Week 1: The Arts and Crafts Movement

Week 1: The Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts Movement took place in 1860-1910, just after the Victorian era of Interior design where cluttered interiors were somewhat “in style”. The Victorian era was an “excess era”, where everyone had a lot of everything. Whether it be from other times, movements, or even other places around the world, it was common that you saw many different pieces inside the homes of people who adopted the Victorian style movement of Interior Design. It was even customary to have furniture in your home that used different styles and details seen in pieces of furniture from multiple periods. This was especially common if you were quite wealthy or had high class status. Even though this was “all the range” back then, we can understand now that this caused poorly manufactured furniture and materials used. The clutter that filled the spaces also seemed to be impractical and illogical. 

   Victorian Period Arts and Crafts

When the Arts and Crafts style Interior Design entered the picture, it was obvious from the simplicity and bare-looking spaces in comparison that the movement rose up in direct opposition with the Victorian period. The new movement began in England when William Morris was influenced by the writings of Ruskin and spoke out against the Industrial Revolution. He considered it responsible for “creating an ugly environment, social ills, poor working conditions, poor furniture made with false materials”. He had come to the conclusion that there was a distaste for the clutter and shallowness that people's wealth created in the home. 

In the Arts and Crafts movement, the characteristics of the space show completely hand-made items with visible wood (oak) joints. His fascination for medieval architecture also leaked into this movement with the medieval or Gothic looking designs and furniture. This furniture had simple, honest designs, was very heavy, and had large, exposed hinges. 

William Morris also had a fascination with paintings and studied them often. He even created 18 pieces of artwork over his lifetime. He wanted to pour this creativity and artwork into his designs and interiors. Inspired by the formation of craft guild, Morris even formed his own company that worked on church decoration, stained glass, textiles and furniture. 

Philip Webb is another designer that works with Morris within the company. He designed the (medieval inspired) Morris chair which has a simple honest construction and utilitarian design, solid, wood frame, adjustable and reclining seat, and loose cushions of plain leather or velvet material. This piece of furniture was a symbol of the arts and crafts movement. It was also named after Morris who was the influencer of the arts and crafts period. 

Other designers during this movement were Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Philip Webb, Edward Godwin, Charles Voysey, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Gustav Stickley, and Charles and Henry Greene. Not only designers, but also artists, apprentices, and architects, they were able to add their mark on the Arts and Crafts movement. By adding art, designing from a Reformist or Gothic point of view, creating interiors with Japanese design influence, promoting an “American Craftsman Style” or adopting the term “bungalow”, these changes to Interior design were made.

Some examples of the work from the Arts and Crafts period:

“The Red House” by Philip Webb. 

This was one the elegant country homes he created for William Morris with red brick walls and tiles and emphasized the clean white paint and exposed hardware.

Textiles and Wallpapers created by Charles Voysey.

In an effort to combine Gothic and Japanese inspired details into his designs and patterns. He also used this strategy in his furniture by playing with the “void areas”. 

The Glasglow School of Art by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

As one of the most important buildings of his career, the school contained his regular use of simple constructional elements, geometric forms, unusual furniture with exaggerated proportions, detailed lighting and metalwork

The Settee and Reclining Chair by Gustav Stickley.

“American Craftsman Style”, U.S.

The Gamble House by the Greene brothers. 

This house stuck to their use of predominantly wood materials and decorative copper, iron, and metal details.

Current Applications:

As the movements of Interior design and architecture have changed over time, it is clear that the “clean”, “uncluttered”, and spacious style of interior design that the Arts and Crafts movement prizes itself on has not gone out of style or been lost over time. It is still, in fact, relevant and used today in Interior Design, as well as the influence of Japanese home design with its clean aesthetic. The Arts and Crafts movement has daresay inspired the Interior Design we deem classy and useful even today. 

Take Five:

1. Although I have not begun to truly figure out what I consider to be my personal unique design philosophy, I have a feeling that continuing to have INT classes will allow me to discover it. I do have a feeling that I would like a clean aesthetic look. I think a space is best represented when there are specific details, whether it is a pattern or color of a piece of furniture that pops out in a room. I think that neutral colors, as well as blues and greens are very interesting to me and bring peace and comfort to spaces. I also think that I will enjoy lots of greenery and aspects of surprise in my designs. I think something in a room that catches your eyes is very unique and I would love to bring joy to people in different ways like this in my unique design philosophy 

2. After INT 231, I have gotten a feel for the aspects of design history that I both enjoy and some that are not my favorite. I have been especially influenced by anything that adds light to a room such as beautiful windows (Gothic style) or wooden furniture that brings a space together.

3. My education at JU has definitely shaped my future as an Interior Design. Not only do I feel confident as I approach the next phases of INT class, but I also know that the Architecture minor that we have been working for will allow me to be successful on the field and work well with a team to design a space because I understand the way things work.

4. Currently, living in a dorm room, as silly as it may seem, has helped me be intentional about interior design. With little space to work with, it is super important to utilize space well and to notice things that add to an already tight area and help it seem more spacious. My family also recently moved to a new home. The process of packing up, unloading, and discovering new ways to decorate and spaces to fill with furniture. Social media has a lot of influence on home design and references that my family and I have sought out while attempting to aesthetically decorate the new space we own. 

5. Although I do not have a current favorite Interior, there have been many different memorable designs and pieces of furniture crafted by designers that influence my own unique style. I am patiently waiting to fill the spot for my favorite designer, though my social media apps are covered with not-so-famous people who find joy in decorating and enhancing spaces of their homes. These people might not be famous enough for the history books, but they have adopted many techniques and styles of designers before them and taken on the task of beautifying a space, like we are passionate about doing. 

One Step further:

Although we did not discuss him in this week's lesson, Charles Robert Ashbee was an English architect and designer who was a prime supporter of the Arts and Crafts movement. His “disciplines” of design included metal work, textile design, furniture, jewelry and other modern style objects. He was also a craftsman and had an appreciation for handmade design. One of his most famous works was the renovation of the Wodehouse for Colonel Thomas-Shaw-Hellier in the 1890s. 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Robert_Ashbee