TRACING THE ROOTS OF INTERIOR DESIGN: A BRIEF HISTORY OF DECORATION AND ORNAMENT

 

Installment by L. Gargantini for the Bolzano fair, 1957

 Wikimedia Commons: Paolo Monti (1957)

Art is a decisive characteristic which distinguishes humans from animals, according to anthropologists. When men abandoned their nomadic way of living and formed the first small communities, mainly because of agriculture, dwellings became permanent, which were decoratively adorned in order to express the individuality of their residents. Surprisingly, even in recently discovered caves, wall sketches were found depicting hunting scenes, implying that early on man had an affinity for art and decoration.

At first, interior spaces were decorated intuitively and instinctively. As the smaller communities evolved into cities, metropolises and mega-cities, interior spaces acquired even greater significance. Interior design in its most elaborate expression, ultimately became a status symbol, even being associated, at least initially, with the nouveau riche. Decoration at first, and interior design as later transformed, aimed to couple function with style - through aesthetics - while bettering or enriching human life.

Archaeological evidence from the ancient world reveals much about how people lived. Specifically, interiors were found to be significant for the ancient Egyptians (mainly for the dynasties), Greeks, Romans, as well as the Indians. The Palace at Knossos, in Crete, Greece, reveals the attention to detail, especially colour; characteristic are the famous tapered columns in dark red. In fact polychromy was used in ancient Greek buildings. Examples of ornament are also the ancient Greek geometric meander, encountered in neoclassical buildings, or the Egyptian lotus motif. For some researchers, interior design may trace its origins in the pre-Egyptian period (3000 B.C. – 330 B.C.). 

In the 19th century the architect, as part of the building process would coordinate the various craftsmen, including the upholsterers; the last, would traditionally advise on the artistic style for the interior space. Different trade fairs and world exhibitions presenting model rooms, fully furnished, further showcased the possibilities of interiors. Also, illustrated catalogues of furniture concerns, popularized furnishings and decoration. Elsie de Wolf (c.1859-1950), rejecting the Victorian Style, was one of the first notable female professional decorators in the United States. On the other side of the Atlantic, in England, Syrie Maugham (1879-1955) was a noted interior decorator with clients across the globe.

British architect Owen Jones (1809-1874) was instrumental in communicating interior design to the British middle class. A noted design theorist of the nineteenth century, Owens, co-responsible with Matthew Digby Wyatt (1820-1877) for the interiors of the re-erected Crystal Palace at Sydenham, wrote the influential The Grammar of Ornament (1856), presenting key principles of design and decoration (The Crystal Palace was subsequently destroyed by a fire in 1936). Jones who designed mosaics, wallpapers, textiles and carpets, practically disseminating his theories of pattern and ornament, is credited with saying “form without colour is like a body without soul”.

American architect and educator Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959), self-described as “the greatest American architect”, excelled in interiors as well, creating an idiosyncratic style that’s unmistakably his. Ironically, the last point of his nine-point manifesto saw no need for interior decorators. Evaluating the framework of his remark, we ought to realize that at that time the profession was essentially at its infancy, while Wright was already a world acclaimed master of design.

We should also mention Dorothy Draper (1889-1969), an influential American interior designer, known for her “Modern Baroque”, her trademark style, which was anti-minimal; also, for her floral “cabbage rose chintz”.

Pivotal to the development of interior design was the Industrial Revolution and the emergence of the Scandinavian designers since 1920. As far as professional societies are concerned, the Institute of British Decorators was established in 1899, while the American Society of Interiors Designers (ASID) was formed in 1975. 

Over time new buildings became larger and more complex, while new building types emerged. Additionally, in regards to commercial projects, a new specialty emerged known as Contract Design. It became apparent that interior design was no longer for the amateurs or the favorite pastime of wealthy ladies. Today, design and interior design have become everyday words, accessible to the masses, thanks to industrial production and Modernism. Star designers like Philippe Starck cover a wide range of fields, from interior design to industrial design and furniture, and have acquired fans the world over.

In fact, interior design acts in a role complementary to architecture. Tracing the roots of interior design, we see it enhancing our indoor spaces through aesthetics, while positively contributing to the living experience and quality of our lives. We may safely surmise that the impact of interior design on contemporary human experience is undisputed.

Wikimedia Commons: Photo of Dorothy Draper (David Lynch, 2009)

Wikimedia Commons: Photo of Elsie de Wolfe (1913)

 From source: http://www.vintagedesigns.com/rev/dewolfe/

Wikimedia Commons: Illustration from The Grammar of Ornament (1856) 

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