Does anybody else match their interior decor/furniture to their gear? Pics.

[JohnVF]

Cool cabinet. I'm still keeping my eye out for a more vintage gear cabinet than what I have.

Ah, Kloss...I have KLH 17s around somewhere, must be in storage. Great speakers. I also had the model twenty system last year, but sadly without the pedestals shown here (this isn't mine, but I found this picture particularly inspiring when putting my place together).

NOT MINE>wish it was.

It looked cool but better gear pushed it out of the way and it got lumped in with a bunch of gear I traded for an Arc SP-3a1. I still have the model 27 and model 52 receivers, and KLH Sixes, which I love. Kloss designs always seemed to have an eye for aesthetics as well as an ear for sound. The Advent 300 is one of the coolest receivers ever made. Reminds me of his earlier model 27 that I had. They sometimes fill in for the A25s pictured with the Mac1900. I just traded my Advents for an HDMI capable DVD player (I needed it more than I needed another pair of speakers, I swear). There's been a lot of walnut veneer in here! Still is, actually. I have a stack of receiver in walnut cabs on a shelf in the closet. It's not all minimalist organization around here...careful hiding of the clutter...

 

[Sam Cogley]

I don't know if it's still there, but a local flea market had one of the "Prisoner" style spherical fiberglass chairs for $1300, with the ottoman. White fiberglas, orange leather. Freakin' cool...no space and no budget for it, though.

 

[eThink]

Henry Kloss Design Aesthetics

Kloss designs always seemed to have an eye for aesthetics as well as an ear for sound. The Advent 300 is one of the coolest receivers ever made. Reminds me of his earlier model 27 that I had.

I am proud to be a fan of Henry Kloss' work in audio and video.

Henry Kloss reused designs ftom KLH to Advent to Cambridge Audio to Tivoli. He especially like to use "vernier" tuning dials (round dials) and not "linear" tuning dials (straight line). The design of the Advent 300 and 350 receivers (circa 1970 and 1980s) is clearly related to the KLH 27 receiver (circa 1960s).

Here is an old AK link about table radios designed by and inspired by Henry Kloss http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4914

Unfortunately, the attached pictures have been lost :sigh:

 

[RayW]

I really would like to know if anybody else matches vintage furniture to their gear, though.

I don't have that kind of eye for style. I also have kids of 4, 5, and 7 so "nice" stuff doesn't happen much around here. When they get old enough to not run through the house full throttle maybe we'll talk. But for the most part, our furnishings are analogous to Gilda Radner's take on fashion, "I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch."

but my girlfriend is very much a kid at heart, too, but lives in her own place. She loves stereo stuff, too. Some members here have met her so I swear I'm not making that up.

True on all counts. She's a lovely individual and has a very good ear for musical nuance.

Ray

 

[eThink]

KLH 27 ad from 1968

I still have the model 27 and model 52 receivers, and KLH Sixes, which I love. Kloss designs always seemed to have an eye for aesthetics as well as an ear for sound. The Advent 300 is one of the coolest receivers ever made. Reminds me of his earlier model 27 that I had.

I think that Henry Kloss' engineering and design values are well reflected in this ad for the KLH 27 receiver from 1968.

 

[JohnVF]

My KLH Sixes came with a KLH 27. They came from an Estate sale and belonged to a really interesting lady who never married but traveled the world, collecting art, books, and interesting items along the way...she had taste, and it was fitting she came home to a Model 27, Model 6 pairing. Her brother was there, and said she loved the stereo system and had it since new, and never wanted to replace it.

 

[JohnVF]

I don't have that kind of eye for style.

Ray

If you notice, almost everything in my apartment is in some shade of brown (with some green and orange). I still haven't figured out color theory. It just takes time and trial and error. I've been collecting odd bits of furniture for ten years...you should have seen my place at the start!

 

[eThink]

KLH 20 Plus

I also had the model twenty system last year, but sadly without the pedestals shown here (this isn't mine, but I found this picture particularly inspiring when putting my place together).

NOT MINE>wish it was.
.

That is a nice looking KLH 20 Plus system.

Here are some original advertisements for the KLH 20 plus.

Note the chair featured in the last attachment. It really is an example of 1960s contemporary furniture. I think the KLH 20+ design has stood the test of time :thmbsp: ; that chair has failed the test. :thumbsdn:

The flat panel speakers are KLH 9 Electrostatics, offered by KLH from 1964 thru 1968. MSRP for a pair was $2995!

 

[Sam Cogley]

the Brown Elephant, which is the Chicago diversity-thrift (gay and lesbian not for profit..

In this part of the world, that would probably get firebombed.

One piece of furniture that would have to be stolen from me at gunpoint is my horrific gold La-Z-Boy. It belonged to my cousin's grandparents, is at least 35 years old, and I've had to dismantle it once because the back supports shattered. It's the most comfortable piece of furniture that I've ever encountered - and it matches nothing else that's ever been made. Needless to say, it's my TV/music chair.

 

[JohnVF]

Note the chair featured in the last attachment. It really is an example of 1960s contemporary furniture. I think the KLH 20+ design has stood the test of time :thmbsp: ; that chair has failed the test. :thumbsdn:

The flat panel speakers are KLH 9 Electrostatics, offered by KLH from 1964 thru 1968. MSRP for a pair was $2995!

That's the "Bird Chair" designed by Harry Bertoia, one of the many now-iconic chairs from mid-century. I've seen it work, but only while I was in Palm Springs California, where everything else fit the look. And it costs more than the KLH-9s, new...its still made. I actually like it, but only in the context of a place that is all-decked out in the same pop-mod style. It wouldn't work with danish modern, me thinks.

I'd love KLH 9s, though.

I never realized how much deeper the 20-plus speakers were than the standard model 20s.

 

[JohnVF]

In this part of the world, that would probably get firebombed.

One piece of furniture that would have to be stolen from me at gunpoint is my horrific gold La-Z-Boy. It belonged to my cousin's grandparents, is at least 35 years old, and I've had to dismantle it once because the back supports shattered. It's the most comfortable piece of furniture that I've ever encountered - and it matches nothing else that's ever been made. Needless to say, it's my TV/music chair.

Nothing wrong with a comfortable chair! I tossed my last couch, also mid-century design, in the alley because it was so damn uncomfortable. Not sure what happened to it, don't care. It was red velvet, though...swanky. Some modern stuff is not made to sit on apparently.

The Brown Elephant's in the Chicago Neighborhood called Boystown...if anybody tried to do anything to it they wouldn't get far. if they're straight and in that neighborhood, they're VASTLY outnumbered. It's right by Wrigley Field, though, and people generally get along with each other on the North Side of town. The South Side, well, only 15 people were shot their the other night. But I found my Sony's on the south side, so I'll brave it now and then.

 

[Designdweeb]

John, cool stuff all around. Great, clean designs for small spaces, and most people take it that for granted. I like that you integrated the projection screen with the small space, makes more sense than a CRT, or a flat screen. Many mid century period houses had movie screens like that permanently installed. Your other accessory pieces are pretty good, too.
In a one bedroom apt., I'm working my way out of Ikeaville, which if it was built better, isn't really bad design, and into the better quality original mid century pieces, after I left all the really cool stuff in my separation.
So far, yard sale finds include a Knoll credenza, Milo Baughman recliner, Rakks shelving system, a few generic dressers, and some audio equipment is on deck.
After I paint, get the shelves up, and unpack boxes, I have an AR TT, a MacIntosh 1700 receiver, needing a work over, and 4 KLH 17's, Dahlquist DQM5s, Ohm C2s, and a few other toys.

 

[JohnVF]

John, cool stuff all around. Great, clean designs for small spaces, and most people take it that for granted. I like that you integrated the projection screen with the small space, makes more sense than a CRT, or a flat screen. Many mid century period houses had movie screens like that permanently installed. Your other accessory pieces are pretty good, too.
In a one bedroom apt., I'm working my way out of Ikeaville, which if it was built better, isn't really bad design, and into the better quality original mid century pieces, after I left all the really cool stuff in my separation.
So far, yard sale finds include a Knoll credenza, Milo Baughman recliner, Rakks shelving system, a few generic dressers, and some audio equipment is on deck.
After I paint, get the shelves up, and unpack boxes, I have an AR TT, a MacIntosh 1700 receiver, needing a work over, and 4 KLH 17's, Dahlquist DQM5s, Ohm C2s, and a few other toys.

At that rate of yardsale luck, you won't be in ikea-land long! And that's the perfect system for it. I still have Ikea..two expedit shelves for records behind the couch, seen in the pictures...they're excellent for their purpose. And one holds the projector as well. Not bad for whatever cheap price they charge now. I'm headed their tomorrow to by flowerpots and more storage boxes. Great store for such things, though I've had it with anything they sell that you can sit on. I move a lot, and it typically doesn't survive moves well. I work near Design Within Reach and I go there to drool, but so far they only managed to convince me to buy my bed there. I doubt I'd ever have found a Japanese super-low-platform bed at Salvation Army.

The retractable screen is the newest addition, only a couple weeks ago, and it let me rearrange the whole place. I had a plasma before (still do, up the stairs) and it was better than a CRT looks-wise but still took up space I wanted to use for stereo systems as it had a table-stand. The projector and screen saved the day (and decor), and movies feel like movies now. And when I retract it with th projector on, the rest of the apartment becomes a weird psychedelic light show, as the whole back half becomes the 'screen'. I was wary at first about it being my TV but I don't watch that much anyway. It's completely ridiculous, which is one reason I like it so much.

 

[Sam Cogley]

John, the thought just struck me that you might appreciate this piece - it's an original Lux from around 1962, but the corded AC motor was in a bad way when I got it. A modern AA-powered quartz movement has since been installed with the original hands (except the second hand, it came with the quartz kit). I still have the motor around here, somewhere, in case I get a bug up my ass to find someone who can fix it. Right now it's keeping great time and I don't have a cord hanging down my wall.

The picture doesn't really give a good idea of size - the arms are something like 27" in diameter.

 

[JohnVF]

John, the thought just struck me that you might appreciate this piece.

Of course I dig that. Spindle clocks are great. I've been thinking of hunting one down for where the V for Vendetta poster is in the Fisher gear picture. It was given to me by the movie's director..but it's no mid-century spindle clock, which I've wanted for a long time. I'm going estate sale-ing tomorrow, maybe I'll find one? I always see small ones. I could just bite the bullet and buy this:

http://www.dwr.com/product/accessories/clocks/nelson-spindle-clock.do?sortby=ourPicks

...but that's money out of the audio budget and I have my eye on some BBC monitors.

 

[JohnVF]

Which reminds me..why do they call it Design Within Reach when a clock is $500? Is it just because I can walk there from work? It's in physical reach, if not financially?

 

[Sam Cogley]

I paid $22 for that Lux in a thrift store in nowhereville, MO. Every once in a while they turn up something interesting. That Design Within Reach clock is a great design, but it certainly isn't cheap.

Another cool piece of vintage modern wall art that will be hung up sometime, when I have more wall space, is an original blueprint for the Ramond Lowey-designed Missouri Pacific "Eagle" passenger train paint scheme. To go with it, I have an original 8x10 B&W glossy of the first train, with a label on the back from Lowey's firm - they sent it to one of the railroad trade publications.

The "V For Vendetta" poster is awesome - and if the director gave it to you, you certainly have a more interesting job than me, or at least know more interesting people. On that note, I have three posters hanging over my DVD cabinets, one of which is an "atomic era" classic - a reprint of the original "Forbidden Planet" poster.

I need to try to get a non-flash picture of the wall housing my stereo gear. Under the clock is the Pink Floyd "Back Catalog" poster - a UK original in the full Underground advertisement size. Framing it was a nightmare, but the end result is great. No one walks into my house without making a positive comment about that poster.

Another clashing aesthetic I have scattered around are reprints of vintage French advertising posters. I recently found a framed 1930s Pathe records reprint in a thrift for $0.25. It's next to the Pink Floyd poster.

I'm still kicking myself for letting a very cool mid-century dinette set get away from me at an auction a few weeks ago. It had four chairs, a round table and two table leaves, all in great shape. For some reason I quit bidding at $45.

 

[JohnVF]

Is that the Pink Floyd poster with all the girls backs with the cover art? Seriously cool, especially subway size. I have a big collection of Joy Division posters but no room for them, and none of them that big. Really cool.

At Salvation Army a month ago my girlfriend spotted a WALL SIZE framed picture of '20s starlet Louise Brooks, printed in hi-res on masonite board. We had to tie it on the car, as it was 6' high! We were going to bring it here, but it wouldn't have made the 10 mile journey and her place was down the road.

I had coffee with the director for V for Vendetta (James McTigue) as part of my job.. I'm an advertising creative director, and we work with film directors to shoot commercials. They try to get to know us to get work, and we like to get a feel for whether they're arrogant and hard to work with..he wasn't. He was extremely nice and sent the signed poster without me having to even ask..I'd told him i really respected the film, and we'd talked about it at length.

 

[TAGO MAGO]

Actually that stuff is very much in vogue right now. If you go into some of the more chic furniture stores, you see very good reproductions of that stuff. If you go into the wrong stores, though, you see the original stuff like you have selling for quite some high dollars.

Danish modern is timeless and will always be in style. Well done. :tresbon:

 

[TAGO MAGO]

Note the chair featured in the last attachment. It really is an example of 1960s contemporary furniture. I think the KLH 20+ design has stood the test of time :thmbsp: ; that chair has failed the test. :thumbsdn:

Hold on there, I like that chair!!!