Slate and Artstone - To truly answer this question, we would have to delve into over 3000 years of philosophical debate over what the meaning of art is. Suffice it to say that at least in some way, interior decorating is an art form. But what kind of art is it?
Over the centuries art has evolved and changed. The paintings found on the walls during the days of ancient Egypt are quite a bit different from the masterpieces of the Renaissance. However there are few people who would claim that the Egyptians works are not art. In fact many people even today use pieces inspired by that ancient style to decorate their homes.
Just as the art of painting has evolved, so too has the art of interior decorating. Those ancient Egyptians had very different houses from our own. For one thing, they had a much larger wealth gap than we do, which left the majority of people with only the possessions they needed to live, while kings and dignitaries lived in palaces of luxury.
This meant that the common people had very simple homes, with few decorative items, most of them hand made. Meanwhile the kings had such ornate and elaborate homes that they would be considered garish by today's standards.
Luckily as the middle class has grown and ideas of equality have flourished, that wealth gap has diminished.
Another major evolution in the art of interior decorating has come due to technological advances.
In ancient days, the more expensive an item was to make or obtain, the more stylish it was. While this is still somewhat true, today premium items are determined more by social choice than mere expense. Taste has been given over to the masses.
In a perfect world art would be judged on its own merits, without the ideas of the rest of the pack mentality encroaching on personal opinion. In the same way a decorative scheme would be judged individually, on only its own merits.
However in this world, art and design are a collective idea. Beauty and style are determined by a mix of personal opinions, shaped by friends, family, people on the streets, celebrities, and magazines. These elements make up the universe of beauty, and their churning collective tells us what is good and what is bad.
One of the interesting things about interior decorating as an art is that it has evolved over the years. At different points in history homes were styled on different ideas. During its history the style has always taken elements of the past into consideration, but public opinion on what was a beautiful interior has relatively single minded. You had to have a home that was similar to everyone else's, or you were an eccentric.
Today, modern designs have thrown out many of these ideas in favor of schemes which utilize aspects of many different historical styles. In this, the art of interiors has evolved significantly.
Over the centuries art has evolved and changed. The paintings found on the walls during the days of ancient Egypt are quite a bit different from the masterpieces of the Renaissance. However there are few people who would claim that the Egyptians works are not art. In fact many people even today use pieces inspired by that ancient style to decorate their homes.
Just as the art of painting has evolved, so too has the art of interior decorating. Those ancient Egyptians had very different houses from our own. For one thing, they had a much larger wealth gap than we do, which left the majority of people with only the possessions they needed to live, while kings and dignitaries lived in palaces of luxury.
This meant that the common people had very simple homes, with few decorative items, most of them hand made. Meanwhile the kings had such ornate and elaborate homes that they would be considered garish by today's standards.
Luckily as the middle class has grown and ideas of equality have flourished, that wealth gap has diminished.
Another major evolution in the art of interior decorating has come due to technological advances.
In ancient days, the more expensive an item was to make or obtain, the more stylish it was. While this is still somewhat true, today premium items are determined more by social choice than mere expense. Taste has been given over to the masses.
In a perfect world art would be judged on its own merits, without the ideas of the rest of the pack mentality encroaching on personal opinion. In the same way a decorative scheme would be judged individually, on only its own merits.
However in this world, art and design are a collective idea. Beauty and style are determined by a mix of personal opinions, shaped by friends, family, people on the streets, celebrities, and magazines. These elements make up the universe of beauty, and their churning collective tells us what is good and what is bad.
One of the interesting things about interior decorating as an art is that it has evolved over the years. At different points in history homes were styled on different ideas. During its history the style has always taken elements of the past into consideration, but public opinion on what was a beautiful interior has relatively single minded. You had to have a home that was similar to everyone else's, or you were an eccentric.
Today, modern designs have thrown out many of these ideas in favor of schemes which utilize aspects of many different historical styles. In this, the art of interiors has evolved significantly.
About the Author:
This article was created by Slate and Artstone on behalf of PebbleZ - The manufacturers of a unique line of natural stone home decor prdoucts. This original line is crafted using a wide variety of slate, sandstone, onyx, marble, and fossil stone materials, which are imported from countries around the world.
