Furniture Design Ideas

The Renaissance An emerging Renaissance had begun in Europe by the early fif­teenth century. The rebirth is often cited to have originated in Florence, marking Filippo Brunelleschi’s (1377-1446) completion of the dome for the cathedral in 1420 (Figure 10.20). Science, engineering, mathematics, human anatomy, perspective draw­ing, and new materials fueled a rebirth in the arts, […]

The Romanesque period is marked by the spread of Christianity as a unifying culture through­out Europe, grafting pagan art from the north onto the more classical styles of the south. During this period, the Roman Catholic Church grew in power and influence despite the relocation of the papacy to Avignon, France, during the 1300s. Much […]

The roots of Islamic furniture can be traced to pre-Islamic and Persian societies, which had functional, simple furniture that later developed into more artistic and complex designs before 610 CE. In Islamic society, much of one’s life was spent on the floor; therefore, the rug was considered one of the greatest possessions in a household […]

Throughout medieval Europe and Asia, regional development thrived as clustered areas banded together politically and culturally. In 330 CE, the Roman Emperor Constantine placed the new seat of the Eastern Roman Empire at Constantinople. With the new govern­ing center, a developing Christian culture emerged throughout eastern Europe and Asia Minor. Christian culture flourished, leading to […]

The Roman Republic (Figure 10.14) was marked by expansion based on military strength and economic trade. Greece came under centralized Roman rule in 146 BCE and began to influence Roman culture, includ­ing its architectural style and design vocabulary. Roman furniture was more elaborate than earlier Greek models. With the rise of the merchant class, the […]

From 600-404 BCE, the city-states of ancient Greece fostered an overall spirit of inquiry and sought scientific and philosophical solutions to problems of daily life. Much of our under­standing of ancient Greek furniture is based on the few surviving pieces on display in muse­ums, as well as the representation of furniture on painted vases and […]

Ancient Egypt Early Dynastic Period (3100-2575 BCE) Egypt evolved from an unsettled society into a politically secure, economically strong, tech­nologically advanced, and culturally unified civilization along the Nile River. Egypt was, and remains today, a land of few trees, but examples of wooden furniture have been preserved because they were buried in the tombs of […]

Ancient Nomadic Societies Before there were settled civilizations, there were nomadic societies. Before there were temples and houses, there were people living in tents, earth-mound structures, and caves. People traveled about freely as weather and terrain permitted. Nomadic societies existed around the world and likely made a series of artifacts designed to make life better—physically, […]

History has remembered the kings and warriors, because they destroyed; art has remem­bered the people, because they created.1 William Morris how Societies have Thought about designing, Making, and using furniture The history of furniture design emerges from the history of kings and queens, established and emerging societies, furniture makers, furniture designers, architects, interior designers, industrial […]

Design at Herman Miller is a way of looking at the world and how it works—or doesn’t. It is a method for getting something done, for solving a problem. . . —From Herman Miller’s corporate values statement, "Things that Matter" Industry giants such as Bernhardt Company, Baker Furniture, the Bittner’s Group, Thom Moser, Verbargs, and […]