Few spaces in a home of any age are as appealing as a window seat. Drenched in sunshine or overlooking a garden, it is a perfect place to sit, have a cup of tea, read a good book or simply daydream—and has always been one of the most popular examples of built-in furniture.

Furniture contained within walls gives a room a much more streamlined appearance while, paradoxically, adding intimacy. Given how well built-in furniture blends with contemporary design it is remarkable that most of its features were introduced 100 years ago.

Built-ins were popular from 1900 until the early 1930s, especially in Arts and Crafts influenced houses. Twentieth century homes were much smaller than their Victorian counterparts and servants were scarce. Built-ins became desirable because they saved space, increased efficiency and provided maximum storage. They also became a symbol of the Arts and Crafts reform movement, which rejected the Victorian propensity for clutter and over ornamentation.

Another reason for built-ins’ success was the discovery of germs and their effect on public health and the subsequent crusade-like enthusiasm for ridding one’s home of any dust or dirt. While furniture legs and upholstery might harbor dastardly microbes, built-ins provided smooth, easy to clean surfaces

The 1923 version of the Morgan Woodwork Company’s book Building with Assurance features many different types of built-ins that were available for every room in the home. 

The Entrance

Inglenooks were most popular. Located in a corner of the entrance or main hall, this nook contained a pair of wooden benches that flanked a fireplace. The backs of the benches were high and smoothly varnished in order to reflect the heat from the fireplace.

The Living Room

Open-shelved or glass-fronted bookcases built on either side of a fireplace were a standard feature in many homes. They were available in kits and could be installed by the builder or homeowner.  These units in Colonial Revival homes were floor to ceiling whereas Arts and Craft designs favored bookcases that were slightly higher than waist level.

Another typical built-in feature between the entrance and living room or living room and dining room was the colonnade. Colonnades were essentially room dividers consisting of a pair of waist-high cabinets supporting rounded or square columns that tapered slightly as they reached towards the ceiling. A decorative, non-load-bearing beam connected the columns and stretched horizontally across the entrance to the room. The lower cabinets included combinations of book cases or china cupboards, drawers and drop leaf desks. (see above)

The Dining Room

The Victorian era’s butler’s pantry, a repository for china, crystal and linens, hidden between the dining room and the kitchen gave way to the built-in china cabinet. Colonial Revival homes of the 1920s preferred corner cabinets painted in white or in pastel tones. Arts and Crafts versions were set into wall niches and were usually made of oak or fir stained a darker co lour.                                                          

The Kitchen

Builders promised new technology in appliances and more efficiency in early 20th century homes. They built broom closets and ironing boards into the walls, and added an eating nook. Set into a niche, usually with a window facing the back garden, it contained two benches separated by a table. The backs of the benches were often built into linen or china cupboards above. (see right)

Other Rooms

Early 20th century bathrooms were small. Built-in medicine cabinets and linen closets made their first appearance at this time. The disappearing bed, also known as the Murphy bed could be tilted into the wall when it was not in use. Sets of drawers imbedded into the short side walls of small attic bedrooms provided storage in spaces that could not accommodate standard furniture.

After the Second World War, home design shifted away from Arts and Craft influences to Modernism. Builders in pursuit of construction economy and contemporary styling stopped including built-ins. Homeowners, in their effort to modernize their own homes, simply pried them off. Nonetheless, built-ins did not disappear completely. The principles of convenience, maximum storage, and streamlined design are popular once more in closet design, kitchen styles, and entertainment centres, particularly among owners restoring the period design of their heritage homes.

Written by: Johanne Yakula

From Times Past