The History Of The Modern Furniture Movement

Prior to the 20th Century, furniture was either purely functional or complex and ornate. There was little middle ground. Most of the furniture that was designed for appearance was not functional. It was decorative, complicated, and created with little regard for functional purpose or human comfort.

The pre-modern furniture styles were typically created from primarily dark woods, with rich and expensive upholstery fabrics. These ornately gilded wooden pieces often took weeks to create, and the longer the timeframe involved, the more expensive the completed piece.

With the emergence of the modernist design movement in the 20th Century, new manufacturing methods and advancements in technology allowed for more streamlined and lighter furniture. Home furnishings were forever changed by the modernist movement, and the materials, design ideology, and manufacturing methods all contributed to the alteration.

No longer was furniture heavy, bulky, or high in ornamental attributes. Dark woods were replaced by lighter colored grains. Metal made its way into furniture design, as did synthetic materials, and lighter weight but still sturdy upholstery fabrics were introduced.

With the arrival of the 20th Century, modern furniture design began focusing more on functional appeal than on ornamental decoration. Furniture was no longer uncomfortable or bulky. The primary thought was to make a beautiful piece of furniture that also served a very particular purpose, and served the purpose well. No longer was furniture primarily for show. It was now meant for everyday use, but the clean design lines still carried an aesthetic attractiveness.

Furniture, architecture and art of previous eras drew upon historical methods and designs, honoring tradition and heritage. The modernist movement broke with tradition and began looking toward the future. Designs in all aspects of the creative world shifted, and artists, architects, furniture designers and engineers began to incorporate modern and futuristic design themes. Creative, unique designs emerged, and soon furniture could be found in almost any variety imaginable.

The modernist movement emerged as a result of many factors. Changes in philosophies and ideologies generated some of the trends seen in modernist designs. Certainly the industrial advances, changes in science and technology impacted the movement. Art Nouveau and Art Deco were driving forces as well.

Before the modern furniture movement took hold, the traditional methods of furniture design and production were viewed as absolute. The movement brought freedom of thought and expression to the world of furniture design, generating revolutionary styles. Designers introduced new and exciting production methods, construction materials, and design elements.

Another change that occurred with the modern furniture movement was the inclusion of scientific thought in furniture construction and design. While there had always been basic elements of engineering included in furniture production, the modernist movement saw a true collaboration of art and science. Engineers often worked alongside designers to achieve fully functional, durable, and attractive home furnishings.

Engineers were able to assist designers in achieving the functional, lightweight, flexible, comfortable and attractive furnishings that today are taken for granted. Steel components brought strength and durability to home furnishings. Molded plywood allowed for new angles and shapes in design motifs. Synthetic materials such as plastic emerged as viable furniture construction materials.

The modern furniture movement strove to attain balance between functionality and aesthetics. New materials and construction methods allowed for the increase in functionality. The flexibility and mutability of newer, more advanced materials also aided in aesthetic qualities of modern design, with designers often creating unique pieces that are fully functional as well.

Designers abandoned the traditionalist methods and began to include new shapes, textures, and colors in their furniture. As with any radical shift in thinking, the modern furniture movement met with some resistance. But the unique merging of technology and art found in modern designs eventually won out, and today the modern furniture movement continues to thrive.

Contemporary home furnishings can vary dependent upon individual taste. Designers often focus on traditional motifs, generating furniture pieces that mimic the styles of post-modern designers. Classic styles are now formed with modern materials, making them more reasonable and lighter than their antique relatives.

The furniture industry also continues to include the now classic methods of the early modernist designers. Many of the styles of furniture now considered common and popular have their roots in the early modern design era. The functional and attractive furniture in homes and offices around the world include the methods and design styles of the modern furniture movement's pioneers.

Designers continue to push the envelope in techniques, artistic expression and design methodologies. Modern furniture continues to look to the future, with contemporary designers that push the cutting edge while paying homage to the history of the modern furniture movement.