This document provides an overview of the historical and cultural context of furniture design through various styles and periods. It discusses the major styles from ancient Egyptian and Greek furniture to modern styles like Art Deco, Bauhaus, and contemporary design. The document aims to educate readers on the evolution of furniture design over centuries under different influences and enable them to identify, combine, and adapt styles in their own designs.

1. Historical and Cultural Context of
Furniture Design.
Styles, Periods & Design History
THE TOPIC COVERS :
A. The ability to define the different periods in history
B. The ability to define the different styles
C. The ability to define colloquial styles
D. The ability to define contemporary styles and retro
E. The ability to combine different styles and periods to create an
eclectic style
F. The ability to define individual styles - personal taste
G. The ability to discuss using this information as reference for design

2. This topic covers the varying styles and themes that have evolved over the recorded history of
design.
It covers the classics from Egyptian, Greek and Roman proportion types of construction and
decoration to modern classics such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau and completes your education
of the different forms of decoration and how they have evolved and what has influenced
interior design over the centuries.
With this knowledge you are able to identify different existing themes so that you are able to
complement existing design, design to a traditional system or design with eclectic flair.
Eventually as you develop your own sense of what is correct and what is not, you begin to
create your own original designs. By studying the classics and the differing styles and periods
you learn what the people who originally developed those styles understood and applied to
their designs.
Furniture history is a fascinating
subject. Just seeing how the
range of styles of furniture grew
with the increased knowledge of
the craftsmen making it and the
increased again as new materials
and techniques became available
to use.

3. TIME LINE ……..
Ancient Egyptian furniture (3000-2000 B.C)
Ancient Greek furniture (2000-300 B.C)
Medieval Furniture (500-1450 A.D)
Renaissance Furniture (1350 – 1550 A.D)
Jacobean Furniture ( 1567-1625 A.D)
Colonial Furniture (1500-1754 A.D)
Rococo Furniture (1725-1775 A.D)
Revival Furniture (1800-1900 A.D)
Art Nouveau Furniture (1890-1914 A.D)
Bauhaus Furniture (1919 – 1933 A.D)
Art Deco Furniture (1925 – 1940 A.D)
Modern Furniture (1930 – 1945 A.D)
Contemporary Furniture (1980 – Furniture)

5. Ancient Egyptian (Mesopotamian) furniture (3000-2000 B.C)

6. Ancient Egyptian (Mesopotamian) furniture (3000-2000 B.C)

7. Ancient Greek furniture (2000-300 B.C)

8. Ancient Greek furniture (2000-300 B.C)

9. Medieval Furniture (500-1450 A.D)

10. Renaissance Furniture (1350 – 1550 A.D)

11. Jacobean Furniture ( 1567-1625 A.D)
Oak was still the timber used during the reigns of James I and Charles I. The furniture retained
many Elizabethan characteristics but the ornament gradually became less prominent.
The ornamentation became smaller, lighter with flatter carving, and carpets were now being
introduced.
The changing of women’s fashion, in particular their dresses, led to the development of chairs
without arms, and upholstery became popular.
Chests disappeared and were replaced with chests of drawers, which often had applied
mouldings mitred around the drawer front.
This was to cover the dovetail joints which were being used for the first time to construct the
drawers. Previously drawers were always hidden behind doors. The gate leg table was
introduced. Knobs and drawer pulls were often carved.
Many wealthy left England when the civil war broke out in 1642. The building of great houses
halted and many of the household staff left for the battlefield. Until 1660 and the restoration of
the monarchy, furniture had been made under the Puritan rule and lacked inspiration and
reflected increased simplicity. Plain bobbin turning became popular and upholstery reverted to
plain leather that was usually held by heavy brass studs.
Farthingale Chair -this was developed because ladies wore farthingale hooped skirts, a chair was
required for the women to be able to sit down.

12. Jacobean Furniture ( 1567-1625 A.D)

13. Colonial Furniture (1500-1754 A.D)

14. American Colonial Furniture (1500-1754 A.D)
American Colonial homes in North America were similar to 18th
Century European Country houses. This was due to the early
settlers immigrating with their previous countries decoration
ideas.
Their style was different in the fact that they simplified the look
and made things more practical, honesty in design and simple
lifestyles reflected these early settlers.
Rustic furniture, simple timber panelling, no clutter, plain
unadorned walls and natural earthy colours are the
distinguishable decoration features of the American Colonial
Style.
The simplicity of it all created a light and airy interior with simple
clean lines.
This was important, as most early colonial houses were often
small with tiny windows and low ceilings.
These early houses often had whitewashed walls and sometimes
stencils imitating borders, which were for the wealthier.
The grander American Colonial homes had painted lining papered
walls, often with borders and garlands.
These usually were in the form of natural motifs of fruit and
flowers.

15. These simple interiors provided a good backdrop for collections.
Ceramics were popular and often displayed on a high shelf around the room.
Quilting was a popular hobby and the finished works were often hung on the
wall, used as cushion covers, bed covers and displayed with pride.
Original fabrics and hand painted furniture inspired the interior colours
prevalent.
These were earthy tones, greens, browns, subtle blues and cool whites.
The early American Colonial furniture was originally made of softer timbers,
pine, birch and maple, sometimes walnut and cherry.
It was of honest construction and design, stool seats, solid timber boards as
table tops with square legs (peg) made from straight grained logs.
It was strong and functional. Later American Colonial furniture used mortise
and tenon and dovetail joints, the cyma recta shapes, turned shapes and legs
the design was more refined but still continued the honest construction.

16. Rococo Furniture (1725-1775 A.D)

17. Revival Furniture (1800-1900 A.D)

18. Art Nouveau Furniture (1890-1914 A.D)
1880 – 1910
Art Nouveau exploded onto the design scene in Paris
and London at the turn of the twentieth century.
It was the first original style, that took inspiration
from its surroundings, not history.
The late Victorians found this flamboyant and away-
from-the-norm design rather shocking, and it was a
love or hate situation for most. Some aspects of Art
Nouveau saw a revival in the 1960’s.
Art Nouveau Style
The style consists of two distinct
looks: curvy, elongated lines, or the
more linear look of artists such as
Charles Rennie Mackintosh. There
were elements of stylised natural
forms, such as flowers, roots, buds
and seedpods, and the pre-
Raphaelite female form was often
seen also. Vertical lines, with height
were a feature, with the whiplash
line being prominent. From the
stylised natural forms of flowers
also came spider webs, peacock
feathers, locusts, thistles and more,
appearing on wallpaper, furniture
and accents. Exotic woods,
iridescent glass, silver and semi
precious stones were the materials
of choice in this elaborate and
exuberant era.

19. Art Nouveau Furniture
Most Art Nouveau furniture was based around the greatly
influential designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. He was
renowned for his extremely high-backed chairs in a glossy black
lacquer. A more conservative option would be more curvy
shapes, upholstered in stylised floral fabrics.
Furniture however, was not a big element of Art Nouveau
design, and the focus was mainly on beautiful and elaborate
ornaments. Art glass was a must.
The typical Nouveau glass was iridescent with patterns of
liquid oil. Glasswork also came in more opaque matter, with
detailed etched designs.
Art Nouveau Color
Period colors were elegant and subtle, and became known as
the “greenery yallery”. Mustard, sage, olive, brown and gold,
teamed with lilac, violet and purples, peacock blue, salmon and
robin’s egg blue for the ultimate in elegance. Wallpapers
included much of the highly stylized nature symbols,
particularly flowers, feathers, birds and dragonflies. Fabric also
featured much of the same designs.
Art Nouveau Influences
Art Nouveau shared a lot of the same beliefs as Arts and Crafts.
They both believed in quality goods and fine craftsmanship, but
Nouveau embraced the convenience of mass production.

20. Bauhaus Furniture (1919 – 1933 A.D)

21. Art Deco Art Deco Style
1908 – 1935
Art Deco began in Europe, particularly Paris, in
the early years of the 20th century but took off
after World War I.
Unlike many design movements, mass
production meant it wasn’t just for the elite.
Art Deco rejected many traditional classical
influences in favour of more streamlined,
geometric forms, making use of modern
techniques and materials.
Art Deco Style
The style was geometric and angular shapes, bold outlines and ziz-zag forms. As travel was
popular in the period, many pieces of foreign design began to appear in the home. African
safaris were popular and animal skins, ivory, tortoiseshell and mother of pearl began to
appear in the home. Egyptian motifs such as sphinxes and pyramids were also popular.
Materials were chrome, glass, shiny fabrics, mirrors and mirror tiles. Theatrical contrasts
were also prevalent, mixing highly polished wood and black lacquer with satin and furs.

22. Art Deco Furniture
The essential elements of Art Deco furniture were bold geometric shapes based on traditional
forms. Materials were Pine or Maple for less expensive lacquered or painted pieces; Mahogany,
Walnut, or more exotic woods for finer examples. Sometimes metal or glass. A thirties-style
leather club chair, a streamlined Birdseye maple bedroom set, or a black lacquered cocktail
cabinet are all examples of classic Art Deco furniture. Shapes were strong and streamlined, and
furniture was better as single pieces rather than co-ordinating suites. The popular lighting of the
time was a female figure holding a glass ball which was lit. The glass of the time was not colored
like Art Nouveau but sandblasted, or etched or enamelled.
Art Deco Color
Period colours were fantastic, contrasting combinations: black, chrome and white, yellow, red
for hallways and living areas. Bedrooms favoured cream, beige, pale green. Painting design often
included in strong geometric shapes. For best effect, this was paired with geometric-pattered
rugs, faux leopard skin, and polished floors. Motifs were kept natural- shells, sunrises and
flowers were popular. Fabrics were best in a plain or geometric design, and highlights added
with cushions in solid blocks of color.
Art Deco Influences
Art Deco’s biggest influence was Art Nouveau. It kept the organic motifs, but discarded the
flowing shapes and pastel shades for bolder materials and colours. The glamour of early
Hollywood was also drawn into Art Deco design. Shining fabrics, careful lighting, mirrors, cocktail
cabinets and smoking paraphernalia were very fashionable.

23. Modern Furniture (1930 – 1945 A.D)
Eclectic Design , Cape Cod Style , Minimalist Design , Neo-Classical Style , Shabby Chic
Contemporary Furniture (1980 – Furniture)