California Design, 1930--1965: "Living in a Modern Way" (MIT Press)

Wendy Kaplan is Department Head and Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

It begins by tracing the origins of a distinctively California modernism in the 1930s by such European émigrés as Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, and Kem Weber; it finds other specific design influences and innovations in solid-color commercial ceramics, inspirations from Mexico and Asia, new schools for design training, new concepts about leisure, and the conversion of wartime technologies to peacetime use (exemplified by Charles and Ray Eames's plywood and fiberglass furniture).The heart of California Design is the modern California home, famously characterized by open plans conducive to outdoor living. The layouts of modernist homes by Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, and Raphael Soriano, for example, were intended to blur the distinction between indoors and out. This generously illustrated book, which accompanies a major exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is the first comprehensive examination of California's mid-century modern design. Many objects were designed to be multifunctional: pool and patio furniture that was equally suitable indoors, lighting that was both task and ambient, bookshelves that served

(NZ House and Garden) . (Publishers Weekly)…Fascinating stuff, rich with detail and new discoveries. This book beautifully documents how climate, immigration, and industry influenced California's modern design aesthetic

I had to have it for my collection, full I had to have it for my collection, full of information and photographs not seen since the early I had to have it for my collection, full jon p buschke I had to have it for my collection, full of information and photographs not seen since the early 40-50s and all together in one source.. 0-50s and all together in one source.. Five Stars Joondog Cool and informative coffee table book. "Five Stars" according to Marc. IEverybody who's interested in West Coast design must buy this book.