David Beard's Home

David is a fun and friendly client that can see the modern pieces we sell outside of the context of our more scientific feeling showroom. As you can see in the pictures below, he has created a beautiful, classic and comfortable space that is not a cliche. Many of the pieces came from Empiric, can you guess which ones?





My favorite part is that David clearly enjoys the process. Well done.

Empiric Dining Chair via Brown Design

Brown Design upholstered the classic Empiric dining chair in KWID for Schumacher Imperial Trellis.

Empiric Products

In addition to our revolving door of high quality, unique, vintage pieces Empiric offers a line of furniture designed by Michael Towey, manufactured in Los Angeles, and sold exclusively in our stores. Here are just a few of our featured designs.

Empiric barstool. Available in 4 finishes; chrome, raw, black, white. Two seat styles can be made in fabric, vinyl, or leather. With or without swivel. Height 31" or lower. Starting at $295 ea.

Nickel plated cold rolled steel. Available in a variety of fabrics and leather as well as C.O.M. starting at $675 ea.

Empiric offers two styles of bench both of which can be made in custom dimensions and the finish and fabric of your choice.

Empiric Lounge Chair. Cold rolled steel with cherry wood arms and matching ottoman. Chair available C.O.M. for $1273.

Comparative Shopping - Monteverdi-Young Chair

Vintage Leather Tufted Monteverdi-Young Chair

Measurements: 28"w x 29"d x 39"h
Materials: Leather and Wood
Condition: Very Good

Blend Interiors Price: $3750.
Empiric Price: $1325.

Bond & Bowery

Empiric now featured on Bond & Bowery.

Magic Lantern Light Boxes

Griffith Park Observatory

The Moon

A sample of some of the new magic lantern slide boxes available for fall. Each one of a kind box is 4" x 4" x 2.5" and made using slides manufactured between 1890 - 1940.

Alcoholic Heart

Birds

Egypt Pyramid

Comparative Shopping - Saarinen Table

54" Eero Saarinen Pedestal Table

Measurements: H 28.25" Diameter 54"
Materials: Cast aluminum with rilsan finish; MDF with bevel-edged laminate.
Condition: Slightly Used

DWR price $2148.
Empiric price $1775.

Before & After - 6 Drawer Dresser

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

We have a great deal of respect for the designers that have come before us and their work. From time to time we will point to some people that inspire us in the area of furniture design under the heading "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants".

There are countless hundreds of thousands of chair designs out there. Some designers try to make their mark with a revolutionary design. Three legs, cardboard, whatever. Some take what is obviously great already and try to make it just a little bit better. Edward Wormley is a designer with a healthy appreciation of classic design as you can see below.


“Modernism means freedom—freedom to mix, to choose, to change, to embrace the new but to hold fast to what is good.” -Edward J Wormley

In 1926 he went to study briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago. Funds ran out and he went to work as an interior designer for Marshall Fields & Company department store. During the Depression, Wormley was introduced to the president of Dunbar Furniture Company of Berne, Indiana, who hired him to upgrade their product line.

His eye for quality and the exacting craftsmanship at Dunbar made for furniture that was elegant, understated and exceptionally well-made. Wormley was never really at the forefront of Modern design. Instead, he took the best elements from classical, historical design and translated them into Modern vernacular. The result was furniture that was sophisticated, yet mainstream and very successful.

Before & After - White and Natural Credenza

Comparative Shopping - Deep Low Arm Sofa

Empiric's Audrey Sofa
measurements: 38" x 32" high
materials: kiln dried hardwood frame and apron stained, sinuous spring system
100% customizable
lead time: 14 days
Priced starting at $1639.

William Sonoma's Harrison Sofa
measurements: 39" x 36" high
materials: kiln dried hardwood frame and apron stained, sinuous spring system
lead time: 45 days
Priced starting at $3050.


Pottery Barns Seabury Sofa
measurements: 41" x 35" high
materials: kiln dried hardwood frame and apron stained, sinuous spring system
lead time: 70 days
Priced starting at $1799.

Empiric

Empiric; derived from the word Empirical meaning "capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment".

We evolved out of a print making studio on Beverly Blvd opened in 1996 and 12 years later are celebrating the anniversary of our second location in the Culver City Arts District. Our specialty is combining modern twentieth century interiors with highly functional institutional furnishings resulting in creative and practical spaces for our clients which are both useful and elegant.

In addition to our carefully restored vintage objects we also design and manufacture pieces sold exclusively through our stores.

www.empiricstudio.com