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 Seven years ago, my friend Wayne Badovinus called about some new start-up called Design Within Reach. He told me that his friend Rob Forbes had come up with the idea of selling modern design through a catalog and website and Wayne had joined him. It was hard to repress my initial reaction (disbelief) since Wayne was neither a modernist nor a web guy. He asked me what I thought of the idea (brilliant) and it wasn't long before I was meeting with Rob. I joined DWR full-time in 2000, and here we are now.
Wayne retired in 2005. Early the next year, Rob decided that his personal mission in starting the company was complete. At that time, I was about to step into my current role, but never anticipated DWR sans Rob. He has been the voice of DWR from its inception. As Rob indicates in his most recent Design Notes, he will continue to scout the world of design and keep the DWR family plugged in.
 Now we must think about the future of Design Notes. You – our readers – have made it clear that this is one newsletter you look forward to and value. We do too, and we are confident we can build on the baseline already established. Some of the ideas we considered were quickly rejected (picture Michael Moore interviewing Philippe Starck). And I promise I will not subject you to hearing from me every month. If I have something interesting to say, I'll say it, but I am not a writer.
Needing a solution, we asked ourselves, "Where can we find interesting, design-savvy people who have something to share?" Then the obvious hit us. We have 300 modernists at DWR.
 While many companies claim their people are their greatest asset, ours actually are. We have a unique and diverse group of employees and friends of DWR, linked by a common love of design and innate curiosity. Like any good CEO, I am eager to delegate.
I hope you will enjoy getting to know the folks at DWR as we continue our shared conversation about design and our never-ending quest for solutions. Occasionally you will hear from me, but I will try to keep that to a minimum. We hope you enjoy our words and share yours.
Ray Brunner
CEO |
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Gunta Stölzl: Rugs from a Master at
the Bauhaus.
Seen full scale for the first time, these works of art by Gunta Stölzl were originally created on paper in the 1920s. Only at DWR.
About Gunta Stölzl >
See her work > |
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Eco-friendly Made Easy.
Aluminum cans never looked so good. And eco-friendly products have never been easier to find.
Explore eco-friendly > |
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Studio Events:
8.23.07
Heath Ceramics
Location: Mill Valley
Heath Ceramics owners Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey will lecture on the company's history.
8.25.07
Women in the Arts
Location: Austin
Celebrate local female artists. |
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