Prelude to Standard Home
While some business owners sell a product to simply make a living, with
little or no emotional attachment or deep interest in what they are selling
and how they sell their product, I knew somehow my creative business life had to be
different than that to have staying power. The clincher for me was not
only the hunt for the beautiful old piece of furniture (which is a big
one), but the constant learning curve up-swings, the desire to dig deeper
for more information, both regarding small business management, as well as
design research, and finally, genuinely, understanding the rich historical
context in regards to the furniture I sell.
I knew if I sold new furniture, contemporary reproductions, and things you
can buy at Target, Urban Outfitters, and IKEA, Standard Home would not
gather the interest and customers it has and continues to attract. Thus, my
commitment to oldies but goodies prevails. As the excess of new fangled
furniture and doo-dads (some well built, some not) fills every temporary
glossy one syllable design magazine, the burden of proof lies not on me. As
every revival bounces off that page and into the shops up and down the
street, the vintage road becomes wider, the vintage seeking customer base
stronger, and my gas bill higher. I wouldn't trade my freedom, the
beautiful old things I regard and sell, the knowledge I have, or the
company I keep for a million bucks.
Welcome to Standard Home
Standard Home is stocked with classics, such as designs by Ray and Charles
Eames for Herman Miller, Edward Wormley for Dunbar (perhaps my favorite and
I know I am in good company here), Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb,
Italian Plastic designs by Vico Magistretti, Heywood Wakefield signature
pieces, a plethora of Danish Modern Furniture by the Big Cheeses, and the
early designs of Florence Knoll and Russel Wright. Along side you will find
pedigree-less furniture that grabbed my attention just as quickly; organic
material from my friend and shopkeeper Burton's escapades to the
Philippines square up with heavier than thou basalt rock chunks serving as
side tables. You'll always find a thing or two that seems peculiar, but
most things that appear unrelated are frequently not.
Some days, when it is quiet in my little store and the air is still, I look
out from behind the counter and wonder how any customer can dare see the
important detail of this or that, stacked three furniture stories high. Regardless, with a little
patience and an eye like a hawk, every Standard Home customer, whether
browser or buyer, leaves a little more inspired after each visit.
Our generous layaway and rental policies allow both beginning collectors
and interior and production designers easy access to Standard Home's
vintage modern furniture. Our shop staff will be focused on you, not on
Ebay and the computer (in fact, I hope I never have a computer on the sales
floor), and will take your personal requests seriously. A constant exchange
of information happens here, as both we at Standard Home and our customers
follow our intuition with an increased understanding of how we want to live
in our homes and with what (and with whom?). Without one ounce of
pretension, a deep appreciation for all those brilliant ideas that came
long before us, and plain old good design without the trappings, Standard
Home is Seattle's source for vintage modern furniture.
According to Stylist, Lynn Clark:
"Standard Home is an important local source, with connections.
Whether it's
a vintage light fixture, table, dresser, chair or sofa, this is where I
find variety, as well as quality. The store's strength points to it's
people. From the owner, Laura's aesthetic in what she chooses to sell, to
the staff's diverse backgrounds. They easily share their knowledge or
additional source information about a piece. There is a calmness amongst
the staff; a focus that is a real benefit to the work I do".
What's In Store?
The interior of Standard Home stems from years of thumbing through expired
design books, looking at slides in my childhood Viewmaster of the Northern
California Redwoods, and always being drawn to organic things that are too
heavy for me to lift.
The tumbleweed hanging in the store is my simple homage to Ray Eames, one of
many prolific women who designed important and beautiful furniture,
textiles, toys, and films, as women do with perhaps less than deserved
recognition. The row of concrete breeze blocks reminded me of affordable
patio partitions, made fun of recently by an aquaintance of mine, but
realized to their full extent by well known architects in warmer climates.
The rough hewn walnut shelving reminded me of both the sought after pieces
of vintage furniture by George Nakashima as well as every man in their
basement in the early 1970's trying to produce their own "nomadic"
furniture. The dash of flagstone made perfect sense, what, with all those
banks and restaurants still standing as the final salute to midcentury
architecture, and yet another opportunity to bring the outside in.
Bank On Vintage
One of the many virtues of investing your money, and knowledge, into
vintage modern furniture is the long term investment value. I recently
appreciated an ad Sotheby's printed that portrayed an older woman, with cat
eye glasses, shoving a classic painting into her shopping cart that stated
"Wise Customers Invest In Originals". With vintage classics, like a
good
piece of land or a good home, your investment will only appreciate; while
trends and style may fade as quickly as the dot-commers in this town, with
Standard Home's selection of vintage modern furniture, you're not sitting,
literally, on soft money. While my corporate friends watch their stocks
with a sweaty brow, both Standard Home customers and I find solace as we
sink into our favorite vintage modern chair at the end of the day.
According to Northwest Interior Designer, Larry Hooke:
"Laura at Standard Home is the quintessential source for midcentury modern
in the Pacific Northwest. Her knowledge and impeccable eye for presenting
exciting merchandise in stylish settings offers a perfect venue for
seasoned collectors as well as enthusiastic beginners".
Catch Me If You Can
There is no resting on my laurels in this business; as Standard Home
garners local and national recognition, I continue to clock the miles and
bring home beautiful vintage modern furniture and sometimes not so
beautiful stories from the road (click on Roadtrip for even more unbearable
details).
For more Standard Home references please see the following
publications:
Seattle's Best Places 1996
Seattle Magazine May 1998
House Beautiful April 1999
Travel & Leisure April 1999
Paper Magazine June 1999
Seattle Magazine July/August 2000
Harper's Bazaar August 2000
Seattle Magazine September 2000
Seattle Magazine November 2000
Casa Brutus (Japanese) January 2001
Paper Magazine January 2001
Collector's Compass 50's Decor Book 2000
Lucky. Magazine April 2001
Citisearch.com, Best Nominee, Summer 2001
Wallpaper Magazine October 2001
Editorial "Best Of" Nominee, Citysearch.com 2002
Seattle Magazine, July 2002
