What Is Baroque-Style Design?
Baroque interior design refers to the decorative style used during the Baroque period of architecture, art and design in the 17th and first half of the 18th century.
This extravagant style included layered, formal, ornate interiors incorporating elements such as bronze sculptures; elaborate tapestries; sculpted wood mirrors, moldings and panels; elaborately painted ceilings; crystal chandeliers; and gilded everything.
History of Baroque-Style Design
The Baroque movement began in Italy around 1600. It then spread to France, throughout Europe and throughout the world. Baroque was the first visual style to have significant influence throughout the world.1
Baroque interior design is part of the larger baroque fine art movement, which includes architecture, art, interior design, objects, etc., with interior design, architecture. Architecture and art work together to create a unified visual statement.
The Baroque style was an aesthetic practice and a sensual expression of power, such as the ornate churches and cathedrals that the Catholic Church in Italy built to further its rule. In France, Louis XIV used a variation of the Baroque style mixed with French classicism as a form of power branding for the monarchy. His interior designer, Charles Lebrun, drew inspiration from the Sun King’s penchant for all things gilded and his desire to demonstrate his immense power, creating the Château de Versailles, a monument to the Baroque style that still shines today.
Although the Baroque style first appeared in Italy, it reached its peak in the Rococo style (also known as the late Baroque or Rocaille style), which developed in 18th-century Paris, in the excessive Rococo style as a protest against the strict restrictions of the French language. Baroque architecture and King Louis XIV’s strict ideas about what constitutes art.
Baroque fell out of fashion in the mid-18th century, but recognition of the style was revived in the 19th century. In the 20th century, renowned interior designer Dorothy Draper invented a style commonly known as modern baroque, a bold style rooted in the classics. which uses sparkling elements, vibrant colors and an updated style of Rococo detailing, commonly known as Hollywood Regency. . In the 21st century, small revivals of modern baroque with nicknames such as “Modern Romantic” continue to come and go, even if today only the most eccentric modern interiors are fully baroque.
Key Characteristics of Baroque-Style Design
The Baroque style is lavish, opulent, highly decorative and theatrical, possessing a dramatic flair and an undeniable sense of grandeur.
This aesthetic style is designed to appeal to the senses and stimulate a heightened emotional response.
The overall style is characterized by an unapologetic use of glittering embellishment, from sparkling crystal chandeliers to intricately carved mirrors, monumental furniture and ornaments, to gilded finishes on everything from furniture to objects and walls.
The French Baroque style may look like a riot of detail and decorative elements, but it is distinguished by a fundamental emphasis on symmetry and elegance conveyed by classicism.
The use of complex materials and techniques such as porcelain, varnish and wood inlay.
Baroque interiors often have beautifully painted ceilings designed to create a trompe l’oeil effect when open to the sky.
Use carved moldings and decorative details such as stylized natural motifs such as leaves, flowers, angels, human and animal figures.
Cubes and shapes are often curved and spiraled to create a sense of movement, such as rolling leaves.
Modern Baroque Decorating Tips
The Baroque style may seem at odds with modern decor, but it remains influential among modern interior designers as well as home decorators, who often take a minimalist approach to combining interior design styles.
When incorporating Baroque style elements into a modern decor scheme, it is important. A gilded Italian or French mirror or baroque bed frame can make a statement in a modern room with neutral decor and finishes, or be part of an eclectic design scheme.
To bring baroque style into a modern room, add playful modern baroque pieces. The best-selling Bourgie lamp, designed for Kartell by Italian designer Ferruccio Laviani in 1994, is made of clear polycarbonate and modeled after an antique lamp the designer had on his desk. This cutting-edge interpretation of the Baroque style transcends time and space and is amazingly versatile.
For a more traditional look, choose rococo-style furniture such as curved velvet armchairs, bean bags and skirted sofas.