What Are the Styles of Interior Design?
There are numerous interior design styles, and new ones are added all the time as designers find nuances and variations within a style to spin off a new trend that will stand on its own. As new styles are added, older styles are sometimes modified to reflect changing tastes and times, while some purists adhere to the older style exactly as it was when it was first established. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Styles of interior design typically reflect the period in which they became popular. For example, Contemporary/Modern design became popular shortly after World War II. Colonial design became popular during the time when the America was still part of Great Britain. Victorian design became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria.
Evolution
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Interior design styles continue to evolve over time as society progresses into new eras. For example, what was once called Early American in the 1950s and early 1960s, was divided into Colonial and Country when designers discovered primitive handmade furniture and rustic textiles, which appealed to an entirely different group than those who were attracted to the more formal Colonial furniture.
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Types
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A few styles that have been around awhile include French Provincial, Colonial, Victorian, Asian, Traditional, French Country, English Country and Contemporary/Modern. A few newer styles include Garden, Cottage, Retro/Vintage, Shabby Chic and Eclectic.
Identification
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Contemporary design typically has straight lines, no intricately carved furniture, no crown molding in rooms, and features geometric patterns. The newer Retro/Vintage style follows many of these same principles, but uses authentic pieces from the 1950s and early 1960s when the Contemporary/Modern style was born.
Accents
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Even accents can suggest a style. Old doors as wall art are popular in both Country and Cottage styles, and add to the overall look.
Considerations
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One newer design style, Shabby Chic, would have once been considered just plain shabby, or even tacky, by the more formal standards of the past. But when it was introduced by a designer and enough people liked it, a new design style was born--at least for now. It may end up being a short lived trend, but only time will tell (see Resources).
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Resources
- Photo Credit S. Miller
