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History Of Lighting

History of Arts and Crafts Lighting & Design

Around 1870 the Arts and Crafts Movement began in Great Britain. The Arts and Crafts Movement emerged as a reaction to the Victoria era and the Industrial Revolution. The class structure of Victorian Britain valued the elite in their society. The working class, lacking wealth and social standing were being exploited as the Industrial Revolution emerged replacing the craftsman's hand made products with factory made products.This resulted in inferior products and unfair labor practices. At the time there were no unions and labor laws to protect the workers.

The goal of the Arts and Crafts Movement was to recognize and encourage the integrity and quality of the craftsman's products and their social value. Since the furniture, lighting, textiles, etc. were made by the hand of the craftsman and not in factories they felt that not only did they create a superior product but that the craftsman's personal achievement through the creative process to the finished product enhanced their live and society in general. The Arts and Crafts Movement more than anything was a social movement. The furniture, textiles that emerged from the movement were an outcome of need for a fairer society that valued the individual craftsman. For more detail information on the Arts and Crafts Movement visit Encyclopedia Britannica

 

History of Mission Lighting

Mission Lighting was one of many design attributes of the Mission Style movement from 1900 to 1930's. Homes built during the mission era exemplified quality handmade architectural and design elements, strength and integrity and attention to detail are what defined the mission movement . Defining features of the mission style are: hardwood floors, exposed beams, built in cabinets, stain glass windows, hardwood trim, hardwood doors and windows, curved archways, tray ceilings, plaster walls and many more. Quality of materials was the standard of a home during the mission period including: stain glass lighting fixtures, brass hardware, hardwood molding, cabinets and floors such as oak, cherry, ash, elm, mahogany to name a few.

A revival of the Mission Style homes and decor began a few years ago. Home owners interested in classic and timeless design found it in the mission style. In the U.S. millions of these old homes are being restored to their original state, often the original home decor and antiques are not available creating a new industry of quality reproduction items such as, Mission Lighting, tile, pottery, wall paper, fabric, glassware hardware and many more.

People are often confused as to the difference between the Arts & Crafts Style, Craftsman Style, Mission Style. All these styles generally refer to the same time period 1900-1930's homes and home decor in American, however The Arts & Crafts Style was the first movement and started in Great Britain around 1870.