No single look defined interior design in the 1990s. Styles were influenced by every-thing from minimalism to the Arts-and-Crafts movement; professional interior designers and American consumers alike drew on regional styles, historical trends, and personal tastes to create dwellings that were highly individualistic. Minimalism, as the name suggests, highlighted the absence of decoration. Walls and doors were white, windows were bare, and furnishings were spare. A passion for antiques balanced minimalism.
Designers also focused on the environment when choosing materials; they looked for wood that came from renewable sources, such as plantations or natural forests certified as sustainable. Restorers reconstructed antiques without using toxic chemicals. Some manufacturers used recycled plastics or wood to create new home and office items. Still, there was no shortage of materials found in showcase interiors: homes and offices featured every-thing from stainless steel and glass to granite and woods of all sorts.
Prominent designers and big-time magazines were not the only influences on how people and interiors looked in the 1990s. Feng shui shaped design as well.Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that mixes metaphysics, superstition, astrology, and philosophy. Practitioners believed that good fortune and balance depended on factors such as the direction of a building and furnishings in a room. The idea was that by using certain colors and placements, one could create balance and harmony, and in turn affect mood and outcome.
Designers also updated clean, classic looks—oversized upholstered club chairs, leather sofas, traditional chandeliers—for the American families of the 1990s. To give a home a personal and familiar feel, designers showcased items collected by those dwelling inside. Some termed this combination of design styles—the mix of earthy materials and traditional furnishings—"rustic elegance."
Designers also focused on the environment when choosing materials; they looked for wood that came from renewable sources, such as plantations or natural forests certified as sustainable. Restorers reconstructed antiques without using toxic chemicals. Some manufacturers used recycled plastics or wood to create new home and office items. Still, there was no shortage of materials found in showcase interiors: homes and offices featured every-thing from stainless steel and glass to granite and woods of all sorts.
Prominent designers and big-time magazines were not the only influences on how people and interiors looked in the 1990s. Feng shui shaped design as well.Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that mixes metaphysics, superstition, astrology, and philosophy. Practitioners believed that good fortune and balance depended on factors such as the direction of a building and furnishings in a room. The idea was that by using certain colors and placements, one could create balance and harmony, and in turn affect mood and outcome.
Designers also updated clean, classic looks—oversized upholstered club chairs, leather sofas, traditional chandeliers—for the American families of the 1990s. To give a home a personal and familiar feel, designers showcased items collected by those dwelling inside. Some termed this combination of design styles—the mix of earthy materials and traditional furnishings—"rustic elegance."
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