A thing had to do a job, and so he designed it to do the job it was meant to do.

Gerald Summers (1899–1967) is one of the foremost furniture designers of the twentieth century. He worked as an engineer before starting his design career. In 1931, he and his partner, Marjorie Butcher (1909–1996), opened Makers of Simple Furniture in London. Their mission was to design, make, and sell simple, functional furniture responsive to the requirements of modern life. They managed the firm for ten years, producing a wide range of pieces, which found an enthusiastic audience among the avant-garde. In 1940, wartime constraints brought an abrupt end to the enterprise. Gerald and Marjorie redirected their energy to Gerald Summers Ltd, a supplier of engineering parts. They left behind a repertoire of remarkable designs that has earned them a place in design history.