Satinwood bedroom Suite
These pieces, now in the dressing room, were used by the Beales at their London home before being brought to Standen. They were designed around 1870-1880 by Agnes and Rhoda Garrett. Agnes Garrett had two famous sisters: Millicent Fawcett GBE, a suffragist campaigner; and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman to qualify as a doctor in England. Agnes and her cousin Rhoda undertook architectural training, but as women did not practise as architects, they decided to become interior designers and set up their own company. They were very successful and in 1876 published a book of their design ideas. James Beale was a close friend and supporter of the Garretts.
Lamp
Designed by W.A.S. Benson (1854-1924). Benson designed lamps and art metalware for Morris & Co. as w ell as running his own business in London. Benson was a founder member of the Art Workers’ Guild, and took over as Managing Director of Morris & Co. when William Morris died in 1896.
Chair
Designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)
Best known as a founder member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of artists, Rossetti was also a founder member of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. (later to become Morris & Co.) for whom he designed stained glass and furniture. He designed this rush-seated armchair in a ‘lyre-back’ design in the 1860s.