Interior Design from Ancient Civilisations
People have strived to make the interiors of their homes beautiful and comfortable since the earliest times. The ancient Chinese, Indus (India), and Greeks all had their own distinctive interior design style for decorating their homes. And the Mayans were particularly noted for their use of geometrical patterns and bright colours. In ancient Egypt, although their homes were modest and simple, people decorated them with animal skins, woven textiles and murals. Sculpture and painted wax ornaments were also used to embellish homes in ancient Egypt.
The classic Greek civilisation developed interiors with wooden furniture inlaid with ivory or silver. However, in ancient Rome furniture was also made from stone, marble and bronze. The Romans added comfort to their furniture in the form of cushions and tapestries. Both the Greeks and the Romans favoured dazzlingly complex mosaic floors, as well as elaborate murals and frescoes.
Early European Interior Design
During the Middle Ages, interior decoration became much simpler, reflecting a new spiritual outlook. People used rather austere stone slab floors and plain wooden panelling. They decorated their interiors with stone carvings and tapestries in soft colours. By the 12th century, the Gothic era introduced open interiors with more natural light. The Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries ushered in a new aesthetic. Beautiful floors were created with marble. Ornate inlaid woodwork was popular, and walls were hung with paintings.
After the Renaissance period, wealthy patrons adopted the Baroque style. They chose marble flooring, and used carved stone and stained glass. Their ceilings were richly painted, and they decorated with ornate spiral columns. By the 18th century, the European Rococo style had gained widespread popularity. The wealthier classes imported Asian stoneware and adorned their rooms with floral prints. They chose furniture elaborately inlaid with ivory and mother of pearl. Neoclassicism replaced this aesthetic, looking back to the bright silks, satins and velvets of opulent Rome.
Modern Design Movements
From the 1800s onwards, interior design began to move towards the ordinary general public, instead of being the preserve of the rich elite. The Victorian style of home decoration was exceptionally elaborate and cluttered, with many mass-produced china, metal and glass ornaments, as well as numerous paintings. The Arts & Crafts Movement, led by William Morris, counteracted this with an emphasis on handcrafted, natural materials, and fabric designs derived from nature. This interior style was less pompous, quieter and more restful than the prevailing Victorian design ideals. Since that time, interior design has followed movements such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and the industrial look of the Bauhaus. The interior design profession arrived, and room decoration was no longer left to the private individual home maker. The rich had often asked architects, or artisans and craftsmen, to produce an interior scheme. But now they patronised specialists in interior design.
The Goldcrest Gallery collection has original fine art prints and canvases from the 1950s and 1970s, with other vintage designs from the 1980s-90s. Many of the designs originate from wallpaper and textiles created for interior decoration. Visit our online gallery and discover a treasure for your own personal interior design project!