Modern living. (Current and Coming).(Brief Article)

For years Americans have been preoccupied with finding ways to simplify their lives. Most recently men have abandoned suits and ties for more casual dress, women seek speedy ways to prepare meals, and everyday dining with sterling silver and cut glass is a thing of the past.

The desire to pare down can already be discerned in the writings and designs of the late Russel Wright. In a bestselling design manifesto Guide to Easier Living, published in 1950, he and his wife, Mary championed modem household accessories that could be mass produced at affordable prices. An exhibition that examines Wright's revolutionary ideas and designs for household goods is on view at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City through March 10, 2002. The show is entitled Russel Wright: Creating American Lifestyle and includes more than 350 objects, among them tableware, furniture, drawings, photographs, and videos.

Wright was among the first to successfully promote his name as a brand, and his talent for design was equaled by his wife's understanding of marketing. The hallmarks of Wright's designs of the 1930s were simple streamlined shapes and organic forms, which demonstrate the influence of surrealism. His product line, which he called American Modern, encompassed furniture, dinnerware, tablecloths, and glassware. To promote his products he created demonstration rooms in department stores--a novel approach at the time.

The booming economy after World War II changed the way Americans lived. The suburbs ...