BreezyBlock Rocks - Page 2

Tatar has been designing and manufacturing original reproduction furniture, lighting, art, and design pieces since the '90s, and has produced designs for a diverse lineup of clients, from L'Oreal and Nordstrom to the Playboy Mansion and the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. He also operates a mid-century modern furnishing online storefront, Modern HQ.

The two partners bring their three decades of design and manufacturing experience to BreezyBlock, admittedly their first venture into the arena of screen block retailing.

"Doug and I created our own designs, molds, and tooling," says Tatar, and have partnered with ARTO, a manufacturer of custom tile, brick, and architectural designs, based in Los Angeles since 1966. Each design has its own distinctive mid-century modern look—from Oculus, a symmetrical honeycomb pattern; to Circulus, a three-dimensional overlay; to Brutus, a design with Cubist overtones.

The partners have been anticipating the launch of BreezyBlock for the past several years, but hit a familiar stall in 2020. "Due to the pandemic, essential conventions for marketing the product were put on hold," says Griffith. "So we took this time to refine our tooling and manufacturing processes. Now the line is ready to go."

When considering screen block for a mid-century modern home, BreezyBlock's Griffith encourages interested parties to think outside the contemporary box and reference vintage Sunset magazines and other postwar architectural sources. The history of screen block opens the door to many uses, he adds.

"Internal room divisions, hiding pool equipment and air conditioners, single-sided wall decoration, bar backs, decorative wall capping, topper bricks for planter boxes—you name it," Griffith points out. And several designs show a different look when positioned horizontally, vertically, and even in alternating arrangements to suit one's personal taste.

As hollow concrete masonry, BreezyBlock products are manufactured from Portland cement, available in numerous textures, and most colors can be custom ordered. They are based on industry-standard 12x12x4 dimensions, with weights varying based on the block selected. Price for two-sided block is $39.99 each, single-sided $15.99 each.

Another unique ModFab offering is their 'Curb Appeal' mailbox structure, a screen-block mailbox kit, available as both an inline and a 'T' configuration. Kits are priced at $899 plus shipping.

BreezyBlock can be ordered in small or large quantities, and shipped anywhere in the continental U.S., FOB Gardena, California. Click here for the BreezyBlock website. To make an appointment to see ARTO's new factory showroom, visit their website.