Frances Elkins was one of the most influential female designers in the 20th century. She did not have any formal education. Her brother was David Alder who was an architect. She collaborated with her brother on 15 homes in California. She has often been called "the first greatest California decorator". She also created the famous loop chair.

Elkins (see Architectural Digest, January 2000) was born in Milwaukee, the younger sister of the renowned Chicago architect David Adler. When Adler studied architecture at the école des Beaux-Arts in Paris, from 1908 to 1911, Elkins joined him on forays throughout Europe, where they met several architects and designers who were inaugurating their own careers. She was drawn especially to the work of Jean-Michel Frank, the French interior and furniture designer, and Alberto Giacometti, the sculptor who designed fixtures for Frank. Eventually she would promote both of them through her California-based interior decorating business, which she established in 1918.
Elkins's career evolved shortly after she and her husband purchased Casa Amesti, a historic adobe in the seaside town of Monterey, California. Her friends were appalled when they saw the crumbling structure. Elkins, however, welcomed the challenge of restoring the 1830s building and assured her friends that once she and her brother applied their talents, the house would be transformed into the showplace of Northern California.
Adler and Elkins's unorthodox integration of diverse architectural styles and period pieces made Casa Amesti distinctive and original. For example, in the sala, on the second floor, the classical details that Adler added—a dentil cornice, fluted door casings and a pedimented overmantel purchased in England—were juxtaposed with the adobe's thick plastered walls and plank ceiling. The room's highly polished redwood floors served as a foundation for Elkins's harmonious mixture of English, French and Chinese furnishings, which she arranged symmetrically, in accordance with Adler's design principles. A strict palette of blue, yellow and white—her favorites—also unified the interior.

CURRENT APPLICATIONS

Notice how the modern day version has less to it meaning there are no cushions and there are more cut outs (holes on the seat). 
Also, below is a picture of a modern day interior with the application of the loop chair. This shows how the loop chair can be seen in a modern setting, contemporary setting or traditional setting especially because her interiors were more traditional based, so it is neat to see it in a modern day interior as well. 









EXTRA CREDIT VIDEOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLL09zbxlG0

https://vimeo.com/188222297







PEER REVIEWS:

Courtney: I like how you talked about Dorothy because she is one designer that really interests me. The photo of your modern day application is interesting to see how it relates back to her designs from the 1900's. 


Megan: I really liked the photos that you used to show Clodagh's design. The designs are neat because I have never seen anything like it. My favorite photo you showed was the second one because the lights are very intriguing. 

The Art Deco period began because of tension between functionalists and decorators. Functionalists valued function, simplicity, mass production and designing for the common person and social good whereas decorators valued labor intensive craftsmanship, elite market and did not have a concern with social theory. France was the point of origin. Fashion oriented style, and everything was strongly decorative. This period was influenced by Art Nouveau. The public acceptance was often hesitant. The essance of Art Deco design was on chevron shapes, zig-zags, large mirrors, and folding screens. Also, lighting fixtures called the attention to modern materials. The stepped profile of furniture suggest the architecture of skyscrapers. Furniture design was made of rich materials such as ebony, tortoise-shell, leather, polished metals, mirrors and glass.

One architect of this period was Michel Roux-Spitz. He was a French architect and the chief architect of Civil Buildings. His style was highly decorative. He also had a fashion oriented style that was not concerned with functionalism. His design patterns were influenced by cubism and African tribal art. The furniture profiles were stair stepped showing the popularity of the skyscraper.

Another designer that stood out to me was Eileen Gray. She focused on luxury and geometric lines. She studied and applied lacquered technique to furniture, and her furniture was mass produced. Interiors featured furniture covered with simple materials, sparse with the focus on tribal artwork. Eileen was the designer of the Bibendum arm chair, transat chair, smoking table and Art Deco Screen To the right are pictures of her famous chair and table.

Paul Frankl was a designer in the United States. He was an Austrian immigrant that was an architect and furniture maker. He extensively used the skyscraper profile in his furniture. He introduced the use of plywood instead of solid wood. He also introduced the use of rattan and bamboo in furniture design.

Something interesting about this period was the invention of the Radio. It helped carry Art Deco into every American home. Cabinets and consoles model radio receivers. They were made out of wood, slick and curving forms and no longer historically based. Black and chrome hinted at new technology.

Here are pictures of the interior of an Art Deco style interior compared to recent applications of the Art Deco style in a residential setting.

CURRENT APPLICATIONS

EXTRA CREDIT:

http://videos.hgtv.com/video/art-deco-style-0156888

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amVvYPU4Gw8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4-0q3rgZVg

PEER REVIEW:

Kendra: I like the images that you selected to show the Art Deco style from the 1900's compared to the Art Deco style today. My favorite picture is the one of the bathroom. You can really see the elements that bring out the Art Deco style such as the patterns and design on the floor.

Alexandra: I really enjoyed reading your blog because you looked at Art Deco and how it is seen throughout Chicago. It was interesting to read because the Merchandise Mart is one example of the Art Deco style in Chicago and we have been there. I never would have known until studying this design period. It is interesting to see the buildings and interiors that are incorporated with this style.