History of Decorating

From the very first caves we inhabited as human beings we chose to decorate them with cave paintings that depicted the lives that were led in those days. From these extremely humble origins the art of interior design has grown. Through most of the ancient times and up through the renaissance the focus of the dwellings of the common man was primarily that of necessity. It was more important for the common man to be able to have the things necessary to survive than to have his home look pretty. This left the décor to the nobility.

In the history of decorating we find that in the ancient times, speaking of the roman era through to the time of renaissance, it was the royalty or the wealthy class that was involved in decorating their homes. The primary reason for this is that they did not worry as much about their day to day survival as much as the common person. They were able to spend the extra money that they had furnishing their home with the latest linens, draperies, hand made elegant furniture etc. To have a home decorated it was a sign of wealth that only the upper class had the fortune to enjoy.

Historically speaking we don't see a real interest by the common man in interior decorating until the establishment of the middle class in the western world. Once the middle class was established there was an influx of common people having more money and the ability to be less preoccupied with their daily survival. This time period really begins about the time of European Imperialism. This era created more jobs for the common man such as; Merchants, sailors etc. These new jobs afforded more luxuries to the common man, which allowed them to decorate their homes in a more lavish style.

Through out history the art of interior design has grown and changed. Publications came into print depicting lovely homes. Fashion became a must for any suitable person. This included fashion for the home and self. The advent of television created a more universal style pushing interior decorating into a new era.

Having an understanding of who we are and where we come from in regards to design will help bring the styles that we know today full circle. The history of design is noble and very interesting for designers and common people alike.