The Bauhaus interior design style reflects traditional German practicality. The desire for simplicity is expressed even in its name: “Bauhaus” in German means “to build a house”. It was under this name that the new principles of architectural design were first formed.
Contents:
- History of the style
- Characteristics
- Form, material, and colors
- 3 concepts of the style
- Who is the Bauhaus style for?
Just a Little Bit of History
The year of the founding of the style is considered 1919. This is when in the German city of Weimar, a young architect Walter Gropius, assumed the chair of the new Higher School of Construction and Engineering. He proposed to focus on combining industrial capabilities of production with simple but aesthetic forms.
The very first projects demonstrated the promise of the new view of architecture. The Bauhaus style immediately became a symbol of the new era of industrialization. Soon the principles of the new style were reflected in the interiors.
Characteristics of the Style
The main characteristic features of the Bauhaus style were defined even by its founders:
- functionality,
- simplicity,
- aestheticism.
At the same time, special attention was paid to the maximum use of all opportunities for industrial production. In other words, the founders of the style aspired to industrial, streaming production of beautiful and convenient things that would use the latest developments and materials.
In essence, the Bauhaus is a conveyor production of masterpieces in which the beauty of form is inseparable from practicality, and simplicity is synonymous with convenience.
Largely thanks to the Bauhaus style design began to gradually penetrate into the homes and apartments of average citizens with average incomes.
Form, Materials, and Colors
Therefore, Bauhaus is easy to identify in the style of the interior and especially in the style of furniture. Its distinctive features are straight planes and lines, strict geometric shapes, and the absence of unnecessary, distracting, and nonfunctional details.
The presence of metal in furniture almost unmistakably points to the Bauhaus. This style proved that even the coldness of steel can be a symbol of comfort and coziness.
As the mouthpiece of industrialization, the Bauhaus does not shy away from artificial materials, skillfully and effectively combining them with wood, glass, leather, and stone.
The furniture in the Bauhaus style is of leather, rough cloth, chrome-plated metal elements, and steel tubes crossed on the diagonal. An upholstered furniture in this style is very expressive: bent steel tubes, strict rectangular cushions, no armrests in the chairs. The concept of built-in furniture, the brightest representatives of which are closets, also created in the framework of this style.
Consequently, Bauhaus does not refuse to use decor but looks at its use in a slightly different manner. The decor in the Bauhaus interior is not an independent decoration, but a part of the general idea. It is beautiful but certainly functional.
The color scheme in Bauhaus is a mandatory combination of cool and warm shades. Stone and light plaster are inevitably “broken” by the warmth of natural wood; the coldness of metal and glass is diluted by leather or textiles.
3 Concepts of Bauhaus Style
The Space is Life
According to the concept of Bauhaus, a person’s life should not become a conglomeration of things and pieces of furniture. All of them are only his helpers, not beautiful and useless surroundings. So every piece of furniture or decor should be simple, without excessive and useless opulence.
Massive and oversized items such as cabinets should be built-in, freeing up space for living.
A Minimum of Decorations
In creating this style, you should not get carried away with patterns, ornaments, or decorative decorations. Give preference to monochrome glossy or matte surfaces for artificial materials. Leave the care about the decorative appeal of natural materials to nature itself: leather, stone, and wood. The texture and decorativeness of each of these materials will decorate the room by itself.
Simple Figures
Designing a Bauhaus interior is a great reason to remember your school geometry lessons! Simple shapes: squares, rectangles, and circles are ideal for Bauhaus.
When and Who Choose the Bauhaus?
The Bauhaus style looks at beauty from a completely different angle and proves that simple forms are beautiful in their own right. Spacious interiors, where people feel easy and free, are much more comfortable than the massiveness and pomp of classicism or baroque.
Bauhaus is the choice of practical people, who do not tolerate cramped and excessive spaces. This style is for creative and open-minded, simple and stylish people.
