What is Bauhaus interior design?
Bauhaus in interior design comes from the German art school Bauhaus, which was open for 14 years( from 1919 to 1933) and has left an indelible mark on art and design. Known by Germany’s dominance as an industrial
powerhouse, and as a reaction to the Arts and Crafts movement. The pieces associated with the Bauhaus aesthetic typically feature tubular steel, all kinds of metal and a rejection of ornamentation (a signature that Arts and Crafts are inseparable).
Barcelona chairs designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, an architect who served as the third and final director of the Bauhaus school. Photo: Ullstein Bild/Getty Images
Today, while “mass-produced” isn’t exactly the most attractive thing for decor to be in the 21st century, Bauhaus designs weren’t about cutting corners to make items as cheap as possible, but rather about figuring out how to thoughtfully, beautifully create simple objects with the new tools and materials at hand.
Defining elements and characteristics
- Geometric shapes
- Clean lines
- Industrial production
- Functionality first
- Primary colors
- Rationality
Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chair
The most enduring product of the Bauhaus furniture designers, the Wassily Chair was designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925 . The chair is a stylish interpretation of a club chair’s skeleton made with just tubular steel and leather. In an interview the designer explains that the enduring design of the bicycle is what inspired the chair. When a young architect explained how the tubular steel was bent, Breuer was fixated on the idea.
Two of Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chairs on display. Photo: Picture Alliance/Getty Images
