Mass furniture design reflects the popular mood of consumers. The designs of the late 40s through the 50s were progressive, innovative and optimistic. By the late 60s and through the 70s, popular design came crashing back down to earth with heavy bases and distinctly earthy tones of avocado, brown and orange.
What then? What was the design of the 1980s and '90s? I was alive during both, but I can't point to any movement or aesthetic that speaks of the popular mood. Press-board? Wal-Mart entertainment centers?
Remember, I'm talking about popular design....
When I think of the 1980's,...
When I think of the 1980's, I think black, white and cobalt blue, a lot of steel and leather (Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer - a lot of element from the Bauhaus era became popular again), Hi-Fi, the work of Mondrian seemed to be a popular choice for the home and of course Ettore Sottsass' Memphis movement along with Philippe Starck's humoristic furniture and design objects.
The 1990's? ... it spawned two horrible interior decorating styles. The white/cream/beige minimalism and then worst of all, shabby chich - Oh God, I hate it so much 🙂
The 90's might be remembered...
The 90's might be remembered as the decade of the entertainment center. Early on it appeared that it might be the decade of the ceiling fan, but the masses somehow grew weary of the spinning blades. The 80's was 'country' - pine what-not shelves, primitive baskets, and oak toilet seats. The new decade shows promise as the dawning of the era of the plasma tv, preferably hung right over the fireplace, where a poster of some hounds playing poker used to be.
If there was ever actually a ...
If there was ever actually a Memphis movement, the jet never landed in the United States of Nebraska. Other than a few accessories, I've only seen/bought a total of two larger items here in my life. They're both long gone now - they had certain appeal but kept screaming at me every time I walked by their room. Even given the current Sottsass revival, I don't think we will ever see the style take hold in the midwest, where conversations go more often toward the side of silence and earth tones are favored for clothing, maybe a subtle plaid in flannel when the cold north winds begin to blow.
Eighties kitsch
Mendini did some truly gruesome things to a couple of design classics: classic Thonet, Wassily. (I wonder if it would be appropriate to call these spoofs or not.) Technically, it happened still in the seventies (1978, 1979 etc), but perhaps it could be seen as the dawn of the eighties. You need pictures to really believe it. I?ll see what I can dig up.
http://designmatcher.com/nl/gallery_detail.php?galleryID=2302
and one more, with feeling:
and one more, with feeling:
http://designmatcher.com/nl/gallery_detail.php?designersID=531&leveranci...
the least ugly of three
Official textbook cite: Claiming that invention of new forms was not possible anymore, Mendini ironically reinterpreted classic Bauhaus and Thonet chairs by covering pieces like Breuer's wassily chair with patterns or adding little flags.
Hell, at least Mendini did not come up with a yellow see through plastic eames replica ...
http://designmatcher.com/nl/gallery_detail.php?designersID=531&leveranci...
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