What is a style? If we look up the definition of it in the explanatory dictionary, it says style is a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed. In other words, this is the unity of the artistic direction, a harmonious combination of features.
You can define the style of the era, the style of art and architecture, the style of an artwork, the style of a certain person and his or her house. And if the style of the era, architecture and art is determined by specific historical, economic and social conditions, the style of a person depends only on his or her taste (which can change with age, lifestyle, and well-being).
In this article, we want to discuss architectural styles and their use in interior design.
Classicism, modern, art deco, minimalism, hi-tech, kitsch, ethno, country – this is not a complete list of styles that exist in modern design and architecture. Some of them are divided into several courses. Mixing of styles is allowed – the only condition is that they should be combined harmoniously to fit into the surrounding space and emphasize individuality.

Classical style

Classicism is the palace style of the European era of enlightenment of the XVII-XIX centuries. It focuses on ancient classics, which are based on Greek antiquity, as a perfect example of art. The excavations in southern Italy and the discovery of Pompeii in 1755, with numerous art monuments of ancient Roman architecture, contributed to the growth of interest in antiquity. The aesthetics and philosophy of classicism is a rationalism that adheres to strict canons.

The dawn of the classic interior style came at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries.
The classic interior style comes from the 17th century, but its origins are in antiquity. Architects of that time drew inspiration from the ancient pieces of art, considering them ideal. In the 17th century, luxury reigned in the palaces of the nobility, but not at the expense of convenience and practicality. This is probably the main advantage of the classical style of the interior: pomposity and sometimes even pretentiousness are used for the benefit of comfort.

In France, where classicism reached its peak during the reign of Louis XIV, the most famous architectural masterpieces were built at that time. The classical style at that time consisted of clear, straight lines and regular symmetrical forms, which can be observed not only in the outlines of furniture but also in the trimmed bushes of the gardens.

When designing the interior in a classic style, natural materials are the most common to use – wood, stone, metal, natural silk and much more.
In addition, the use of such materials when filling the interior is considered a manifestation of excellent taste, solidity, prestige and respectability of the owner.

Do not forget that the classical interior style is a palace style in the first place, which was created specifically for the design of palace rooms and chambers of noble people. Most often, in a room designed in a classical style, there are such elements as stucco molding, sculptures, statues, expensive crystal chandeliers and much more.

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau’s style arose at the end of the XVIII and beginning of the XIX centuries. With all its appearance, the Art Nouveau style screams that it is not like the others. Symmetry, accuracy and uniformity are opposite to this style. Art Nouveau gravitates to nature and is heavily inspired by it. And nature, as you know, does not fit in the line. It is very diverse and has a lot of colors, shades, and tones.

You can achieve the Art Nouveau style using such non-standard approaches: bas-reliefs on the walls, bionic shape of the stairs and their elements, arched doorways, carved fireplace portal, prints on the wallpaper, textiles and wood carvings.
Art Nouveau is very close to nature. That is why it is so rich in patterns and prints; most often it is plant and animal-world-themed. Stylized images of lilies, petals of green plants, butterflies and dragonflies – this is what was most often found in historical Art Nouveau examples. You can apply Art Nouveau to your place in such ways as patterns on textiles, wallpaper, upholstery, drawings on flooring, stained-glass windows, forging, in the decor and decoration of lighting elements and so much more.

Art Deco

Art Deco is a luxurious, sophisticated, elegant, as well as elite style. This style first appeared in the design of transatlantic liners in the twentieth century. Today, this style is very popular once again.
The prime of the style fell in the interwar period of the twentieth century, namely 1908 – 1912. And this style reached its peak in the period from 1925 to 1935. The name of the style comes from the abbreviation of the exhibition held in France – Exposition Internationale des Arts Dekoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which presented works from the field of contemporary decorative art, architecture and design in many countries of the world.

As an artistic style, Art Deco arose in 1966. This happened after the revival of the exhibition of decorative arts and crafts in Paris. The Art Deco style combines both classic and modern styles.
The characteristic features of the Art Deco style are straight and broken lines and at the same time clarity. Main Art Deco textiles are veil, silk and other lightweight fabrics. For the interior – glass, bronze, ceramics, as well as carpets with exotic ornaments and patterns are the most used materials.

Minimalist style

The minimalist style appeared after the First World War, which changed the ideals of the society’s mood, romanticism is replaced by functionalism. People begin to appreciate the properties of the subject, rather than its aesthetic qualities. Therefore, all items are purely practical. The interior in the minimalist style assumes the presence of entrances that are asymmetrical, arches, roundness, bends, and custom lighting, which brings an atmosphere of coziness, comfort and warmth into the interior. In addition, in a minimalist style, a combination of completely different materials is used, namely felt and ceramic panels, frosted glass and wood. Also, when decorating the premises, voluminous wallpapers are used to enliven the interior.
Creating an interior in a minimalist style, keep in mind the necessity to correctly plan the space. The main thing is to keep a rather large room mostly empty but filled with lots of diffused light. Less furniture, less drapings and details, simple clean lines and light colors to bring the air into the interior.
As details, you can use glass shelves, tables, chairs and other items made of this material to dissolve and expand the space of the room. In this style, everything is subject to the idea of expanding the space as much as possible, while using a minimum of objects and effort.

Author: Master’s in Architectural Science Anastasia Rudenko