Historic Design Styles: How To Get It Right

Let’s say you own an Arts and Crafts-era home and you want to restore it to its past glory. Or, perhaps you’re a designer who’s been asked to create an interior that evokes an era you know nothing about. Where do you go to gather historical information and resources? I’ve been this question by several readers. Here’s how I do it.

Bauhaus Style

Go to the Movies
First, try to get a feeling for the era you’ll be working with. A great way to do this is to rent movies that were either filmed during or take place in the era in question. For example, if you’re working on an Art Deco project, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers classics were made in the 1930′s when Art Deco was popular. Swing Time and Top Hat are over the top Art Deco. Likewise, if I were asked to recreate a Louis XV style, I would watch Dangerous Liaisons. I sometimes get so lost in the set design that I forget to watch the movie. They’re an excellent resource. Not sure when a movie was made? Internet Movie Database is great place to start.

Arts & Crafts

Museums are Fantastic – Ask the Experts
It may be hard to tear yourself away from the computer, but there’s nothing like seeing the real thing in the flesh, so to speak. Perhaps there’s a good art museum in your town, or nearby city. Most have a section devoted to textiles and furnishings. Go! Take photos. Write down the historical information.

Another hot tip, which I’ve tremendously helpful is to call or meet with the curator in charge of textiles, or whatever you’re researching. They’re a hotbed of information. After all, this is their passion. I find that curators are more than happy to talk about what they love. And they can lead you to other resources.

Beaux Arts

Go to the Library
It’s always a good idea for a designer to maintain a reference library. But if you’re not a professional, see what you can find at the library. It’s free! Of course, book stores are great because you’ll have your reference material always at hand. You can find a book on every style known to man at Amazon.

The photos in this post are from a fantastic book called, Decorative Style, by Kevin McCloud. It’s out of print, but you can find used copies on Amazon I believe. Here are some other books that I have in my library and find useful.

• The Elements of Style, by Stephen Calloway – an encyclopedia of styles from 1485 to the present.
• Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture, by Cyril M. Harris – another valuable reference book.
• History of Interior Design and Furniture, by Robbie Blakemore – great photos here.

Scottish Highland Castle

Go Local
Sometimes you can find a wealth of information in your own backyard. Many towns have an historical society where you can do research. Or, just go for a walk. Take photos of other houses. This is a good thing to do if you’re restoring the exterior of your home.

French Provincial

Final Thoughts
I guess I shouldn’t leave the internet out of this. Of course, if you didn’t know about the internet as a resource you wouldn’t be reading this. I’ll just say that there are bloggers who write about every topic known to man. Find one that focuses on history (as opposed to interiors) and ask them for help.

If you have a resource, or some tips of your own, please add to the conversation. Let us all know what your favorite style is.