Meet our Celebrity Judges

With three of the five finalists of the Smart Space Design Contest chosen, SmartFurniture.com announced today the panel of guest judges who will select the $2500 Smart Space Design Contest Grand Prize Winner. The guest judging panel consists of design experts and celebrities from within the design world. The guest judges include: Jason Chen, editor and writer at Gizmodo, one of the web's most prominent blogs covering electronics, technology and industrial design. Known as The "Gadget Guide", Gizmodo offers a tech-hungry audience valuable insights and commentary on new products, from the latest video game to the latest-greatest back-scratcher. As a contributor at Gizmodo, Jason is at the forefront of the convergence between electronics and design. Lisa Hubbs, an executive at Herman Miller® for the Home, co-sponsor of the Smart Space Design Contest. Dozens of Herman Miller products are featured in the Smart Designer, including design icons like the Eames Lounge Chair, Noguchi Table, and Nelson Marshmallow Sofa. Herman Miller produces prizes awarded to each Finalist, including their choice of the Herman Miller Aeron®, Embody®, Mirra® or Setu™ chair. Jaime Derringer, operator of Design Milk, a design-oriented blog that keeps tabs on trends in modern decor, interior design, architecture, furniture, and consumer goods. While she keeps a close eye on major movements and achievements in the design world, she also enjoys telling the world about her favorite newly-discovered everyday items, be it salt-and pepper-shakers or garden tools. She also helps run Bakery, a business incubator that helps get startup companies on their feet. Eames Demetrios, a writer, artist, and principal at the Eames Office, celebrates the legacy of Charles and Ray Eames, as grandparents. Eames educates the public on Charles and Ray Eames’ impact on the world of design through various mediums, including exhibits, photography, and literature. Gifted with a vivid imagination, Eames is the author of Kymaerica and the Kcymaerxthaere, an alternate history of the world. The Smart Space Design Contest is open to everyone. Entrants must design an original space using SmartFurniture.com’s Smart Designer. The Smart Designer is a revolutionary 3D space planning tool that allows designers to create customized spaces from scratch directly through their web browser. The last finalists in the contest will be chosen between March 1st and March 5th, and the Grand Prize Winner will be chosen the following week. More information is available at http://www.smartfurniture.com/smartdesigner.html.

The Gifted Eye of Charles Eames: a portfolio of 100 images

What: The Gifted Eye of Charles Eames Exhibit will open at the Smart Furniture Studio in Chattanooga, Tennessee on February 4th. Smart Furniture will host a reception for the exhibit which will feature a presentation by Eames Demetrios, principal of the Eames Office and grandson of Charles and Ray Eames. Charles Eames, together with his wife and design partner, Ray Eames, are among the most influential American designers of the 20th Century. They are best known for their groundbreaking contributions to furniture design, architecture, industrial design and manufacturing, textiles, and the photographic arts. For the Eameses, and particularly Charles, photography was not merely a way to record things; it was a part of the process of design. Charles had an incredible eye for detail and this is evident in his photography. This exhibition represents the first time Charles Eames’ photography has been truly celebrated on its own. These rarely seen photos feature the many facets of Charles and Ray’s life, work and travels. To choose a mere 100 images from such a massive body of work was a daunting task. All are archival images; most have not been published. In combination, each gives a taste of all: furniture, house, projects, travel, and people. When: Beginning February 4th at 6pm Where: Smart Furniture Studio, 2 North Shore, 313 Manufactures Road, Suite 107 If interested in attending please contact giftedeye@smartfurniture.com