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A History of Interior Design
Much like the history of art, the history of interior design encompasses numerous styles, movements and the international political and social developments that have informed or challenged its evolution. This lavishly illustrated book will be of interest to anyone who appreciates interior design as well as antiques, furniture design, textiles, decorative objects and the general evolution of the space where we work and live. The new edition contains 150 new photos, 35 new line drawings, 32 more pages, making it more lavish than the first. A companion web site filled with even more images is also new to this edition and offers great value.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2003
78 people are currently reading
1413 people want to read
About the author
John F. Pile
22 books28 followersJohn Pile is Professor Emeritus of interior and industrial design at Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, New York).
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 19, 2020
Summary of "A history of interior design" (4th edition) by John Pile and Judith Gura
This is a very big book (495 pages in A4 size) with plenty of photographic reference illustrating the main points of all the topics in each chapter. It talks about interior design in the context of architectural, social and political environment. The main focus is on European history, and includes descriptions of style variations across the continent. Some superficial overview of history of other global cultures, such as America, Asia and Africa are given.
The text explains the emergence of styles, trades and technologies throughout history and their impact on architecture and interior design. It mentions theoretical writings and movements throughout history (e.g. Vitruvius 10 books of architecture) and outs them into context of life at the time. In reading about the eras in consecutive order, it becomes apparent how each style was a direct reaction to the previous era.
A great journey through time, with a clear red line from beginning to now, with clear writing and very descriptive language. A basic understanding of architectural terminology is required, and a helpful glossary at the end provides for most of the used technical terms. The text is well-structured. For a deeper understanding, I recommend using the internet while reading. Not all projects that are described in the text are shown in a photographic reference, so it helps to look these up while reading about them. Detailed descriptions of typical furniture and decorative elements are given along with names and lives of the most influential people in the field.
A short outline of the content:
Prehistoric dwellings: An overview of oldest evidence of human habitats, temporary and permanent, across the globe.
Classical civilisations: Description of the emergence of the Greek and Roman civilisations, and their impact on architecture, construction and interior design.
Medieval era: Several narratives, following the developments of Western (Christian) and Eastern (Islamic) developments and how they affected the built environment and visual style.
Islamic and Asian history: Exploring the traditional architecture of Orient and Asia in the context of culture and religion.
Renaissance: An overview of the re-emergence of classical order in architecture, and the gradual shift into Baroque and Rococo forms.
Colonial & Federal in the US: A chapter that explains how architectural styles emigrated from Europe to the Americas and developed their own forms.
Industrial Revolution & Victorian Era: Looking at the big impact the technological developments of the 18th and 19th century had on all aspects of life, especially methods and materials used in architecture.
Arts & Crafts: Return to hand-made craft, especially in furniture and interior design.
Art Nouveau: A description of several streams of this new style that sought to establish new forms that weren’t based on any historic precedents.
Eclecticism: A retune to historic form as the perceived proper way to build.
Modernism: An in-depth look at the most influential approach to building in history, how and where it emerged, and how it dominated the most part of the 20th century.
Art Deco: A stylistic development of the 1920s and 30s, that formed during times of financial hardship, and the emergence of industrial design.
Postmodernism: A collage of various streams of new thinking, rejecting the constraints of modernism in favour of freedom of expression.
21st century: A look at the most recent developments and impact of the computer on methods of design and construction.
With such an extensive scope of information, the book could benefit from visual aids, such as a visual timeline of eras and events, to assist in retention and recall of the information given. Aside from this, the book is resourceful and straight-forward to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone studying or interested in interior design or architecture. It will give you a much deeper understanding of architectural and interior design, by illustrating the social, political, technological and historic context, and the ideas that made these unique and expressive projects come to life.
This is a very big book (495 pages in A4 size) with plenty of photographic reference illustrating the main points of all the topics in each chapter. It talks about interior design in the context of architectural, social and political environment. The main focus is on European history, and includes descriptions of style variations across the continent. Some superficial overview of history of other global cultures, such as America, Asia and Africa are given.
The text explains the emergence of styles, trades and technologies throughout history and their impact on architecture and interior design. It mentions theoretical writings and movements throughout history (e.g. Vitruvius 10 books of architecture) and outs them into context of life at the time. In reading about the eras in consecutive order, it becomes apparent how each style was a direct reaction to the previous era.
A great journey through time, with a clear red line from beginning to now, with clear writing and very descriptive language. A basic understanding of architectural terminology is required, and a helpful glossary at the end provides for most of the used technical terms. The text is well-structured. For a deeper understanding, I recommend using the internet while reading. Not all projects that are described in the text are shown in a photographic reference, so it helps to look these up while reading about them. Detailed descriptions of typical furniture and decorative elements are given along with names and lives of the most influential people in the field.
A short outline of the content:
Prehistoric dwellings: An overview of oldest evidence of human habitats, temporary and permanent, across the globe.
Classical civilisations: Description of the emergence of the Greek and Roman civilisations, and their impact on architecture, construction and interior design.
Medieval era: Several narratives, following the developments of Western (Christian) and Eastern (Islamic) developments and how they affected the built environment and visual style.
Islamic and Asian history: Exploring the traditional architecture of Orient and Asia in the context of culture and religion.
Renaissance: An overview of the re-emergence of classical order in architecture, and the gradual shift into Baroque and Rococo forms.
Colonial & Federal in the US: A chapter that explains how architectural styles emigrated from Europe to the Americas and developed their own forms.
Industrial Revolution & Victorian Era: Looking at the big impact the technological developments of the 18th and 19th century had on all aspects of life, especially methods and materials used in architecture.
Arts & Crafts: Return to hand-made craft, especially in furniture and interior design.
Art Nouveau: A description of several streams of this new style that sought to establish new forms that weren’t based on any historic precedents.
Eclecticism: A retune to historic form as the perceived proper way to build.
Modernism: An in-depth look at the most influential approach to building in history, how and where it emerged, and how it dominated the most part of the 20th century.
Art Deco: A stylistic development of the 1920s and 30s, that formed during times of financial hardship, and the emergence of industrial design.
Postmodernism: A collage of various streams of new thinking, rejecting the constraints of modernism in favour of freedom of expression.
21st century: A look at the most recent developments and impact of the computer on methods of design and construction.
With such an extensive scope of information, the book could benefit from visual aids, such as a visual timeline of eras and events, to assist in retention and recall of the information given. Aside from this, the book is resourceful and straight-forward to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone studying or interested in interior design or architecture. It will give you a much deeper understanding of architectural and interior design, by illustrating the social, political, technological and historic context, and the ideas that made these unique and expressive projects come to life.
December 2, 2009
I find all of Pile's books have good information. They should be in most Interior Design and Architecture offices as a good reference guide. A great book for a student to have in their library.
December 21, 2021
Such an interesting read.
March 8, 2020
please help me i can not read any books
how can i use this site ??
how can i use this site ??
November 9, 2024
We love the outdoors for the open air and sky, for the escape it offers from life inside enclosure...
The Middle Ages developed another institution to provide a different means of protection to those inclined toward religion, learning and the arts. This was the institution of monasticism, the development of religious communities whose members gave up the life of the secular world in exchange for the protected isolation of the monastery. The protection came not from defensive structure, but from remote location, the vows of poverty that meant the absence of treasure that might tempt attack, and from the respect granted to those who devoted themselves to good works and religious pursuits.
The monastic orders built monasteries that included a church, housing, and all the services needed to make a closed, self-sustaining community.
As feudalism became more established and all aspects of life improved, the crafts of building, woodwork, metalwork, and weaving produced a greater variety of objects. Knowledge of design, of interior spaces in particular, was greatly enhanced by the increasing use of pictorial illustrations.
Images of animals, birds and mythical creatures, together with scenes of everyday events are displayed within the decorative rondels that act as framing elements.
France: early and high Gothic, Rayonnant, Flamboyant
England: fan vaulting
Belgium/Netherlands: cool, white painted simplicity
Baroque architecture and interior design came to include a new emphasis on sculptural and painted forms. Shapes from nature, leaves, shells, and scrolls provided a vocabulary to enrich the classical form of earlier Renaissance design. These were painted in varied colors and merged into painted settings that offered illusionistic views of space peopled by figures full of movement and activity. Along with decorative techniques, Baroque design turned to more complex geometry in spatial forms. Oval and elliptical shapes were preferred to square, rectangular, and circular. Curving and complex stairway arrangements and intricacy in planning offered a sense of movement and of mystery. The aims of design changed from simplicity and clarity toward complexity, readily augmented by illusionistic painting and sculpture.
Art, architecture and design were intended to make the Roman church dramatic, exciting and attractive. The interior of the Gesù was a study in the grandeur that Roman Classicism that could offer when combined with simplicity in giant scale. High windows penetrate the nave barrel vault, and a ring of windows in the drum of thr dome create effects of daylight streaming in beams that penetrate the otherwise dim space in a way that approaches stage lighting.
Art Nouveau designers exploited the potential of new production methods to create the languid flowing curves that were characteristic of the style and appeared across thr breadth of Art Nouveau creativity, in thr graphic arts, fashion, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, furniture and interiors. They took inspiration from the most delicate natural forms, flowers, vines, shells, bird feathers, and insect wings.
1. Abbey of Mont S. Michel, France
2. Chateau de Maisons, Paris
The Middle Ages developed another institution to provide a different means of protection to those inclined toward religion, learning and the arts. This was the institution of monasticism, the development of religious communities whose members gave up the life of the secular world in exchange for the protected isolation of the monastery. The protection came not from defensive structure, but from remote location, the vows of poverty that meant the absence of treasure that might tempt attack, and from the respect granted to those who devoted themselves to good works and religious pursuits.
The monastic orders built monasteries that included a church, housing, and all the services needed to make a closed, self-sustaining community.
As feudalism became more established and all aspects of life improved, the crafts of building, woodwork, metalwork, and weaving produced a greater variety of objects. Knowledge of design, of interior spaces in particular, was greatly enhanced by the increasing use of pictorial illustrations.
Images of animals, birds and mythical creatures, together with scenes of everyday events are displayed within the decorative rondels that act as framing elements.
France: early and high Gothic, Rayonnant, Flamboyant
England: fan vaulting
Belgium/Netherlands: cool, white painted simplicity
Baroque architecture and interior design came to include a new emphasis on sculptural and painted forms. Shapes from nature, leaves, shells, and scrolls provided a vocabulary to enrich the classical form of earlier Renaissance design. These were painted in varied colors and merged into painted settings that offered illusionistic views of space peopled by figures full of movement and activity. Along with decorative techniques, Baroque design turned to more complex geometry in spatial forms. Oval and elliptical shapes were preferred to square, rectangular, and circular. Curving and complex stairway arrangements and intricacy in planning offered a sense of movement and of mystery. The aims of design changed from simplicity and clarity toward complexity, readily augmented by illusionistic painting and sculpture.
Art, architecture and design were intended to make the Roman church dramatic, exciting and attractive. The interior of the Gesù was a study in the grandeur that Roman Classicism that could offer when combined with simplicity in giant scale. High windows penetrate the nave barrel vault, and a ring of windows in the drum of thr dome create effects of daylight streaming in beams that penetrate the otherwise dim space in a way that approaches stage lighting.
Art Nouveau designers exploited the potential of new production methods to create the languid flowing curves that were characteristic of the style and appeared across thr breadth of Art Nouveau creativity, in thr graphic arts, fashion, jewelry, ceramics, glassware, furniture and interiors. They took inspiration from the most delicate natural forms, flowers, vines, shells, bird feathers, and insect wings.
1. Abbey of Mont S. Michel, France
2. Chateau de Maisons, Paris
February 25, 2025
Starts from stonehenge and ends in Gehry’s modern curves
June 9, 2025
Read as a course material. This is a very thick book that covers Interior Design within its social and cultural context from the beginning of Ancient Times to modern days. A comprehensive, insightful read that comes with many pictures and illustrations making it a great reference for students of interior design and architecture.
September 18, 2007
Giving me more inspiration...
Read
May 31, 2009Certainly not by choice. For school purposes only. :(
Read
April 20, 2017I can't read it why
April 25, 2017
Rather nice book. Pretty broad, good selection of illustrations.
Read
October 15, 2017...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews