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John Black

ABOUT JOHN BLACK

With this blog, John Black is stepping out from behind the drawing board to engage directly with other people who are passionate about great design and the world of interiors. If you are curious about the rules, the wisdom and the wit behind the mechanics, the history and the art of furniture design, we invite you to come along with us...

Welcome

As a furniture designer, I am often asked where I get my ideas. Drawing (no pun intended) inspiration from classical, traditional and modern furniture forms, ideas come from my library, museums, exhibitions, and antiques. I study scale. I study proportion. I study philosophy.

As a furniture design student, the Period Research classes were among my favorites and frankly, the one class I attended on a regular basis (never was one who appreciated the structure of school). I was exposed to a hidden world of influences that affected and directed the design of furniture throughout history, such as the political, social and cultural aspects of any given time or place. I find this research fascinating and even soothing, as it gives me insight as to how designers and craftspeople from around the world and throughout time approached their work.

The bookcases on the west wall of the John Black's library are filled with international books about furniture, architecture, history, textiles, and biographies.

But, I have trained myself to focus on the design of historical forms, not the period or culture from where they come. Best known for bringing a modern sensibility to traditional forms, I believe that one does not have to be “traditional” to live with period design. It’s about respecting tradition without being traditional. About using historical design as a teacher, not a master.

As most sites cover a wide breadth of design topics, I want to focus primarily on furniture, sharing my knowledge and passion along the way.

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6 Responses to “Welcome”

  1. Jorge Richa says:

    Congratulations on this new endeavor … sharing your knowledge and expertise through your blog will undoubtedly serve as inspiration to others … best of luck; Jorge

  2. Pride Sasser says:

    Yo JB, Great site! Very spank , cheers from here. Give us jingle sometime. regards, P

  3. Robert Wilson says:

    Thanks for inviting me to come to your blog. What a wonderful chance to learn from you and about you.
    I continue to delight in your work. And now this.
    Sweet,
    Robert

  4. Rachel Lortz says:

    I love that you’re blogging! Well done!

  5. Tom Tilley says:

    John,
    What a great idea. I’ll be an avid reader!
    Tom

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