A History of Interior Design explores 6,000 years of domestic and public space. This Fifth Edition presents topics chronologically and includes 700 photographs and illustrations in full color. The updated final chapter on twenty-first century interior design reflects the latest in interior design technology and sustainability efforts in the industry. All-new subheadings and reorganized content throughout the text allows for seamless navigation of the material, and instructors have access to an updated Instructor's Manual through the book's companion website. Interior design is an interdisciplinary field and this one-volume history weaves design, construction, architecture, furniture, decoration, technology and product design in a fascinating narrative. From cave dwellings and temple architecture, through Gothic cathedrals and Renaissance palaces, to the grand civic spaces of the 19th century and the sleek interiors of modern skyscrapers; this bestselling history is an essential resource for students of interior design and practicing professionals.

John Pile was Professor of Design at the renowned Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, for most of this career. He was the author of twelve books on furniture, color, office planning, and other aspects of interior design. Pile started teaching interior and industrial design in 1948 and was a practicing interior designer and design consultant who worked for many prestigious firms including Knoll International, George Nelson, and Donald Deskey Associates. He died in November 2007.

Judith Gura was a professor of design history and theory, directing the design history program at the New York School of Interior Design. She was the author of critically praised books on interior design, Scandinavian furniture, and furniture styles. She died in April 2020.

Drew Plunkett was Head of the Department of Interior Design at the Glasgow School of Art and has practiced as an interior designer based in London and Glasgow. He is also an exhibitor and curator, and the author of several books on interior design.

Preface 10

Introduction Designing Interiors 12

1 Prehistory to Early Civilizations 19

2 Classical Civilizations: Greece and Rome 37

3 Early Christian, Byzantine, and Romanesque 55

4 Islamic and Asian Traditions 77

5 The Later Middle Ages 109

6 The Renaissance in Italy 131

7 Baroque and Rococo iin Italy and Northern Europe 155

8 Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo in France and Spain 173

9 Renaissance to Georgian in the Low Countries and England 199

10 Colonial and Federal America 219

11 The Regency, Greek Revival, and the Industrial Revolution 239

12 The Victorian Era 249

13 The Aesthetic Movements 267

14 Eclecticism and a New World 279

15 Art Nouveau and the Viennese Secession 297

16 The Emergence of Modernism 315

17 Modernism 331

18 Art Deco 347

19 Modernist Design in Europe 371

20 Modernist Design in the United States 381

21 The Post-War World 1945–80 397

22 Postmodernism 421

23 Computers, Conservation, and Moral Concerns 443

Glossary 462

Bibliography 468

Picture Credits 474

Index 478