Modern Furniture in Canada, 1920-1970

David Kimmel teaches history and Canadian studies at Brock University in
St. Catharines.

The development of modern furniture in Canada is a story with familiar
themes. For example, Canadian concepts and products were first-rate, and
while they garnered recognition abroad, they were largely unknown at
home. Furthermore, they were neglected by those who should have paid
more heed: architects, journalists, advertisers, and mainstream
retailers. There were individuals who made significant contributions to
the advancement of modern design, such as critic Donald Buchanan and
designer Jan Kuypers. Their stories are among most interesting parts of
this rather convoluted book. Kuypers, a postwar Dutch immigrant, is
rightly credited with injecting new life into Canadian design. His
strict minimalism, more typical of international trends, had a salutary
influence on parochial Canadian tastes.

Another unmistakable theme is the presence of the public sector in the
furniture business. The state supported the industry in a variety of
ways: Canadian furniture was prominently displayed at international
exhibitions; the National Research Council funded design and materials
development; design centres were established as showrooms; the Massey
Commission concerned itself with furniture design; and eventually the
Department of Trade and Commerce began to promote Canadian products in
foreign markets.

The book’s numerous photographs reveal the high quality of Canadian
designs. (Seemingly few of these objects deviated from the beautiful,
clean organicism that marks the best of modern furniture.)
Unfortunately, the text, which is unpolished and lacks both depth and
context, reads like a graduate thesis.