| It is so important to know what decorating style you | | | | were placed on furniture, woodwork, and textiles were |
| prefer before you commence a decorating project. | | | | based on three vocabularies of ornament: |
| Knowing your preferred decorating style will help you | | | | Romanesque, Gothic, and Heraldic. |
| to answer many questions and guide you through the | | | | The Romanesque influence included chevrons, foliage |
| myriad of decisions to come. | | | | and even beasts on furniture. The easiest way for me |
| In part one we will look at the decorative styles | | | | to describe a chevron wall is to say that it is similar to |
| contributed by the Medieval to pre 16th century. This | | | | a classic herringbone design. You know, the zig-zag |
| five part series on decorating styles will give you a | | | | look or sometimes stripes. That technique came from |
| snap shot or a quick peek into the essence of | | | | the medieval to pre-16th century. Gothic ornament |
| decorating styles. It is written as simplistically as | | | | included architectural elements such as lancets, foils |
| possible; not as an insult, but, so that anyone can | | | | and tracery. Tracery is a pattern of interlacing lines in a |
| benefit from the information - the professional and the | | | | lacy pattern that often outlines stain glass. It's typically |
| novice. | | | | made of wood, stone or iron and is usually one long |
| In the Medieval to pre 16th century the domestic | | | | continual line (or mullion) that is shaped to form |
| preoccupation with decorating was limited to stone-built | | | | patterns. It is very geometrical. If you Google St. Paul's |
| or timber framed castles and manor houses. | | | | Cathedral, you will see exactly what I mean. You |
| The interiors of medieval homes were sparsely | | | | would typically see tracery on old historic structures. |
| furnished which allowed the architectural shell to be the | | | | Sometimes tracery is used in furniture, lamps, and |
| focal point, so to speak. This is similar to what we call | | | | chandeliers, too. The last contribution we will look at |
| the Minimalist style today. The furniture was made | | | | from the Medieval to pre-16th century period is |
| mostly of oak, elm or chestnut. The tables were | | | | Heraldic decoration. Heraldic offered the world of |
| wooden boards that were supported on trestles and | | | | design motifs and emblems. Similar to family crests or |
| the seating was mostly benches and stools. This | | | | monograms. |
| should bring to mind the Mission style and Craftsman | | | | Part two of interior decorating styles will explore the |
| style of decorating. The beds were canopied and | | | | 16th and 17th centuries and how interior decorating |
| usually had 4 posters. The decorative adornments that | | | | was enhanced by the contributions from those times. |