More than design – a story of culture and values

Interior design, since time immemorial, has been much more than an aesthetic aspect of the home. It is a tool through which people expressed themselves, their social status, their religious beliefs, and their culture in general. The houses, villas, and palaces we saw were not just places to live – they were statements about what was important to people at a certain time. Each style, each period, conveys something different about the world in which they were created.

Ancient Egypt – Design with Religious Symbols

In ancient Egypt, the home was a sacred place. Members of the upper class designed their homes according to religious principles, with many design details that represented the gods. Warm colors, mainly red, yellow, and gold, were dominant, and they conveyed wealth and abundance. The decoration included paintings of gods, as well as scenes from everyday life, and considered the home as a sanctuary that connects man with the gods. Home design was supposed to be a place of pleasure, without neglecting the spiritual and religious dimension.

Greece and Rome – Functionality and Splendor

As we moved from ancient Egypt to Greece and Rome, interior design developed in a way that combined aesthetics with functionality. The Greeks and Romans understood the importance of creating spaces that were both practical and beautiful at the same time. They began to use columns, arches, and marble for decorative purposes, and during Roman times, special emphasis was also placed on comfort – for example, the well-known underfloor heating, which was innovative at the time.

Houses were usually built around a central courtyard, which was a kind of public space to some extent. Living rooms were decorated with works of art, such as paintings and sculptures, that represented the gods of the Greek pantheon and the idea of ​​ideal human beauty. Furniture was usually simple but refined, made of wood and marble.

Baroque and Rococo – The Age of Splendor and Magnificence

Then, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the Baroque and Rococo periods took over interior design, bringing with them a style in which wealth, splendor and displays of power were central themes. During this period, many buildings, especially in royal and aristocratic palaces, were decorated with gold, intricate carvings, paintings and sculptures that were also part of the social statement of the homeowners.

Baroque changed the way people perceived space – the open passages, high ceilings with spectacular paintings, walls decorated with decorations and geometric arrangements, enhanced the experience of staying in the place. Later, Rococo, which was a lighter and more airy style, led to light designs, with rounded lines, bright colors and excessively ornate furniture details.

The Industrial Revolution and Modernism

The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century completely changed the way houses looked and their interior design. With the development of technology and the development of new materials, such as iron and steel, new ideas also came to interior design. In the modern era, ideas of simplicity and functionality began to dictate the standard, with a style that became much simpler and cleaner.

Modernism, with its heroes such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, aimed to create internet spaces that would suit the everyday needs of man. The straight lines, the use of industrial materials such as glass, steel and wood, and the move away from furniture that served functions rather than just decorations, are just part of the revolution that took place in interior design. The totality of the modern style did not only focus on aesthetic abstraction but also on minimalism that was also expressed in lifestyle.

The Postmodern Style

After modernism, in the 1960s and 1970s, came the postmodern period, which expressed more flexibility, creativity, and even a return to the use of historical ornaments and styles, but in a free and mixed form. Postmodernism allowed for creative freedom that merged different styles and cultures in an unconventional way.

The Present and Future – Personal and Modern Design

Today, interior design focuses on much more than just aesthetics – it is about providing a personal living experience for each individual in the space. There is a strong emphasis on sustainability, the use of natural materials, and smart technology that can enter the home – smart lighting, smart thermostats, an integrated audio and video system, and even modular furniture that adapts itself to the changing needs of the home’s occupants.

At the same time, personal design has become a major component – ​​people want to create a home that conveys their personality, so variety and personalization are increasingly taking an important place in the interior design industry. The distant and classic past is also gaining ground – styles that are being mixed today are not only modern, but also bring the inspiration of past eras.

What is the future of interior design?

The future of interior design may include “smart” homes based on advanced technology. Artificial intelligence can be used to adapt home design to the personal needs of residents, as well as enable designs that are more accessible and customizable. It is possible that in the future we will see new materials that adapt themselves to the environment (materials that respond to temperature, light, or environmental conditions), or designs that reduce their impact on the environment and prompt us to think about sustainability differently.

In general, what seems certain is that the need for a feeling of “home” will not change. We will always continue to search for the ideal combination of functionality, aesthetics, and comfort.