Reprint & Interplan.

I was very pleased to find out that Lesley Jackson's Robin & Lucienne Day: Pioneers of Contemporary Design is being reprinted & will be out in August.  Definitely a must to pre-order.

Meanwhile I've been making a folder of other Robin Day items I'd like to attempt in 1:16, which includes the following:

• Interplan storage unit 
• Slatted bench/coffee table 
• Interplan sideboard

The Slatted bench/coffee table is listed as being by Brianco in the style of Robin Day here, but as a rare Hille piece designed by Day here.  My guess is the latter, either way, I love it. It's similar to George Nelson's Platform Bench, but with the lovely metal legs as seen on the Interplan storage unit that Christie's sold.

The sofa behind the bench at the twentyfirstcenturyretro link is also by Day - a daybed he designed for Hille.  It reminds me a lot of the sectional daybeds from the lovely 1958 Mattel Modern studio set.

I have about half of the Mattel Modern items produced, but only 1 of the sectional daybeds - which isn't in the best shape. It came in a cheap lot (which all my Mattel Modern items are from) that I bought over 5 years ago, most of the items were in good shape, but the daybed had lost its back & the seat cushion.

The Mame's don't care anyway, it's far too big for them.

Robin Day's Form Group modular seating.

For a few days I've been thinking i'd really like to try & make Robin Day's Form Group modular seating in 1:16 scale. Considering I've never made any miniature (or otherwise) furniture, it may be a tall order, but it's a simple shape at least.


       
Ideal Home magazine commissioned Day to design a living room (which appeared in their February 1960 issue) & this included Modulus, a range of modular seating, which was later renamed to Form Group when Hille began to manufacture it.

The Form Group seating has 8 basic elements:

• 3 black steel frames (4'8", 7' & 9'4")
• chair unit
• seat unit
• table top (which came in white or black melamine, teak or mahogany veneer)
• cabinet (which came in teak or mahogany veneer, & had a lift up lid)
• chair arm

So far all I've done is work out the measurements & convert to 1:16.  I think they're right - they're close to the dimensions of a vintage 1:16 couch I have.  I'm going to try making a mock-up in thick paper or card first, see how it looks, & make any adjustments if necessary, then if all is well, try making it in basswood.  I don't have any fancy tools - just the basics, blades, sandpaper, etc, but I'm hoping that will be enough for something that is all straight lines & simple shapes.

I thought the cushions might be tricky (being quite slim on the original seating anyway) but the box the Lundby Gothenberg arrived in had a load of polystyrene plates in it for padding (amongst other things) & I think they're the perfect thickness for the cushions (just 4mm thick) so I'm glad I saved them & didn't just throw them out.