Last year, I found myself coming to a standstill in the breezeway of Terminal 1 in the San Francisco Airport, in front of the SF Airport Museums' Wright at Home: Modern Lifestyle Design 1930-1965. The exhibit featured dozens of iconic pieces by Russel Wright, illustrating his influence on America’s taste in home décor. LA-based Bauer Pottery carries the full American Modern Line developed by Wright in 1937, quickly becoming the best-selling dinnerware of the period.

Clockwise from top L: American Modern Coffee Mug in chartreuse; $24. American Modern Tumbler in sea foam; $19. American Modern Creamer in granite; $29.50. American Modern Sugar Bowl in sea foam; $29.50.