True Greene & Greene - FineWoodworking

True Greene & GreeneLearn how the elementswork together, and thenuse them in your furnitureB yTG a r yhe marrying of styles is atricky business. Add thewrong elements, or toomuch of one over another, andthe results look wrong and out ofplace. Brothers Charles and HenryGreene, the California architects ofthe early 20th century, created amarriage of styles that continuesto please the eye and capture theimagination 100 years later. Theytook the plainness and exposedjoinery of Arts and Crafts furniture, mixed it with the subtlety ofChinese furniture and the boldnessof Japanese temple design, andthen with a final flourish threwin a taste of the sinuous lines ofArt Nouveau. The result is a stylethat has been revered, copied, andR o g o w s k irediscovered, but remains uniquelyGreene and Greene.If you are attempting a faithful reproduction of a Greene and Greenepiece, you’ll want to understandeach of the essential elements inorder to capture the original spirit. If you are brewing your ownblend, you’ll need to know how theGreenes combined carefully selectedelements to create a single effect.How the style was bornThe Greene brothers began theirprofessional careers steeped in theideals of the Arts and Crafts movement. This era in design emergedas a reaction to the crush of theIndustrial Revolution—with itsmachine-made, often low-qualityBeyond Arts and CraftsWhile the Greene and Greene style arose within the Arts andCrafts movement, the brothers added elements from Asianarchitecture and Art Nouveau. Rounded edges, sweepingcurves, and elegant details make their work more refined,organic, and welcoming than the austere Stickley furniturethat preceded it. The designers found surprising versatility ina few favorite shapes. On the rocker above, the stepped cloudlift pattern on the crest rail is classic Greene and Greene. Onthe mahogany sideboard at right, the cloud lift is used in newand unexpected ways. It is easy to pick out in the backsplashand the corbels, but the linen-fold pulls and the fruitwood inlayon the doors are wonderful variations.72F I N E w o o d w o r k ingCOPYRIGHT 2008 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.

products—and the overwroughtfrilliness of the Victorian era. Witha start in Europe, the movementfound ready followers in Americaincluding the entrepreneur andfurniture maker, Gustav Stickley.Stickley started a magazine, TheCraftsman, and it provided theGreene brothers with ideas, perhaps a mirror to hold up to theirown work, and certainly a perspective on design that was new andexciting for the time. The Craftsmovement, both in this periodicaland in shows and expositions inEurope and America, was an allencompassing view of life. It promoted an honesty of approach asa moral truth and used a simplicity of line and form as a dictum.It also began a movement towardthe architect as artist for interiorsand functional items. Whereas thearchitect once designed only buildings, now he designed interiors,fabrics, lighting, windows, and furniture, a whole fabric for living.However, while the Craftsmanstyle had a certain severe, almostmedieval, character about its solidplanks, exposed joints, and straightlines, the Greene brothers addedSOFTER joineryExposed joinery is a hallmark of Artsand Crafts work, but the Greenes madeit more welcoming. They used a uniquefinger joint (above) on drawer boxes andcarcase joints. The bridle joint (far left)is a variation. Ebony pegs come in allshapes and sizes, sometimes coveringscrews, sometimes used just for effect.Ebony splines (near left) highlightjoinery and soften its transitions.Despite the novel joinery, the piecesremain sturdy a century later.J an u ar y / F ebr u ar y 2 0 0 9COPYRIGHT 2008 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.73

THE CLOUD LiFTUsed in myriad ways, the cloud lift offers a novel way to create a taper, and adds to the softlandscape of stepped surfaces. By using negative and positive variations of the form, theGreenes added complexity and richness to a chair back (left), while maintaining harmony.Note the variations on the table (above), in the breadboard top, the drawer pull, and thestretcher below the drawer. In every room of a Greene and Greene house, there is a theme.The beams over the inglenook (below left) proclaim that a single-step cloud lift is king inthe living room, and a small carved detail connects the furniture and cabinets: It is a zigzag(below right) highlighting the line of the cloud lift.joinery, carvings, and inlay. As a result,their work has both a firm grounding inhonest construction methods and a sensethat great care has been taken, with nodetail left unconsidered.The essential elementscreate a landscapelife. From Japanese temple carpentry, they used corbels and largetimbers to give their work a sense of strength and foundation.They added organic and flowing shapes found in Chinese furniture: the cloud-lift form, overhanging tops, and rounded edgesand corners that gave their work lightness and richness. Theirfurniture also showed the influence of Art Nouveau designers suchas Mackmurdo and Mackintosh, who borrowed curved lines andorganic shapes from nature. The Greene brothers turned theseseemingly disparate elements into one seamless style.Because the work of the Greenes was done principally for thewealthy, they could afford to add a wealth of detail in the stylized74FINE woodwoRkINGIf architecture is rightly called frozen music, then the furniture andinteriors of Greene and Greene are part of the symphony. TheGreenes emphasized the landscape of each piece. It’s part of thetexture of each piece that when two parts meet, there is no flushsurface. Each part has its own distinct proportion and a shadowline is created at every turn. Rails step back from legs; drawersstep back from rails. Some drawers are left completely proud,jutting out from the work in an architecture of forms. It may beonly the slightest of differences, but each surface stands alone inthe topography. And the Greenes chose finely grained woods thatwould not distract from that landscape: walnut, teak, mahogany.Photos, except where noted: Asa Christiana, with access grantedby The Gamble House and The Huntington, Pasadena, Calif.COPYRIGHT 2008 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.

THE SWORD GUARD SHAPEA Japanese sword guard (called a tsuba) is the commonmotif in the dining room of The Robinson House, which hasbeen perfectly restored and installed at The Huntingtonmuseum’s Scott Gallery in Pasadena. The dining table’s veneered top(above) is cut in the tsuba shape. Splines and pegs mark the transitionsbetween the pieces of solid-wood edging. Nothing in a room escapedthe Greenes’ attention. They designed the tsuba shape into the cut glassin the built-in cabinets (top right), and into the base of a hanging lightfixture (below). The tsuba and the cloud lift are relatives, and the diningchairs’ back splats (right) can be viewed as either one.deep, rich color was the goal, and sometimes pigments or chemical stains were used to darken the wood. A satin oil finish addeda soft glow to smooth, stepped surfaces and rounded edges.Joinery and pegs stand proud—once hidden, precise joinerywas now a design element in Arts and Crafts furniture, with itsemphasis on visible craftsmanship. But the Greenes took it further,making it part of the textural landscape. Finger joints are left raisedand shaped, bridle joints barely jut through and then get roundedover. The plugs are also an opportunity for exploration. They runthe gamut from round to dead-on square to rectangular.Breadboard ends serve a dual purpose—Almost every solidtop or shelf is finished with a breadboard end. This cross-grain caphelps to keep a panel from cupping, partly by covering the endgrain and cutting down moisture exchange. But breadboard endsalso add another surface to the style, often just slightly raised fromthe top and always protruding at the ends.Favorite forms—The cloud-lift form may be the element mostoften associated with Greene and Greene. The variety of this Chinese detail, its unexpected use, and the grace it bestows on theirwww.fi newoodwor k i n g.comJANuARy/FEBRuARy 2009COPYRIGHT 2008 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.75

PiERCEDELEMEnTSThe matching furniture fromThe Thorsen House dining roomshares these wide lower stretchers(far left) decorated by long parallelslots, a common Greene andGreene element. Sawn corbels,though not pierced, per se, createnegative space where rails meetlegs (above left). The front apronof a floor stand (near left) isbroken by a unique bit of fretwork,while the side apron has a morecommon piercing.designs is unmatched. It is amazing what an artist can do with asingle versatile motif, using variations to create richness and harmony at once. The Greenes did this with the Japanese tsuba (swordguard) shape, theming whole rooms around this distinctive detail.Soft edges seem hand worn—Each furniture part and detail iscarefully treated with rounded edges or a taper or both. They havethe look of gentle wear, like beach sand on driftwood. Parts arealso subtly changed through their length, sometimes tapering just soslightly, other times boldly bumping out to create a thick and massive effect. These details show once again the handwrought qualityof the pieces and how they aim to recall a sense of antiquity.How to borrow the styleThe Greene brothers chose their elements well and had a masterful control of them. They were able to combine a variety of detailsin one piece and still have it sing on key.inLAy AnDOVERLAyWealthier clients werewilling to pay for furtherrefinements. Organicdesigns, inlaid impeccablyusing beautiful woods,metals, and other materials,were the result. In a bedroom of The Gamble House,a matching chair (above)and desk (left) containtypical examples. As usual,the inlay is left a bit proudof the surface, addingto the overall texture. Astairway from The LibbyHouse (right) is decoratedby a floral appliqué, simplycut from sheet brass andpinned to the post.76FINE woodwoRkINGPhotos, facing page: staffCOPYRIGHT 2008 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.