Design guru Sir Terence Conran, for whom the word lifestyle was created, dies

The founder of Habitat was a byword for quality and style

Sir Terence Conran the man who founded Habitat The Independent/Shutterstock

Sir Terence Conran, the visionary designer who is said to have revolutionised the way people live in the UK, has died age 88 at his home in London, his family said.

His influence is so great, he is credited with bringing the term "lifestyle" into the English language.

He is best known as the founder of Habitat, the brand he built into a chain that brought Scandinavian style to the UK.

The Habitat chain eventually formed the nucleus of a retail empire that included Mothercare, Heals, Richards Shops and British Home Stores.

He also founded The Design Museum in London, which his family described as one of his proudest moments.

"It gives us great comfort to know that many of you will mourn with us but we ask that you celebrate Terence's extraordinary legacy and contribution to the country he loved so dearly," the family said.

Mourners took to Twitter to remember the man whose name became a byword for design.

“At the heart of everything he did was a very simple belief that good design improves the quality of people’s lives,” his family said.

“From the late 40s to the present day, his energy and creativity thrived in his shops, restaurants, bars, cafes and hotels and through his many design, architecture and furniture making businesses,” the family said.

Through his array of work, he also promoted British design, culture and the arts around the world.

He was born in Kingston upon Thames in 1931. At the age of 19, he dropped out of London's Central School of Arts and Crafts to work for architect Dennis Lennon – the man who designed the interior of the Queen Elizabeth 2.

Conran soon founded his first business, called Conran & Company, where he began making a range of flat-pack furniture – thought to be the first in Britain.

In 1951, he took part in the Festival of Britain, a national exhibition that reached millions of visitors throughout the UK and which the designer saw as a critical moment in his career.

"The Festival of Britain was the pivotal changing point when we understood how important design is to our nation," Conran said.

Design philosophy: plain, simple and useful

Conran introduced affordable designer furniture store Habitat to the UK high street.

In 1964, he opened the first Habitat furniture store in Chelsea, England.

The store introduced good design that was useful, affordable and distinctive to the masses. Staff wore uniforms by the fashion designer Mary Quant and had British hairstylist Vidal Sassoon style their hair.

Habitat would change the British public's relationship with homeware forever. In what was almost impeccable timing, the brand brought affordable, stylish designer furniture to a nation that was eager to throw off the depression of war and express their personality through forward-thinking design.

Designs on a plate

Conran also shone in the world of hospitality. In 1953, he opened the Soup Kitchen in Chandos Place, inspired by the simplicity of affordable restaurants in France at the time.

He then opened Neal Street Restaurant, located underneath his studio in London's Covent Garden. Later, he handed over the reins of the restaurant to his younger sister Priscilla and her chef husband Antonio Carluccio, who would transform it into one of the most successful Italian restaurants in London. It was also where chef Jamie Oliver launched his culinary career.

Conran and his wife Shirley looking at a new shelving design in 1955. Getty

In 1983, Conran was appointed Knight Bachelor for his work in British design and promoting culture and the arts around the world.

Later, Conran launched Bibendum, which would become one of the most fashionable restaurants in west London. This was followed by Boundary in Shoreditch and Lutyens  – a restaurant and private club in the former Reuters and Press Association building in Fleet Street.

“Terence Conran has filled our lives for generations with ideas, innovation and brilliant design. He is one of the most iconic figures of post war Britain, starting to recast the world of design when as a young man he joined the team working on the 1951 Festival of Britain and never stopping from that moment on," said Lord Mandelson, chairman of the board of trustees at The Design Museum.

A commemorative display and a memory book will be launched by the museum to celebrate Conran's life, career and contribution to society.