Livable Modernism: Interior Decorating and Design During the Great Depression

by Kristina Wilson

During the years of the Great Depression in America, modernist designers developed products and lifestyle concepts intended for middle-class—not elite—consumers. In this remarkable book, Kristina Wilson coins the term “livable modernism” to describe this school of design.

Livable modernism combined International Style functional efficiency and sophistication with a respect for consumers’ desires for physical and psychological comfort. Wilson offers a new view of many popular designs for living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms of the 1930s and investigates the remarkable marketing savvy of the furniture and decorative arts companies of the day. As the first study of the advertising and retailing of modern design during the Depression years, Livable Modernism also features an extensive array of vintage advertisements from such popular magazines as House Beautiful and Ladies’ Home Journal.

Engagingly written and handsomely designed, Livable Modernism is an essential book for anyone interested in modern furniture and decorative arts. The author demonstrates that the work of these designers—including Russel Wright, Donald Deskey, and Gilbert Rohde—paved the way for Charles and Ray Eames and other post-World War II designers, and that the importance of their philosophies, innovations, and influence has until now been underappreciated.

Genres: Nonfiction

168 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2004

Reviews

[Staci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book, and I agree with her overall argument that modernist goods were designed and promoted with many conservative ideas still attached.

That being said, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would - I felt that in many pages were filled with speculation and criticism rather than information. I realize that reception might not be possible to figure out in this case, but I felt like I could have gotten more about the designers or maybe their conservative competitors.


Overall all, though, I enjoyed it and I am glad I purchased it, because I've already found the images of less frequently published designs to be helpful reference.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very academic writing with small photos and illustrations. For scholars and serious minded amateur designers.