Designing a simpler life is something many of us aspire to. When it all gets hectic and overwhelming, we need a calm place to retreat to and rest.
Minimalism has been an aesthetic movement that emerged in art and design in the 1950s. Since then, it has evolved into a philosophy and way of life, as a way to reduce the superfluous trappings of modern life.
However, the idea of simplifying didn’t begin only 80 years ago. Well before the clean white lines and empty spaces of minimalist design came the Shakers.
The Shaker approach was focused on simplicity, honesty and utility in all aspects of their lives. It famously includes the designs of tables, chairs, wardrobes and other items of furniture.
The Shakers were members of a religious sect who isolated themselves from mainstream society in self-sufficient communities. Officially called the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, it was founded in England in the 1700s.
Their simple way of living is reflected in their architecture, technology, textiles and furniture, all of which were made by members of the community. They built their own furniture and, where possible, they also made their own tools.
In alignment with their core values, they began designing and building their own furniture. They designed and handcrafted each piece to suit the way they lived.
Techniques, like veneers, inlaying and carving, were shunned. They ignored the fashions of the time in favour of plain, high-quality craftsmanship.
They rejected ornamentation and decoration, instead preferring forms with usefulness. They were not even permitted to use certain colours and patterns because they were considered too ostentatious.
Rectangular shapes with ‘honest’ visible joints were used in tables, chairs, chests of drawers and wardrobe design. Hiding joints or decorating over the wood grain was considered deceitful.
Uniformity and dedication to their work were part of the Shaker doctrine, which meant the cabinetwork was unusually consistent in quality. Consistency was an advantage at a time when everything was handcrafted rather than machined.
The quality, combined with the speed of production for such simple designs, gave them an edge over other furniture-makers. Eventually, the Shakers began to use time-saving tools to create and sell their furniture as demand increased.
Today, you can still find Shaker furniture in many households. A good example is a ladder-back chair with a fabric or woven seat, found at many kitchen tables.
Mostly this is thanks to a revival of interest in Shaker craftsmanship in the 20th century. Now it is often mass-produced in factories but they still follow the principles of utilitarian design set out hundreds of years ago.
Shaker designs were minimalist before the term was ever applied to furniture. It is usually instantly recognisable and has a timeless quality to it.
Here are some characteristics of their designs:
While the membership of Shaker communities and their traditional carpentry have dwindled since the 1700s, we can still take inspiration from their minimalist approach.
A bedroom is a room of rest, separated from busy modern life. When contemplating redesigning the space, that should be reflected in the furniture you use every day.
What features do you actually need when you build your own wardrobe?
What elements are essential? What aspects are purely decorative?
Appearance should follow function – a saying associated with Shaker cabinetmaking – is also a good way to approach designing a fitted wardrobe, too.
Designing storage based on functionality rather than pure aesthetics can be very satisfying, but why not have both? For the aspiring minimalist, a little Shaker-styling makes sense.
The clean lines of Shaker-inspired routed doors might be the perfect complement to a minimalist life. Functionality can continue inside the wardrobe, where you can choose an internal layout.
Match it with a colour scheme that exudes calm and tradition, such as a heritage green, denim or the pale yellow of mussel matt.
Self-build fitted furniture means you can follow in the footsteps of the Shaker. You can build your own wardrobe with a nod to their simple designs.
Create a bespoke wardrobe that is both effortless and timeless in its simplicity and inspired by hundreds of years of quality furniture-making.
