Interior design

Introduction
Principles of interior design
- Aesthetic components of design
  - Elements of design
  - Concepts of design
  - Design relationships
  - Modes of composition
  - Symbolism and style
- Physical components of design
  - Ceilings
  - Floors
  - Walls
  - Windows and doors
  - Other components
  - Furniture and accessories
  - Lighting
  - Fabrics
  - Natural elements
- Design procedure
  - Preliminary phases
  - Design and presentation
  - Final drawings and specifications
  - Construction
- Kinds of interiors
  - Residential interiors
  - Public interiors
    - Space planning
    - Governmental interiors
    - Institutional interiors
    - Commercial interiors
    - Religious interiors
    - Industrial interiors
    - Special interiors
Origins of interior design
- Primitive peoples
- Origins in Western antiquity
Interior design in the West
- Ancient world
  - Egypt
  - Mesopotamia
  - Crete
  - Greece
  - Rome
- Middle Ages
  - Byzantium
  - Early medieval Europe
  - Late medieval Europe
  - Islāmic countries
- Renaissance to the end of the 18th century
  - France
  - Spain
  - Northern Europe
  - England
  - United States
- 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe
- Late 18th to early 20th centuries in the U.S
  - Classic movement after the Revolution, 1785–1835
  - The Romantic movement and the battle of the styles, 1835–1925
- 20th century
Interior design in the East
- China
- Japan
- India

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Frescoed throne room in the palace of King Minos at Knossos, Crete, featuring red walls with painted motifs, a stone throne, benches, and a round basin on the floor.

Painting of a man in a dark robe and hat holding hands with a woman in a green gown, standing in a richly furnished room with a small dog at their feet. The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck.

At a Glance

interior design summary

Interior design

architecture

Also known as: interior decoration

Written by

George SavageAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 31, 2026 •History

Interior design, planning and design of man-made spaces, a part of environmental design and closely related to architecture. Although the desire to create a pleasant environment is as old as civilization itself, the field of interior design is relatively new. Since at least the middle of the 20th century, the term interior decorator has been so loosely applied as to be nearly meaningless, with the result that other, more descriptive terms have come into use....

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