Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian American Art Museum: Maloof on Maloof
The Smithsonian profiles the work of master furniture craftsman, Sam Maloof. While not technically sculpture, Maloof's work approaches fine art in its beauty yet has a strong element of function. Videos require QuickTime plug-in.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Masters of Marquetry in the 17th Century: Boulle
Marquetry is the art of creating intricate pictures and elaborate designs on furniture by skillfully cutting and fitting together thin pieces of domestic and exotic woods, horn, ivory, metal, shell, and other precious materials. While...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Masters of Marquetry in the 18th Century: Oeben, Roentgen, Abbiati
Marquetry designs were easily adapted to this new style by taking full advantage of the rich assortment of natural wood tones and the lively colors of dyed woods. One great marquetry master who dominated the middle of the 18th century in...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Opening the Decorative Arts Collection
They may look like flat-front desks or cabinets, but many objects in the J. Paul Getty Museum's Decorative Arts collection contain secret keyholes, drawers, writing surfaces, and private cubbies that offer a fascinating glimpse into the...
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts: Prairie School
Resource informs how this popular style of house began and which architects started it all. Take virtual tours of several prairie school buildings and view prairie school objects by five leading artists. Biographies are included.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum: Style Guide: Renaissance
An examination of Renaissance style, as it was practiced in England. See examples of Renaissance architecture, furniture, and designs and learn about the motifs that characterize this style of ornamentation. Also learn about the role...
University of Manchester
Children's University of Manchester: Talking Textiles: Pattern and Textiles
Interactive explanation of a key design principle-pattern-with a built-in design-your-own pattern application for displaying designs on clothing or furniture.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Objects From Colonial Dutch America
The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents "Architecture, Furniture, and Silver from Colonial Dutch America". This is an on-line overview of the exhibit that features works both decorative and utilitarian objects from from Colonial Dutch...
Other
Fast Company: Improving the Everyday: 8 Useful Objects That Need Fixing
Some designers offer their ideas about everyday objects that they think need to be improved, things like plastic furniture, the shopping cart, the clothesline, and a hammer and nail.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Masters of Marquetry Quiz
Test your knowledge of marquetry and its masters in the 17th and 18th centuries with this 10-problem quiz.
Other
Europeana: Virtual Exhibtion: Art Nouveau
Exhibition of art nouveau artwork, glass, jewelry, decorative designs, furniture and furnishings, and architecture.
Curated OER
Eternal Egypt: Ivory Panel With Running Rabbit
The ivory panel is decorated with plant-like designs and a rabbit running on background of vegetation branches.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Maya Lin 1959
Trace the enchanting life of artist and architect, Maya Lin, who in 1983 designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and in the 1990s designed new monuments/memorials at various universities. Now she has her own line of furniture.