Milo Baughman
Encyclopedia
Milo Ray Baughman, Jr., was one of the leading modern furniture
designers of the second-half of the 20th century. His uniquely American designs were forward-thinking and distinctive, yet unpretentious and affordable. His prolific and highly influential work continues to be copied, reinvented and revived in the new and secondary decorative arts markets by contemporary furniture designers and dealers alike. Baughman designed for a number of furniture companies starting in the mid-1940s until his death, including Calif-Asia, Mode Furniture, Glenn of California, The Inco Company, Pacific Iron, Murray Furniture of Winchendon, Arch Gordon, Design Institute America, Woodard, George Kovacs, Directional, Henredon and Drexel, among others. He is most famous, however, for his longtime association with Thayer Coggin Inc., of High Point, NC, which began in 1953, and lasted until his death in 2003. He also lectured broadly on the state of modern design, extolling the positive benefits of good design on the lives of human beings, and helping to define and shape the discussion for years to come.
Born in Goodland, Kansas
on October 7, 1923, Baughman moved with his family in his infancy to Long Beach, California
. At the age of thirteen, his family built their house and young Milo was handed the task of designing both the interior and exterior. Following high school he served for four years in the Army Air Forces during World War II
, during which time he was active in designing officer's clubs. After the war he returned to Southern California
to study product and architectural design
at the Art Center School of Los Angeles
and at Chouinard Art Institute
, which later became the California Institute of the Arts
.
Upon completing his studies, he was hired to work at the Frank Brothers furniture store as an interior and custom furniture designer. The store had the distinction of being the first west coast all-modern specialty store, and proved to be a good launch pad for his career. While there he established "Furniture Forum" with Georgia Christensen, an important early publication on modern design complete with photos, dimensions, pricing, as well as designer photos and biographies. He left Frank Brothers in 1947 to establish "Milo Baughman Design Inc.," and quickly did commissions for Glenn of California and Pacific Iron, helping to place these companies at the forefront of a new California modernist design movement. The "California Modern" collection created for Glenn of California in 1948, along with Greta Magnusson Grossman, using mainly walnut
, iron
and formica
, and put forth a distinctive Los Angeles style.
Next, the large furniture manufacturer Drexel invited him to their North Carolina
headquarters to create a major collection. Following this, Murray Furniture of Winchendon Massachusetts
introduced "The Milo Baughman Collection" in 1952. An earlier desk design from 1948 for Winchendon was later included in the Whitney Museum exhibition "High Styles: Twentieth Century American Design," in 1985. During this time, Milo found time to run his own custom design shop with Olga Lee in Los Angeles
from 1951-1953. Lee contributed hand printed fabric
s, wallpaper
, lamps and accessories
to go alongside Baughman's furniture designs; both offered their services as interior consultants.
In 1953 his 50 year association with Thayer Coggin Inc. began, and by the 1960s and 1970s, his new collection was eagerly awaited at the High Point Market
every year. Some of his most famous and iconic designs come from this period, including the "951-103" chair, c. 1962, "820-400" chaise (1954), "989-103" Lounge Chair, and "955-304" Sofa. He was highly regarded among his peers, and his quick wit and clear reflection were always in demand as he spoke about modern design.
In 1965, Baughman converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and was active and passionate about his newfound Christian faith until his death. In 1969, he was invited by Brigham Young University
in Provo, Utah
to establish the Department of Environmental Design, where he continued as chairman and adjunct professor for six years while he continued his professional design business. He then moved to Virginia
for twelve years, and then back to Utah
, where he was a senior lecturer at BYU for another nine years. Baughman has also lectured at Rhode Island School of Design
, the University of Tennessee
, the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and North Carolina State, among others. He remained in Utah where he maintained a professional design studio
until his death on July 23, 2003.
In addition to the "High Styles" show at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York
, Baughman's furniture has been exhibited in museums and shows throughout the United States, including the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art
in Winston-Salem, NC; the North Carolina Museum of Art
in Raleigh
. Milo Baughman was inducted into the Furniture Designer's Hall of Fame in 1987.
Modern furniture
Modern furniture refers to furniture produced from the late 19th century through the present that is influenced by modernism. It was a tremendous departure from all furniture design that had gone before it. Dark or gilded carved wood and richly patterned fabrics gave way to the glittering...
designers of the second-half of the 20th century. His uniquely American designs were forward-thinking and distinctive, yet unpretentious and affordable. His prolific and highly influential work continues to be copied, reinvented and revived in the new and secondary decorative arts markets by contemporary furniture designers and dealers alike. Baughman designed for a number of furniture companies starting in the mid-1940s until his death, including Calif-Asia, Mode Furniture, Glenn of California, The Inco Company, Pacific Iron, Murray Furniture of Winchendon, Arch Gordon, Design Institute America, Woodard, George Kovacs, Directional, Henredon and Drexel, among others. He is most famous, however, for his longtime association with Thayer Coggin Inc., of High Point, NC, which began in 1953, and lasted until his death in 2003. He also lectured broadly on the state of modern design, extolling the positive benefits of good design on the lives of human beings, and helping to define and shape the discussion for years to come.
Born in Goodland, Kansas
Goodland, Kansas
Goodland is a city in and the county seat of Sherman County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,489.-History:...
on October 7, 1923, Baughman moved with his family in his infancy to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. At the age of thirteen, his family built their house and young Milo was handed the task of designing both the interior and exterior. Following high school he served for four years in the Army Air Forces during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during which time he was active in designing officer's clubs. After the war he returned to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to study product and architectural design
Architectural Design
Architectural Design, also known as AD, is a UK-based architectural journal first launched in 1930.In its early days it was more concerned with the British scene, but gradually became more international. It also moved away from presenting mostly news towards theme-based issues...
at the Art Center School of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and at Chouinard Art Institute
Chouinard Art Institute
The Chouinard Art Institute was a professional art school founded in 1921 in Los Angeles, California, by Nelbert Murphy Chouinard .-Founder:...
, which later became the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
.
Upon completing his studies, he was hired to work at the Frank Brothers furniture store as an interior and custom furniture designer. The store had the distinction of being the first west coast all-modern specialty store, and proved to be a good launch pad for his career. While there he established "Furniture Forum" with Georgia Christensen, an important early publication on modern design complete with photos, dimensions, pricing, as well as designer photos and biographies. He left Frank Brothers in 1947 to establish "Milo Baughman Design Inc.," and quickly did commissions for Glenn of California and Pacific Iron, helping to place these companies at the forefront of a new California modernist design movement. The "California Modern" collection created for Glenn of California in 1948, along with Greta Magnusson Grossman, using mainly walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
, iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and formica
Formica
Formica is a genus of ants of the family Formicidae, commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, or field ants. Formica is the type genus of the Formicidae, and of the subfamily Formicinae...
, and put forth a distinctive Los Angeles style.
Next, the large furniture manufacturer Drexel invited him to their North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
headquarters to create a major collection. Following this, Murray Furniture of Winchendon Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
introduced "The Milo Baughman Collection" in 1952. An earlier desk design from 1948 for Winchendon was later included in the Whitney Museum exhibition "High Styles: Twentieth Century American Design," in 1985. During this time, Milo found time to run his own custom design shop with Olga Lee in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
from 1951-1953. Lee contributed hand printed fabric
Fabric
A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England...
s, wallpaper
Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a kind of material used to cover and decorate the interior walls of homes, offices, and other buildings; it is one aspect of interior decoration. It is usually sold in rolls and is put onto a wall using wallpaper paste...
, lamps and accessories
Fashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
to go alongside Baughman's furniture designs; both offered their services as interior consultants.
In 1953 his 50 year association with Thayer Coggin Inc. began, and by the 1960s and 1970s, his new collection was eagerly awaited at the High Point Market
High Point Market
The High Point Market, held in High Point, North Carolina, is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, measuring over 11 million square feet encompassed in about 180 buildings throughout the area...
every year. Some of his most famous and iconic designs come from this period, including the "951-103" chair, c. 1962, "820-400" chaise (1954), "989-103" Lounge Chair, and "955-304" Sofa. He was highly regarded among his peers, and his quick wit and clear reflection were always in demand as he spoke about modern design.
In 1965, Baughman converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and was active and passionate about his newfound Christian faith until his death. In 1969, he was invited by Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
to establish the Department of Environmental Design, where he continued as chairman and adjunct professor for six years while he continued his professional design business. He then moved to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for twelve years, and then back to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where he was a senior lecturer at BYU for another nine years. Baughman has also lectured at Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
, the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and North Carolina State, among others. He remained in Utah where he maintained a professional design studio
Design studio
A Design Studio or Drawing Office is a workplace for Designers and Artisans engaged in conceiving, designing and developing new products or objects...
until his death on July 23, 2003.
In addition to the "High Styles" show at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Baughman's furniture has been exhibited in museums and shows throughout the United States, including the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art
The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art , located at 750 Marguerite Drive in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a gallery designed to involve audiences in the art of our time...
in Winston-Salem, NC; the North Carolina Museum of Art
North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art is an art museum in Raleigh, North Carolina, featuring paintings and sculpture representing 5,000 years of artistic work from antiquity to the present. The museum features more than 40 galleries as well as more than a dozen works of art in its Museum Park...
in Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Milo Baughman was inducted into the Furniture Designer's Hall of Fame in 1987.
Quotes
External links
- Thayer Coggin website
- Architonic website on Milo Baughman
- Artnet reference to Milo Baughman
- Milo Baughman at R20th
- Milo Baughman at NOHO Modern http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=636; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=568; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=550; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=455; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=612; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=554; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=456; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=546; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=589; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=508; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=267; http://www.nohomodern.com/details.php?id=264