiors

First some history of the designer --

Poul Cadovius was a Danish furniture designer who lived from 1911 to 2011.  In the mid 1940's he established the furniture-manufacturing company Royal System in Denmark.  His original factory, dating to 1946 and used for the production of fibre glass boats, is now part of Aarhus University in Denmark.

The Cadovius Building at Aarhus University, Denmark

Throughout the 1950's, 60's and 70's, Cadovius was one of the most influential designers of the Danish furniture industry and furniture design.  In 1964 he purchased S. France & Co. and produced furniture under the CADO label -- chairs, sofas and tables.  He registered over 400 individual patents, ensuring his legacy.

A 1962 ad for CADO designs

A 1978 ad in Progressive Architecture magazine

But it was the CADO Royal System wall unit that Cadovius is most remembered for.  This shelving system was the largest furniture success the Danish furniture industry has ever had.  Cadovius, much like American designer George Nelson and his OMNI system, was looking for space solutions --   "...for a furnishing system which would give a maximum of comforts...was easy to assemble, offer a lot of combination possibilities and made the living space larger."  Like his fellow Scandinavian designers, Cadovius was seeking solutions for smaller homes to accommodate family life.  The system was successful by providing a timeless combination of shelves and cabinets in various dimensions.  Whether you needed a desk, a table, a stereo cabinet, china cabinet or chest of drawers, you could customize the system to fit your needs.  

Below are some pictures of the CADO system available at Swank Interiors, Palm Springs.  

A cabinet with dividers for records, books or magazines and a desk

Additional bays with shelves of various depth, 2 cabinets;  note how shelf heights can be made to create "tuck in" space for a 1969 Harvey Probber ottoman that can be pulled out for a visitor!

For more information regarding our system, click below:

http://www.swankinteriorspalmsprings.com/#!product/prd1/702077221/cado-royal-system-wall-unit

So stop by Swank Interiors, Palm Springs, to see this iconic Danish wall system and other mid-century finds.

Swanky Pets 3 -- A Benefit for the Palm Springs Animal Shelter

On March 10th, Lisa Sullivan, owner of Swank Interiors, held the third annual Swanky Pets fundraiser for the Palm Springs Animal Shelter.

Over $8,000 was raised for the Shelter which is run by the Friends of the Animal Shelter. To learn more about the shelter click on this link:  http://palmspringsanimalfriends.ning.com.

This year the benefit was held poolside at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.

Niko Esposito, Windermere Realtor, and Troy Bankord,  Environmental Designer, shared the Master of Ceremonies spotlight with Clyde -- surely confirming why Marlena Dietrich once said that "Kids and Animals should be painted against back drops"! -- as he stole the show!

Neko and Troy enjoy center stage...

until Clyde arrived!

The event included vintage music provided by the Gand Band and the first Swanky Pets Doggy Fashion Show.

Joan and Gary Gand of the Gand Band

Rourke and Jesse Garza, manager of the Horizon Hotel, win the "Most Resembles Owner" category.

Monies were raised by a Silent Auction with gift certificates provided by many local Palm Springs businesses -- El Mirasol, Hide Away Hotel, Johnny Costa's, Wil Stiles, Azul, just to name a few.  Local Artist Scott Young donated hand-crafted jewelry while Sylvia Lange and the Chase Hotel Palm Springs donated a 3 night stay and airfare to the Reluctant Fisherman Inn in Cordoba, Alaska -- a great place to beat the summer desert heat!

Flowers courtesy of Gregory at My Little Flower Shop of Palm Springs.

Palm Springs artist James Servais enjoys "people food" while event goers bid on silent auction items behind him.

And the event drew supporters from all over the country -- a big thank you to Darryl and Susan of Michigan who sent a donation after visiting Clyde at Swank Interiors!

Lisa Sullivan, Swanky Pets Creator and designer extraordinaire, with Paul  Schwenk and Pam Servais at the Doggy Fashion Show sign up as Ellen Hatfield signs up her dog Trouble.  

And a big thank you from Lisa  to everyone who helped or attended Swanky Pets 3 to help raise funds for a such a worthy cause -- providing the means to help and find homes for our four legged friends who bring so much unconditional love to our lives!

Canada gone wild...well in a Mid-Century Way!

While Swank Interiors has an encyclopedic assortment of mid-century design in furniture, art, lighting and accessories, we are always discovering new finds.  In the past month we had located some unique pieces of hand blown glass.  Exuberant in form and vibrant in color, they were not Viking or Murano.  Lightly sand blasted on the base was Chalet. 

Chalet was a Canadian glass company that had it's beginnings in 1958 when Angelo Tedesco, a Venetian glass blower who had immigrated from Murano, Italy to Montreal in 1952, established a small glassblowing factory.

With other Italian glass masters from Murano, artisans at Chalet were inspired to produce art glass with smooth, fluid lines, dramatic shapes and striking colors.  These pieces were created by techniques rooted in Venetian tradition but evolved into free-form hand worked translations of the art form.

Mid-Century Murano

As Chalet grew, additional glass artists from Murano joined the company.  And Chalet glassware was exported to the USA and Great Britain.

Mid-Century Chalet

Chalet's greatest moment came in 1967 when given worldwide exposure at the Expo 67 World's Fair in Montreal.  Chalet Glass was showcased in the official Canadian Habitat Pavilion.

Chalet closed for business in 1975. 

But these vintage hand blown, unique pieces can still be found at Swank Interiors -- so stop by next time you are shopping and dining in down town Palm Springs -- we are on the south end across from the iconic E. Stewart Williams Bank now occupied by Chase Bank.

Frank and the Girl in the Orange Dress -- Swanking up Club Trinidad

Swank Interiors is just getting rested up from the fun filled Modernism Week 2013 -- so pardon us for just coming around to talk about what we felt were the most exciting events for those 11 days -- Mid Mod Music at The Purple Room at the Club Trinidad!

The lobby at The Club Trinidad was transported back to the Rat Pack days when Frank Sinatra hung out to eat steak and peppers and listen to a floor show.  Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Newhart and Don Rickles often dined with Frank there.  And this was where Frank proposed to Barbara Marx and invited everyone present that night to the wedding!

Owner Lisa Sullivan of Swank Interiors swanked up the lobby for the occasion.   Mid-century classics such as a 9 foot Dunbar sofa, TH Robsjohn-Gibbings Trestle coffee table, Tom Greene brutalist chandelier, and Harvey Probber ottoman ushered party goers back to the glamour of 1960's Palm Springs.

And the mid-century bar was stocked with vintage glassware, ice bucket and ashtrays.  The only thing missing was the haze of cigarette smoke!

The first evening of mid-century music was Paris Loves Palm Springs -- a jazz inspired evening with the vocals of French born singer and actress Adele Jacques.  Adele relaxed on our Dunbar sofa between sets -- her vintage orange dress most certainly brought the presence of Frank Sinatra back as orange was his favorite color.

Bossa Nova Night with the Gand Band and Organic Sol was the second night of Mid Mod Music.  The sounds of mid-century Brazilian Bossa Nova, a fusion of samba and jazz, filled The Purple Room.  The sexy sounds of the beat brought the crowd to their feet and the evening ended with the entire audience forming a conga line!

Though we heard lots of great feedback on Modernism Week symposiums, house & bus tours, and cocktail parties (and more cocktail parties!), The Purple Room Mid Mod Music events at the Club Trinidad were by the far the greatest fun for all!  We look forward to more great music for Modernism Week 2014 at Club Trinidad.

And a special thanks to Gary Wexler for recreating the original Club Trinidad sign for the Lobby.  It made the room!