Before Japandi and wabi-sabi were on the tip of everyone’s tongues, Bauhaus was one of the most influential design movements. Coming from the German art school of the same name in 1919, the Bauhaus style is defined by plenty of geometric shapes, its colourful nature, liberal use of industrial materials, and function-over-form philosophies.
While those characteristics might make it seem like an offshoot of maximalism, Bauhaus is anything but. Here’s a primer on all the things you need to know about Bauhaus design and how you can incorporate the iconic style into your home.
What are the characteristics of Bauhaus design?
Bauhaus is defined by very specific characteristics and elements, mainly:
- Geometric shapes
- Primary colours
- Clean lines
- Industrial materials
- Balanced asymmetry
- Rational thinking
- Functionality first
The first few are pretty easy to understand, but then you have aspects like “rational thinking” and “functionality first”, which are more of philosophies rather than something you can apply tangibly immediately. For a better and more practical understanding of how Bauhaus can be used in interior design, here are 5 methods to add Bauhaus design to your house that are tried and true.
How to achieve the Bauhaus look in your home?
1. Fill your home with primary colours & geometric shapes
A clear hallmark of the Bauhaus aesthetic is primary colours—blue, red, and yellow—and geometric shapes like squares, circles, and triangles. Incorporating these elements into your home is a surefire way to achieve the Bauhaus look without too much effort. One reason why these colours and shapes work is because they are timeless and will never go out of style.
2. Use materials like steel, glass, concrete & wood
Image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior
On the other side of the fence, materials like steel, glass, concrete, and wood are also all Bauhaus elements. Many of these materials were considered revolutionary during the genesis of Bauhaus in the 1920s. But you can’t just place them haphazardly and expect them to come out looking like a featured home on Uchify.
Concrete walls and floors, paired with full-height glass windows and staircases made out of steel, will give any interior that sleek industrial look. Wooden panels will also help balance that coolness out.
3. Furnish spaces with iconic Bauhaus furniture
The Wassily Chair designed by Marcel Breuer.
Image credit: Design Within Reach
If renovating your home is out of the question, you could always acquire pieces of furniture that were created by Bauhaus designers. One of the most iconic pieces of Bauhaus furniture is the Wassily Chair designed by Marcel Breuer, a student-turned-teacher at the Bauhaus School. The chair takes inspiration from a bicycle frame and despite its form, is designed to be ergonomic and comfortable.
Other famous Bauhaus furniture includes the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, Nesting Tables by Josef Albers, and the Cradle crib by Peter Keler.
4. Opt for industrial-style lighting fixtures
The WA24 table lamp by Wilhelm Wagenfeld.
Choosing the right style of lighting fixtures is a subtle way to infuse some Bauhaus style into your home. Industrial-style lamps like the aptly named Bauhaus Lamp, designed by William Wagenfeld, are classic pieces that are modern enough to fit into any current home even though it was designed back in 1924.
The Piet Mobile.
Image credit: Adorno Design
A more fun and lively lamp you can bring into your home is the Piet Mobile by Adelie Ducasse. It’s a ceramic lamp that’s designed to look like a toucan, especially with its panels of red, yellow, blue, and black.
5. Fill up the walls with abstract, colourful & geometric designs
Bauhaus has got to be one of the most versatile interior design styles as you don’t need to overhaul your home just to say your home is “Bauhaus inspired”. If you have some blank walls that look pretty plain, you can give them some life by hanging prints that sport abstract, colourful, or geometric designs.
If you have the means to, you can also commission an artist to create a custom piece of wall art that’s unique to your home, too.
Your guide to Bauhaus interior design
It’s no secret that most Singaporeans are diehard fans of minimalism and Japandi styles because they’re tried and tested. But they can be a tad too common and ordinary, which is why alternative styles like Bauhaus can make a home feel much more livelier and dynamic. Elements of Bauhaus can also be implemented into a home in certain areas without requiring a huge investment.
Check out other interior design style guides for your home:
Cover image credit: Fifth Avenue Interior, Marcus Ip/Loco Division
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