AN EXCESS of Shaker

What does the resurgence of classic American simplicity mean? Well, it's complicated.

- BY NORMAN VANAMEE

Kvadrat/Raf Simons Shaker System bath accessories, such as the leather mirror tray and strap, hang on a horizontal bar inspired by Shaker peg rails.

The Shakers, a Christian sect that took root in North America in the 18th century, promoted, among other things, communal living that fostered devotion to the spiritual rather than the material world. Their numbers peaked in the 1800s, and today only a handful remain. And yet Shakerism has never been more popular. Their artifacts command top prices at auction (a cupboard from the Mount Lebanon community sold for $262,500 in 2024), contemporary architects and furniture makers borrow from their minimalist designs, artists interpret their spiritual teachings, and museums produce elaborate exhibitions dedicated to their lifestyle and philosophy. Is it possible we have too much of a supposedly simple thing?