Is Interior Decorating an Art Form?

To truly answer this question, we would have to delveIn ancient days, the more expensive an item was to
into over 3000 years of philosophical debate overmake or obtain, the more stylish it was. While this is still
what the meaning of art is. Suffice it to say that atsomewhat true, today premium items are determined
least in some way, interior decorating is an art form.more by social choice than mere expense. Taste has
But what kind of art is it?been given over to the masses.
Over the centuries art has evolved and changed. TheIn a perfect world art would be judged on its own
paintings found on the walls during the days of ancientmerits, without the ideas of the rest of the pack
Egypt are quite a bit different from the masterpiecesmentality encroaching on personal opinion. In the same
of the Renaissance. However there are few peopleway a decorative scheme would be judged individually,
who would claim that the Egyptians works are not art.on only its own merits.
In fact many people even today use pieces inspired byHowever in this world, art and design are a collective
that ancient style to decorate their homes.idea. Beauty and style are determined by a mix of
Just as the art of painting has evolved, so too has thepersonal opinions, shaped by friends, family, people on
art of interior decorating. Those ancient Egyptians hadthe streets, celebrities, and magazines. These elements
very different houses from our own. For one thing,make up the universe of beauty, and their churning
they had a much larger wealth gap than we do, whichcollective tells us what is good and what is bad.
left the majority of people with only the possessionsOne of the interesting things about interior decorating
they needed to live, while kings and dignitaries lived inas an art is that it has evolved over the years. At
palaces of luxury.different points in history homes were styled on
This meant that the common people had very simpledifferent ideas. During its history the style has always
homes, with few decorative items, most of them handtaken elements of the past into consideration, but public
made. Meanwhile the kings had such ornate andopinion on what was a beautiful interior has relatively
elaborate homes that they would be considered garishsingle minded. You had to have a home that was
by today's standards.similar to everyone else's, or you were an eccentric.
Luckily as the middle class has grown and ideas ofToday, modern designs have thrown out many of
equality have flourished, that wealth gap has diminished.these ideas in favor of schemes which utilize aspects
Another major evolution in the art of interior decoratingof many different historical styles. In this, the art of
has come due to technological advances.interiors has evolved significantly.