The Dansk website says that the new Fjord Classic flatware is featured in Oprah’s Magazine, so I picked up a copy at the drug store the other day to learn more about it. I picked up “O at Home” by accident, not even knowing that there was a difference, and was astounded at the amount of mid-century modern furnishings featured in the mag. The cover features a photo of Oprah’s library with her dog sitting on some sort of flowered sofa, but once you open the mag there’s a pretty surprising mix of design styles featured.
Many of the interiors are what you would expect with flowery, guilded classic and contemporary furnishings and decorations that I don’t even know the proper term for, mixed in with a few really cool interiors that could be found in Dwell or Met Home. Most of this is contemporary modern, but some are filled with MCM wares. To be fair, most of these furnishings are either Design Within Reach new production versions of the classics or items placed in as cute “flea market finds”, but it’s still impressive the amount to which the Eames era is represented in the magazine.
The issue includes Blenko glass, an Eames fiberglass arm shell chair, Nelson swag leg desk (reissue), Nelson bench, Dansk and other teak pepper mills, 70s cocktail shaker (I actually have the same one), Emeco Chairs, Eames side shell chairs, Prouve chairs, Eames side table, vintage Jacobsen knockoff chair, danish teak candlesticks, and a ton of mid-century ceramic and other small pieces.
Now, I’m not suggesting that O at Home would be an awesome resource for those interested in modernism or even great interior design, although it did seem to have a wide variety of ideas. However, it’s interesting how much the mid century look has permeated our society that a mainstream publication like this uses it so much – and mixed in with so many other “looks”. Modern chairs and the like have always remained popular in advertising and fashion shoots, but the sub-text that they might be a viable choice for the middle American housewife is out in full force – perhaps for the first time since these designs came out.
By the way, Fjord was in the Sept issue of O, so I wasn’t able to find it. Anyone see that one?
