A new exhibition exploring the period when the suburbs, and in particular Croydon, were regarded as the most fashionable, desirable and aspirational places to live is the first new show at the re-opened Museum of Croydon at Croydon Clocktower.
Sunshine in Suburbia runs until 24 February 2007 and is a celebration of the design, fashion and architecture that caused the suburbs to burst into life in the years between the two World Wars.
It examines the lifestyles of people living in and choosing to move to suburbia, whilst reflecting the excitement at being able to own your own home for the first time in London’s greenest, most attractive borough.
This was a time when the expanding suburbs saw neo-Georgian designs battle it out with mock-Tudor frontages, as residents had the ability to influence the design of their homes. With this is in mind, the exhibition reminds us how this was a period when suburbs were considered fashionable, perhaps a surprising notion to many people today.
Beautiful examples of 1920s and 1930s furniture and appliances, including Art Deco garden furniture, ‘Ultra-Modern’ dolls’ houses from the 1930s and a very early form of domestic sun lamp from 1927 show the kinds of interiors that were de rigueur during the period.
Examples of wallpaper and linoleum designs, fashions and accessories are also included together with superb examples of Art Deco-influenced posters advertising the health benefits of Croydon’s Ozone Bathing Pool.
Taking its place alongside these gems of 1920s and 1930s Art Deco and Modernist design is a brand new living room, selected and designed by IKEA Croydon to reflect the tastes and trends of Croydon residents in the 21st century.
“We hope to surprise people who may have a fixed view of suburban life, much as people may actually be pleasantly surprised by many of Croydon’s qualities today,” said Mary Webb, Assistant Exhibitions Officer.
“The exhibition explores the dreams of suburban residents at the beginning of the 20th century, a time when, in their excitement, people often moved into their new homes years before their roads were paved and lit, but draw important parallels with the many positive aspects of today’s suburbia.”
The exhibition also reflects the jet set lifestyle of some suburban residents and the importance of Croydon as home to the UK’s first major airport. Well before Gatwick and Heathrow, Croydon Airport was regarded as the glamorous and exclusive gateway to Europe and beyond.
A flight case belonging to the pilot of the first ever scheduled international passenger flight from Croydon, has been put on public display for the first time, together with aeroplane furniture and fittings from the earliest flights.
Wates Comfort and Beauty - Pages from a Wates housing brochure advertising suburban homes, 1930s. By kind permission of Wates Group.
The museum has drawn on several collections to put the exhibition together and included are significant loans from the V&A Museum of Childhood, Science Museum, Museum of London, Museum of Domestic Design & Architecture, Geffrye Museum and others.
