'Mad' style at home and workSunday, August 16, 2009 When it comes to the AMC television series "Mad Men," the meticulous set decor is almost as captivating as the story line. The show about Madison Avenue admen takes place in early 1960s New York, when around-the-clock cocktails, tie-neck blouses and tapered-leg furnishings were mainstream. Thanks to Banana Republic, you can dress the part, but we'd rather live "Mad" style, three-martini lunch optional, of course. In anticipation of the show's third-season premiere at 10 tonight, we asked David Marks, designer and proprietor of the 20th century design shop Room 4 in San Francisco's Mission District, to give us tips for integrating "Mad Men"-style vintage into the home. We also sought direction from Amy Wells, the show's set decorator. Wells, who refers to vintage copies of House Beautiful magazine as well as old Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs, often passes by the iconic stuff in favor of the reality of what most people purchased. You can do the same. "Don't only look for name brands because there's a lot of fabulous stuff out there that doesn't have a name attached and doesn't need a name attached to it," she says. "If you want to get the look, be very open-minded and don't limit yourself. There are wonderful things out there everywhere."
Design guides:
Room 4 is at 904 Valencia St., San Francisco; (415) 647-2764. room4.com.
The must-havesWe asked vintage dealers around San Francisco to name their ideal, must-have piece of midcentury furniture. Here's what they said: "The Papa Bear Chair by Hans Wegner is a really fabulous combination of straight lines. It's well designed to be sturdy, so a kid can be on each arm and then Dad can plop down in the middle. It's also so comfortable and so practical." - Melanie Shain, owner of Past Perfect, 2224 Union St. or 2246 Lombard St., San Francisco; (415) 929-7651
"Credenzas and cabinets. I just love the architectural aspect of them. We always look for pieces with clean lines, a (simple) look without a lot of ornate details. This is great because you can use it as a sideboard, a bookcase or an entrance piece." - Larry Martin, owner of Robollo Home at 1776 18th St., San Francisco; (415) 575-1776. robollo.com.
"The Eames Lounge Chair. It's the ultimate men's chair. It combines elegance with style and comfort." - Michael De Angelis, co-owner of Monument at 573 Valencia St., San Francisco; (415) 861-9800. monument.1stdibs.com. E-mail comments to home@sfchronicle.com. This article appeared on page L - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle |
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