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"Dear Cherry" CA MODERN Advice Column
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Cherry Capri offers her services as your “Ultra Modern Living Hostess” with party planning, catering and decorating advice.
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CA Modern Magazine Spring 2006
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 Winter 2006
Dear Cherry,
Is there such a thing as an appropriate ceiling fan for a Modern home? So often I've found them to be too oak/wicker-tacky or severe/eighties-blah.
Lynxwiler
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Dear Lynxwiler,
You rarely, if ever, see pictures of ceiling fans in classic era Mid Century photos. Does that mean you should not have one in a Mid Century home? Well, it depends on a lot of conditions, such as the look you are going for and the level of architectural significance of your place. Many homes built in the Mid Century period did not come with central air conditioning, so a fan of some kind is essential to keep the air circulating during the summer. But if you are going for a strict interpretation of the period, a ceiling fan would probably not be appropriate and you might want to opt for temporary placement of a table or floor fan during the warm months. But if you are going for a more fanciful 1950s diner look or what I call a hip "Neo Modernism" look, then let the fan-ciful search begin.
I would absolutely steer clear of the oak or wicker finishes that you spoke of. While they look perfectly fine in an Art Deco or tropical influenced interior, not so fabby in an Eichler, Alexander or Streng home. They might end up dating your décor ala that 70s home (not that there's anything wrong with that… as long as you also have the velvet bean bag chairs, brown shag rugs and macramé owls to match – I'm all for that!).
BUT, if you want to keep a fresh Modern look, then find streamlined models that offer less detailing then "ye olde fashioned" fans. Also, be careful about going for colorful or whimsical ceiling fans that draw attention away from the clean lines of your home. I would lean towards the most plain or utilitarian model available that will fade into the background. As Modern master Mies Van de Rohe preached, "Less is more." I can't recommend a specific model or brand, but I have walked down the aisles of several home improvement and lighting stores and the designs get more and more impressive and sophisticated every day. There are quite a few fans available that have brushed steel and matte paint finishes that would be perfectly appropriate.
One thing I encourage you to do is to take a digital picture of your intended fan at the store and look at the picture in your room before you buy. Hold a printout of the photo up to the ceiling and squint one eye to really picture what it will look like installed. Remember it takes some work installing a ceiling fan, so be really really sure before you put it in permanently.
Cheers!
Cherry
Winter 2006
Dearest Cherry,
I went a friend's party and he had music picked out for the entire evening on a looped CD. However, after the first pass of this music, we (my fellow guests and I) got antsy and wanted to dance the night away. I have actually been to other parties where the music has seemed wholly inappropriate. So my question is... How can one get away with changing music at someone else's party?
Opera Man
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Dearest Opera Man,
Being a good guest can be as challenging a job as being a good host or hostess. When a friend or acquaintance thinks enough of you to invite you into their home, it is appropriate to be appreciative not only of their furnishings and accessories, but also the food and drink they serve and the music they choose to play for your enjoyment. This does not mean you have to love or share their tastes, but a good guest always is respectful of another's choices.
Now if the host is a close enough friend and you notice that his or her guests might not be respecting their selections, it would be swell for you to tip them off. Good friends are always upfront with each other like that, because they care about each other and want the best for them. If this ever happens again, take your friend aside privately so as not to embarrass them or put them on the spot. (This must be handled with the most extreme care and tact. Your friend probably went through a lot of effort putting that mix CD together and feelings might get hurt.) Let your friend know you are having a perfectly wonderful time and you're grateful for the work that went into the music, but that you overheard that some guests are itching to add even "more" life to the already "great" party. Keep the comments focused on supplementing their plans as opposed to negating or changing what they have done. Keep it light, friendly and appreciative.
What they chose to do with your tip next is their business, not yours. If they are open to it, you might then offer to pick some tunes to help pick up the pace. If not, let it go, and jump to the last sentence of the next paragraph.
If the host is not a good enough friend to do this kind of thing, then there really is nothing you can do except perhaps make a suggestion (quietly) to a closer friend of the host.
Otherwise, the appropriate thing to do is to weather it out and stay only as long as is expected of you and then make a beeline to the door and go find the down beat and dancing crowd elsewhere. Later!
One thing I know for sure… It is never appropriate to commandeer the CD player unless you have been specifically asked. However, if you have a friend that has a history of making less than perfect decisions about background music, perhaps you could offer to DJ or make up mix CDs for the next party?
Lastly, no matter whether you loved or hated the party, always thank your host personally before you leave. And if it was larger party or special occasion soirée, then by all means send a quickie hand written note, an email or the very least, make a phone call the next day thanking your host for the event.
And hopefully in future columns I can parlay some handy tips to help everyone reading this column be the kind of host or hostess who knows how to create the kind of party atmosphere that no one will want to leave!
Cheers!
Cherry
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CA-Modern magazine is the new 28-page, full-color publication of the Eichler Network. Its content is aimed at mid-century modern homeowners and enthusiasts throughout California, with an emphasis on Eichler homes, Streng homes, and Palm Springs classics. Its content focuses on home maintenance features, solutions, and furnishings for modern homes; profiles on special California neighborhoods; breaking news; and much more.
www.eichlernetwork.com
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