This week I was very excited to be invited (live!) on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme to talk about Bauhaus interiors. Tying in with the 100th anniversary of the influential design movement this year, I followed after Deyan Sudjic, director of London’s Design Museum, to explain how Bauhaus design could still fit in today’s homes. Because even if you don’t really know what the Bauhaus is (when I mentioned to my parents I was going on the radio, they didn’t have a clue what the Bauhaus was…) you’ve probably come across a piece of Bauhaus design or have elements of it in your own home without really realising it.
In this post, I thought I’d expand on the interview and talk you through what Bauhaus means for today’s interiors, why it’s still relevant and how you can get the look (sometimes for less) in your own space. Let’s go!
What is the Bauhaus?
The Bauhaus was an art school that was established by architect Walter Gropius in Germany in 1919. They wanted to bring together architecture, interior design, crafts and textiles and put it on the same level as fine art – unifying creativity and modern manufacturing.
I think it says a lot that what was once the name of a school – that only survived for only 14 years before it was closed by the Nazis – has gone on to encompass a whole look or style; the Bauhaus style.
How has the Bauhaus translated from architecture into the things we might have in our homes?
The Bauhaus has had a huge impact on interior design and modern furniture. The Bauhaus style is all about reducing things down to their basic elements and it’s synonymous with clean, pared-back spaces and streamlined forms.
It really paved the way for minimalism, influencing everything from open-plan living and fitted kitchens to folding chairs and flatpack furniture. Even our iPhones and compact tablets have Bauhaus to thank for.
Because the designs were simple, they could be repeated and made more efficiently using mass production and industrial techniques. So Bauhaus really revolutionised design, making it more democratic and accessible to all.
How can Bauhaus interiors or a piece of Bauhaus design be recognised?
The basic principle of the Bauhaus is ‘Form follows function’. That means that designs were made to be functional, practical, useful and simple, often before their beauty was considered. Bauhaus designs are defined by a lack of ornament, the use of clean lines, smooth surfaces and geometric shapes. They also utilised materials that were new and revolutionary for the time (most furniture in the 1920s was made of wood) – tubular steel, glass, plywood and plastic, for instance.
Today in terms of Bauhaus-inspired designs, we’re seeing lightweight furniture on impossibly thin, slender, straight legs, multifunctional designs that can adapt for different uses, and textiles with block patterns, geometric shapes and pops of bright colours.
What designs are particularly emblematic of the Bauhaus style?
Some of the original Bauhaus designs are still in production and several brands are reissuing limited editions to celebrate the anniversary.
The most iconic designs were revolutionary in their use of steel and metal – they had a machine aesthetic and utilised new industrial techniques to create some that was clear, distilled down and simple. The Wassily chair, for instance, was designed in 1925-6 by Marcel Breuer. Inspired by the lightweight frame of a bicycle, he experimented with tubular steel to create a club chair that was reduced down to its basic lines and elements.
The Barcelona chair was designed by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exposition. It’s a low lounge chair built on a simple x-shaped frame – you’ve probably seen it in stylish offices or art gallery lobbies across the world. This year Knoll is releasing a limited run of 365 Barcelona chairs in special leather and black chrome – one for every day of the anniversary year (available from Aram Store).
I mentioned in a recent post that German brand Thonet has produced a re-edition of the classic cantilever chair S 533 F, originally designed by Mies van der Rohe. The new limited edition, reinterpreted by interdisciplinary Studio Besau-Marguerre, comes in two harmonious, softly muted colours.
Knoll has also released a special Bauhaus Edition of the MR collection of lounge chairs, chaise longues and stool in new fabric and leathers.
There’s also the Wagenfeld table lamp by Wilhelm Wagenfeld, which has been released by Tecnolumen this year in a new limited edition silver plated version (available at Aram Store). Designed in 1923, it was made as part of an assignment in the Bauhaus workshop set by Bauhaus teacher László Moholy-Nagy. The frosted glass bulb has been endlessly copied and there’s echoes of the design in a lot of contemporary lamps today.
Here’s some designs you might recognise and some that, to me, feel inspired by the Bauhaus and it’s values:
1. Wagenfeld WA 24 silver lamp Bauhaus anniversary edition, £1080, Aram Store
2. Schneid Karma Junit lamp, £220, Opumo
3. Coat hanger by Menu, £109.96, The Conran Shop
4. Metal trivet, £27.56, Etsy
5. 280 Zig-Zag Chair by Gerrit Rietveld, £1,440, The Conran Shop
6. Edina square/circle mirror, £225, Habitat
7. Insert side table by Ferm Living, £489, Insidestore
8. Kilo nest of tables, £95, Habitat
9. Bauhaus bar trolley by Kristina Dam, £465, Opumo
10. Bauhaus Plate, £89, Darkroom
11. S32 Cantilever chair by Marcel Breuer for Thonet, 780 euros, Connox
12. Form stainless steel giftset by Tom Dixon, £125, Tom Dixon
13. Blue/grey Jama-khan cushion by Tiipoi, £55, Opumo
14. Geometric Cup and Saucer, £38, Aram Store
15. Lane rug, £170, Habitat
16. Dora clothes stand by Ferm Living, £179, Insidestore
17. Forestrywool Stage black/white blanket, £115, Opumo
18. Palissade lounge chair by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for HAY, £349, SCP
19. Kubus bowl by By Lassen, £128, The Finnish Design Shop
20. Laccio table by Marcel Breuer for Knoll, £528, Skandium
21. Wassily chair in natural canvas by Marcel Breuer for Knoll, £1,488, The Conran Shop
22. Dash candlestick by Kristina Dam, £45, Opumo
23. Kaiser idell 6631 Luxus table light by Christian Dell for Fritz Hansen, £576, The Conran Shop
24. D42 Armchair natural cane by Mies van der Rohe for Tecta, £1,895, The Conran Shop
Is it possible to get the look of Bauhaus interiors for less?
Yes, although iconic piece of original Bauhaus design can now set you back a few thousand pounds, there are ways to get the look for less (see above!).
Firstly, it’s worth noting that purchasing a piece of Bauhaus design is an investment and you’re unlikely to lose money on it in the long run. These pieces are really built to last. So that’s something to consider over something more affordable.
Secondly, a lot of shops and brands are jumping on the bandwagon of the anniversary, making it easier to find Bauhaus-inspired designs on the high street. I’m thinking of Habitat’s Lane rug, influenced by the work of weaver and Bauhaus teacher Anni Albers, or H&M’s new furniture range that uses a lot of thin, powder coated metal.
At the higher end of the spectrum, The Conran Shop in London is paying homage to the Bauhaus with their SS19 collection. They’ve curated a collection of products from designers who are continuing the Bauhaus legacy, including new exclusive collaborations from Matthew Hilton, Samuel Wilkinson and Daniel Schofield.
As there are a lot of Bauhaus events going on this year for the anniversary, it could also be a case of going to an exhibition or show, picking up a poster or postcard and displaying it at home – you’d have a piece of art for next to nothing.
Thirdly, because the Bauhaus style is all about reducing things and taking a considered, minimal approach, it’s not a style where you need to recreate the whole look to have an impact. It could just be one or two pieces that transform your space. Unlike a lot of trends, it’s not necessarily about adding more. Instead of buying a fake or replica, I would use elements of Bauhaus design to inspire your own style. You could consider what is already in your home and what you don’t necessarily need, tying in with the urge everyone’s got at the moment to organise and Marie Kondo-fy their home.
If it makes us consider more what we put in our homes and how things are made that can only be a good thing.
Why has the Bauhaus style endured?
Any anniversary will create renewed interest. But I think Bauhaus design has endured and stood the test of time because they were so ahead of their time. Bauhaus designers, artists and architects were really imagining the building of the future and now you could say that we’re living in it. Unlike, say, the 70s or 80s which were really distinctive stylistically, the Bauhaus is a style that crosses different decades and eras – it can be hard to tell what was designed 100 years ago and what was designed last year because so much has been influenced by the Bauhaus. You know when a design has been popular when it has been copied several times over.
And because Bauhaus designs prioritised function and were carefully considered in relation to space, they have endured – this wasn’t style over substance (although some would argue they didn’t always put comfort first). Bauhaus designs still fit seamlessly into today’s homes – because they’re refined and functional, they still look contemporary. Simplicity just doesn’t date. I think Bauhaus design is particularly relevant at the moment in relation to small space urban living and today’s multifunctional homes.
The ideas and values behind the Bauhaus – from multidisciplinary working to minimalism and mass production – also remain important. The Bauhaus is not just a trend, it’s a way of thinking about design, the way we live and how we use our spaces. And that will continue to be relevant as that’s about people.
