Modernism in America

Last December I had the opportunity to visit The Miller House designed by Eero Saarinen in Columbus, Indiana. It was a breath-taking experience and touring the home truly felt like I was stepping back in time. Being able to first hand experience a design from this time period was incredibly interesting. The Miller House was commissioned by J. Irwin Miller and his wife Xenia Simons Miller in 1953. The Miller House was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000 and is now owned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. 

There are many distinguishing elements of the Miller House, but I am going to focus on the general floor plan, the kitchen, and the living room. 

The interior of the home includes four distinct non-public areas that branch off from a central space in the middle. The four branches include rooms for parents, children, guests and servants and an area for kitchen and laundry. The geometry of the house's plan is very functional and flows flawlessly. Although the house is almost 7,000 square feet, the layout allows it to feel close and homey while also creating a clear definition of spaces in the home. 

The Miller's were known for entertaining and their living area exemplified that. The most interesting part of the living space was the "conversation pit". The pit was set about four feet into the ground and included a cushioned seat with a break for stairs. The pit allowed for more intimate conversations to happen in the space. The living area also included a piano and a fireplace that can be seen in the background of the photo. This area has a distinct warm color palette.



The kitchen is a very bright and open. The use of white clearly brightens the space and the blue brings it back down a bit. It has a casual dining table as well. What struck me most was the rectangular storage cabinet that sits above the main island. The shape is very trendy today seen mostly in office furniture, perhaps on a desking system.  


Seen below are some images of current day applications. In the first image you can see an example of a Herman Miller desking system with a storage option similar as seen in the kitchen of the Miller House. I have also included an image of a current day conversation pit. These were most commonly seen during the 20th century, but when done right they can truly make a space.

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

The Miller House - Overview | https://youtu.be/Oxkla7tWBDk
Modernism - Design in a Nutshell | https://youtu.be/vDCEtnXlA4Y

Peer Reviews

Kate | Kate did an awesome job of telling us about Rudolph Schindler. I love minimalist design, so I really enjoyed being able to learn more about Schindler's designs. 

Haley Becker | I liked that Haley did an overview of many of the prominent architects and designers during this time. It really allowed me to understand the design trends that were going on during this time.