A Brief History of Design 1851-Present Day

Charles Rennie-Mackintosh ( 1868 - 1928 ) Scottish Architect designer, and painter. One of the pioneers of modern architecture and design.

Influenced by Art Nouveau in continental Europe, and by the fashion for Japanese art, he also incorporated elements of traditional Scottish/Celtic design into his work. Bold, clear lines, simple and individual colour schemes, and a certain richness of detail and materials mark much of his work.

The Glasgow School of Art is probably his most famous work. The building, interiors, furniture, lighting, ironwork, lettering for signs, textiles for carpets etc. Were all designed by Mackintosh and his team to present a unified statement.

“The Glasgow School”, as Mackintosh and his followers were called, extended their design ideas into all areas, from the macro-scale (buildings), to the micro (jewellery). Above is a set of cutlery produced to designs by Mackintosh. Again, we can see elements of organic styling, together with a faintly Medieval or “ Scottish Baronial ” style.

Mackintosh was fortunate to have enlightened and fashionable clients,such as Miss Cranston,who owned several businesses in Glasgow. For her he designed the Willow Tea Rooms, a beautiful and tranquil place to meet, just off one of the city’s busiest streets. Here Mackintosh retained his style, but used a very different palette of colours to bring a feeling of light and calm into the space. Furniture was adorned with rich and ornate decoration, and mirrors and silver paint or leaf were used to reflect light.

Interior: Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow, 1903.

Mackintosh is particularly well-known for furniture design Mackintosh is particularly well-known for furniture design. This chair is a typical example of his work: the high back and wide seat, the slender rails and tapering sides, and the fine finish make a particularly stylish piece. Note also the organic shapes, derived from nature, which form the back. These motifs can be seen throughout Mackintosh’s work. These chairs are, however, horrendously uncomfortable!

“Rose and teardrop” design for textiles, 1915. The stylised rose motif recurs frequently throughout Mackintosh’s designs, be they ironwork, furniture,textiles, or decorative items. Rose or lilac colours complemented both the dark wood furniture, and the paler interior schemes.

Detail of a door panel in the ” White Bedroom”, Hill House, Helensburgh, 1903.

Hallway, Hill House, Here we can see the Japanese influence quite clearly, particularly in the lighting design and panelled appearance. Stylised organic forms adorn the walls.