To associate two eras, which have nothing to do with each other. A commonplace exercise today, but is it successful in every execution? In the case of “Sitting Pretty,” organized within the framework of “Design Exhibition Scotland,” the attempt is rather mastered.

The rules of the game were as follows: design five benches whose aesthetic would harmoniously respond to Mount Stuart, a typical 19th century Follies mansion. Susanna Beaumont, director of Design Exhibition Scotland, said, “There is something so generous about a bench. Benches provide the opportunity for someone to sit next to you, creating a kind of outdoor hospitality.”

Among the most compelling designs is one by Rekha Maker.

The Scottish-based designer has created a meeting space for seating, but also flat surfaces for picnics and books, in colors reminiscent of the mansion’s marble hall. 

“Sitting Pretty” at Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute, part of “Design Exhibition Scotland” through October 15, 2022.

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Lisa Agostini