Where the Internet Clinches the Sale
Design Within Reach opens in Santa Monica next week, but you still have to order via the Web
By JANET EASTMAN
Thursday August 15, 2002
DON'T be fooled by the furnishings inside Design Within Reach's first Southern California studio, which opens next week in Santa Monica. Yes, you can see the mail-order company's collection of Arco floor lamps, feel the smooth leather on a Le Corbusier chaise longue and get a price quote on the Eileen Gray adjustable table, but you can't take anything home.
You can, however, "test drive" the 200 pieces of contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories on display, and then place an order via the company's Web site by using the studio's computer or returning home to yours.
Sound inconvenient? That's not what Rob Forbes had in mind when he launched Design Within Reach three years ago to sell high-quality reproductions of classic modern furniture as well as licensed designs and exclusive new pieces directly to the public. Most of what is seen in the company's studios, catalogs and Web site is typically found in showrooms open only to design professionals, and can take four or more weeks to be installed in a home or office. Design Within Reach ships in half that time.
Chairs dominate the Oakland-based company's offerings. There's a seating gallery with 100 different chairs and stools mounted on the studio's main wall. "Putting them on the wall reminds us that each product is a free-standing piece of art," explains manager Fabiola Zambon. "Lots of our customers were art history majors, and they find design meaningful in their lives. We're in the business of making it accessible to them and still staying true to the design. They appreciate that."
As with the company's three studios in the Bay Area, events such as wine and chair tastings, product reviews, lectures and book signings are planned for the studio, 332-A Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. For more information, (310) 899-6000; www.dwr.com.
Sharing the Promenade
A block from the Design Within Reach studio on the Third Street Promenade is Hennessey + Ingalls, an independent bookstore that specializes in the visual arts. Manager Douglas Woods says the store, which has been on Santa Monica's pedestrian promenade for 20 years, has always catered to artists, architects, set designers and students, but he's seen an increased interest from the general public in art books. "There's a phenomenon of people from all walks of life who are becoming obsessed with design, and their awareness of design history is impressive," he says. "The success of [nearby contemporary design] stores like Ultra House at Dom and Knoll is reflective of people's interest in shaping their personal space."
Hennessey + Ingalls, which houses thousands of new and rare books, is at 1254 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 458-9074, www.hennes seyingalls.com. Ultra House at Dom is at 1245-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, (310) 656-1122, www.ultrahouseonline.com; Knoll is at 214 W. Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 289-5800, www.knoll .com.
Reinventing the Ordinary
Visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles' California Plaza huddle around the display, cock their heads to one side and ask, "What is it?" They're not talking about a Warhol painting, in the main galleries through Sunday, but about a dish drainer in the museum store.
Futuristic designer Marc Newson's Dish Doctor ($65) is made of molded plastic and presented in such color combinations as soft white and light blue, or bold orange and green. There are two silverware holders and rows for dishes.
The Australian-born Newson, who was trained as a sculptor, has built a reputation on changing the appearance of ordinary objects without sacrificing their usefulness or durability.
"Marc Newson is the hottest designer in terms of household items," says Grant Breding, director of retail operations at MOCA. "His simple designs translate well to people-oriented products like doorstops and hair dryers, but it's never obvious what they are. Even though we've carried his dish drainer for a while, I still take enjoyment in being in the store and overhearing people wonder what it is."
The Museum of Contemporary Art is at 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 621-2766; bookstore, (213) 621-1710, www.moca.org.