HISTORY OF INTERIOR

DESIGN

ANCIENT EGYPT

 The ancient Egyptians formed the first of the great classical

civilizations.
While most of Europe was still in the Stone Age, the Egyptians were
building palaces, studying mathematics and writing on papyrus.
They were great builders and great artists, drawing the inspiration for
their art from nature.
A complex social and religious structure was in place.
The Egyptians kept books of accounts and recorded history; their
children played with carved wooden toys with moving parts.

The presence of stools, chests, footrests, small cabinets, small

tables, and even vase stands, points to a fairly high level of
organisation in living arrangements,

EGYPTIAN HOUSES

There was a huge difference in living

standards between the rich and the poor.
Ancient Egyptian homes of the poor consisted
of a living room, a sleeping room and a
kitchen, with perhaps one or two cellars for
storage.
These were built with sun-dried bricks, or
reed matting smeared with clay . The
average house consisted of four rooms:
A front room leading from the street, which
may have been used as a meeting place for
guests.
A living room where the household shrine was
situated. The family would worship their
personal gods or ancestors here.
A living space, probably used as a sleeping
area, with a staircase to a flat roof or upper
floor.
A kitchen at the rear of the house, which was
open to the sky to prevent the room from
filling with smoke.
Cellars underneath the rear rooms were used
as storage for foodstuffs.
Houses were small so each room was multipurpose.

 The houses of the elite, described as

mansions, followed a similar layout to
the small houses, although they
consisted of a number of small suites of
rooms joined by interlinking corridors.
These gave the elite owners the
privilege of separating the public from
the private family quarters.
Many mansions also contained
An audience chamber in which to greet
visitors.
An office in which to conduct business.
A bathroom with built-in shower area
(essentially a stone slab and a servant
with a jug of water) and toilet (a
horseshoe-shaped wooden seat over a
bowl of sand). Some homes had sunken
baths open to the sky to catch some
rays while bathing. These quarters
provided living, dressing, and sleeping
areas from the rest of the household.
The mansions were run like estates. In
addition to the owner and his family, a
plethora of employees, administrators,
and servants lived in these larger
homes.

 Gardens
The Egyptians
loved their
gardens, which
were mostly
formal and
stylised, and well
tended. Pools for
bathing were
popular, and the
garden would be
planted with shady
trees and flowers.

 PATRICIAN:
Only the royal and wealthy people used
furniture.
RANGE:
stools, chairs ,tables , beds and chests
VISUAL IMPACT:
Highly decorative with graphic elements
SYMBOLIC PRESENTATION:
Used symbols especially ceremonial as
inlays or painting on the furniture
MATERIAL:
Ebony wood was mostly used , it was
imported at great expense.
TECHNICAL:
Excellent craftsmanship and used plain
butt joint

 Old Kingdom furniture :

furniture from this period was divided into two
groups:
platform pieces such as benches, chairs, tables,
beds, couches, and stools;, and boxes such as
chests and cupboards.
there was some surface ornamentation in the
form of gilding and carving
Old Kingdom furniture relied on shape, line,
proportion, and texture for its decorative effect.
Thrones and chairs featured carved lion-paw
feet, beds were decorated with animal skins and
colorful mats,.
There were stools, chests, footrests, small
cabinets, small tables, and even vase stands.
Four legged stools with animal shaped legs and
sturdy square seats made from concave wood or
woven or braided rushes were important items
of the time.
In the second half of the Old Kingdom,
chairs with arms and backs began appearing..
Egyptian furniture designs of this age
incorporated metal work and inlay, as well as
relief carving, and gilding.

The Middle Kingdom was

further development of
earlier trends, with a marked
sophistication evident.
Decorative effects such as
inlay, paint, gilt, and veneer
became prominent. Popular
design motifs included
figures of sacred animals
such as cow heads, lion
heads, and hippopotamuses.

 New Kingdom
The furniture produced during
this period is on a luxurious
scale, and is also evidence of
greater woodworking skill.
The New Kingdom saw the
Egyptians extend their empire
to new lands from Nubia to
the Euphrates River and this
contact with foreign cultures
seems to have had its effect
on furnishings.
In wealthy Egyptian homes
chairs appear in greater
abundance.
Folding stools were richly
painted in bright colors.
Small, low tables were often
woven from rush.

 Egyptian Chairs
Gold sheathing, ivory inlays,
intricate marquetry, inset jewels
and fine stones were used to
decorate ancient furniture that
was often carved to represent
animal forms.
Chairs sometimes had feet in
the shape of lion's paws or
crocodile feet;
legs and feet were sometimes
carved to simulate the legs of a
gazelle.
High backed chairs are seen in
many paintings. These were
supplemented with cushions for
comfort.
commonly incorporated
carvings of flowers, animals or
birds.

 Stools

Stools were the most common

items of furniture in Egyptian
homes
it was the Egyptians who
invented the folding stool.
Since these were much used
by army commanders in the
field, they became a status
symbol, and were often
heavily carved and decorated.
stools commonly had woven
rush seats

 Beds, Headrests
They are among the most intriguing of furniture items
because of their structure.
They were gently inclined so that the sleeper's head was
elevated, and had a footrest.
A footboard ensured that the sleeper would not slip off in
the middle of the night.
almost all beds featured legs in the form of animal legs,
ranging from heavy bulls legs to gazelle-like forms with
hooves, and the feline type with paw and claw,
frequently identified as lions legs.
The mattress was usually made of wooden slats, plaited
string, or reeds, which then held woolen cushions or
some other soft material. Sheets were made of linen.

 Chests, boxes and cabinets formed an

important part of Egyptian bedroom
furnishings.
These were highly decorated and were
designed for many different purposes:
large chests for storing household items
and linen,
small compartmentalized ones for
storing cosmetics, and miniature chests
with sliding lids and drawers made to
hold jewelry.

chest

Alabaster box

 Tables
Tables were also an important item of
Egyptian furniture.
They were used for eating, writing and
playing games.
They were usually low and easily
moveable.
In many cases, the tops were decorated
with marquetry or with inlaid ivory.
Carved legs, gold sheathing and ivory
inlays were used to decorate table legs.

THE MESOPOTAMIA

Known as the cradel of all civilisations and had succession of three great
civilisations : SUMER,BABYLON AND ASSYRIA.

No furniture has survived so we have to depend on its depiction in works of

art which range from tiny cylindrical seals to large scale bas reliefs.

CHARACTERISTICS

Only the king and people with

authority had a seat to sit others just
stood around .

Stools,
footstools,
chairs
and
couches were more common than
other pieces like tables.

High couches were used for dining

and to sleep.

The chairs were high needing a

footstool due to height of chair

The table and chairs legs combine

symbolic feature with realistically
carved lion paws.

They had folding stools with a

cushion on it .

HISTORY OF INTERIOR
DESIGN
ANCIENT
GREECE

THE GREECE

The earliest Greek civilizations borrowed styles and ideas from Egypt, but by
the Classical era, designs had subtly changed to a style that was uniquely
Greek.

Lines became softer, much use was made of subtle and elegant curves, and
more attention was given to comfort.

It comprised of stools, chairs , couches ,small tables ,chests .

Furniture was simple elegant without any excess in form ,material , ornament or
treatment.

Being light in weight most of the non ceremonial Greek furniture was supposed
to be carried outdoors and used there.

Greek furniture styles were simple, elegant and tasteful. Although carving and
inlays were used, furniture was not over-decorated.

Houses were not cluttered with much furniture, and household items were
made for use and comfort rather than decoration.

CHARACTERISTICS

The five main types of furniture in ancient

Greece the stools, couches, tables, chests, and
chairs were made for practicality to serve their
purpose
Thrones were derived from egyptian and
mesopotamian models.They were impressive
and elaborate as considered to be seats of gods.
They were placed in theaters for magistrates and
VIPs .Being outdoor pieces,these were made of
marble,with a round back and solid sides
The early Greek couch was frequently treated as
an interior fixture, essentially a "built-in" of stone
which has been integrated into the decoration of
the room. It held an important place in the
house, being used by day for eating, and by
night for sleeping. The low, three-legged table
positioned below the couch here was used to
hold food.

The Klismos, used principally by women,

was made with delicately curved back and
legs. These features allowed the sitter to be
in a freer and more natural position.

HISTORY OF INTERIOR
DESIGN
ANCIENT ROME

THE ROME

Roman cities were planned with straight

roads ,running water and sewers.

The rich lived in fine villas and the poor

lived in apartment style buildings.

Romans adopted all greek furniture forms

and
added grandeur ,ostentation and
luxury to them.

Romans used luxurious materials like

gold ,silver ,copper , bronze , ivory and
tortoise shell as inlay in various materials.

Furniture in Roman houses tended to be

sparse, since the occupants liked space
and simplicity in their decor. Beauty was
created by mosaics, frescos and water
features.

CHARECTARISTICS
The interior was decorated to suit the tastes and
means of the owner , even the poorer houses had
charming effects.
Due to stratification of authority type of furniture was
specified to denote ranks.
The throne in theaters was meant for magistrates and
VIPs.
The X stool -sella curulis denoted the seat for
magistrate.
Couches were the seats to sit , relax and sleep . They
were provided with a back like the modern period.

 Buffets , boxes , and semicircular consoles

were common.
Romans did not have upholstered
furniture,but luxurious pillows and cushions
were used.
Curtains and valances rich in fabric and
color were employed.
The walls of buildings were beautifully
painted.
The floors were covered with marble tiles
arranged in geometrical figures with
contrasting colors.
Tables were done with intricate carving and
fine ornamentation with mythical figures.

HISTORY OF CHINESE INTERIORS

Chinese ancient furniture features profound cultural

facts and superb craftsmanship.
The furniture was mostly made from precious wood,
in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911)
dynasties.
It is widely recognized as the best, because
furniture before the Ming Dynasty did not survive
wars and time, traditional Chinese furniture
craftsmanship did not reach its zenith until the Ming
Dynasty.
Chinese furniture was usually lacquered red or
black and then painted, and often carved and
sometimes inlaid with other materials such as
precious stones, etc.
Ming Dynasty furniture is known for its simplicity
with sparse lines and little decoration
Qing furniture emphasizes detail and extravagance.
Furniture from southern China tends to be very
elaborate
northern furniture is big, heavy and grand.

Furniture used at the time fell into

four categories those on which
people slept or sat including mats,
beds and couches, tables long short
on which things were placed,
screens and mosquito nets, trunks,
toilet cases used by women, and
suitcases. All these are low,
commensurate to peoples habit of
being seated on the floor.

Ming Dynasty Furniture:

Ming Dynasty furniture represents the typical style of Chinese furniture
because of its beautiful shapes, good materials and refined skills, and it
enjoys great fame in the world.
Ming Dynasty furniture comes in many forms. The main ones are chairs,
stools, desks, beds, cupboards and screens.
Ming furniture is simple with sparse lines and little decoration. It usually
features fine and durable precious woods, such as mahogany, sandalwood,
rose wood etc.
In the Ming Dynasty, the demand for fine furniture , ample supply of wood
and the highly developed tenon-mortise technology all facilitated the
success of the Ming furniture.
the Ming furniture usually has simple structures, unique shapes and
minimal decorations which would reserve the natural beauty of the wood.

Lines were ingeniously applied to emphasize

details such as the back of an armchair and
the legs and resting bars of chairs and tables.
Emphasis was placed on the application of
the natural beauty of the wood texture and
adopting latticework and openwork carvings.
There would be simple patterns by relief
engraving or openwork carving in eye-striking
places such as the backs of armchairs
An important feature of Ming Dynasty
furniture is that the items are beautifully
shaped.
The furniture is light and simple and conveys
a sense of stability.
The size and proportion of the different parts
adhere to aesthetic principles but take
practical use into consideration.

 The decorations are mainly engraved lines and

small areas of circular carving and through
carving. There may, however, also be wood,
ivory and diamond inlays in the design of
landscapes, flowers and birds or small bronze
and silver ornamentation.
The refined ornamentation in small areas form
a strong contrast with the furniture's overall
clean and simple appearance. T
he line of the edges of the piece is shaped in
different lengths and widths depending on the
grain of the timber to create a true and
harmonious effect, so that the piece looks
natural and balanced.
It combined round and square, wide and
narrow, thick and thin patterns and lines for
contrast and thus formed the unique structure
of Ming Dynasty furniture. All parts of the
furniture were pieced together with no visible
joins. The outline is natural and fluid. The
surface was polished with wax to make it look
bright, smooth and clean and to reveal its
natural beauty.

Qing Dynasty Furniture:

In the early Qing Dynasty, furniture inherited characteristics of the Ming
Dynasty. After political power was stabilized and the economy improved,
people began to pay more attention to more material things in there lives, and
demanded decorative and luxurious furnishings.
Gaudiness and sumptuousness were a basic features of Qing furniture which
was usually heavy and sizable, featuring exquisitely carved patterns. Some
pieces were carved from head to foot and had inlays of stone, mother-ofpearl, porcelain, metal, and enamel.
Qing furniture had curved decorations and exaggerated shapes that
demanded attention. Chinese traditional furniture has a strong aesthetic
appeal due to its apparently simple lines and the fact that it makes use of
"natural materials" such as the finest hardwoods.

 wood is polished, stained or lacquered

to evoke its natural earthiness and
grainy patterns.
Qing
and
Ming
furniture
is
characterized by restrained and elegant
designs and complex joinery that holds
the furniture together without glue or
nails.
Chinese furniture uses several different
types of wood that are only known by
their characteristics.
Huali is a tropical hardwood that used
to grow in China, and comes in a wide
range of colors.
Zitan, with its purplish brown color, can
be considered the most precious type
of timber, and its expense and rarity are
related to the fact that it was imported.
More common timber types are oak,
elm, maple, chestnut, poplar, birch,
Hong Mu and Nan Mu.

 TYPES OF CABINETS
There are two main styles of large Chinese cabinets, their names derived from their contours:
the square-corner cabinet and the round-corner cabinet (also known as the tapered or slopingstyle, wood-hinged cabinet). These types of Chinese cabinets were normally made in matching
pairs, placed either side by side or symmetrically to balance the interior layout of the room or
separated by a table.

BYZANTIUM
Byzantine architecture was a mixture of Eastern and
Western influences, with elements of Greek and Roman
styles intermingled with the spires and domes of the East.
Byzantine religion was a strong factor in this culture, with
the first imposing church structures being built during this
era.
Byzantine furniture, architecture and art all flourished
during this time with artists and craftsmen building on the
skills and techniques of earlier civilizations.
Glass making techniques were refined to a fine art, and
with the addition of gold to the mix, richly luminous
stained glass was used to produce the famous Byzantine
mosaics - works of outstanding beauty.

 Chairs , thrones and x-stools in

metal and wood are commonly
seen.
Thrones are architectural in
form and indicate massive
construction of heavy
timber,covered with ornamental
paintings and cushioned seats.
Tables with four legs and xshaped strechers were
common.
Byzantine palace furniture is
skillfully turned and richly
carved inlaid with silver
embossed in an intricate
design. Palace furniture
included heavy, carved and
pillared chairs, tables with inlaid
worktops, cabinets and storage
chests.

Chests were also used by the common

people, and were often fitted with locks and
keys , were used as seats.
Folding tables were also much used as
they were portable and easily moved out of
the way when not in use.
Beds and couches were made in classical
vein.The beds were magnificient structures
surmounted by a canopy on columns and
enclosed within curtains

MEDIVEAL PERIOD

Medieval life was uncertain, and

families were often on the move:
fleeing from conflict, or traveling to
lend support to the warlord of their
choice.
Textiles were the central focus of
medieval decor.
used as room dividers, wall hangings,
floor or bed coverings, or protection
from the cold.
Colorful fabrics added brightness and
life to dark rooms.
Folding chairs were popular amongst
the medieval aristocracy, since they
could easily be transported when on
the move.

Medieval furniture was primarily

made of oak, since it was easy to
obtain, strong and durable.
A type of chest known as the hutch
was common .
Benches and stools were commonly
used for sitting in medieval times only the rich and important, or
perhaps occasionally the privileged
head of the house, ever used an
actual chair.
medieval art and architecture, are
found in churches and cathedrals.
The church had more solid,
permanent style of furniture as was
exempted from the nomadic lifestyle
which influenced medieval furniture
characteristics.

Medieval interior is all about color and warmth, use of textures and textiles,
and simply made, practical furniture.
Life in the middle ages was harsh, but also full of excitement, fun and
romance.

ROMANESQUE

The later Romanesque and Gothic styles

followed the furniture making techniques
preserved by the Byzantine empire, and
this made possible the Renaissance with
its proliferation of art, architecture and
furniture styles.
Romanesque churches and monasteries
were the focal point of civilization, and
most of the furniture and works of art of
this period are ecclesiastical.
Taking ancient Roman remains as their
model, Romanesque artists, architects
and furniture designers copied Roman
styles in a rather crude fashion, although
later works of Romanesque art show a
brilliance of their own.
Romanesque sculpture and artwork were
used to lavishly decorate churches and
cathedrals, giving us an insight into the
fashions, lifestyles and culture of early
medieval Europe.

The style of Romanesque architecture is impressive , since with little

knowledge of mathematics or engineering, they were able to create massive
structures.
The Romanesque style was the true beginning of modern architectural and
furniture design
Church furniture was ornate, decorated with either carvings or paintings in an
imitation of the old roman furniture styles.
Arches and curves were the design theme, both in the shape of the item
itself, and the carved paneling and decoration.
Simple animal and plant forms were also used in carving. Many items were
brightly painted to lighten up gloomy interiors.
Cupboards and presses were either made as plain shelves or in the form of
planks without framework or panelling.The brilliant polychrome decoration
was employed to hide the crude carpentry.
Beds were of two types-one with turned members elaborately framed and
another was based on chest construction,with square supports at the head
and foot board and for the sides.
Beds employed curtains and hangings suspended from rods or a framework
around the bed.

Since the common people of this era

lived very simply, Romanesque furniture
was predominantly designed for
churches and for the aristocracy.

The poorer classes would make do with

a rough bed, or just a mattress of straw
on the ground, perhaps a storage chest
or two, and a board supported by tree
trunks that served as a dining table.

Chairs were symbol of status restricted

to royal members.The chair members
were mostly of turned wood to resemble
stone columns with semi circular arches
to form arcaded sides and back.

Tables were movable,supported on

trestles.some had semi-circular tops.

GOTHIC

The Gothic styles of architecture, art and

furniture date from the 12th century through
to the 16th century.
With the Byzantine influence introduced to
Europe by the crusaders, as well as Islamic
and arabesque elements, furniture and
architecture became more ornate,
Furniture in the Gothic period was of two
types: the richly ornamented pieces that
were used for show, and the simple, knockdown utilitarian items for everyday use.
the pointed Gothic arch - which by the Late
Gothic period was a serpentine arabesque
ogee shape,
the trefoil and quatrefoil - cloverleaf patterns
employing either three or four lobes,
crockets - leafy bumps or bosses found on
Late Gothic tracery, and
finials - multiple crosses or leafy fleur-de-lis
motifs that capped the pointed arch.

 Gothic furniture craft paved the

way for the Renaissance period to
follow, and many new items of
furniture appeared at this time.
The armoire for clothes storage,
the buffet for eating utensils, and
tables with drawers were first seen
in this period.
Gothic cabinet furniture progressed
a long way from the simple storage
chests and coffers of earlier times.
Gargoyles and other horrific
mythical creatures were popular
motifs since it was believed that
they would frighten away evil
spirits.

Gothic bedroom furniture featured massive four poster

beds, with linenfold-carved valences, and heavily
carved and decorated posts and bedsteads.
Bed coverings and hangings in rich colors completed
the elaborate Gothic bedroom style.

RENAISSANCE
Renaissance is a French word that means
rebirth. Historians consider the Renaissance to
be the beginning of modern history.
It influenced painting, sculpture, and architecture.
Paintings became more realistic and focused less
often on religious topics.
Renaissance houses contained large rooms and
high ceilings elaborately ornamented with painted
decorations and plaster mouldings, usually in a
style imitating or derived from ancient Greece and
ancient Rome.
Both the decorations and the furniture of the
rooms were intended to create an effect of
richness and magnificence.
Rich families became patrons and commissioned
great art. Artists advanced the Renaissance style
of showing nature and depicting the feelings of
people
.

 a room was judged by the ornamentation on the

ceilings and walls. Little furniture was used.
Sideboards (dressoirs), chests (cassoni), and
wardrobes or clothes presses (armoires) were
designed to harmonize with the symmetrical
architectural features of the rooms.
Lavish use was made of wood panelling and of
such features as mullioned windows, elaborate
chimneys, fireplaces, and mantels.
Rooms were simple and dignified, with few items of
furniture or accessories.
Ceilings and walls were decorated with plaster
mouldings or hung with tapestries. Windows, doors,
and the large four-poster beds of the period were
draped with heavy velvets, damasks, and brocades.

The lower portion of the walls is decorated with

traditional oak paneling. Above, stucco reliefs
alternate with allegorical frescoes. This was a
new style introduced in this period.

THE BAROQUE STYLE

The era of King Louis XIV, or Louis Quatorze,

marked in France the beginning of a series of
distinct period furniture styles, called the
Baroque.

It was an age of courtly splendor and grandeur; of

rich, massive furniture, well suited to the palace
and salon.

Furniture was arranged against the wall as if on

display, and seemed to have no other purpose
than as decoration.

The Louis XIV style is marked by dignity,

grandeur, bold effects, lavish but not excessive
ornament, and faultless workmanship.

In the decoration the anthemion and acanthus

were prominent, and the ornamental details were
symmetrical and balanced.

Tables of the Louis XIV furniture style had

turned or pedestal feet, and later had
curved legs. Small, round and oblong
tables and consoles became common.

Beds were designed chiefly with a view to

supporting elaborate draperies.

Carved and inlaid panels were much used

on chests and wardrobes, and there were
many forms of chests and cabinets in
vogue.

The chief woods used in cabinetmaking

were oak, walnut, chestnut, and ebony,
with ornamental portions frequently done
in rosewood, sandalwood, tulipwood, and
various exotic woods.

Gobelin tapestry and Lyons velvet

were
the
principal
upholstery
materials

Louis XIV chairs of the French

Baroque period were large and
comfortable,
being
usually
upholstered, back and seat, with
tapestry, brocade of large pattern, or
with ruby velvet enriched with gold
galloon.

During the first half of the reign of

Louis XIV the legs of chairs were
straight, and turned or carved in a
squarish effect, like pedestals. They
were furnished with decorative
underframing, and were sometimes
ornamented with acanthus carving.

STYLE REGENCE

Toward the end of Louis XIV's era

the styles changed, developing
toward that of the styles of
Regence furniture.
Regence
furniture represents another phase
of the wider and preceding
Baroque furniture of Louis XIV.
one of the distinguishing features of
the succeeding reign is a balance of
harmony, but not of detail.
Baroque furniture was replaced by
lighter,smaller,more
delicately
designed pieces.
Legs and members of furniture were
shaped in flowing curved lines.
The furniture was highly decorated
with
elaborate
wooden
marquetry,with
overlaid
ormol
mounts or with geometric inlays.

Its main distinguishing characteristic is

seen in the work of Juste Aurele
Meissonnier, in whose published designs
we see a very asymmetrical, organic
style using natural motifs, these forms
becoming popularised and used and by
other furniture makers as well as
metalsmiths, and other craftsmen.
The best expression of Regence furniture
design is seen in the work of
metalworkers such as goldsmiths and
bronzesmiths .
Gilt mounts composed of assymetrical
scrolls, shell designs, and floral motifs
predominate. By asymetrical, is meant
that the ornamentation on either side of a
piece of furniture did not match exactly,
and this rather sinous, curvy, style is the
forerunner to the later Rococo of
Louis XV furniture.

ROCOCO

The major characteristics, of the rococo style,

sometimes called Louis XV or Louis Quinze, are
lightness, assymetry, elegance, and the most
exquisitely minute and careful decorative
accents.
French rococo furniture sees great use of
interlacing shell decoration, plant and flower
motifs, C scrolls and S scrolls. The cabriole leg
and scroll foot were refined and used a great
deal.
The salon, social gathering, whether in palaces
or ordinary homes, developed into a common
occurence.
There was far more concern with convenience
and comfort which saw the making of smaller
armchairs, sofas, and portable tables.
Very large numbers of new furniture types came
into being with new emphasis on the need to
match consoles, tables, chairs, sofas, lounges,
footstools, stools, and mirrors with each other.

Pieces were planned as an integral part

of an interior, and designed along with
the paneling; these included console
tables, built to stand against the wall,
sieges meublant, or chairs which also
stood against the wall, and beds.

They were painted to harmonize with

the paneling, in schemes such as blue
and white, pink and white, and seagreen and white, enriched with gold.

New furniture shapes proliferated as

society redefined its behaviour patterns
in the intimate settings of the private
salon.

Furniture was smaller in scale, and

made to recline on with a mass of
cushions to prop oneself up to the
best advantage. Cozy seats for two
acquired names like the tte-a-tte, or
confidante - seating two people - or
the canap a confidante, closed at
both ends with a corner seat.
Nostalgic fantasies of travel to distant
exotic lands brought artifacts from the
Near and Far East more into demand.
The passion for chinoiseries was not
new, but paintings by Boucher and
others created a taste for the exotic.
Painted Japanese panels were cut up
and mounted in wardrobe doors and
desk fronts.

Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to quite distinct
movements in the decorative and visual arts,
literature, theatre, music, and architecture that
draw upon Western classical art and culture
(usually that of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome).
These movements were dominant during the mid
18th to the end of the 19th century.
neoclassicism appears to be a natural expression
of a culture at a certain moment in its career, a
culture that is highly self-aware, that is also
confident of its own high mainstream tradition, but
at the same time feels the need to regain
something that has slipped away:

Charecteristics:
Furniture design became more rectangular.
Tables and chairs were given straight legs rather than curved.
Plain and darker woods-mahogany were used as veeners.
Furniture in black and gold was lacqured.
Beds ,fabrics and tapestries were made according to human
dimensions.
New furniture that was introduced were-encoignure,the corner
commode,demi-lune,side cupboard with curved doors.
The furniture makers of this period are
1. robert adams
2. george heppelwhite
3. thomas sheraton

ROBERT ADAM

Adopted
classical
symmetry
which was a revolutionary idea in
comparison to the prevailing
naturalism.
Squared most lines
Used paint on flat surfaces and
employed fine carving, marble
marquetry,
scagliola,
metal
mounts,inlay work and gilding
using satin and fruitwoods for a
style richly elegant and refined.

Thomas Sheraton style

Sheraton style furniture was remarkable
for its refined elegance, excellent
proportions and balanced distribution of
ornaments.
It mirrored the influence of Robert Adam
and the Louis XVI style.
Used graceful rectangular forms and
segmental curves.
Used thin strips of wood and brass
inlay,building up patterns of oval or
circular bandings ,and later porcelain
plaques on flat surfaces.
Chairs were light and delicate often with
striped upholstery.
Also produced painted chairs with cane
seats.
He designed folding tables , disappearing
drawers and secret compartments all
ingeniously
devised
and
workably
delineated.

Sheraton Chairs
Thomas Sheraton used straight
tapering legs of either
quadrangular or cylindrical form.
The cylindrical tapered legs were
often vertically fluted or reeded and
sometimes spirally turned. The legs
were often finished with brass toe
caps and wheel casters. The
quadrangular leg often terminated
in a spade foot. Occasionally the
legs were joined with stretchers.
Sheraton's sofas were, as a rule,
long, simple, and of elegant
proportions, fashioned chiefly on
straight lines. Most of the details of
design were similar to those of his
chairs.

QUEEN ANNE LEGACY

moves away from the very

ornate and decorative style of
baroque furniture, a move
towards more refined, delicate,
and "humanised" furniture on a
less grand scale.
mirrors with frames of walnut,
having shaped hoods above,
and frames inlaid with
marquetry, appeared it was a
decorative feature in a room
rather than an independent
piece of furniture.
Tables had developed greatly
in the era and card tables had
come to cater for the overfed
and under-employed
gamesters

gesso work also brought to furniture

makers of the Queen Anne age a
medium with great decorative
potential. Gesso was a composition
which could be applied as a coating
to tables, mirror frames etc.

English "Queen Anne" dining room

chairs had lowish, graceful backs,
rounded top rails, and the arms set in
a manner that made the whole chair
design a harmony of curves,
exquisitely simple but intrinsically
elegant, satisfying both comfort and
fashion. A single, vertical splat, again
curvilinear, both in plan and elevation,
held sway in the centre of the back,
allowing for a good deal of comfort to
the sitter.
The major element of Queen Anne
chairs are the "Queen Anne Legs", the
cabriole leg for chairs and also for
stands and other furniture.
introduction of arm chairs with wings,
high and low. Such wingback chairs
had velvet covering or needlework and
their carving was gilded or painted.

victorian
Early victorian

Revival of earlier
periods

Late victorian

Art furniture
movement
Arts and crafts
movement

Victorian style

No particular style dominated the creation

of Victorian furniture. Rather, the designers
drew inspiration from Gothic, Tudor,
Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical
and other periods.
is characterized by sinewy curved lines, C
and S scrolls, and elements of nature such
as leaves, vines and flowers.
more imposing, rounded, with ample
ornament, decoration, curving, and gloss
Iron also made its appearance in the early
Victorian age particularly in Victorian
bedroom furniture. Paper mache was also
used in Victorian age furniture.
The demands of the mass market, with its
concerns of economy, led to a probably
inevitable decline in standards of ordinary
domestic furniture with lots of showy,
hastily and cheaply put on ornament and
veneer attempting to conceal the lack of
quality craftsmanship.

 furniture produced in the

late Victoria era was
composed of straight lines,
solid wood usually stained
black or dark green, and
had not as much
upholstery compared to
early Victorian furniture.
Painted decoration was
preferred to carving.
The seeds of the arts and
crafts movement and the
art furniture fashion of
late Victorian style furnitur
e
had been sown.

Art furniture
Every article of manufacture should
indicate by its general design the
purpose to which it will be applied.
Art furniture of the late Victorian
era designed by Eastlake and
others was solidly built, well
constructed and had few
decorative effects for their own
sake.
The wood was unvarnished and
usually without veneer, and the
whole appearance was one of
simplicity and usefulness.
It drew on a number of traditions,
mainly the Gothic and medieval as
well as the oriental.

Arts and crafts

William Morris and John Ruskin
inspired the Arts and Crafts
Movement with their reaction
against the machine age and
its effect on ordinary working
people.
The term "Arts and Crafts"
was coined in 1888 and the
movement saw the peak of its
influence from 1890 to 1910.
The designers of the Arts and
Crafts style wanted to show
the superiority of handmade
furniture and they made
pieces that were affordable for
most classes.

ART NOVEAU

Art Nouveau is the French/Belgian name of an art movement in reaction to

the academicals schools at the end of the XIXth century .It is a decorative
style developed in France between 1890 and 1910.

The main features of this movement are:

Preceded by Arts & Crafts movement - late 1800s.

Decorative style highlighted by off balance designs.

many designs based on plant forms.

a response against machine-made products.

Seen in art, furniture, lamps and other decorative applications.

 Art Nouveau had its roots in the

Arts and Crafts movement in
England,
which
revived
handicrafts and rejected massproduction techniques.
Art Nouveau borrowed motifs from
sources as varied as Japanese
prints, Gothic architecture, and
the symbolic paintings of the
English poet and artist William
Blake to create a highly
decorative style with strong
elements of fantasy.
The style found expression in a
range of art forms-architecture,
interior design, furniture, posters,
glass, pottery, textiles, and book
illustration; its main characteristic
is curving and undulating lines,
often referred to as whiplash lines.

CUBISM

Cubism is the most radical, innovative,

and influential ism of twentieth-century
art. It is complete denial of Classical
conception of beauty.
Cubism was invented around 1907 in
Paris by Pablo Picasso and Georges
Braque.
Cubism was the first abstract style of
modern art.
Among
the
specific
elements
abandoned by the cubists were the
sensual appeal of paint texture and
color, subject matter with emotional
charge or mood, the play of light on
form, movement, atmosphere, and the
illusionism
that
proceeded
from
scientifically based perspective.
The cubists sought to show everyday
objects as the mind, not the eye,
perceives themfrom all sides at once.

 Cubism art uses two-dimensional

geometric shapes to depict threedimensional organic forms; a style that
breaks down the natural forms of the
subjects into geometric shapes and
creates a new kind of pictorial space.
A Cubist painting ignores the traditions
of perspective drawing and shows you
many views of a subject at one time.
The Cubists introduced collage into
painting.
The Cubists were influenced by art
from other cultures, particularly african
masks
Cubism influenced many other styles
of modern art including Orphism,
Futurism, Vorticism, Suprematism,
Constructivism and Expressionism.

Cubism room is decorated with

flamboyantly geometrical
shapes.The room of cubism aims
to explore the unusual
texture,colours,forms,and
space.the overall design creates
entertaining sensation for the room
itself.

surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement and artistic style that was founded in 1924 by
Andr Breton.
Surrealism style uses visual imagery from the subconscious mind to create art
without the intention of logical comprehensibility.
The movement was begun primarily in Europe, centered in Paris, and attracted
many of the members of the DADA community.
Influenced by the psychoanalytical work of Freud and Jung, there are
similarities between the Surrealist movement and the Symbolist movement of
the late 19th century.
The Surrealist movement eventually spread across the globe, and has
influenced artistic endeavors from painting and sculpture to pop music and film
directing.
The greatest known Surrealist artist is the world famous Salvador Dali.`
Surrealism as a visual movement had found a method: to expose psychological
truth by stripping ordinary objects of their normal significance, in order to create
a compelling image that was beyond ordinary formal organization, in order to
evoke empathy from the viewer.

 Surrealism can be classified into 3 types:

1) Classical Surrealism takes the dream images of the unconscious, letting them flow on the
canvas without interpretation or judgment, thereby permitting everything to coexist as in a
dream.
2) Social Surrealism works with symbolic images representing the inner visions of the workings
of man within the context of the collective unconscious. Social Surrealism uncovers the monsters
created, and the suffering inflicted, by man's misinterpretation of reality. It exposes, examines
and satirizes the hypocrisy of society, making it the most unsettling type of Surrealism. Because
Social Surrealism looks for the true meaning of justice, it conveys the reality of how all societies
fall short of their highest potential.

 3)
Visionary
Surrealism
expresses all that is positive in
the human experience, and the
intuitive
awareness
of
a
Supraconsciousness
as
the
directive
Mind
behind
subconsciousness
and
consciousness.
Surrealism
perceives
the
Cosmos or total order of the
universe, and the divinity of
mankind. It explores the true
symbols
in
mythology,
philosophy, and religion, uniting
them with the symphony of the
goodness of the universe.
It sees the inner wisdom of man
behind his ignorance and fear.
Its purpose is to reach man's
true
SELF,
through
the
realization
of
Cosmic
Consciousness.

 Romanticism is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that

originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained
strength during the Industrial Revolution.
It was partly a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the
Age of Enlightenment and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature,
and was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature.
The movement stressed strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience,
placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror and aweespecially
that which is experienced in confronting the sublimity of untamed nature and its
picturesque qualities, both new aesthetic categories.
It elevated folk art and custom to something noble, and argued for a "natural"
epistemology of human activities as conditioned by nature in the form of language,
custom and usage.
Romanticism reached beyond the rational and Classicist ideal models to elevate
medievalism and elements of art and narrative perceived to be authentically
medieval, in an attempt to escape the confines of population growth, urban sprawl,
and industrialism, and it also attempted to embrace the exotic, unfamiliar, and
distant in modes more authentic than chinoiserie, harnessing the power of the
imagination to envision and to escape.

 Romanticism art is not signaled out in just one style, technique or

attitude but rather characterized by being imaginative, emotional
and a dream-like quality about the romantic artists paintings. Painters
during Romanticism did not paint according to what they were requested
but rather by their own feelings, looking to express their ideas and
feelings on canvas.
The most important characteristics of Romanticism came as opposition to
Neoclassicism. Specifically, subjectivism replaced objectivism. Feelings,
passion, imagination, creativity, originality and imperfection prevailed
over the importance of order, rules, rationality and perfection from
Neoclassicism.
In Romanticism landscapes had a great importance since they evoked a
spiritual state. Religious paintings recovered its importance from Baroque
and Romantic painters were also very attracted by Nationalist settings.
There are many great Romantic artists but the most prominent ones of the
Romantic era were the French Eugene Delacroix, the English William
Turner, and the Spanish Francisco Goya.