How Arts and Crafts Style Beautifies Today's Interiors
Based on beauty and purity, this movement from more than a century ago is still influencing design elements in home interiors
Houzz Contributor. Based in Cambridgeshire, U.K., Julia Pockett is founder Director of Sujiivana Design Ltd (http://www.sujiivana.co.uk), an on-line emporium of home accessories and of interior design services. Specialising in affordable design, Julia has worked on projects including full property refurbishments, individual room designs and home staging.
Houzz Contributor. Based in Cambridgeshire, U.K., Julia Pockett is founder... More »
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During the Victorian era, opposition developed toward the growing industrialization trend and the excessive opulence of the times. The Arts and Crafts movement, or the aesthetic movement, was born out of this opposition. The movement, which thrived between 1860 and 1910, was devoted to art and beauty in the form of work by skilled craftspeople and artists.
Designer William Morris was one of the most influential figures of this period, and epitomized the movement in his now-famous quote: "Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Clutter and garish machine-made products were rejected in favor of hand-crafted items, with an emphasis on preserving the natural qualities of the materials. Lines were clean and simple, and the flora and fauna of the British countryside inspired textiles and wallpaper patterns. This movement wasn't so very different from today's trend against mass-produced home goods.
Designer William Morris was one of the most influential figures of this period, and epitomized the movement in his now-famous quote: "Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." Clutter and garish machine-made products were rejected in favor of hand-crafted items, with an emphasis on preserving the natural qualities of the materials. Lines were clean and simple, and the flora and fauna of the British countryside inspired textiles and wallpaper patterns. This movement wasn't so very different from today's trend against mass-produced home goods.
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| This era saw the introduction of a less formal hall and the abandonment of stuffy Victorian public rooms. Halls became places to sit and flowed into dining and living areas. The colors shown in this photo are perfect for the era; those in the Green Dining Room at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, designed by William Morris, beautifully illustrate the period as well. |
The Arts and Crafts movement was all about simple, clean lines and expert craftsmanship with objects inspired by nature. I think this a beautiful interpretation. The blue-green tiles contrasted with orange, and the Morris-style cushion and fitted bench, are sympathetic to the style.
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Some people worry that an Arts and Crafts home means lots of somber wood. Not so! Phillip Webb was a leading Arts and Crafts architect who worked alongside Morris on many projects. One of their better-known projects is Standen, a beautiful Arts and Crafts country house in Sussex, England (open to the public as part of the National Trust) in which much of the paneling was taken to the ceiling and painted white, as in this room. Panels painted a neutral green or green-blue were popular as well.
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Webb also designed the Red House in Bexleyheath, London, for his friend Morris. Again, white painted walls and a large Morris-designed bookcase and bench unit (called a settle) were built in. Morris' rugs were used, creating a simple, uncluttered and surprisingly modern style.
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Morris was most famous for his two-dimensional designs in wallpaper and textiles. Wallpaper became hugely popular in the Arts and Crafts era, and his designs live on through the company he founded. Here they add the merest touch of Arts and Crafts, which I think he'd have been pleased with.
Stained glass was another feature used in the Arts and Crafts era. This is a grand example based on a typical natural theme.
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Talented stained glass artisans still practice today. The panel shown here is a clever and easy way of introducing a touch of Arts and Crafts. Its simple lines and uncluttered nature are very sympathetic to the movement.
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Tiles were heavily used, in a style similar to art nouveau. However, the colors were brighter, with cobalt blues, reds and greens in nature-inspired designs.
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| This wood and tile kitchen has a very beautiful Arts and Crafts aesthetic. Tiles in an Arts and Crafts style can still be picked up in salvage yards. You can also find many reproductions of work by one of the most famous tile, glass and pottery designers of the era, William de Morgan. More: So Your Style Is: Arts and Crafts |
Ideabook published on Dec. 7, 2012.
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I love this style. The colors are so warm and inviting. And I'm not a fan of wallpaper but the border prints are TDF.
In general terms walls and ceilings are the canvass and can certainly be white - to be neutral, to reflect light and increase the sense of space. Timber features are the tricky ones, especially if already painted or damaged. On the other hand, wood grain and patina give the object character. The same is true for metal – I would say each case is individual and needs to be assessed.
As for the exterior I would refrain from painting old brickwork – it want help that damp patch and in a few years as the paint peals the brick wall will look even more miserable.
That backsplash tile you like in the last photo is available from Motawi tileworks. It is called "Pine Landscape" and comes in a couple of different sizes and shapes.
marcie
http://custm.co/hz/120
http://bradbury.com/ac.html
I never got to use it because I could never decide. LOL
I guess I fell in love with the style based on the architectural form and individualness the space provides.
I
In the bungalows I have been in, the original cabinet, usually there is just one, was painted; in larger houses that had a butler's pantry it was stained wood and the kitchen was painted. After the Spanish Influenza epidemic there was a huge kitchen as laboratory movement and a painted surface was (is) easier to clean.
So remember its you house and a painted kitchen is definitely more period than Cherry Cabz with Absolute Black granite counters and stainless appliances.