Most people think they know what interior design is. Splash a bit of paint on the wall and Bob’s your uncle. Many of you will have heard me bang on about the interior design process from architectural idea through analysis to lighting plans, cabinetry design and room schemes. You can see the results.

But what can historical interior design tell us about our homes and places of work?

Interior design story dates back as far as the history of man.

It’s therefore fitting that the Middle English word “story” derives from the Latin word historia, means both "history" and "story". (Vocabulary.com 2024)

Although the noun “interior design” wasn’t coined until the 1927, in the writings of TP Bennett (OED, 2024), the need to design one’s interiors has been as much about finding solutions to the needs of man, as it has been about creating something beautiful.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows us that there are five levels of human needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and self-actualisation. These form a pyramid. The next level up in the pyramid cannot be obtained until the lower level has been satisfied or addressed. (simplypsycology.org. 2024).

The lowest, basic levels include shelter and safety, elements that are addressed on some level by interior design. The more advanced society has become, the more developed interior design has become, moving from simply addressing the necessity of shelter, to comfort and even esteem.

Interior design has always been influenced by the past and our heritage. Themes and styles have sometimes developed over a linear path, as well as co-existing side by side, and being reinvented centuries later. (Gilliatt, 2005).

Although there may be four main influences (Classical, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo), there are hundreds of themes that weave in and out.

For example, the Victorians repurposed the romantic Gothic style of the Middle Ages to show opulence, drama and an ecclesiastical flavour.

Looking through rose-coloured spectacles, the Arts and Crafts movement reacted to the increased industrialisation of the world, by shining the spotlight back on artisans and craftsman.

Interior design nostalgically reflects inspiration from the past, paying reverence to the religious or political through its symbolism, paying homage to guests through its comfort, uniting communities with its themes, demonstrating the development of technology through its creativity, as well as illustrating disposable income and social mobility.

The story of interior design has moved from necessity through more frivolous fashions, to today’s standards, where we can argue that it has the power to design out problems and challenges. It can make our lives easier, as well as making us feel more human, by reflecting our personalities and offering comfort.

Essentially, it’s the story of human development, and is therefore historically important as it highlights what it is to be human.