Biedermeier for Today Thursday 21 October 2010 John Bullar uses
pertinent techniques and materials available to modern makers to
translate Biedermeier style for the 21st century Nearly two
centuries ago makers of Biedermeier furniture in Central Europe
selected pale woods from native stock such as oak, ash and birch
to contrast with decorative features made from rich tropical
woods, most notably ebony. The Biedermeier approach was a cut-
down derivative of the ornate French Empire style, rationalised
to replace brash ornamentation with folk art and functional
simplicity. Along with Shaker, Arts and Crafts and Bauhaus,
Biedermeier is to some extent minimal, but it retains strong
evidence of its roots. To modern eyes the process of selective
simplification conducted by the original Beidermeier makers
created unpretentious furniture that in many cases was far more
elegant than its French Empire predecessors. There is very
little original Biedermeier around. However, when recreated as a
contemporary style it has w