104:
purchasing quality furniture directly from a variety of
American manufacturers and selling it at Smilow-Thielle retail outlets, they recognized they could eliminate the cost of middlemen and pass the savings on to their customers. Frustrated by the lack of available, good-quality modern design, Smilow began designing furniture for the company; with his acute interest in and eye for modern design, he soon became its sole designer. The business evolved, selling only exclusive modern designs focusing on clean lines, exquisite attention to detail, and carefully calculated proportions, and it brought an American perspective to the Scandinavian designs that were becoming so popular in the mid-twentieth century. Using American hardwoods, particularly walnut, oak, and birch, the Smilow-Thielle product line included chairs, sofas, tables, its trademark “floating” cabinets, bookshelves, lamps, and eventually, textiles used for upholstery and draperies. Large pieces, such as sofas, chairs and bookshelves, had finished backs, allowing them to be freestanding pieces in the open floor plans popular in mid-century America. Zippered fabric covers on loose cushions could be removed for dry cleaning or repair, a significant savings when compared with reupholstering or outright replacement. With the goal of producing furnishings that were functional, durable. By eliminating the middleman, Smilow's pieces were designed to become family heirlooms, yet sufficiently affordable for average Americans.
130:
138:
20:
183:
179:
aesthetic. During the 1970s, he developed a growing interest in
Japanese principles of art, specifically the concept of Shibui, the Japanese design philosophy. Eventually, he would create a Shibui collection of furnishings, which featured shoji screens, and finely detailed joinery on a simple floating platform bed, and accompanying low cabinets.
178:
and designed by Aaron
Resnick, one of Wright's students. Smilow loved the designs of the homes, which integrated the forms and proportions of the outside world with the design and functionality of their interiors. The simple shapes, clean lines, subtle details, and unobtrusive beauty appealed to his
120:
magazine, and in books that chronicled modern designs of the times, including six examples in
William Hennessey's Modern Furnishings for the Home. The Pratt Institute included an ottoman designed by Smilow in its 1955 exhibit of well-designed furniture available for under $ 25.00. In 1967, Smilow's
157:
In 1953, Smilow married Edith Kern, whom he had met at a furniture trade show where they were both exhibiting. Edith's family had owned the
Heinrich Kern furniture factory in Heilbronn, Germany. After immigrating to the United States and settling in New York City, her family opened Kern Interiors, a
145:
In 1969, Smilow and
Thielle dissolved their partnership. Smilow retained sole ownership of both the company, operating as Smilow, Corp. and later as Contemporary Classics, as well as his flagship store at Lexington Avenue and 64th Street. By 1981, he retired and closed the business, but continued to
30:(March 5, 1922 – December 26, 2002) was an American furniture designer, artist, and partner in Smilow-Thielle, a mid-twentieth-century firm producing affordable, modern furniture and other interior furnishings, with retail outlets located in the greater metropolitan New York area and Washington, DC.
103:
After an honorable discharge from the army, Smilow returned to his job selling furniture. In 1949, in partnership with a colleague, Morton
Thielle, he founded Smilow-Thielle, a manufacturer and retailer of modern furnishings. As they started their business, the partners saw a unique opportunity: by
190:
The ethos of Usonia served to underscore Smilow's belief, developed early on in his career, that beautiful furnishings should not be reserved for only the very affluent, but should be high-quality, durable pieces that meld form and function and provide regular working people with enduring modern
107:
As the Smilow-Thielle furnishings became increasingly popular, the number of their retail outlets increased: at its height, there were five Smilow-Thielle stores around the metropolitan New York area and one in
Washington, DC. For more than 30 years, the firm's flagship store was located on
86:
In 1944, Smilow enlisted in the army and after basic training was shipped to Europe, seeing action as an infantryman in the waning days of the war. Arriving in the French port of Le Havre, he travelled by train for two days in a box car until arriving in the
Belgian town of Malmedy, where he
54:
in 1939 with the intent of becoming a commercial artist. As a result of his father's death that year, he was forced to withdraw and go to work as the family's only breadwinner: at 17, he took over his father's position, selling wholesale furniture to retail stores in New York and
125:
in
Montreal. In 1988, Edward Fields Carpet Makers and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) awarded him first prize in their annual rug design competition for “Heartland,” with its textured and subtle geometric design.
158:
modern furnishings and interior decorating firm. The Smilows had two daughters, Pamela, born in 1956, and Judy, born in 1958, both of whom have become artists and designers in their own right.
95:, in the mountainous Ardennes region. Fighting in General Patton's Third Army during the grueling winter of 1944–1945, he was later awarded several medals including the Purple Heart for valor.
108:
Lexington Avenue between 64th and 65th Streets in Manhattan. Smilow-Thielle was also a regular advertiser in the Washington, DC newspapers and the front section of the Sunday
70:
that pervaded American culture at the time. (This had a lasting influence on Smilow's art and world view.) As a result, he was especially sensitive to the plight of the
149:
In May 2013 a collection of Smilow Furniture was re-introduced at the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York City and is once again available.
379:
74:
and the poor, and throughout his life championed causes that sought to end social inequality and discrimination in any form. He was proud that his employees were
538:
336:
146:
offer custom furniture, cushions, and covers to his loyal customers while he pursued his passion for sculpting, painting, and printmaking.
482:
465:
432:
543:
548:
78:
members, and he consistently incorporated the qualities of great design with affordability and durability in his furniture.
121:
Wooden Rocker, designed in 1960, was chosen as seating in the United States Pavilion, designed by Buckminster Fuller at
166:
Smilow and his family moved to Pleasantville, New York, in 1963 to live in Frank Lloyd Wright's planned community,
401:
50:, the son of Irving Smilowitz and Claire Benes. He attended New York City public schools and enrolled at the
318:
186:
The Smilow home in Usonia (above), and interior view including Mel Smilow's furniture and paintings (below).
508:
304:
533:
528:
92:
199:
On December 26, 2002, at the age of 81, Mel Smilow died after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
361:
457:
461:
428:
380:"Old is new again with Russel Wright and Mel Smilow as we add another R to our list: Reissue"
513:
88:
63:
47:
129:
51:
225:
112:
for over a decade. Examples of Smilow's furniture were featured in publications such as
450:
421:
522:
71:
67:
43:
167:
137:
56:
19:
182:
75:
133:
Smilow's Wooden Rocker, designed in 1960, and exhibited at Expo 67 in Montreal.
171:
278:. Reinhold Publishing Corporation. pp. 38, 49, 133, 186, 198, 207, 261.
39:
503:
122:
337:"50 YEARS IN THE MAKING: A MID-CENTURY MODERN MASTER DEBUTS AT ICFF"
181:
136:
128:
18:
452:
Usonia, New York: Building a Community with Frank Lloyd Wright
423:
Usonia, New York: Building a Community with Frank Lloyd Wright
170:. The Smilows purchased a home that had been built for
141:
Rush ottoman from the 1955 Pratt Institute exhibition.
449:
420:
263:(The Home): front cover, p. 9. September 28, 1975.
224:
218:
216:
214:
212:
8:
456:. Princeton Architectural Press. pp.
16:American furniture designer (1922 - 2002)
402:"Mid-Century Designer Focus: Mel Smilow"
87:witnessed the aftermath of the infamous
208:
483:"Usonia Community Remembers Its Past"
248:(Sunday Magazine): 16. July 17, 1966.
7:
62:Growing up during the years of the
23:Mel Smilow in New York, circa 1954
14:
481:Riklin, Scott (August 30, 1981).
427:. Princeton Architectural Press.
276:Modern Furnishings For The Home
259:"Preserving the Visible Past".
274:Hennessey, William J. (1956).
1:
539:American furniture designers
514:Inspiring Communities—Usonia
261:The New York Times Magazine
68:discrimination against Jews
565:
305:"Inventory of Mel Smilow"
448:Reisley, Roland (2001).
419:Reisley, Roland (2001).
544:Jewish American artists
223:H., S. (June 9, 1956).
91:and the carnage of the
38:Mel Smilow was born in
549:Pratt Institute alumni
244:"Steadfastly Walnut".
187:
142:
134:
24:
362:"Smilow at ICFF 2013"
325:. September 18, 1988.
293:. September 11, 1988.
185:
140:
132:
66:and experiencing the
22:
408:. July–August 2013.
319:"Westchester Guide"
289:"Designing Women".
246:The Washington Star
93:Battle of the Bulge
487:The New York Times
323:The New York Times
188:
176:The Boys of Summer
143:
135:
114:The New York Times
25:
504:Smilow® Furniture
174:, the author of
116:and discussed in
556:
491:
490:
478:
472:
471:
455:
445:
439:
438:
426:
416:
410:
409:
398:
392:
391:
389:
387:
376:
370:
369:
358:
352:
351:
349:
347:
333:
327:
326:
315:
309:
308:
301:
295:
294:
286:
280:
279:
271:
265:
264:
256:
250:
249:
241:
235:
234:
228:
220:
195:Death and legacy
89:Malmedy massacre
82:Military service
64:Great Depression
564:
563:
559:
558:
557:
555:
554:
553:
519:
518:
500:
495:
494:
480:
479:
475:
468:
447:
446:
442:
435:
418:
417:
413:
400:
399:
395:
385:
383:
378:
377:
373:
360:
359:
355:
345:
343:
335:
334:
330:
317:
316:
312:
303:
302:
298:
291:Chicago Tribune
288:
287:
283:
273:
272:
268:
258:
257:
253:
243:
242:
238:
222:
221:
210:
205:
197:
164:
155:
101:
84:
52:Pratt Institute
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
562:
560:
552:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
521:
520:
517:
516:
511:
506:
499:
498:External links
496:
493:
492:
473:
466:
440:
433:
411:
406:Dwell Magazine
393:
371:
353:
328:
310:
296:
281:
266:
251:
236:
231:The New Yorker
207:
206:
204:
201:
196:
193:
163:
160:
154:
151:
118:The New Yorker
110:New York Times
100:
97:
83:
80:
35:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
561:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
526:
524:
515:
512:
510:
509:Smilow Prints
507:
505:
502:
501:
497:
488:
484:
477:
474:
469:
467:9781568982458
463:
459:
454:
453:
444:
441:
436:
434:9781568982458
430:
425:
424:
415:
412:
407:
403:
397:
394:
382:. Tree Hugger
381:
375:
372:
367:
366:Homebuildlife
363:
357:
354:
342:
338:
332:
329:
324:
320:
314:
311:
306:
300:
297:
292:
285:
282:
277:
270:
267:
262:
255:
252:
247:
240:
237:
232:
227:
219:
217:
215:
213:
209:
202:
200:
194:
192:
184:
180:
177:
173:
169:
161:
159:
153:Personal life
152:
150:
147:
139:
131:
127:
124:
119:
115:
111:
105:
98:
96:
94:
90:
81:
79:
77:
73:
72:working class
69:
65:
60:
58:
53:
49:
45:
44:New York City
41:
33:
31:
29:
21:
486:
476:
451:
443:
422:
414:
405:
396:
384:. Retrieved
374:
365:
356:
344:. Retrieved
340:
331:
322:
313:
307:. The Annex.
299:
290:
284:
275:
269:
260:
254:
245:
239:
230:
198:
189:
175:
168:Usonia Homes
165:
156:
148:
144:
117:
113:
109:
106:
102:
85:
61:
57:Pennsylvania
37:
27:
26:
534:2002 deaths
529:1922 births
341:Dering Hall
34:Early years
523:Categories
203:References
191:classics.
172:Roger Kahn
28:Mel Smilow
40:the Bronx
226:"Smilow"
48:New York
460:, 171.
386:May 20,
368:. WGSN.
346:May 20,
123:Expo 67
464:
431:
162:Usonia
99:Career
233:: 88.
76:union
462:ISBN
429:ISBN
388:2013
348:2013
458:119
525::
485:.
404:.
364:.
339:.
321:.
229:.
211:^
59:.
46:,
42:,
489:.
470:.
437:.
390:.
350:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
