Ruks Living - Merchant Spotlight
Q: What would you say was your original vision for the store? How have your ideas developed or changed since then?
Thomas Peroutka: The vision for RuksLiving.com was born when I was working for a modern furniture store in St. Louis, MO. I have always appreciated midcentury modernist furniture but was shocked at the high price tags. I grew increasingly frustrated upon learning that many of the most coveted pieces, inspired by the likes of Arne Jacobsen, Charles and Ray Eames, Eileen Gray, George Nelson, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Poul Kjaerholm, were so expensive because the manufacturers were charging royalty fees that no longer existed for these classic designs. In the past, furniture consumers desiring modern classic designs, such as Arne Jacobsen's inspired Egg Chair, could only purchase the reproductions from designers who worked directly with manufacturers like Knoll, Herman Miller, and Fritz Hansen. Though royalty fees did exist in earlier years, they have since expired. Nonetheless, customers are still paying the inflated prices for these reproductions. With public demand dramatically increasing for modern furniture, the vision for RuksLiving.com was born: to provide online shoppers with the opportunity to purchase quality, classic modern furniture, inspired by the original designs at affordable prices. This vision remains today, although the store has expanded the product line and incorporated other furniture genres.
Q: What classic pieces still inspire current designs in modern furniture? Why do you think this is so?
Thomas: The Egg Chair, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958, continues to inspire current designs in modern furniture. It is a truly classic modern piece that marries style and function seamlessly. The sleek design and organic shape comfortably cups the sitter and allows them to swivel. At the same time, the high wing back provides for some privacy. RuksLiving.com offers the Starship Chair, which is a high quality replica of the Egg Chair in a variety of colors and materials.
Q: What is intriguing to people about modern furniture more so than the traditional or flamboyant styles seen in past eras?
Thomas: The simplicity and clean lines of classic modern furniture are such a drastic departure from the traditional furniture styles and designs that came before which were heavier, darker, and more ornate. People are intrigued by the geometric designs, unique materials, and eye catching colors. It is uncluttered and simple yet interesting. It is often characterized as functional art. Modern furniture makes a statement.
Q: Arne Jacobsen's egg chair is a classic piece of modern furniture still seen today -- who are some other revolutionary visionaries and how have their designs been incorporated in the 21st century?
Thomas: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the modernist movement in architecture and design. Mies designed modern furniture pieces using new industrial technologies that have become popular classics, such as the Barcelona chair and table, as well as the Brno chair. His furniture is known for fine craftsmanship, a mix of traditional luxurious fabrics like leather combined with modern chrome frames, and a distinct separation of the supporting structure and the supported surfaces, often employing cantilevers to enhance the feeling of lightness created by delicate structural frames.
Another visionary is Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, who chose to be known as Le Corbusier. He was an urban planner, painter, sculptor, writer, and modern furniture designer. His famous Le Corbusier furniture collection is widely considered to be the pinnacle of modern classic furniture design. The tubular steel furniture, like the famous Corbusier LC4 Chaise and Grand Confort chair, provided a new rationalist aesthetic that came to epitomize modern design. At RuksLiving.com, the LC Cuscino collection continues to be one of our hottest product lines.
Q: How would you describe modern classic furniture and its impact on furniture styles?
Thomas: Sleek, stylish, and unpredictable. Most of the iconic pieces were created in the earlier half of the 20th century; however they continue to influence contemporary furniture styles which have adopted the clean lines and visually light weight appearance of modern classic designs.
Q: What else would you like to share with us about RuksLiving.com?
Thomas: In addition to offering great prices on quality modern classic furniture, we also offer free shipping in the continental U.S. We are very focused on offering great customer service and our customers’ satisfaction is always our first priority.
Q: In what ways would you like to see your store grow or change in the near future?
Thomas: RuksLiving.com is always adding new products to our store and offering additional color and material options to our existing classic pieces. However, our focus has largely been on furniture alone. I would like to expand our inventory to include more home accessories and artwork in the near future.
