?? Stop Confusing the Major Interior Design Styles!

??? Since prehistoric times, art has evolved with the passing of time. The same is true of architectural styles, from which artists must draw inspiration to match the interiors of their collectors, otherwise it would be difficult for them to sell their creations. With the help of AI (for the pictures), let's take a look at the 12 main interior design styles of the last 600 years, so we don't get them mixed up again!

?? Renaissance (1400 - 1600)

“Art and culture were reborn as the French Renaissance spread across Europe. Architects found a renewed enthusiasm for ornate decoration and fine detail, inspired by a new sense of humanism and freedom. Arabesque and Asian influences revitalized the decorative art styles, and careful attention to symmetry and geometry brought a new sense of harmony to European interiors. We designed the cabinet in our Renaissance family room image in the shape of a small palazzo (palace), which was standard at the time. Its columns and balconies echo the shape of the building, evoking harmony. The Turkish rug is inspired by one seen in a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger, a German painter who lived in Renaissance-era London. Rugs like this were first woven in western Turkey in the 14th century and became very popular in Renaissance Europe.”

?

? Baroque (1590 - 1725)

“Turkish rugs fell out of fashion during the Baroque period, as more opulent and elaborate architecture required fixtures and fittings to match. The Catholic Church was the first to develop this new sense of affluence as an attempt to impress the uneducated masses with their wealth and power. Hence, the Louis XIV-style suite frames seem to be dripping with gold. Beneath the gilded finish, the furniture frame was often made from tropical wood. Other exotic materials, such as ivory, were popular, and surfaces, such as floors and table tops, were usually marble. Our color scheme here is dramatic and sensual. The play of light around a baroque living room design would have been exaggerated to create a sense of movement and enormity.”

?

?? Rococo (1715 - 1780)

“Towards the end of the Baroque period, a subset of the design style briefly stole the limelight. Rococo style (from the French word rocaille, meaning shell ornamentation) was famous for just three decades during the reign of Louis XV. It is lighter, more whimsical, and freer than Baroque. For some, it better suited the intimacy of the family home than the grand church style that came before it. The shell and floral motifs in our Rococo living room are typical of the interior design style's playful influence on home décor. The furniture's cabriole legs and scroll feet delicately balance high spirits and elegance. Home social gatherings were becoming more common in the early 18th century. The Rococo style allowed homeowners to demonstrate their wealth and taste without appearing showy or stuffy.”

?

??? Neoclassical (1780 - 1880)

“The late Georgian era ushered in a new age of architecture that responded to the Baroque and Rococo periods. The rediscovery of Pompeii contributed to new understandings of Roman and Greek architecture. This inspired a movement towards more 'tasteful,' refined, and timeless living room ideas, free from the pomp and novelty of the Baroque trend. Notice our Neoclassical living room's straight lines and logical, almost mathematical layout. Artists studying at the French Academy in Rome spread these design principles throughout Europe. Note the column-like shape of the fireplace, lamps, and paneling. The colors were mild and undramatic. A plain palate emphasized the stoic, superior sense of form that the Neoclassical embodied.”

?

??? Arts & Crafts (1860 - 1910)

“The Arts and Crafts movement began in England as a reaction against the mechanization of creativity and the economic injustices of the industrial age. It was not so much a style as an approach, putting the responsibility for design and craft back in the hands of skilled workers. However, Arts and Crafts interiors shared an aesthetic of simplicity, quality of material, and a connection to nature. The ideas and look of the Arts and Crafts movement spread to American living rooms via the influence of touring architect-designers, journals, and society lectures. Gustav Stickley was America’s foremost Arts and Crafts designer. You can see his influence in the chunky, function-led woodwork of the furniture in the image, which makes a feature of exposed joinery. This emphasis on wood, brass, and the artisan’s touch gives Arts and Crafts interiors a dark, earthy, and textured palette.”

?

?? Art Nouveau (1890 - 1920)

“Art Nouveau was a ‘new art’ for a new century. Interior designers paired handcraft with new industrial techniques, which often made for an expensive process. Furniture and fittings were extravagant and modern, exhibiting the influence of Japanese art, which European artists were seeing for the first time near the end of the 19th century. The vases and lamps in our Art Nouveau living room are inspired by Louis Comfort Tiffany, the celebrated artist and first Design Director at Tiffany’s. His glass-blown forms were a tribute to the natural world, and their lush, iridescent, and swirling colors are typical of Art Nouveau.”

?

?? Modernism (1880 - 1940)

“Like the Arts and Crafts movement, Modernism is less of a style than a philosophy. ‘A house is a machine for living in,’ said Swiss architect and designer Le Corbusier, the pioneer of Modernism. The Modernist living room utilized the latest materials and technologies. It was designed to be comfortable, functional, and affordable. Beauty was a bonus, although elegant design solutions were highly valued. These ‘limits’ proved inspiring to the first generation of professional ‘interior designers.’ The table you see above is inspired by a famous design by Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi. It consists only of a plate of glass, two identical wooden supports, and a pivot rod to hold them together. The original Anglepoise lamp was invented by an engineer inspired by his vehicle suspension work – demonstrating the close connection between Modernist interiors and the 20th-century industry.”

?

?? Bauhaus (1919 - 1934)

“The Bauhaus (rhymes with ‘cow-house’) was a hugely influential German school of art and architecture. It existed for just 14 years until the Nazi government closed it down in 1933. Bauhaus design was a radical subset of Modernism, emphasizing the human spirit and the craftsperson. As with Modernism, form followed function. Bauhaus interiors were authentic to their materials, meaning that they didn’t hide the underlying structure of a furniture piece to make it pretty. Our Bauhaus rug is inspired by the work of Anni Albers, a graduate and teacher of the Bauhaus school. Albers experimented with shape and color to produce textiles that were equally art and craft. The lamp is modeled after the MT8 or ‘Bauhaus Lamp.’ Its circular, cylindrical, and spherical parts create geometric unity and can be built with minimal time and materials. This opaque lampshade had only previously been seen in industrial settings.”

?

??? Mid-century Modern (1930 - Today)

“The Mid-Century Modern movement emerged as a softer, suburban take on Modernism, integrating natural elements. Interior designers introduced rustic elements and freer use of color inspired by Scandinavian and Brazilian furniture trends. Materials such as rattan, bamboo, and wicker felt natural and modern when brought into the living room in the form of chairs, mirrors, and trim. Statement lighting remains a simple way to add pizzazz to a well-used family living room. The lampshade and standing lamp in our picture borrow formal elements from Modernism and Bauhaus but have the playful look of repurposed outdoor tools. The bright mustard of the armchair and vases exemplify the common Mid-Century Modern technique of pairing muted neutrals with a saturated signature color.”

?

?? Postmodern (1978 - Today)

“Postmodern design can trace its artistic influences from epoch-defining surrealist Marcel Duchamp to Pop Art’s crown jester, Andy Warhol, to the ambiguous Bad Taste of Jeff Koons. It all came together in the 1980s when designers threw off the shackles of Modernism and approached interiors with a sense of humor and the brash confidence we associate with the decade. In a Postmodern living room, every piece is a talking piece – because each one has a double meaning or visual joke to unpack. The arches in our image question classical ideals of form, both flattening and unflattening a traditionally austere shape with an optical illusion conjured by their irreverent color palette. The rug’s meaning is simpler. It adds a rock n’ roll feel with its vinyl record shape – a Warhol-like ironic celebration of late 20th-century materialism.”

?

? Contemporary (1980 - Today)

“A cluttered age calls for a pared-back living room. Today’s contemporary style borrows the clean lines of Modernism and the airy, outdoors feel of the Mid-Century Modern home. Interior designers in the late 2010s love to give a nod to Bauhaus by peeling away surfaces to show the materials at work. However, today’s cutting-edge building materials and textiles can sit happily alongside repurposed industrial features from past eras. The smooth, bare floor and uncluttered walls of our contemporary living room create a typical sense of space and light. Abstract art on the walls prevents the area from feeling empty and draws out the subtle style of the otherwise minimalist surroundings. Observe, too, the use of line to draw your eye around, such as the horizontal central light, which is both extraordinary and very simple – and seems to widen and heighten the room.”

?

???? My name is Patrick DENNY, art gallery owner and art collector. I demystify this fascinating universe for you and help you make the right choices!

If you enjoyed this article, please like, ask questions, and tell me in the comments which topics you would like me to address! ?

#ContemporaryArt #LearnAboutArt #ArtAdvice