Cool, Cool Colors of Winter - Page 2

The same might be said of most mid-century modern homeowners, and restoration consultant Adriene Biondo affords them that opportunity for individualism with her two stories in the new CA-Modern about modernist lamps and shades.

In ‘Swayed by the Shade,’ Biondo profiles three artists who create hip shades to complement vintage lamps, including Rob Fine of Meteor Lights in San Francisco.

“People are often surprised when they learn I can match almost any color,” Fine says of his arty fiberglass shades, “with the understanding that color coming from a back- or ambient-lit, translucent, textured material reads differently than it does on opaque upholstery and walls.”

The story is accompanied by Adriene’s sidebar dedicated to 12 suppliers of spiffy lamps and shades titled ‘Let There Be Light…and Shade.’

“Mid-century inspired vendors are producing lamps, fixtures, and shades in a rainbow of fresh colors and updated patterns,” she writes. “From icons to eco-friendly products, there’s something to complement your vintage décor or contemporary interior.”

Such illuminating products will no doubt catch the eye of some homeowners interviewed by Weinstein for another of his stories for the Winter ’20 issue. They own the 28 Eichlers on tree-shrouded Lyons Street in Redwood City.

“The camphor trees that line Lyons Street—which, in its entirety, is a single block—may define it today, but they did not create the aspect of this row of homes that most makes it special,” writes Dave in ‘Call of the Canopy,’ explaining, “It’s a street of friends.”

“We really do have a community here on the street,” Lyons resident Julie Paiva tells him. “We all have something in common: we all love our houses, we like our street.”

The new CA-Modern also includes a pair of stories by this writer, including the latest installment of our ‘Unsung Masters’ series, this time recognizing ten architects and designers who achieved masterful things employing the whimsical style called Googie. The other one, ‘City of Noir,’ celebrates the mid-century crime movies that came to be known as film noir, with a focus on those made in San Francisco.

“It’s always had an air of mystery about it,” says Eddie Muller, a native of the City who created and hosts the annual Noir City film festival at the Castro Theatre. “In terms of crime films, it was perfect.”

So it’s true: From purple plates to evergreens, there’s a broad literary spectrum with a shade for everyone who looks into the Winter ’20 issue of CA-Modern magazine.