Fascination became a quest, and for Frank Novak it started with a book by Cara Greenberg called Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s.
“This stuff was amazing,” Novak says, “so I started collecting it.”
When he couldn’t find the iconic pieces he wanted, he decided to make them. And this is the seed of Modernica, which offers furniture, lighting, art and accessories. Today Modernica has gone beyond pristine remakes with an expansive catalogue of new design and inspired pieces.
“I learn something every day,” and Novak seems willing to do so going forward.
When I ask where it started, the beginning is logical.
“This amoeba table is no longer available,” was the glitch, “so let’s try making it again,” seemed to be an obvious and viable solution.
“I was selling two a week in a store in La Brea, so I thought I’m going to make these out of fiberglass, because it’ll speed things up.” He opened the The Yellow Pages and found twenty-five fiberglass companies, but chose the one located in Compton, because it was an area he recognized. As fate would have it the lead was warm.
“These were the original guys who engineered the whole project for Charles Eames.” Novak just happened to find them.
He goes on to explain the process.
“Eames wanted to make the original chair out of steel, so these guys started by making it out of fiberglass.” and then came an idea. “It was revolutionary, as far as being one-piece, and a plastic chair.” The unfinished phase became an obvious direction.
It began with an amoeba table, then a butterfly chair, and a case study shelving unit, and by filling in one blank after another the business grew. When an object of desire also has a proven function and beautiful design Why reinvent? Just redo, and do it well.
Modernica didn’t stop there, it has continued to grow by riffing on ideas, and following logical segues.
Frank and his brother, Jay Novak, have calibrated the business model through decades of honing, expanding, and improving their ideas and the process. There is no lack of inspiration between them, and nothing that inspires which they aren’t willing to execute.
Today Modernica has turned into a movement and the Novaks were first, and remain on top. They have kept Mid-Century in a sustainable rennaisance with no end in sight, and continue to offer the simplicity of well-crafted beautiful design.
