INT 232-1: History of Interior, Art, and Furnishing II

  INT 232 Ruth Hernandez Postmodernism Postmodernism became popular at the end of the 20th century as a response to the rigidity of the Modernist movement. Unlike Modernism, which emphasized simplicity, functionality, and the absence of decorations, postmodernism sought to break away from such restrictions and infuse personality into designs. This was done through the revival of color, decorative elements, and historical themes. Rather than adhering to one single design style, designers adopted a combination of styles. One of the key ideas of Postmodernism is that design does not have to follow strict rules. Designers used bold colors, unusual shapes, and playful elements to create interiors that stood out. They often combined classical details with modern materials, creating a contrast between old and new. This made spaces feel more dynamic and sometimes even surprising. Postmodern interiors often included geometric patterns, bright colors, and decorative elements that would have...

  INT 232 Ruth Hernandez After Modernism: The 60s and 70s The period after Modernism in the 1960s and 1970s was a time of major change in design. Modernism focused on simplicity, function, and minimal decoration, but many designers began to feel it was too strict and lacked personality. As a result, new styles started to appear that were more expressive, colorful, and experimental. Designers wanted more freedom to break rules and create spaces that reflected culture, identity, and emotion. Postmodernism was one of the notable movements at this period. The movement did away with the notion of designs being regulated by any form of guidelines. Rather, the movement reintroduced decoration, bold use of colors, and allusions to history. Designs were therefore created using a combination of other designs, producing an interesting result.  Pop Art was another important source of inspiration for interior designers at this period. Pop Art used vivid colors, pop culture, and ordinary ob...

  INT 232 Ruth Hernandez Commercial Interiors/ History of Women in Interior Design  Commercial Interior Design refers to the design of spaces meant for use in commerce, which may include office space, hotel rooms, dining establishments, shopping malls, etc. The purpose of these interiors is functional in nature. In the past, the design of commercial interiors was characterized by simple, functional, and formal elements. However, over time, commercial interiors have become more creative and comfortable to reflect the personality of the organization. Current Applications  It is crucial to put special attention to the role of women in interior design history because they made a great contribution to its creation. As the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century saw interior design as one of the rare creative activities where women could have a career, it provided many women designers with an opportunity to succeed in decorating and desi...

  INT 232 Ruth Hernandez Other Modernism The topic for this week discusses the various alternatives to Modernism that were developed either concurrently with or in reaction to the purist ideology of Heroic Modernism. While the early Modernists emphasized function, minimalism, and industrial materials in the design of spaces, Other Modernism sought to add diversity and individuality to the spaces.   The modernists were able to break away from the purist ideology of Modernism by adding warmth and regionalism to the spaces without compromising the simplicity and functionality. This proves that modernism is not just one style. There was more emphasis on comfort and how people used spaces, rather than just functionality. Spaces were more comfortable and homelike. Unlike in Modernism, where there was widespread use of steel and glass, there was a return to other materials that could provide warmth. Interior spaces had a combination of textures, colors, and a blend of modern and natu...

  INT 232 Ruth Hernandez Art Deco  The topic for the week is Art Deco, which is a style of design that originated in the 1920s and 1930s and is characterized by its boldness, glamour, and modernity. Art Deco is considered to be the result of the post-Art Nouveau and pre-Modernism movements, which did not discard the idea of luxury or innovation as Art Nouveau did.  Art Deco is the result of the optimism of the machine age, the advances made in technology, the excitement of speed, travel, and the exotic. Art Deco interiors featured modern elements with luxurious treatments and bold statements. It is considered to be a modern and luxurious style, reminiscent of theaters, hotels, skyscrapers, and luxury homes. Art Deco is famous for the use of geometric forms like zigzags, chevron patterns, sunbursts, and stepped forms. This style is used in architecture, furniture, floors, and other elements.  Art Deco designers used luxurious materials like lacquer, chrome, glass, mar...

   INT 232 Ruth Hernandez Heroic M odernism  The topic for the week centered on the subject of Heroic Modernism, a prominent style of the early 20th century. This style affected architecture, interior spaces, and furniture. Heroic Modernism emerged between the 1920s and 1940s. This style represented a bold departure from the styles of the past. Architects and interior designers of the period believed that architecture and interior spaces ought to mirror the modern world of industry, rather than the past.  Heroic Modernism introduced the concepts of functionality, simplicity, and new technologies. Architects and interior designers started to experiment with new materials, including steel, glass, and concrete. This gave way to new forms of buildings and the use of open spaces. There was a desire to create rational and universal designs to serve the needs of the modern world. Another of the main concepts of Heroic Modernism was the belief that the basis of good design s...