Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support
various human activities such as seating (e.g., chairs, stools, and sofas),
eating (tables), and sleeping (e.g., beds). Furniture is also used to hold
objects at a convenient height for work (as horizontal surfaces above the
ground, such as tables and desks), or to store things (e.g., cupboards and
shelves). Furniture can be a product of design and is considered a form of
decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a
symbolic or religious purpose. It can be made from many materials, including
metal, plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of woodworking
joints which often reflect the local culture.
People have been using natural objects, such as tree stumps,
rocks and moss, as furniture since the beginning of human civilisation.
Archaeological research shows that from around 30,000 years ago, people began
constructing and carving their own furniture, using wood, stone, and animal
bones. Early furniture from this period is known from artwork such as a Venus
figurine found in Russia, depicting the goddess on a throne. The first
surviving extant furniture is in the homes of Skara Brae in Scotland, and
includes cupboards, dressers and beds all constructed from stone. Complex
construction techniques such as joinery began in the early dynastic period of
ancient Egypt. This era saw constructed wooden pieces, including stools and
tables, sometimes decorated with valuable metals or ivory. The evolution of
furniture design continued in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, with thrones
being commonplace as well as the klinai, multipurpose couches used for relaxing,
eating, and sleeping. The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak,
and ornamented. Furniture design expanded during the Italian Renaissance of the
fourteenth and fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and
Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs.
The nineteenth century is usually defined by revival styles. The first
three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards
Modernism. One unique outgrowth of post-modern furniture design is a return to
natural shapes and textures.
Interior design is the
art and science of enhancing the interiors, sometimes including the exterior,
of a space or building, to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing
environment for the end user. An interior designer is someone who plans,
researches, coordinates, and manages such projects. Interior design is a
multifaceted profession that includes conceptual development, space planning,
site inspections, programming, research, communicating with the stakeholders of
a project, construction management, and execution of the design.
Interior
design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the
manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface treatment for the betterment
of human functionality.
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