I FINALLY got the opportunity to have my way with Dan and Tiffany's most excellent crib this afternoon! Score! I had to drop by to pick up a set of dining chairs, right...so since I was there I thought I'd just barge my way in and start shooting pics and yelling at people to get out of MY SHOT! I'm a PROFESSIONAL, ok?
So if you've been readin' this here lil' ol' bloggidy blog for any time at all you'll know that Mr.
Modtomic is a big fan of the Broyhill Brasilia line of home furnishings. I've got a dining room full
of it, a bedroom full of it, another tall chest in the spare bedroom and a table that has become
ubiquitous in most of my posts in our entryway. Seems like a lot right? Pppphhhffff, whateve'!
Dan and Tiff must wear the Brasilia crown! Ooo...a Brasilia crown, bet that'd look cool.
Oh, and see that really....really great painting above the server? Dan produced that HIMSELF!
I KNOW! Sweet! He had another really cool piece that he had made in this spot last time I was
there but he had recently sold it. So, you know...if you like what you see, maybe he can hook
you up! The Curtis Jere "Birds" metal sculpture is so not available. I know...cuz' I've been
lobbying for it for quite some time. Looks so good here, doesn't it?
I didn't check but I bet that this server is a Lane piece. It looks sturdy like those Lane Acclaim
side tables I have. It fits perfectly with the dining suite. Speaking of the dining suite, the Brasilia
pedestal table once belonged to Mr. Modtomic! I traded that table and all the seat pads you
see on Dan and Tiffany's Brasilia dining chairs (original upholstery!) for their original table
which is a more traditional "legged" Brasilia table. He had refinished the "legged" table and it
looks really nice. The pedestal table needed his loving touch.
Nice kitchen, no? This is a Mid Century Modern ReMix done right. How lovely are those
cabinets and that back splash? Bold but not kitchy atomic nor boring builder bland. The chairs
are new reproductions (nice, nothing wrong with that) and the table is a recent craigslist
bargain. Dan's not as active a hunter gatherer of this stuff as I, but he can buy and sell with the
best when he needs to. He recently let go of a beautiful Burke tulip style dining set for a good
bit more than I appraised them at. The set was a little too big for the space. He knows what he's
doing. Maybe I'm a pessimist.
Yup, so much Brasilia that a night stand snuck into the living room! It works. Flexibility is a
virtue. The wall mounted light fixture above it was a craigslist score that Mr. Modtomic missed
out on. There was this sale at a doctors office on a Monday that had all kinds of great mid
century items, but alas...it was on a Monday...while I was at work. Dammit. The large sculpture,
I was told, is on loan from a friend who is the artist. I assume it is also available if it tickles your
fancy (it does mine) and you think you've got the account balance to cover it's purchase (I
don't). I can't imagine it'd be cheap by any means. It looks perfectly at home here.
I'd like to believe that the joint isn't as nicely "made" as this all the time since our place is barely
livable 85% of the time and SO suffers by comparison, but I think it probably looks pretty nice
most of the time. D. and T. seem to take some time to hand pick what they lay their eyes on
day in and day out. I'm betting they like things tidy!
The Family room gets yet another Brasilia coffee table behind the sofa. Kinda out of the
ordinary, but it works nicely. I guess if you needed it out front of the sofa it could easily be
relocated. I'm telling ya, Dan and Tiffany live in a Broyhill Brasilia catalog! I'm not sure of the
lineage of the large credenza. Dan may have told me at some time in the past but I can't
remember. It is texturally very interesting, much in the same way that the Brasilia line is. No
wonder it's been included. It serves to store audio video equipment and hold the great big TV
off the floor.
Another shot of that amazing sculpture. In the background you can see into the kitchen and
what's that? Another piece of Brasilia? You betcha'! I actually sold this one to Dan. It did not
look this good when he purchased it. The man has the touch! The top of this cabinet was a bit
of a mess. I need to ask him his secret. He really does a good job, but could you imagine him
placing a ganked up piece in this place? Me either. On the cabinet is yet another "on loan"
sculpture. Nice stuff. It's good to know people.
::sigh:: I so wish I had a green thumb. I love house plant. Mother Modtomic has always had
plants around the house but I never picked up on how not to kill them. I've tried. I water too
much and not enough and everything turns brown. Have you noticed the floor? It's a cool idea.
It's like pea gravel that is epoxied to the concrete slab. Looks so good.
I didn't have time to shoot the entire house as we had other stuff going on as did Dan and Tiff.
We only missed the Master bedroom, the bathroom (which is really nice but c'mon...it's a
bathroom) and the nursery (they JUST had their first...and he's soooo tiny!). This is the spare
bedroom / Brasilia bedroom demo installation.
Love that shelving! I think that also came from the same Monday sale as that light fixture. The
Brasilia desk was once mine. You might remember seeing it here a while back! I traded it to
Dan for some Eames shell chairs and a console stereo. Looks pretty good in his place. I wish I
had a picture of all my old orphans like this. Those lamp are pretty special too. Before I found
shades for my own bedside lamp these were suffering from heavy covet syndrome via Mr.
Modtomic. I'm sure you understand.
Well, this wraps up our first foray into Abode Invasion. I hope you enjoyed the tour. Dan and
Tiffany really know how to put a place together. I thank them for their hospitality and patience
in dealing with me and my camera. Feel free to fawn all over them in the comments below!
I can only say one thing:
ReplyDeleteWOW.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I am personally a HUGE Brasilia fan myself, and have the larger china cabinet an smaller side board in my dining room. Everything about this line is so well designed, and it is great to see how well it is placed and accessorized in this home.
ReplyDeleteCollecting mid-century modern doesn't mean that your home has to look like you stepped into a time warp, and this couple has shown that to the "T". Their choices of streaming vintage modern with their newer pieces shows great design sense and flow.
Gorgeous home! They did a stunning job putting everything together.
ReplyDeletestunning and so welcoming..everything is so droolingly awesome.i wish i could see all this in person...hmm..maybe next time while in st louis!!
ReplyDeleteNICE BRASILIA COLLECTION!
ReplyDeleteI just acquired the hutch this spring and LOVE IT! I have the queen headboard, highboy dresser, and a long low dresser...and ONE of the nightstand commodes. Still watching for another one to complete the set.
Their house is stunning! I loved it when I went to pick up a table and wood fish from Dan. Still LOVE the tackett fish!!
ReplyDeleteKimberlyAnn
I'm speechless. WOW is all I've got. It's Brasilia heaven! I love everything in their home, truly. Thanks for sharing the tour! My mouth is still wide open.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking.
ReplyDeleteAren't those floors terrazzo?
...maggie
why not collect items less mass produced and commom? brasilia is on every corner and its overkill to have so much of it. it looks like you could only afford the low end mass produced commoners mid century. i am a dealer and i have to say i am not impressed with your space, sorry.
ReplyDeleteget some mccobb, pearsall, knoll, etc. it just looks contrived and predictable and shallow.
ps the only people who would be impressed are those novice or hack collectors!
ReplyDeletetrue mid century collectors do not brag or show off either at least not a brasilia 200 end table and brasilia 500 credenza. get some baughman, risom, noguchi! your age inexperience and pride is showing and its not attractive.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - Wow, why are you so angry? I'm not the owner of the above collection but I don't think the owners are "true mid century collectors", but simply love the Brasilia line. Is that OK with you or do you need to "educate" everybody who doesn't share your perspective?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - PS, please share a link to your collection / shop. I'm sure my readership would love to pay you a visit.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt may be "mass produced and common", but I keep coming back to check out this post again and again, just to admire all of that Brasilia. I'd love to one day have some. Must be the "novice or hack collector" in me. I buy pieces based up whether I like the way they look (and whether I can afford them), not the name on the stamp.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou must do very well as a dealer. I can tell by your "unattractive, common, hack, novice" customer service, based upon how you talk behind an "Annonymous" screen name. If anyone is ashammed, it should be you.
Yes, the names you mentioned are true collectables and high dollar. In reality, those items you listed are more mainstream than the Brasilia line, as you see them in every magazine. I guess I'm just an "inexperienced, novice, hack that is cheap" and enjoys estate, garage and thift sales.
Dan Semar - AKA owner of the house above.
The credenza is an exquisite example of "American of Martinsville." We have this sexy beast, along with the top hutch, table & 6 chairs in our dining room.
ReplyDeleteoh my gawd, this is one cool pad!
ReplyDeleteHello! Kate from Retro Ranch Revamp pointed out that I was using your photo that I found on Pinterest in one of my blog posts. I have updated my post to credit your photo. Here is the link to it: http://jillbrowning.com/blog/2012/05/10/flowers-and-a-new-iphone-app/#comment-2090
ReplyDeleteI am new to your blog, so I look forward to checking it out! :)