Research Project 1 – Architectural Buildings – Angus Tung
Philip Webb was commissioned to design the Red House by William Morris, the founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in 1859. For Webb, it was his first independent architectural project and for Morris, it was his only commission. In the following year, the house was completed. They incorporated the vernacular building details of Sussex and Kentish Weald into their design and chose red brick fabric for their building and red tiling for their roof. As soon as they moved into Red House in June 1860, William and Jane Morris began to furnish and decorate it. In a style reminiscent of medieval art and literature, the walls of Red House were covered in embroidered panels and pictures.7
Research Project 1 – Architectural Buildings – Angus Tung
As Morris was having difficulty finding furniture to his liking in local shops at the time, he asked Phillip Webb to design dressers, settles, beds and table glass in a classic, Gothic style that complemented the romantic interior of the house. Both William Morris and Philip Webb incorporated Arts and Crafts principles into their designs for the Red House. By harmonizing interiors and architecture, the pair has created a work of art that breaks some of the rules of Victorian architecture and interprets rustic style in a new way. The Red House is made to look grand yet simple and comfortable by using natural materials and invoking the British vernacular as a reference. Webb avoided contemporary fashion and lavish historical styles of decoration.
A conscious effort was made by Webb to simplify the rooms in the Red House. In comparison to the rigid, hierarchical Victorian architecture, he urged the use of a more informal and substantial architecture that was more suitable to domestic life. Since then, this philosophy has been embraced by many, including many American arts and crafts activists. In the following years, Philip Webb’s ideas about simplicity and interconnectedness were highly influential internationally.
This oak and blood-red lacquered canopied dresser was designed by Philip Webb between 1860-65. A Medieval ceremonial chair was thought to be his inspiration. The three projecting arched cupboards very well echo the exterior look of the house. There is an interesting feature in the centre arched compartment, where a handblown glass lamp shade protrudes. In place of a partitioned compartment, the side panels feature two cut-out arched windows and a spiral grab bar which makes the unit look lighter and more attractive. Sideboard drawers and cabinets are very functional, as a sideboard should be, and they’re made of iron with brown patina hinges.8
Research Project 1 – Architectural Buildings – Angus Tung
7Red House. National Trust. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/red-house.
8 Trust, N. (n.d.). The Dresser, designed by Philip Webb 60101. National Trust. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/60101.