History of Interior Design: French Style

The french period spans over the time period of 1484 through the late 1800's. There are many different styles from this period; some include early, middle, and late renaissance, neoclassical, baroque, rococo, revolution, and restoration styles. The style that I found most appealing was Rococo style. This style was popular during the 1730's through the 1760's. During this time, Louis XV was in power, and the country was going through a war. During this time, the common folk raised the standards by questioning the power and becoming philosophers, economist, and scientists. The Rococo style was inspired by Louis XV's mistresses. The style was very dainty and feminine. The interiors has low ceilings with the use of curvilinear lines. The rooms were rounded instead of rectangular. The interiors incorporated scrolls and cockleshells. Waves, roses, and daisies were all common motifs during this time. The design was primarily symmetrical. the use of boisieries, which are carved wood wall panels, was also a common theme during the Rococo style. The colors were very light and clean; such as blue, rose, sea green, and lilac. White was also used along with a gold accent. Fireplaces were also common in rooms. The mantel typically sat low and was created out of marble. It was also very common for mirrors to hang above.