A Collector's Space Age Office

See how one mid mod collector and dealer transformed his office into a place for some of his favorite Space Age collectibles.

Space Age office vintage audio — The Lucite stereo console is one of Martin’s favorite parts of his office. Sitting above the console is a window that looks down onto the store space below. Flanking the console are two retro Audiorama speakers from Germany.

A Space Age office in Buffalo, New York has an out of this world feel. Collector and Space Age design enthusiast Martin McGee credits his love of Space Age design to the way its pieces feel very contemporary, yet still future-forward, even 60 years after the style’s peak. Once he started collecting, “I just kept going,” says Martin with a laugh.

So, when Martin began to make an office for himself on the top floor of his Funky Town Vintage Store, he knew it needed to be a place that could display some of his favorite collectibles. But his first look at the space that would eventually become his office left him unimpressed. It was rundown, dingy and not somewhere Martin wanted to work. But after some consideration, he realized that with a little bit of TLC, the space could be transformed. It had originally been an office for a flooring business, but new walls, flooring and wallpaper remodeled the once shabby rooms into a Space Age office for the books.

Creating a Space Age Office

Martin was able to create eight distinct zones in his new office: an audio lounge, a library, an exhibit room, an office, a kitchen, a video production studio, an electronic music studio and a bar. Each zone is small, but each holds everything it needs without feeling cluttered. He credits his space management skills to his time spent overseas. “I lived in Japan for years, and I learned to adapt to very small spaces and apartments,” says Martin.

Martin McGee Space Age office — The shelves that sit behind Martin’s office chair hold some of his collectible Space Age books, clocks and radios. A unique one is the orange GE ball radio, which sits on the second-to-the-top shelf. It features a rotating speaker on its top.

The office is an ode to Martin’s love of Space Age design. Filled with the pieces he’s collected over the years, nearly each nook or corner holds something dear to Martin’s heart. A bookshelf that sits behind the bar area holds an eclectic collection of retro clocks from the 1960s and 70s. One of his favorites is a rotating white and lavender suspended clock from Sanyo. One side is a clock, while the other side is a radio. “It’s indicative of the gravity-defying aspect of Space Age design,” Martin says.

Space Age collectibles — Martin’s eclectic clock collection features mid century clocks that were sold around the world. Some have radios, some spin and some even have rotating speakers!

A nearby shelving unit holds a collection of Soviet-era commemorative space pins. “They’re each like miniature pieces of art,” says Martin. One of Martin’s favorite pieces is a sleek acrylic figurine of a rocket and its plume. “I love that piece. I’ve had that for probably 15 years or so,” he says.

Mid Century Touches

The office space features other classic mid century details, like a pair of side chairs that look straight from the screen of Star Trek—which was why Martin picked them. The elegant, barely-there lines of his other office furniture, like his bookshelves and stereo console, complement the collectible pieces that sit on top of them.

Martin McGee Space Age collector — Martin McGee has been collecting Space Age pieces for years. He loves how they feel contemporary and future-forward, even decades later.

Martin’s office demonstrates that an office need not be cold or impersonal. Instead, with some forethought and carefully curated pieces, offices can be unique reflections of the distinct people who inhabit them.

To learn more about Martin’s office and his Space Age collectibles, see A Buffalo Space Age Office. To read more about his research and passion for Space Age design, read Bringing Back the Space Age’s Futuristic Artifacts. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more mid century articles and ideas!