History of Home Design

Credit for the birth of interior design is most often given to the Ancient Egyptians, who decorated their humble mud huts with simple furniture enhanced by animal skins or textiles, as well as murals, sculptures, and painted vases. Beautiful gold ornaments found in Egyptian tombs (such as that of King Tutankhamen) revealed the importance of more lavish decoration for wealthier and powerful Egyptians.

The Roman and Greek civilizations built upon the Egyptian art of interior decorating and accessorizing. Both cultures celebrated civic pride through their development of domed-roof public buildings. In the home, elaborate Greek wooden furniture had ivory and silver ornamentation. The Romans placed special emphasis on combining beauty and comfort, and home interiors reflected wealth and status. Roman furniture made of stone, wood, or bronze was accented by cushions and tapestries. Both the Romans and Greeks used vases, mosaic floors, and wall paintings or frescoes to beautify interior spaces.  

By the 20th century, the near-universal presence of home appliances such as stoves, washing machines, televisions, and telephones produced a new challenge for interior designers, who had to plan spaces not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for functionality.The field of interior design has come a long way from the mud and brick days of the ancient Egyptians. Designers today have access to both man-made and synthetic materials, and they can draw upon the influences of past generations while also continually striving to create new design trends.