Cool Hunting

Although known best for his work for Herman Miller, industrial designer Gilbert Rohde's entire output of work is an extensive collection of furniture and interiors, which Phyllis Ross examines in full in her recent book for Yale University Press, entitled "Gilbert Rohde: Modern Design For Modern Living."

Rohde broke ground with his ability to fuse innovation and tradition, laying the foundation for modernists after him, like the Eames' and George Nelson. With his mind functioning more as an engineer, Rohde focused on using new materials, which he successfully applied, creating iconic furniture that is both informal and comfortable.

A serious pioneer of American modernism, Rohde did more to help shape the distinctive look of America's postwar era than any other designer. Ross' monograph of Rohde's work and life is a detailed and perceptive recount of his influence on the first half of the 20th century and how they related to the time's social, economic and cultural circumstances.

The in-depth analysis includes 190 photographs of Rohde's furniture and interiors, a good deal of which editors sourced from archives and previously untapped resources and haven't been published elsewhere.

"Gilbert Rohde: Modern Design for Modern Living" is available for purchase from Yale University Press or Amazon.