Mackintosh Furniture

This book, from F+W Media and author Michael Crow, is a technique book which includes usable diagrams and shop plans for 30 different Charles Rennie Mackintosh inspired furniture with some very good pieces which are close copies.
I enjoyed the introductory history section, with a lot of period photographs and information about Mackintosh himself and his commissions and career and life. I have been a serious Arts Nouveau nerd for many years and though most of the projects in this book are slanted toward the well equipped woodshop, there are several projects which are well within the ability of a keen / dedicated amateur.

The uncluttered and clean lines of these pieces are timely and beautiful today. When you compare them with the typical Victorian furniture of the time, heavy, dark and overly ornate, the contrast is profound. These are really beautiful pieces, wonderfully cleverly constructed and tasteful. His commissions included commercial restaurants and tea rooms, so the furniture needed to be designed to use less expensive woods which could withstand constant use. He used oak and surface treatments to cut the costs of production and materials and turned a potential disadvantage into a design element.

Each project chapter includes an introductory page about the history and date of the original piece. The construction notes include several exploded drawings of construction methods and details as well as a complete list of pieces and measurements.

There are several hints and tips sections in the book including useful details such as making patterns for cutting identical pieces and how to make uniform cutouts to save time and effort. The construction tutorials give several alternative methods (with different tools) which help the average craftsman who doesn't have ALL the available tools and materials.

Except for the introductory section, the book has very little photography, but compensates very well with the sepia-toned technical drawings. Everything is meticulously measured and diagrammed. This is not a glossy coffee table book. This is a usable workshop book.

I have not yet followed the instructions to make any of the projects yet, but all of the measurements I checked in the diagrams were correct.
A worthwhile addition to the woodworker's library.

I really liked this boo. The furniture is beautiful. The instructions seem really clear and I felt like I could make any of the pieces that I wanted. I wish that the drawing of the work in progress had been photographs, but I don't know enough about woodworking to know if it's better to have drawings. At any rate, it's a small complaint about a really good book.

What a fantastic book! I am a huge MacKintosh fan and will be lining my husband up to make these designs!

I received a free electronic copy of this wood working book from Netgalley, Michael Crow, and Popular Woodworking Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

I have admired Mackintosh - styled furniture most of my life. I doubt I have seen more than one or two actual pieces, but I do find his style admirable, and have long wanted a hall tree, to hold umbrellas and hats and walking sticks, in this style. This work has given me the information and courage to attempt to make it myself. More importantly it has given me the links to help me make an informed choice of tools to accomplish this work. Thank you again!