Thursday, December 15, 2011

Top 10 Most Influential Furniture Designers

Creating this list was no easy task. I fretted over the likes of Boulle, Ruhlmann, the Bauhaus, and Sidney Barnsley. But my list is well thought out and they did not make the cut. Oh 10 years from now I may change a name or 2, perhaps replace a time period with an individual but this list of the 10 most influencial furniture designers is finished. You can double click the time-line to reference a larger view.

The following is in chronological order and not based on who had the most influence. So lets start with:

the Renaissance

a period of enlightenment, a time when regions that now comprise Italy took the arts center stage, all while Medici funded architectural experimentation. Perspective is what turns up in furniture which eventually became the focal point of marquetry.
Starting as intarsia, pictures in perspective created in wood later turned into furniture embellishment. Furniture now could tell a story. Lets look to the Met at Studiolo and to the work of Fra Giovanni pictured.
Mostly importantly, this enlighting Renaissance period had anybody who was a player heading south to learn the tricks of the trade. From France, from Germany, from Belgium and Holland, artists and craftsman came to Italy then went home to spread the creativity through their work.



Thomas Chippendale

We are used to seeing a Philly Highboy
and referr to it as Chippendale, but the soul of who Chippendale was, is reflected in the "eclecticism of his production" as seen in Chippendale's Director.
People watching along St. Martin's Lane in the 1750's, would have witnessed a revolutionary change in furniture manufacturing. The Chippendale company was not the only game in London but he was the saviest. St Martin's Lane was a magnet for talent and facilities employed 100's to meet the growing housing demand.

















Chippendale's business acumen enabled him to do it better than most. His understanding of fashion within the decorative arts and an ability to hire well kept him in the forefront.

Above is the Harrington Commode.
A Chippendale design that in january 2011 under "Sotherby's hammer" fetched a whopping 5.9 million dollars to become the most expensive piece of English furniture sold at auction.

My hat's tipped and re-tipped to Thomas Chippendale.


Robert Adam

Now I know that Dorothy Draper fans will be annoyed, but it was Robert Adam long before Dot who was the first Interior Designer.
Robert Adam as architect created the space and as Interior Decorator created from soup to nuts, fabulous interiors.

In a previous post I had mentioned that you seek "good" interior designers. "GOOD" is defined by working with Interior Designers who create the entire room not just a piece. This was Robert Adam.



The piece at right is from the Chippendale shop, designed with and for Robert Adam. Look at the balance, the fine details of Adam and the execution of Chippendale. Just simply fantastic.






Let us not forget that it was Adam who brought the NeoClassical style to life which lead in America to the Federal Period.





Robert Adam the master of scale and space!!!



David Roentgen

The mechanical madman and cabinetmaker to Royalty.

David Roentgen grew-up in the family business. His father Abraham Roentgen apprenticed in The Hague, Rotterdan, Amsterdam, and London, and settled the shop in Neuwied, Germany.
There be built for the local princes and religous figures but it was David obviously well tutored, who spread the wings of the family business and created "the most spectacular chapter in the history of German furniture-making".

At right is a writing desk from the Roentgen work shop for the Archbishop and Elector of Trier. To appreciate, you need to investigate this piece thoroughly.

David Roentgen was called "the most celebrated ebeniste in Europe". It was his view of the international market at the time that set him apart. With cartloads of furniture Roentgen set up distribution in Holland, Germany and most importantly Paris where he sold to the Royals.


















It was in Paris where the company fortunes turned. Paris is where he sold to Louis XVI and became Marie Antoinette's cabinetmaker.


With more to conquer beyond Europe, Roentgen loaded up the carts again and headed to St Petersburg, Russia where he landed as a client, Catherine the Great a luxury furniture enthusiast. Roentgen pieces are present today in the Hermitage Museum.



David Roentgen with secret compartments and latches to expose more secret compartments may not have been the craftsman of his contemporaries Oeben and Riesener but Oeben and Riesener did not conquer a continent. Who knows maybe Ingvar Kampar was inspired by Roentgen, after all for effeciency and cost, occasional pieces of Roentgen's were RTA long before IKEA.


The Shakers

Simple forms, "devoid of all that is useless and vain". Many will view Shaker furniture as the first example of modern furniture. This view is not construed based off an artistic form but rather the idea behind standardized parts that meet the highest production quality. A minimalist approach to and through the design process.



Althoug I have built entertainment centers in the style of Shaker, I am not a fan of Shaker furniture, but I do respect a good design when I see it and we've been looking and admiring it for over a century.


Heck lets not forget, the Shakers invented the circular saw. That alone has made our woodworking lives much easier.







Michael Thonet

With proper data, I bet one could prove that Michael Thonet's bentwood cafe chair Nr14 has sold more units than any other furniture design.

Thonet begain in 1819 specializing in parquetry. It was in the 1830's that he begain experimenting with manufacturing techniques. Bending wood to be specific.
By the 1850's under the company name Gebruder Thonet, Thonet and his sons were exporting around the world with manufacturing facilities throughout Europe. In the 1870's Thonet had established sales offices all through Europe, Russia, and the US cities of Chicago and New York.


Judith Miller in her book "Furniture" writes, "Thonet's legacy has endured well into the modern age - he precipitated Charles and Ray Eames's mass-produced office chairs, and of course the modern flat pack domestic furniture industry."



Micheal Thonet a manufacturnig genius who replaced joinery with the mechanical fastener and blew away the furniture world.




Hans Wegner
the chairmakers....chairmaker!!!


It's very obvious to see that Hans Wegner inspired many craftsman including, the style and production of Sam Maloof.

Wegner designing over 500 chairs, was about the design process from the craftsman perspective. I'll paraphase here, but "let the craftsman do what he can do in the design process and let machines do what the craftsman couldn't". Where Maloof stayed in craft-based production, Wegner took his into industrial design/production.

Having been exposed to Wegner back in the late 70's, while in a production environent, a lost thought in the US design community that I have never forgotten was Wegner's thought on the production process.
Bernsen writes, that Wegner stated,"you have to know exactly what a craftsman and factory can do. And also what they shouldn't do". Words to profitable design placement.





























One last nugget associated with Hans Wegner is the approach to the design process. Wegner for 25 years participated in Design Competitions believing that one wasn't a "furniture designer" after 3 pieces but through cummulative participation, one nutured an understanding where, "Craftsmanship unites knowledge of material, construction, and process".

Hans Wegner.... the chairmaker's chairmaker!!-whose designs manufactured by Karl Hansen and Son are just as popular today as they were 50 years ago.



Robert Probst


Robert Probst was the director of Herman Miller's Research Division established in 1960. Probst's passionate mantra was "that the artist needed to be more involved functionally in society".


Probst research obsession became the white-collar work environment. His solution was intended to be "flexible and resposive to new ideas and changing opportunities". With the help of George Nelson giving the concept form, Action Office 1 was born.


Three years later the modular office furniture was refined and relaunched as Action Office 2.
Although cheap copies from creative wankers have given rise to the cubicle, Probst concept and ideas have changed the way a white-collar work environment is structured while creating a multibillion dollar segment of the furniture industry.

What probst learned was once the original Office Action layout was in place, nobody took the time to work the environment as it evolved.

As Berry quotes Probst, "Not all organizations are intelligent and progressive. Lots are run by crass people who can take the same kind of equipment and create hellholes. They make little bitty cubicles and stuff people in them."





Wendell Castle/John Makepeace


I know, I know.... I double dipped in the "Craft Revival" movement of the 1960's and 70's, but Castle from the US and Makepeace the UK, are true contemporaries. Both careers parallel and at individual strengths, diverge. Besides, I struggled with listing Arts and Craft builder Sidney Barnsley, arguably the first Studio Furniture Maker,(not Wharton Esherick) that I had to put Makepeace in the mix.

Where Makepeace is a woodworking technician, Castle is a sculptor of wood. I believe Makepeace
to be the more innovative with his "bespoke" wooden material, where Castle is more creative in deriving form. Both men have left their legacy in furniture design. No doubt Makepeace has been knighted and Castle is listed as one of the top 10 designers in the world, the only American to make the list.

Today both are still creating and most importantly still meeting show deadlines. I am a big fan of both men. In 1980ish, one of the early books I purchased for my library was The Art of Making Furniture, where both a young Makepeace and young Castle are featured in the book.

For those of you who think they are or want to be a Studio Furniture Maker, always remember, it is Castle
who brought high monetary value to the studio craft movement during the 1980's as he fought and continues today to fight to get furniture out of the decorative arts wing and into the Fine Arts wing of museums where perceived value is higher.






Ettore Sottsass


Although I timelined Sottsass at 1980, he's was extremely productive in the 1950's and 1960's as an Indutrial Designer. Long before Ives made the Ipod fashionable, Ettore Sottsass made the typewriter fashionable. The Valentine typewriter designed for Olivetti was a fashion statement of the time.

Sottsass always curious about numerous creative media, made his mark in furniture design in 1980-81, instigating and leading the Memphis Group in a Post-Modern effort.
After living with Modern Design philosophies since the 1920's, architects and industrial designers begain to question the "less is more" mantra in the 1960's. It was Robert Venturi's writing who looked for more and spoke of "less being a bore". It was Sottsass who looked at decorative objects as an opportunity to seek possibilities not solve a specific design problem.
Radice writes that Memphis "is concerned above all with breaking ground,extending the field of action, broadening awareness, shaking things up, discussing conditions, and setting up fresh opportunities."
Of course new technologies at the time enabled a new "sensory concentration" when viewing the assembly of various materials in all sorts of color, inventive graphics, and geometric shapes and sizes.

You don't have to look far to see the impact that Memphis had on the US Studio Furniture Maker, look at Gary Knox Bennett's work "Colorcore Desk" 1984 and Memphis designer, Peter Shire's "Peninsula" table 1982. Knox was obviously inspired by the freedom Memphis allowed. You even see Memphis in Castle's 80's work, but at least he acknowledges Ettore Sottsass. Look at Tom Loeser, same thing, Memphis with subdued color tones. The list goes on with investigation.

I will argue that the Memphis group is the last defined historic furniture period we have had and brought to you by Ettore Sottsass. For me personally, it was an absolute plessure to have caught on to Memphis, lived in its time and built in its philosophy while others of my age group got fogged by Krenov.


For those of you searching for why you DIY and want more out of the craft of furniture design, a personal intellectual investigation into the Memphis group will be awakening.





Well there you have the 10 Most Influencial Furniture Designers. Who are your influencial designers, and more importantly WHY?

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Looking at Furniture Opportunities

I've been at this game of furniture design and manufacturing for over 30 years now and have faded "Polaroid" photo's to prove it. I've had my successful runs and recently I've been looking back on the opportunities that presented themselves.

Like some of you today, my first look 30 years ago, was to work the craft show scene. Although the craft show circuit was more vibrant then, the opportunity to "make a good living" was suspect at best. Yes fun, more in the hobby realm, gas money, good exposure, extra cash for another tool, all positives but as an opportunity to make a living and accumulate wealth, the craft circuit would not provide that opportunity.

But what would be the furniture design opportunity to make a living???

Could a gallery be the opportunity??? Could working the Studio Furniture Maker be the angle to opportunity????

Maybe, so I headed to Pitman and Eames early on when they showed Castle and Krenov. I was familiar with both and wanted to see their work first hand, but the gallery scene didn't stir the juices. The idea of one or two owners determining the value of your skill set has never made sense to me. A gallery owner such as Peter Joseph may have an eye and make you money but why limit your opportunities.

So now where was the opportunity to "make a good living".

Coming out of a large manufacturing facility, my skill set would work perfect with a small crew for short production runs of high-end residential case goods. Wha-La!!! OPPORTUNITY!!!!

On that route, I've placed work in the upper east side of Manhattan, all through Long Island from Sands Point to the Hamptons and neighborhoods in-between. The real key was building on that Opportunity of residential case goods and placing pieces in the NYC Design Center at 200 Lex, producing a line that fit the small upscale furniture boutiques of Nassau County, understanding how a sales rep ticks, and squeezing in the work of good interior decorators.

Opportunity comes in funny packages and here's one that I will always remember. Through an interior decorator, we landed a big job in the 5 acre estates of Oyster Bay. The client, a rather wealthy bloak, said lets go for a ride. AH..... my opportunity to ride in an ivory colored Bentley Corniche convertible. The idea behind the ride was to inform me of the incentive to payment and exactly where as we pulled into the parking lot, I would purchase all finishing materials for the job.

Opportunity in furniture design today is different but it still exists. WoodExpo2012 is just that, an opportunity for those serious about making a difference in furniture design and manufacturing. WoodExpo isn't an opportunity to talk about sandpaper grit and what bandsaw you own. Its about finding a synergy with other craftsman and talk business.

WoodExpo2012 is an opportunity to Bust Down the Door and find our way back into the consumers thought process.

Like I said, Opportunity comes in funny packages, but you have to be open and ready to expand the opportunity. WoodExpo2012 is that start!!!!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

WoodExpo 2012 - Call for Entries

WoodExpo 2012 is again on track for another fantastic Woodworking event. Here you'll be introduced to the event and its Call for Entries. WoodExpo is about providing the opportunity for you to present your work.

This video explains the two categories of entry and stresses the objective of mixing experinece with up and comers.

Have a listen, hopefully get inspired and be a part of WoodExpo 2012.
Here's the Rules and Eligibility.

Monday, May 23, 2011

ICFF 2011 - a future Trend??

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, a show I have exhibited in is usually a happening I’ll make time for each year. Especially since I’m of the belief we can walk the edge more in American furniture design. Well with that said, each year I look to see if any designer has balls.





This past May 17th my focus was two fold. One was to investigate digital printing and how to apply the result to furniture. And two was to see if I could pick-up on any potential trends.

Just a bit of background to begin, this past March I had attended the NY Architectural Digest Home Show and came upon printed faux shagreen. This made my first mission at ICFF to look for that same exhibitor. Unfortunately I’m still looking, I wasn’t into the show 3 booths down my first isle when I stopped and to my right saw real shagreen. A company hailing from Paris, France called R&Y Augousti is laying shagreen. Real shagreen and with that sighting, my digital printed faux focus was lost. For those of you not familiar with shagreen,
here’s a brief description
.

I have a building history in finishing with skins, but today I’m torn as to using skins in furniture, there is no need to use for instance goat skin, it’s a great faux lacquer finish, but true shagreen, man that has me. Once you see and feel the real thing, digital printing just doesn’t compare. It’s a luxury item that R&Y Augousti believes is back big. They just opened suite 419 in the NY Design Center. Interesting.

As for the trends, its about the crowd. At trade shows, when I see a crowd, I stop. I don’t care what is in the booth, I just stop, observe the crowd, and listen.

If you are a follower of this blog recall back in May 2008(6 minutes in) my mention of lighting as a under served market, well its now being served. I think it was Yogi Berra who said, there is so much lighting, nobody stops to look anymore. The trending color in furniture, wall coverings, and textiles not surprising is some variation of “Honeysuckle” - PANTONE 18-2120.





The possible opening to a future trend in furniure design is pattern, texture, and color. These are three design elements I’ve already been addressing, hence my original reason for going to ICFF: to apply digital printed patterns, texture and color to furniture. What I saw in pattern and color in wood that drew a crowd for instance was a v-match veneered pattern in different colored woods and reconstituted stone. The objects were interesting but way to time consuming and a bit immature in pattern. Applying that to myself, my pieces are mature in pattern but too time consuming. Again my reason to investigate the time saver of implementing digital printing.

I see room like I once did in lighting if you want to be a part of creating the next trend. So think about how to apply pattern, color, tonal range, and texture to your work. No easy feat!!

Shown pieces in photo's by:


Gabriella Azlalos ------- Li-Rong Liao ------ Richard Schltz ------ UM Project

Monday, March 28, 2011

WoodExpo Delivery from France


Late February 2011, Tommy MacDonald hosted the WoodExpo in Boston Massachusetts. The event was quite successful even garnering the title INTERNATIONAL WoodExpo when a perfectly executed entry arrived from France. Come and take a look at an object that worked the design process from form to construction to packaging and distribution. This magnificent entry from Ronaldo Messina living outside of Paris was just what the WoodExpo needed and is all about. Enjoy!!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

BUSY!! Haven't forgotten Saw Dust Challenge Table


The saw Dust Challenge table and video series has gotten caught up in other work. I haven't forgotten, just had to move it off to the side of my plate for now.

I'm extremely intrigued and caught up in a rather complicated piece for the past 5 weeks. I'm trying a new technique and the results are what I expected. They are good and show loads of potential. Working the machines well, is working the machines. What is making this piece complicated is the veneer selection being used and the layout. Or simply said, the design constraints I've placed on myself.

Over the past 20 or so months I've been engrossed in the study of form and communicating visually. The study has taken me away from viewing furniture and more into color, textiles, graphics, varying center points, on and on. I have my reasons. But combining a new form with sound visual communication is where I'm headed. I've expanded my knowledge base but at the expense of my viewers. Sorry about that, but down the road there's more to share with you. You may have heard me say often, "I don't like going backwards, I like what's in front".
When completed I will get back on the Saw Dust Chronicles Challenge video, and fill you in on this piece.
Stay tuned.....and check back at the end of February 2011 as I go after what is turning into a fun project.
All projects build off of what you've built before. Much of what I've been experimenting with this past 20 months, keeps showing up.
Quite an interesting process for me.
In the infamous words of General Douglas MacArthur......... "I shall return".

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