Furniture Collections

[Mrs C]

I have been struggling with design to come up with things that look right. My learned friend suggested that when he was at college they visited various country house and furniture collections to look at what is ‘good’ and to get ideas.

Can any one suggest places to visit with good collections - we are West Midlands based,

Thanks

 

[MikeG.]

What sort of "things"?

 

[MattRoberts]

Surely the best place to visit collections is the Internet?

 

[Mrs C]

What sort of "things"?

Lots of different nice pieces of furniture

 

[Mrs C]

What sort of "things"?

Lots of different nice pieces of furniture

 

[Glynne]

Modern, traditional, historical, eclectic.......?
I can guarantee your “nice” could mean different things to lots of people on this forum.
Can you be more specific?

 

[Chris152]

You could do worse than a day trip to see the furniture collection at the V&A in London. It's a wonderful place and you wouldn't be short of variety of work to look at.

nice video here: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/highligh ... collection

 

[AndyT]

Mrs C, there's a lot of really helpful, knowledgable people on this forum who would help you, but your question is very vague.
Do you want to see grand, luxury items in a palace or something from a labourer's cottage?
Are you interested in current designs, or historical ones? "Big Name" designers or ordinary things that were common?
English designs only?
Things that you could make copies of yourself? At what skill level?
How far are you willing to travel? Do you have your own transport?

At the moment, it's a bit like being asked where you could get a nice meal - but people's tastes vary across a wide range!

 

[Peter Sefton]

I will be taking my students to these two next month for history and inspiration.

http://www.gordonrusselldesignmuseum.org

http://www.cheltenhammuseum.org.uk

Also a good day out if you have the time.

Cheers Peter

 

[MusicMan]

+1 for the V&A. I found it useful when restoring a Georgian bureau recently.

I don't know the collections Peter S links to, but they look very interesting.

The National Trust normally furnishes its properties with furniture contemporary to the period. Not necessarily the originals, as they may not be available, but with purchased antiques. Always worth a good look, at pretty much any NT property near to you. Hidecote, Upton House, Packwood, Baddesley Clinton ....

 

[Mrs C]

Thank you folks, apologies for being vague! I have been struggling with proportions so period doesn’t matter, it’s more to understand the mysterious skill of understanding what looks ‘right’. I have perfected the art of what looks wrong!

Thank you for the V&a, nt and museum suggestions. I didn’t know the local museums existed.

Cheers

 

[MusicMan]

Here's an article about the "golden section" or "golden mean" in furniture design, which may help with proportions. But certainly, looking at lots of good stuff will train your eye and brain!

http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdffree/011168048.pdf