A New Place to Buy Mid-Century Modern Furniture in Charleston

Yesterday, my office took our receptionist out for lunch to commemorate Administrative Assistant's Day at one of our favorite lunch haunts downtown. After we ate, we peeked in a couple of the shops on Hale Street on the way back to where we'd parked. I got a first-hand look into Charleston's newest, and probably most unique, furniture store, Modern by Design.

It's owned by Chuck and Connie Hamsher, who also own The Purple Moon right around the corner.

Here's a link to the news story that ran about the opening a few weeks ago. The items in Modern by Design, however, are slightly different from those sold in The Purple Moon--they're all new. Modern by Design is the answer to many customers wishes that mid-century modern pieces were either 1) more budget-friendly or 2) customizeable. The items in Modern by Design are all re-issued pieces of iconic items such as Eames chairs, arc floor lamps, and glove chairs.

The store is unbelievable--like eye-candy every direction you look! It looks like the set of Mad Men, and touches of the Mad Men look are so hot right now, from home furnishings to fashions. I've actually been contemplating an arc lamp for my "Frank Sinatra Lounge" family room for months. If I'm loungin' and watching tv, I think the overhead lights are too harsh. I have a cheap-o floor lamp that does the job and is fairly neutral in style, but I think an arc lamp behind the couch in the corner would be awesome.

Mid-century modern is trendy right now, but like any style it can be tricky to pull off without your home actually looking like the set of Mad Med. I think a lot of people assume that if you want to have some pieces, say a couch, you have to have it all match. But these pieces look best TODAY when they are tempered with some other pieces, such as Swedish furniture (think Ikea's clean, angular lines) or Hollywood Regency (metallics, glossy blacks and whites, geometric patterns). Modern by Design is one more place to buy furniture, but I wouldn't go out on a limb and say you should completely outfit a room from a single store. Personally, I hope to still collect some vintage pieces, while adding in some reissued new pieces.

This is what I still need for my "lounge":

Photo source modernfurnitureclassics.com

Duncan bar cart from Restoration Hardware

bar table

and stools

from Ikea

dark bamboo wood flooring

white shag area rug

I also need to find a recliner, which is Jeremy's only request. However, Todd Oldham has a line of furniture and did a line for La-Z-Boy a few years ago, so hopefully we find something comfy that doesn't look icky. It'll be the biggest challenge. That, and finding the funds to pay for all of this above. Baby steps, I keep telling myself...