Formica Forever
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In this article
Introduction
Welcome to the fifth article in the Featured Books blog post where I take a deep dive into one book, artist or publisher.
This week we are looking at Formica Forever which was published to celebrate Formica’s centenary, and takes us on a lively, informative walk through the life of this much-loved material.
The book revels in mid-century modern iconography, but without being overly self-indulgent. It takes a serious look at the material and the brand, and its relationship to post-war notions of domesticity, hygiene and design. There is much to enjoy here for retro-fans, designers, sociologists and future-thinkers alike.
Formica Forever
Softcover
16.5 x 3 x 23.8 cm
408 pp
Metropolis
2013
RRP £29.50
Now £12
About the Book
Formica Forever takes us on the material's journey from its beginnings as electrical insulation; to its adoption by designers including Donald Deskey in the 1930s; to a golden age ushered in by the post–World War II housing boom; through global expansion in the second half of the twentieth century; to the laminate’s inventive uses by designers, artists and architects such as Jasper Morrison, Daniel Buren, Frank Gehry, Laurinda Spear and Zaha Hadid; to the present, which finds the Formica Group working with young designers to push the limits of this pioneering material.
The book brings together an exuberant array of archival illustrations of original product samples, advertisements and other ephemera. These are anchored by essays by Phil Patton on the history of Formica Corporation; by Alexandra Lange on Formica Materials and the design world; and by Peter York on the ‘wipe-clean world’ made possible by Formica laminates.
Also included are an illustrated chronology and 100 Years of Colour and Pattern, a 128-page Formica-by-colour sequence punctuated by excerpts from literary works by such luminaries as John Updike, Janet Evanovich and Jhumpa Lahiri that refer to Formica materials.
Archive Colour Swatches
Archive Advertising
Formica in Literature
Essays & Authors
Growing Global: A Century of the Formica Brand and Business
Phil Patton
From Industrial Origin to Cultural Icon: Phil Patton traces Formica's evolution from its origins in 1913, as an industrial electrical insulator (a substitute "for mica"), to its rise ubiquitous 20th-century design material.
Global Business Expansion: He details the strategic business decisions, corporate trajectory, and manufacturing shifts that enabled Formica to scale globally into an internationally recognised brand.
Brand Identity & Longevity: Patton explores how the Formica brand navigated changing consumer tastes, wartime shifts, and industrial transformations, positioning itself as a resilient symbol of modern living and accessibility.
The Glamour of Utility: Formica Laminate, Design and the Design World
Alexandra Lange
Bridge Between Utility and High Design: Alexandra Lange explores how Formica transitioned from a practical, mass-produced utility surface into a celebrated medium for high design and architecture.
Early Adoption by Industrial Designers: She examines how prominent 1930s designers like Donald Deskey embraced Formica to bring modern aesthetics and durability into domestic and commercial interiors.
Postwar Golden Age: The essay highlights Formica's explosion in popularity during the post–World War II suburban housing boom, where vibrant colours, custom patterns, and easy maintenance came to define mid-century modern living.
Avant-Garde & Contemporary Reinterpretation: Lange traces how late 20th-century and contemporary architects, artists, and designers such as Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Jasper Morrison, Daniel Buren, and Laurinda Spear revisited and elevated the laminate, using it experimentally in high-concept furniture, art installations, and interior spaces.
Toward a Wipe-Clean World: Formica Brand in Context
Peter York
Cultural Impact & Pop Culture: Peter York examines Formica's broader social and cultural footprint, analysing how the brand became an emblem of modern consumer culture and everyday life across the 20th century.
The "Wipe-Clean" Ideal: He explores the post-war obsession with hygiene, convenience, and modernity, showing how Formica's low-maintenance, stain-resistant, and easily washable surface revolutionised domestic habits and kitchen culture.
Class & Design Aesthetics: York reflects on how Formica transitioned through various social perceptions—from a symbol of democratic luxury and cheerful suburban modernity to a classic kitsch staple, and eventually to a revered retro icon.
Phil Patton is a design journalist, curator and author. His books include Open Road: A Celebration of The American Highway; Made in USA: The Secret Histories of the Things that Made America; Bug, a cultural history of the Volkswagen Beetle; and Dreamland, the culture of experimental aircraft. Patton writes regularly about automobile design for The New York Times and has served as a curator for museum exhibitions focusing on automobiles.
Alexandra Lange is an architecture and design critic and author of Writing about Architecture: Mastering the Language of Buildings and Cities. Her work has appeared in The Architect’s Newspaper, Architectural Record, Dwell, Metropolis, Print, New York Magazine and The New York Times. She teaches architecture criticism at New York University and the School of Visual Arts.
Peter York is a British management consultant, author and broadcaster most famous for co-authoring Harpers & Queen’s The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook with Ann Barr. He also is a columnist for The Independent on Sunday, GQ and Management Today, and associate of Editorial Intelligence.
Review
In her review of Formica Forever for Designers & Books, architecture and design writer Allison Arieff notes that it succeeds by getting "beneath the surface, if you will, of the lowly (or luxurious, depending on your perspective) laminate".
It is a fascinating reminder of how design can completely transform everyday, utilitarian materials into symbols of mid-century modern glamour.
While Arieff highly praises the book's depth and layout, she does include a fun, candid critique about its physical construction, admitting she loved the design "save for its inexplicable perforated pages that serve no real purpose". Well, maybe not, but we like it as an object, and as a nod to a swatch sample aesthetic.
You can read her full, excellent critique over at Designers & Books.
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