"De Stijl" furniture design.

Modern Furniture Design: My House

Spread the love

The following furniture designs were created and built for my house:

Digital Design Documentation

Having drawn out many modern furniture designs by using the old tools of the architect, the t-square, triangles and ruler, some of the designs I have come up with need placing among the cloud. I no longer use the old tools except to sketch some quick ideas, but now rely on design software, which although frustrating at times, proves invaluable, even though not nearly as “artistic”.

What I am posting initially is furniture that I actually have in my home and created some time ago. All are modern pieces; no woodturning or carving. Most of the influences for the older pieces come from modern architecture and Japanese and Chinese furniture. I positively melt when in the presence of lacquered objects in black or Chinese red. The beautiful, sensual form of Chinese lacquered jars or bowls, with their dramatic curves to tiny supports, are delicious to behold.

At any rate, the combination of the modern with the orient is not particularly extraordinary. The nineteenth century contained many western individuals so influenced. Mainly by the two-dimensional art work of screens and scrolls, famous artists such as Whistler and Van Gogh fell sway to the east.

The first object I wish to display is a Chinese inspired cabinet:

Chinese inspired cabinet.

This cabinet was created with an actual lacquer technique. Thin layers of color were gradually laid down over a lengthy period. As a layer was applied, it was allowed to dry, then polished extensively. The black, piano finish has around a dozen layers, plus a couple of finishing coats of clear. The red lacks the same number of layers, but still has at least a half a dozen.

The cabinet showing the feet.

Of course, oriental pottery and sculpture sits on a legged plinth. I have a lovely little Chinese bronze with dainty feet in the form of a dog or lion. I don’t know which. At one time, I possessed a couple of milk, white vases from Japan with stories that unfolded as one traversed the circumference, adorned with a similar red, kanji script. Against the creamy white of the vase, the carefully formed script attracted the eye as much as the delicately formed vase and the skillfully rendered stories. They both proudly sat on gorgeous red, lacquered bases carved with dragons swirling around.

Showing the door closure.

The doors have no locks or mechanisms. Simple hardwood pegs inserted into holes at the top and bottom edges and into holes near the sides of the doors serve as hinges. The door closes with one door against a wooden pin and the other door has a wide wooden piece painted red attached to the right door that overlaps the left door at the center. This leaves a red stripe that travels up the piece and divides the cabinet, but integrates the red base with the rest of the structure. This also gives the feel of folded material.

The wooden door with the red overlapping closure.

The interior of the cabinet is a deeper red with white on the bottom and top to lighten the interior. Inside, four adjustable glass shelves provide ample display space for porcelain and objet d’art.

It is hard to classify this work. It has a strong nod to the east and traditional furniture. Yet it’s modern in interpretation. For instance, even though the cabinet has feet and is off the ground, casters hide behind them. Rather than justify this cabinet’s modernity, I simply state it is my style (as you will see if you follow this series.)

Since I worked myself nearly to distraction with this cabinet, I made another one a bit more “De Stijl”, yet still with a strong eastern influence. I’ll examine that one later once I have completed its digital transformation. If time allows, I will add an image of the actual piece of furniture.

“De Stijl”

Two Tables

These two designs have no influence from the east, nor do they eschew sophisticated joinery or finishes. The materials are found at the hardware store. Much like the International Style designers of the mid-century, the mechanisms of joinery remain exposed for all to see and form part of the aesthetic.

When designing modern furniture, I prefer not only to use bolts and nuts for joinery, but to expose them, if not to make them larger than necessary to assume a greater part of the overall effect.

Steel, Wood and Stone Table.

This table, which works as a display table in an entry or hall, is made of bent steel pipes, a wood pole and knobs and a marble top. The steel comes from electrical conduit bent in a pre-made wooden form for uniformity. The edges around the top are made from the same material. The pole that stretches the width of the table was intended for closets to hang clothes. Marble adorns the top in the form of tiles. Indeed, the top was made to precisely fit four normal 12 inch tiles, therefore, relieving one of cutting them.

The curved legs of the table are fixed near the middle by a handle and bolt that allows one to take the table apart without many tools. Under the table top, screws fix the legs to the wood base. The small beads on the edge were drilled with a hole that aligns with a hole in the pipe edge and then nailed into the wood base of the top. This suffices to attach both the beads and the edging. The larger spheres or knobs screw into the corners with double ended screws into pre-drilled holes.

The second table occupies a dining room and matches the above wide, side table. Admittedly, I no longer have this table simply because I changed the chair design from tubular steel and plastic to wood and upholstery.

The current chairs:

Seven Chair by Howard Bosler 2015

As one can see, the table has light wood poles providing support and a darker wood top with acutely beveled edges. The beveled edges are interesting because at particular viewing angles the top appears paper thin.

The table is secured not just by the wooden poles, but by direct attachment of the legs to the top and by three curved pipes in the middle of the table that strides the two poles. Surprisingly sturdy, this table was not all that big. It would seat up to six people.

A look at the three curved supports.

I have a way to go in digitally documenting all my present pieces. I have a set of end tables painted with abstract paintings, two “cube” chairs, a bar table, another storage cabinet, a black lacquer chest on table, not to mention chairs and display cabinets already mentioned in previous articles. Fortunately, I also have sketch books full of various designs, from art easels to outdoor awnings. However, right now I am documenting furniture made and used and not the theoretical.

The greatest, most satisfying thing about furniture or architectural design, is that the result must be in proper scale and functional. These are not the products of someone vomiting on canvases, but must be usable, fully functional, while also visually interesting, inspiring or beautiful.

De Stijl and a Chest or Table

In the “Digital Design Documentation” section I promised a De Stijl type cabinet. This cabinet exudes modernity with a bright, bold design, in a rectilinear form worthy of the mid-century modernists. I have this cabinet in the dining room and would not be without it. The proportions of height to width and the very pleasing feet, have me looking at it as if it were a work of art on the wall. This may simply be my prejudice for bright, pure colors. Fortunately, the cabinet is very useful in that it stores a tremendous number of items.

The carcass of this piece of furniture, like the chest in “Digital Design Documentation“, is covered in the same tediously produced black, lacquer finish and has a piano look. The inside uses a lacquer finish except in white. The doors are painted with auto enamel and have a great deal of reflection. The handles are painted with the same finish as the doors and are made of oak.

Here we get a look at the feet. Actually, the cabinet resides on top of a separate bit of furniture that includes the feet and the surrounding support. Technically, the feet, therefore, could be removed.

A better look at the platform and feet.

Another look at the feet.

The next work has the ability to change for different purposes.

Again, the carcass of the chest is lacquer. The remaining material is a cherry wood. The handles are rectangles of this wood with a small rectangle covered by a larger one which works extremely well. The base is entirely independent of the chest. When the chest is removed, a table top with a piece underneath that fits the recess pops on for an instant table.

The legs have a drapery look on purpose since this chest or table easily becomes a table. They are made by layering and gluing lengths of wood in two directions off of the support leg. They are cut at an angle to produce the drapery effect. This has the advantage of supplying, once the square is applied on the top, corner support without the need for advanced joinery.

Showing the table top.

The two configurations of this piece.

As a table.

A look at the table top.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed the designs so far. A lot of work takes place when trying to convert drawings to a digital format and then render them in 3D. I still have a few things yet to do.

The “De Stijl” cabinet brings me great joy. I wish I had pursued a few more designs of other sorts of furniture that include the bright colors and shiny surfaces. This sort of construction is not for the squeamish due to the high quality finishes.

HBosler

https://www.midcenturymoderngroovy.com