I think I'm in love: Russel Wright

By amorcitos

If you're a married man, you know what being a "dead man" feels like. But Russel Wright is, literally, a dead man. And no, I'm not a pervert. It's his work I love.

My husband (a non-corpse, thank God) and I went to a modernism auction in Denver last month, and just for kicks I bid on a set of Russel Wright dishes. Kind of hodge-podge, but I didn't care. All I really wanted was to try my hand at an auction. Totally by accident, we fell in love.

rwdishes And now we're hooked. In fact, I've been adding pieces ever since. We'll soon have enough to entertain with this 6-person, 6-pc place settings (see left) from a family who'd owned them for 60+ years. Ah, nostalgia.

So now we'll have more pieces for entertaining and we won't fall for the supersized-plate portions of today's dishware. Should help w/the holiday weight gain.

Sad thing is, our kitchen still isn't started. Feels like we'll be under construction forever. But we're still pumped about what it's all gonna look like. I think the IKEA Hallarum fiasco (how I wish I'd never laid eyes on you, Hal!) was actually good for us, making us take a second look at how we want to use our space.

The short version of the long view:

Radiant heat flooring (yay!)
Continuous-grate gas cooktop
Custom-made cabinet doors atop IKEA Akurum cabinet boxes
Custom-made banquette for extra seating near the bar
More to come...

Tagged:
reno 1950s ranch kitchen diy

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February 05, 2007

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Juvenilemike

February 07, 2007

I see what you've done. You've played the ol' "post an intresting link to make people think I'm awesome" game. It's fun and can score some real points, but ultimately you risk the wraith when people either a) get confused or b)hate you for not being who they thought you were. Heck sometimes both happen.

Of course, having a cute avatar is a get out of jail free card with these things, so you're lucky. :p

amorcitos

February 07, 2007

I guess I should clarify that the fiasco (I should have linked here, too: http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/fansite-updates-announcements/3576-hallarum-cabinet-fyi.html) ) is Ikea's sudden stop on production of Hallarum. Beautiful design, but they found quality control issues w/that design. Rumors flew re: child labor, but I think it was a quality issue.

Lots of customers moved to the Adel design (too traditional for our taste) and others to the Nexus Brown/Black, which I think is now in shortage (http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/got-questions/4626-any-word-yet-nexus-brown-black.html).

So Juvenilemike, while I wish we could take credit for the hallarum you see in the pics, those belong to someone else...wanted to show the look we were after. Sorry if I misled you!

Erinn: You are so right--the RWDesign Center site kept me busy for a recent Sat afternoon! I just got a couple of RW's books...Guide to Easier Living and Russell Wright's Menu Cookbook. Timeless and beautiful.

This guy had a corner on Martha Stewart's market before she was born.

Juvenilemike

February 06, 2007

Is that your kitchen on the Hallarum link? It's amazing. Sounds like you're not happy with it though? I'm so impressed with how ambitious it seems and yet you kicked butt.

jasimar

February 06, 2007

Hallarum... it's fabs, right? They released it 2 seconds after I'd purchased a full set of Nexus Oak (I wanted Birch, but I had to let DH get his way on something, I suppose). Oh Hallarum... *le sigh*

erinn

February 06, 2007

Have you checked out the website for the Russel Wright Design Center? There are great photos here of his portfolio and here of the actual house. I go to the site frequently to dream and drool. Seriously. I have a small collection of RW dinnerware pieces made up of originals and some Oneida reissues.

Good luck with the kitchen project!

Keter

February 06, 2007

I love the Russel Wright dishes, too...so simple. I did a quick web search and turned up several places that sell his stuff.

Out of curiosity and interest in self-preservation, what was the "Hallarum fiasco"? I am looking at Ikea cabinets (leaning toward Akurum in medium brown stain) for my kitchen, too, and want to do some of the doors in interesting sheets of stained glass (uncut monolithic pieces), so it sounds like our tastes might be similar. ;o)