AMSTERDAM MODERN

It's the onset of summer, and summer happens to be synonymous with the word "beach." Although we live in California and the weather is beautiful and warm year-round (not to brag or anything) - summer seems to have a better feeling.  The vibe is more upbeat, the sun shines brighter but seems lighter, and there seems to be some sort of hazy happiness all around. And we happen to be lucky enough to live by the coast and have a plethora of amazing beaches to choose from. When we think of beach, we think of rattan, bamboo, striped towels, canvas beach chairs, the porch, cold lemonade....which is evocative of summer while simultaneously being SUPER cliché. (On a tangent, Lauren Conrad happens to have some bomb  lemonade recipes) Here are some of our beachy/summer-y fantasies... In this picture: Early 50's Folding Beach Chairs , Leather Ottoman , Rolling Drafting Lamp , Pilastro Style Triangle Side Table , Assorted Ceramic Tile Table Tops In this picture: Gi...

Mixing & Matching! It gives you room to be more stylish and grab at a vintage chair you see at a flea market instead of giving it up because you don't know where it would go and if it would match your dining set. Or grab anything for that matter! We love this look that we've put together (above) because it encapsulates a sort of industrial bohemian vibe that we love with the  school chairs  and the  industrial work table . For a more classic look, two high back chairs at each end of a beautiful teak or glass table would do the trick. Mixing and matching seems to have the ability to combine both fun and easy....

State Bird Provisions in San Francisco won a Michelin Star earlier this year as well as the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, and we're excited to say that we helped furnish it! Definitely a restaurant worth making the trip to visit, and who doesn't love San Francisco anyways? Dim sum style serving (you can eat as many of your favorite dish as you want) and the menu changes so often, I've never eaten the same thing there twice. (Disappointing and exciting at the same time) Reservations are tricky to get, but they take walk-ins (line up early!) Check out our industrial school chairs lookin' good in their newly expanded space. Picture from statebirdsf.com Picture from statebirdsf.com

I was reading recently how increasingly difficult it's becoming to find decent drafting tables in a world leaning towards digital rendering technology, and I thought I would share with you how many awesome drafting tables we have! ....And also maybe some tips for building your own workspace. Being realistic, we all do need a space for us to work in our homes. Whether you're a workaholic and bring your caseload home with you every night/weekend or if you like to work on personal projects at home, it always seems more motivating and fun when you have an awesome space to do it in (as opposed to your coffee table). The drafting table workspace should not be underestimated... The benefits: Drafting tables serve as particularly great working spaces because they were designed as desks for designers who spend long and tedious hours drawing and hunched over their desks (or at least they used to). Nowadays it's nice to take full advantage of the adjustment ability of these...

Seriously, what could be cuter than this?? A little soldier lamp to keep you company on your bedside table can definitely brighten up the room. Tiny and versatile, they're also extremely adorable. Two that I love right now are the clip on ones (pictured below) that are particularly charming, and would look so great in a kid's room. In addition to little nightlights, a great bedside reading lamp can really be something. What we love about these is that they're always in reach - no need for the long broomstick to poke the lightswitch from in bed across the room anymore. Fortunately we have a ton of great options to choose from, here are a few that we've seen on Pinterest boards and loooved.   Image from Pinterest Mid Century Hala Zeist Style Desk Lamp Industrial Christian Dell Style Clamp Task Lamp Image from Pinterest Prouve Style Atelier 36" Swing Arm Jib Lamp Prouve Style Atelier 18" Swing Arm Jib Lamp with Shad...

We're always pinning lots of cool mid-century modern things & more to our boards. Come take a look! http://www.pinterest.com/amsterdammodern/

Cacti and Mid-Century modern seem to fit together extraordinarily well. Actually, cacti look good in any situation, which seems contradictory to their bizarre and prickly appearance. As outdoor and indoor plants, they require very little maintenance, and cover an impressive range of sizes. They also come in an impressive range of colors, and some have beautiful blooming red, yellow, or white flowers (such as the flowers of the trichocereus lamprochloru). I'm particularly fond of the more dusty-green colored cacti, and they prove to complement bright sunlit rooms exceptionally well (such as in the pictures below). I'm a sucker for beautiful pottery, and our Mobach ceramic planters are to die for. It's fun to have some green to liven up sections of your home. In fact, I've been inspired to make a trip to the nursery and make myself a cute little desk arrangement. Images from Pinterest Images from Pinterest