History

History of Interor Design

Interior design and decoration dates back to the Upper Palelithic era (300,00-10,00 B.C.) Drawings found in Caves in Spain and France show evidence of wall decorations useing grouping and spaceing concepts as well as limited understanding of perpective.

Design evolved rapidly through the last several millenia. The Egyptians with their sophisticated art and architecture, made a lasting contribution to the interior design field. They developed trabeated consturction in which vertical post support a horizontal lintel. They also used hieroglyphics on there walls. Egyptians also used the mortse and tenon joint in their furniture. The floor covering in Egypt was usually straw so the furniture was held up on small blocks so that the animal-shaped legs could be seen. Motifs used by the Egyptains include the lotus bud, reeds, papyrus and lillies.

The Greeks also contributed to design. They brought to it order, proportion and refinement.They also developed the truss system and the pediment. The Greeks had a system of naming the design and details of the columns. These orders of architecture are still used today, they include the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. One major peice of furniture to come out of the greek empire is the klismos chair.

The Romans also had a great influance on design, even though they adapted most of the greek designs, they did have a few of there own. The Romans developed standered size dementions, the concrete arch, vault and dome and pilasters (columns partially embedded in the walls). The also added to more classical orders, the Tuscan and Composite orders.

The middle ages (also knows as the dark ages) was a great time in design, religous design to be exact. This time period is devided into 4 eras. The first being the early christian era. This era inculded the development of the basilica church plan and the clerestory window. The next era is givin to the Byzantines, They church is still a domanate structure during this time and they use elaborate mosaic designs. The third era is known as the Romanesque era. This era was known for massive stone structures, includeing monasteries, churches and castles. The fourth and most commenly known era for this time is the Gothic era. Architectural features associted with this era are the pointed arch, the vault, and buttresses (or flying buttresses.)

The Renaissance (meaning rebirth) Influanced design in new ways but also reverted back to classical designs from Greece and Rome. Italy started the Renaissance and you can find many bulding reflecting this time period there.

The Baroque period was influanced by France and Italy. This period brought us the Baroque chair and Versailles (In France)

During the Rococo period (France) the weathy thought more about the interior of buildings and in doing so brought many new designs to furniture and accessories. They were very fond of chinoiserie and used it often in there furnishings.
The next era in France is the Neoclassic era, This coincides with the reign of Lous XVI and Marie Antoinette. The designs of this era are similer to the Roccoco era, but the Neoclassic design focused more on straight lines and rectangular forms.
The third era to be influanced by France is the Empire era, this is the time of Napoleaon. He wanted to take design back to the classic Greek, Roman and Egyptian designs. Most furniture peices were very massive and asymmectrical in design.
Provincial design was design for the lesser nobility and merchants. They copied the Rococo and Neoclassic designs but the items were simpler.

The chinese have also influanced design, they contrubuted the upswing roof, and greatly influanced Rococo and Neoclassical styles. There furniture is charaterized by chinoiserie surfaces.

During the 1200 a style now known as the Hispanic style became popular and is still used today. This design style is similar to the Renaissance style but also included a Moorish influence. Moorish interiors are highly decorated, they use colored marble, geometric patterns, tiled walls and wrought iron. This style influenced the Colonial-Mission style in America.

Renaissance ideas were entering Britain during the Elizabethan period. Oak was still the main timber used. Strap work carving was popular and cut directly into solid timber furniture.
Furniture legs were mainly bulbous - carved at the top and a gadroon at the bottom with an acanthus leaf. Chairs were either turned or wainscoted. Pewter was displayed in buffets or court cupboards. Beds were very large with carved posts, a canopy and long velvet hangings often with bulbous decoration. Solid top refectory tables replaced the Tudor trestle tables.

The furniture retained many Elizabethan characteristics but the ornament gradually became less prominent.
The ornamentation became smaller, lighter with flatter carving, and carpets were now being introduced.
The changing of women's fashion, in particular their dresses, led to the development of chairs without arms, and upholstery became popular. Chests disappeared and were replaced with chests of drawers, which often had applied mouldings mitred around the drawer front. This was to cover the dovetail joints which were being used for the first time to construct the drawers. Previously drawers were always hidden behind doors. The gate leg table was introduced. Knobs and drawer pulls were often carved. Farthingale Chair -this was developed because ladies wore farthingale hooped skirts, a chair was required for the women to be able to sit down.

William and Mary 1689-1702
This period was named after the marriage of the English Mary Stuart, the daughter of James II to the Dutch William of Orange.
William & Mary Side Table c. 1680The Dutch prince brought with him new ideas of comfort for the ordinary person. The furniture in his reign saw the first beginnings of real comfort. Upholstery became common. The chair backs were shaped slightly to fit the shape of your back and the back legs were splayed out at the bottom to prevent the chair from tipping backward.

More information to come soon.