history of interiors and furnishings

Art Nouveau literally means "New Art." This is a decorative style in architecture, interior design, graphics, and furniture that started in France in the late nineteenth century. I learned that because this style started during a time of political turmoil, some years before World War I, it did not last long. However, for the period it was trendy, it spread rapidly across Europe.  A French shop-owner, named Samuel Bing, began this style in 1895. He opened a gallery in Paris called "L'Art Nouveau," which featured art of the new era. During the period, publicity was through international exhibitions. During Samuel Bing's exhibition, artists and designers from different countries came to see the current trends that were being featured. Very quickly, Art Nouveau also became famous in Belgium, Italy, and Spain.  The architecture, interiors, jewelry, furniture, graphics, etc., of Art Nouveau are characterized by very curvilinear forms, using organic motifs of i...

I learned that the Arts and Crafts Movement was a reaction to two prevailing trends; the Industrial Revolution and its effects, and the Victorian design. The Industrial Revolution allowed for the mass production of goods. This had both positive and negative effects on the economy and people's lifestyle. One advantage of industrialism is that it made it possible to produce items quickly and cheaply. Because of this, furniture was also available to the average people of the society, and not just to the elite like it used to be.  However, during the process craftsmanship and artistic uniqueness diminished. The cheap furniture were poorly made, with low-quality material. Another negative effect of the industrial revolution is that it created a culture of consumerism and materialism. Because the average person could afford furniture and decorative arts cheaply, people began to collect so much, cluttering the interiors. In this article " 9 Historical Rooms You Probably Don’t Have ...