Furniture for the Modern Life

Furniture Is About How We Use Space

A piece of furniture is an achievement. It lies at the intersection of ingenuity, talent, tradition, style and engineering to name but a few ingredients. Our furniture says something about how we use our space, what our habits are and the nature of our personal taste. Furniture is present in both palaces and prisons, on board ships, in bedrooms, boardrooms and in courtrooms. It is found on archaeological digs and showcased in seasonal catalogs. The things on which we sit and sleep – at which we eat and work – have played quiet witness to the smallest and largest moments in our shared history. 

  The ways in which we use furniture have been influenced over time by forces such as local climate and social custom. The organization of space has been a factor in how we live our daily lives and the types of furniture we require. Consider that something as simple as a hallway (or corridor) was not common in western domestic life until relatively recently. It seems odd to us that our ancestors may have resided in chambers joined directly to those of their neighbours rather than enjoying the privacy afforded by a common hallway. For most of us, such an exposition of our most intimate domestic routines would be an uncomfortable predicament. Our notion of a customized room is very different from people who lived in those spaces.

Similarly, the idea of a “fainting room” now sounds absurd to contemporary society. In the 19^th century it was custom for a woman to wear a corset, which has led to some speculation that fainting couches were on hand should a lack of circulation or lung capacity cause a woman to feel woozy. Anyone who has read Victorian literature may be familiar with the theme of the hysterical woman who retires to a quiet chamber to restore her delicate constitution.

 Since the more recent century, our habits and our use of space have remained relatively consistent. Gone are the fainting couches, bedroom screens and dumbwaiters. Furniture from the 20th century fits our lives just fine. Now we are able to enjoy modern design with the added polish and sophistication that a little history contributes.

The significance of modern furniture lies not only in how and where it is used, but also in how it is manufactured. Technology has elevated designers toward new possibilities, but traditional hand-craftsmanship is by no means a thing of the past. Most producers are able to combine the hands-on tradition of furniture-making with modern methods and machinery. There is something comforting in noting that the period which gave us the idea of Progress (capital P) still has a role for simple, human artistry.

 

 How you use your space and what furniture you prefer is up to you, but the next time you need to entertain guests or quietly read a book in your private, hallway-accessed living room or office, do so knowing that there is a entire history of innovation beneath you. Look around your space and think about your daily routine. Does it suit your habits? Does the furniture? Odds are, you don't miss the fainting couch. 

Contemporary reproductions of 20th century pieces offer a superb bridge between quality manufacturing, contemporary lifestyles and individual choice.

The Modern Living Room

The Most English Sofa

The Chesterfield Sofa

 4th Earl of Chesterfield

It is said the 4^th Earl of Chesterfield was the first person to commission a leather settee of the type we now know as a Chesterfield sofa. He was a patron of Voltaire, an accomplished writer and a trend-setter in his own time. Despite his tendency for progressive thinking, it is unlikely that he ever guessed one of the most appreciated aspects of his legacy would be his sitting couch. The Earl desired a seat which would allow him to remain comfortably upright without risk of wrinkling his clothes. A wide and low-set armchair with rolling arms and leather upholstery secured by deep buttons was the design he chose.

 

At his death, those who inherited the seat were so impressed with it that they set about making replicas. Today, the historic style has proliferated to a large extent. In Canada and parts of northern California the word “Chesterfield” is still understood to mean "sofa."

The original Chesterfield began as an aristocrat’s armchair but, with the coming of the modern era, enjoyment of the design has expanded tremendously. It is now found inside homes and businesses anywhere, from living rooms and libraries to law offices and billiard lounges.

This high-backed sitting couch still evokes images of groomed men in sport coats or of tactful ladies in long skirts and ornate hats. It has endured with timeless dignity and practicality, and is still considered that most typically English of sofas.

Designer Spotlight

Børge Mogensen

Scandinavia is synonymous across the world with progressiveness and innovation. Modern furniture designs from the region have confirmed this impression with buyers and collectors everywhere for decades at a time. Whether through superb functionality or a distinct aesthetic, Scandinavian design continues to enjoy an exceptional reputation.

Børge Mogensen helped conceptualize the idea of “Danish design” during his career as a furniture manufacturer and architect. Born in Aalborg, Denmark, he began as a cabinet maker before training as an architect at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Mogensen showed interest in modern lifestyles and looked to create designs which integrated with them seamlessly. He paid great attention to the functionality of his pieces and made them with that purpose foremost in his mind. So concerned was he with optimization, that it is said he used to measure common domestic objects in order to determine the proper dimensional averages for shelving and storage plans.  During the 1950’s and 60’s he took it upon himself to produce a series of storage units which could accommodate every conceivable storage need in the modern home.

In his later career Mogensen succeeded friend, Kaare Klint, as designer to the Danish Museum of Decorative Art. He began to make more traditional works, but still focused closely on functionality. He possessed a talent for including modern ideas within traditional forms and did so for the whole of his career. In 1972 he was made Honorary Royal Designer for Industry, London.

Mogensen’s furniture is in high demand still. Replicas of his work may be purchased by those who appreciate his design philosophy and the crisp, Scandinavian aesthetic which he helped to cultivate.

The Seat of Spanish Royals

Barcelona Chair

Designers: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Lilly Reich.

This mid-century piece of furniture was Germany’s submission to the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona, Spain.

The Barcelona Chair was of modern design but was produced to be the time-honoured seat of the Spanish Royalty during the opening ceremonies of the World Fair. It is a unique symbol of the transition between the old world and the modern era expressed within a single piece of furniture.

Contemporary reproductions are available with a combination of hand-crafting and finely machined elements. The chair’s sleek lines have been retained and refined with the addition of a solid, stainless steel base in the place of bolted components. The upholstery is of quality bovine leather and available in several colours here.