Evolution of Interior Designing

In the past, interiors came with a standard design as a part of the construction. Over the years, the profession of interior design has been evolving with the development in the society and architecture along with the industrial revolution. The constant developments, the need for effective use of space, user well-being and functional design has contributed to the field of interior designing and shaped it in a manner that it is today.

In the ancient India, architects used to work as interior designers. This can be seen from the references of Vishwakarma, the architect, who is one of the gods in Indian mythology. Moreover, the sculptures depicting ancient texts and events are seen in palaces built in 17th century India.

In the ancient Egypt, soul houses (models of houses) were placed in tombs as containers for food offerings. From them, it was possible to find details about the interior design of different residences throughout the different Egyptian dynasties. Details such as changes in ventilation, columns, windows, and doors.

Throughout the 17th and 18th century and the early of 19th century, interior decoration was done by an employed craftsman or upholsterer or who would advise regarding the interiors. Architects would employ craftsmen or artisans to complete interior design for their buildings.

In the early 1900s, “Interior Decorator” was used in America for the professionals who handled interior designing. Most decorators at the time had no academic credentials, but the good ones had a combination of good taste, common senses, and natural talent to interpret and address the issues such as that of scale and proportion.

Interior designing was previously seen as a secondary role of an architecture. It has many connections to other disciplines of design such as the work of architects, engineers, industrial designers, craftsmen, etc. The role of an interior designer shifted from being a secondary role of an architect and gave birth to a new profession, an interior designer.

The government of interior design standards and qualifications was incorporated into other professional organisations that involved design. Organisations were established to govern the various areas of design. The largest professional organization was AID, American Institute of Decorators, founded in 1931 when a group meeting at a furniture show lead to the creation of a national professional organization. In 1936, AID changed its name from the American Institute of Decorators to the American Institute of Interior Designers. Organisations such as the Chartered Society of Designers and the American Designers Institute were established in the U.K in 1986 and in the U.S in 1938 respectively. They govern the various areas of design.

The profession of interior design is only a just over 100 years old. In the past 100 years, what began as the art of decorating, embracing form and function evolved into today’s world of highly specialized interior design that has a science. The field of interior design continues to rapidly evolve in a world that demands for problem solving and fine focus of specialized areas of critical knowledge. The concept of interior designing is now widely accepted as part of the environments where health, safety and welfare of the people are of foremost importance.