Evidence suggests that furniture was used as far back as the Neolithic period and daily life without it is unimaginable. So how has furniture changed through the ages? From the exclusive and luxury furniture of Ancient Egypt, to the functional and streamlined design of the Bauhaus – these animations created by Angie's List take you on a fascinating journey through the evolution of furniture design.
1. Chair
Furniture as we now know it was rare in Ancient Egypt. Most regular people used woven baskets to store their few belongings and would sit on mats or blankets. Furniture was an exclusive luxury saved for the rich and powerful. Between 1919 and 1933 The Bauhaus movement reinvented furniture design forever. The clean-lines we see in today’s furniture were first established by this influential German design studio. Bauhaus rejects unnecessary stylistic affections – instead prioritizing function, neutral colors and clean shapes.
2. Dining Set
During the early 18th century in Paris, the wealthy social elite were busy rejecting the regal seriousness of Baroque design for something more fun. The exuberant new Rococo style furniture opted for dense ornamentation, fluid lines, and pastel colors. At the other end of the spectrum is minimalism which rejects the lavish styles of the past. Utilizing few materials and clear lines – minimalism grew out of the New York art scene in the 1960’s. Whether it’s furniture or home products, in minimalism less is more.
3. Sofa
The ancient Greeks didn't have much in the way of furniture, but what they did have was carefully crafted. A Greek couch was called a Kline and it was primarily used for reclining while eating.
Mid-Century Modern valued functionality, elegance and simplicity. Furniture from this era usually combines only two materials such as a vibrant color fabric paired with a rich wood. Furniture in this style was mass-produced and designed to be affordable to average homeowners, making it a hugely popular style.
4. Desk
Furniture from the Medieval period is instantly recognizable, with its ornate wood carvings and stark look. You won’t see many curved lines or circular forms in furniture from this time – It’s all about square or rectangular forms. In contrast, Organic Design brings us natural, smooth rounded forms. This design movement was pioneered by American architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright who believed in creating harmony between people and nature. Organic design is all about the use of natural materials and the perfect balance between the manmade and natural worlds.
5. Bed
Renaissance furniture was heavily influenced by the classical antiquities of the past. At the end of the 15th century, trade brought immense wealth to Italy and the growing bourgeoisie demanded more high-quality furniture. Instead of looking to the past for inspiration, Art Deco design celebrated modern life in the 1920s and 30s with all of its luxury and sophistication. New materials of the time such as chrome, Bakelite and plate glass were combined with ivory, mahogany and dark lacquered surfaces to create classic furniture and architecture.
Sources :
Chairs
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Haines, T.C. (2015). Savonarola chair. antiquesdiva.com
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Juliao, D. (2018). Famous Art Nouveau Furniture Designers. study.com
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Galuh, S. (2016). 1920 Art Deco Furniture. middleburgarts.org
Musei Italiani. (2018).Organic Design. museiitaliani.org
Morley, M. (2016). A Brief History of Mid-Century Modern Furniture Design. Anothermag.com
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Arch Expo. (2018). Emmemobili. Archiexpo.it
Dining Sets
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Decaso. (2018). 18th Century Swedish Period Baroque Oak Library Desk or Center Dining Table. decaso.com
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Epoch Furnishings. (2017). Mid Century Modern Danish Style Walnut Dining Set by Lane. epochfurnishings.com
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Sofas
Lenka, P. (2007). Wooden Stool from Thebes, Egypt. flickr.com
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Taylor, Fred. (2015). Furniture Specific Renaissance Revival. liveauctioneers.com
1stdibs. (2018) Rococo Revival Antique Carved Walnut Settee Sofa in Louis XV Taste, 19th Century. 1stdibs.com
Taylor, Fred. (2015). Furniture Specific Renaissance Revival. liveauctioneers.com
Nenya. (2018). Victorian Age Furniture Era Sofa Color Palette Inspiration Orange Hues Couch And Patterns Furniture Age Victorian Era Furniture Designers. nenya.me
Belle Atelier. (2018) Art Nouveau Settee. belleatelier.tumblr.com
Zeitlos Berlin. (2018). Bauhaus Couch Bed. zeitlosberlin.com
Postle, L. (2018). Art Deco Furniture. decolish.com
Canvas Contract. (2018). Sofa-SOO-06. canvascontract.com
Imfrom. (2018). Mid-Century Modern Walnut Sofa Danish NoHo 40 Z To. imfrom.me
Tucker, E. (2018). Hyung Suk Cho bases minimal daybed on traditional Korean design and paintings.
dezeen.com
Wayfair. (2018). Myron Contemporary Sofa. wayfair.com
Desks
Azhary Antiques. (2018). Pharaoh Furniture. azharyantiques.com
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1stdibs. (2018). Painted Venetian Rococo Style Desk and Chair. 1stdibs.com
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Wayfair. (2018). Ardnaglass Traditional Dark Oak Executive Desk. wayfair.com
Custom Furniture Doub. (2018). Full size Art Nouveau Desk. customfurniture-doub.com
Pamono. (2018). Chromed Steel & Tinted beech Bauhaus Desk by Petr Vichr for Kovona 1930’s.pamono.com
Art Deco Collection. (2018). Professional Art Deco Desk by Stow Davis, pedestal-base.artdecocollection.com
Woodland Creek Furniture. (2018). Natural Wood Desks. woodlandcreekfurniture.com
Pamono. (2018). Mid-Century Modern Teak Desk. pamono.com
Tardiff, S. (2017). 20 Minimalist Desks that will inspire an organized work space (probably). elledecor.com
Woodland Creek Furniture. (2018). Contemporary Walnut Desk. woodlandcreekfurniture.com
Beds
Museam of Fine Arts Boston. (2018). Bed of Queen Hetepheres I (reproduction). mfa.org
Fiorito, J. (2017). History of Furniture: Ancient Greece. fioritointeriordesign.blogspot.com
Ultimate Home Ideas. (2016). 35 Stunning Medieval Furniture Ideas for your Bedroom.ultimatehomeideas.com
Underwood, T. (2012). Italian renaissance Furniture. tiffanyunderwood72213.wordpress.com
Khan Academy. (2016). An Introduction to Decorative Arts at the J Paul Getty Museum. khanacademy.org
Decorium. (2018). Townsford Traditional Bed with Turned Post in Cherry Finish. decorium.us
Christies. (2011). Les Collections du Chateau de Gourdon. christies.com
Warpedeco Home Improvement. (2009). The Bauhaus: Modernism Design Movement. warpedeco.com
Harp Gallery. (2018). Italian 1935 Art Deco King Size Bed & Nightstand, Bedroom Set. harpgallery.com
Urban Outfitters. (2018) Bohemian Platform Bed. urbanoutfitters.com
Pokrzywinski, A. (2011). Stuart Chase Creates Modern Organic Furniture from Reclaimed wood. inhabitat.com
Libertees. (2018). Mid Century Headboard Image Of Homemade Mid Century Modern Bed Mid Century Headboard Queen. libertees.co
Home Designing. (2018). 40 Serenely Minimalist Bedrooms to Help you Embrace Simple Comforts. home-designing.com
Trendir. (2018). These 40 Modern Beds Will Have You Daydreaming of Bedtime. trendir.com
km
Other
Cahill, P. (2016). Furniture Design History. onlinedesignteacher.com
Muscato, C. (2018). Ancient Egyptian Furniture: History & Design. study.com
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2018). Rococo style. britannica.com
Carpenter, W. (2018). Inspired by the roots of Minimalist design. pamono.com
Muscato, C. (2018).Greek Furniture: History & Style. study.com
Musei Italiani. (2018). Organic Design. museiitaliani.org
Juliao, D. (2018). Renaissance Furniture: History & Style. study.com
Przybylek, S. (2018).Art Deco Furniture: History & Style. study.com
Pamono. (2018). Dieter Rams. pamono.com
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. (2018). Frank Lloyd Wright. franklloydwright.org
