| Born in 1958 in Osceola, Wisconsin Gustav Stickley | | | | light |
| was a leader and innovator in Arts and Crafts | | | | In 1903, Stickley established the Craftsman Home |
| Furniture Design, and a talented architect. | | | | Builders Club to spread his ideas on domestic |
| After a trip to England in the late 1890s Gustav was | | | | architecture. He worked with well-known architect |
| inspired by two British reformers - John Ruskin and | | | | Harvey Ellis in designing house plans for the magazine |
| William Morris - who both preached on the virtues of | | | | that later appeared in two books: Craftsman |
| designs based on honesty and simplicity. Their | | | | Homes(1909) and More Craftsman Homes. |
| inspiration led Stickley to create a new line of | | | | (1912). 221 Stickley/Ellis plans were published over a |
| handcrafted furniture using these two basic principles. | | | | fifteen year period. |
| In 1898 he opened the Craftsman Workshops in | | | | Imitators of Stickley's Craftsman Furniture inevitably |
| Eastwood, New York where he created his | | | | followed, including three companies founded by his |
| Craftsman line of furniture which was all handmade | | | | brothers Charles, Albert, Leopold and John George. |
| rather than machine made, and crafted to be simple | | | | John George and Leopold set up the Onondaga shops |
| and functional. Stickley's furniture was primarily built | | | | in Fayetteville, New York, which later became known |
| from native American oak and reflected the | | | | as L & JG Stickley. Their furniture designs closely |
| indigenous American Arts & Crafts philosophy | | | | resembled Gustav's, and they also enjoyed success |
| with clear structural details such as exposed tenons, | | | | creating furniture from designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. |
| chamfered boards and tenon-and-key construction. | | | | Unusually Gustav found himself in competition with his |
| Joinery was left exposed, upholstery was carried out | | | | brothers, and unfortunately for him it was they who |
| with natural materials and wood was varnished but not | | | | prospered. Gustav was not a good business man, and |
| painted. | | | | when the American public began to reject his simple |
| In 1901 Gustav Stickley founded a periodical called The | | | | furniture in favour of new and revival styles, he was |
| Craftsman which became the established voice of the | | | | unable to halt the decline. Gustav Stickley filed for |
| American Arts & Crafts movement. The first | | | | bankruptcy in 1915, stopping publication of The |
| issue of The Craftsman was dedicated to one of the | | | | Craftsman in 1916 and selling Craftsman farms in 1917. |
| men who had played such an important role in defining | | | | In contrast his brothers were astute businessmen who |
| his beliefs, William Morris. The second issue was | | | | expanded their business using designs 'borrowed' from |
| naturally dedicated to the other, John Ruskin. | | | | Gustav. L & JG Stickley launched their first line of |
| Stickley used his publication to promote his architectural | | | | 'Simple furniture built along the mission lines' at a trade |
| philosophies: | | | | show in 1905. It was very well received, and helped to |
| - A house ought to be constructed in harmony with its | | | | set the standard for fine American furniture for the |
| landscape, with special attention paid to selecting local | | | | whole furniture industry. |
| materials | | | | Fine wood furniture inspired by the Arts & Crafts |
| - An open floorplan encourages family interaction and | | | | movement is still being produced today, with most |
| eliminates unnecessary barriers | | | | manufacturers concentrating on the custom-made |
| - Built-in bookcases and benches are practical, and | | | | furniture market, unable to compete with cheaper |
| ensure that a house is not completely reliant on | | | | mass-produced alternatives. Thankfully there is still a |
| furniture from outside | | | | significant proportion of the UK and American |
| - Artificial light should be kept to a minimum, so large | | | | populations who appreciate the value of true |
| groups of windows are necessary to bring in natural | | | | craftsmanship. |