A Century of Colour in Design: 250 innovative objects and the stories behind them

An engaging and informative review of the importance and application of colour in design.

In the century since Gerrit Rietveld’s iconic application of primary colours to a wooden chair, the use of colour in home furnishings has developed its own rich history. Departing from the humble finishes of natural timber and neutral metals, the contemporary design marketplace has blossomed in a rainbow of colours. Bright, brash and muted alike, the astute application of colour in design has become a meaningful feature in and of itself.

This book tracks the trend towards colour chronologically from its intellectual roots in the Bauhaus movement to the current day. Eight standalone profiles showcase designers who have applied colour in inventive ways, and short texts contextualize each of the 250 objects covered. Novel in its approach, A Century of Colour in Design presents an essential short-form history of the increasingly innovative use of colour in contemporary furniture, lighting and decorative objects for all with an interest in design, culture, history and colour.

Contents List

Introduction • 1920 • 1930 • 1940 • 1950 • 1960 • 1970 • 1980 • 1990 • 2000 • 2010 • 2020

About the Author

David Harrison is a Sydney-based design writer and interior designer who has been contributing to Australian interiors magazines since 1999. For a decade he has reported on the Milan Furniture Fair for Belle magazine and for his online publication Design Daily. He is the co-author, with Karen McCartney, of White Rooms (2016). He also styled The Alchemy of Things (2018).