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The White Hat Guide to the Australian Design

Is there such a thing as ‘recognisably Australian design’? If by that you mean a ‘school’ or consistent style then the answer is probably no. Australians are an Independent bunch and tend to shy away from formal rules. Yet it is often possible to walk into a gallery, a showroom or a factory throughout the world and recognise something as a piece of Australian design.

So even though there may not necessarily be a ‘school’ of Australian design, there are certainly some hallmarks.

• Practical - Isolation and harsh conditions have often forced Australians to restrict themselves to a small number of possessions that can be relied on to do their job under a wide range of conditions and over a considerable period of time. There is a quiet elegance to a man walking into hotel foyer wearing a Driza Bone riding coat, a pair of R.M.Williams boots and an Akubra hat. But none of these items were ‘rusticated’ items created for fashion purposes – they are all highly practical items that were designed to perform a tough jib under tough circumstances. Their form grew out of their function rather than the practical element being an afterthought.
• Intelligent & Inventive - Australia is arguably the most inventive nation on earth per head of population as can be seen at The White Hat Guide to Australian Inventions. Many Australian design classics such as the Sunshine Harvester, the Black Box Flight Recorder, and the Bionic Ear were original Australian inventions.
• Independent -
• Irreverent -

Design in the farmhouse

Until well into the 20th century, the majority of Australians lived and worked in the country. For many the going was tough.- battling with floods, droughts, and unproductive land. In the 19th century the settlers hut may be a wattle and daub affair or maybe a log cabin. Either way it was likely to have a dirt floor and makeshift lining on the inside walls. In this environment there was little money or inclination for frivolous décor. The farmer’s wife might have a prized set of ‘good china’ (which she carefully stored away together with the fading thoughts of the man she could have married) which was brought out for the occasional visit of the vicar. In this environment, the most important piece of design was often the product packaging. When you bought your biscuits, you needed to know that the tin would not only keep out the larger vermin (no mean task for those who have lived through a mouse plague) but also the smallest species of creepy-crawlies.. After the biscuits were finished, the tin would need to do service as a container for all manner of substances. When the biscuit tin eventually develo0ped leaks it would then be cut up and used to cover holes in the roof or the wall. If it still had the faded remains of the Arnott’s parrot then you had a piece of artwork on your wall for free.

Similarly the tea chest with the addition of an old broomstick and a piece of twine could be pressed into service at dances as a ‘bush bass’. Needless to say, much bush design and bush furniture was created out of the inexpensive materials ready to hand.

Meanwhile, not everyone on the land was doing it tough. Some as a result of good fortune, good farming and management practices,, or, in the case squatters, preferential treatment from governments, were starting to enjoy the fruits of their labours. They might not have been ‘the landed gentry’ of England, but they had money to spend and, at least in the good times, could afford to make their home life more comfortable.

Around Australia a number of two storey stone mansions appeared. These may well have been suited to a country laird in Scotland, but were often ill suited to their Australian environment. Over time they gave way to the archetypal Australian country homestead. This was typically square with one wide low veranda encircling the house. This veranda would often have canvas blinds available to blot out the fiercest of the sun or mosquito net to keep out the fiercest of the biting insects. These nets were particularly important in the hot weather where you might sleep on the veranda in order to enjoy the cooling effects of the night breezes. On the veranda you are likely to find a number of Australian design icons. Possibly a Coolgardie Safe, almost certainly several Driza-Bone riding coats hanging on hooks to with Akubra hats and probably R.M.Williams riding boots. In the paddocks may be a Sunshine Harvester while in the first half of the 20th century there would probably be an 'Icy Ball' kerosene refrigerator in the kitchen. By later in the century you possibly made your way to town in an Australian designed ‘ute’.

To be continued . . when we get time

Suburban home

Office and inner city apartment

Holiday House

The Bush