The Ciseal Blog

Some days you're in the mood to put away all of the electronics, sit in front of a fire, on the deck, or on the beach, and curl up with a book.  Just a book.  No notifications, no blinding glare of a screen in full sunlight, no messing with brightness settings, nothing pinging, beeping or flashing at you, begging for your instantaneous attention.  Just a completely unplugged, notification-free book.

Whenever I'm in need of some inspiration the quickest way to get my fix is Instagram.  Here are my 5 favorite Mid Century inspired feeds that always seem to hit the spot.

Bent plywood furniture is beautiful (if we must say so ourselves), and with just a little effort your cherished, hand-crafted piece can stay gorgeous for generations to come.  Here are a few tips for maintaining your bent ply treasures.

With all of the information and entertainment it provides, the iPad (and it's non-Apple tablet counterparts) is just about a constant in our lives.  Here at Ciseal, we find ourselves using our tablets all over the house and office, and the Ray tablet stand is always a close companion.  We even find ourselves using the Ray with iPhones, books, and even art.  So, how can you get the most out of your Ray tablet stand?  Let us count the ways.

Today, the midcentury look is just about everywhere - and I’d bet that most of the time you don’t even notice it.  So, what does “Mid Century Modern” actually mean and why is midcentury still so popular and familiar?

My path to this point of making bent plywood things for a living all started when I got my first real job at the GM Technical Center in Warren, MI.  At the time, I didn't have a clue about this mid century architecture and landscape design mecca.  Little by little, though, the design bug began to emerge as I was surrounded by the purposeful yet beautiful vintage architecture, interior design, and landscaping.

I get asked all the time how I got started in hand crafting bent plywood furniture and what's my inspiration, so here's some of the story.

It's a pleasure to be included with the likes of Hunt & Noyer, Alex Drew & No One, The Detroit Wallpaper Company, Eclecticasa, The Endgrain Woodworking Co., and LeadHead Glass.  All of which are great inspirations to what I do at Ciseal.  

Being huge bent plywood nerds, we're always on the lookout for the stuff - it's our eye candy.  We're fascinated by our fellow bent ply tribe - who they are, why they make what they make, what inspires them, and their craft.

One amazing source of inspiration is this video about the making of the Eames Lounge Chair at the Herman Miller factory.  This mid century beauty has stood the test of time and remains coveted for it's comfort and style.  The video details some of the Eames' design process as well as shows the people and processes behind the manufacturing of the chair.

For years my heart has broken for all of the unappreciated mid century modern homes we've lost to the wrecking ball to make way for brand new pseudo craftsman McMansions.  I wondered why home buyers and especially real estate agents couldn't see just how special mid century homes are.  Sure, many today need some updating - all homes do after 40 or 50 years, but there was no one really sharing the possibilities of what life in these homes could be like.