FrenchPeriods

History:

Throughout the world, most countries style of interior design was heavily influenced by religious and political history of the eras and led by their leaders. In France the rulers taste was most pervasive during the French Renaissance. Therefore, royal "taste" was a strong determining factor in the direction which each style would take. France was also central to the Romanesque and Gothic styles. The Early Renaissance style controlled the industry between 1484 and 1547. This was the main transitional period from Gothic into Renaissance. Rulers during this time were Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francois I.

Since ornamentation was so elaborate during this period it required a lot of supervising and implementation. The job was of creating a room that was consistent and harmonious was so complex a new profession was born: the decorator. Not only did the position require the person to be able to actually design an environment but to also be able to convey this information over to the client in a concise and understandable manner. The decorators supervised the artisans to produce the highest quality of design.

One of the most influential patron of the arts was Francois I. He held a very transitional style combining Gothic forms with Italian Renaissance ornamentation. He held establish some of the most impressive architectural monuments of the time which included Chateau de Chambord, Chateau de Fountainbleau, and Chateau de Blois.

The architecture of this period was also very distinctive. There was no need for new religious structures which contributed to the increase in construction of palaces and chateaux. Exteriors also become much more important. Roofs were typically very steep, had multiple chimneys and an abundance of large windows due to the weather. These roofs often had two slopes with dormer windows. What was most unique is the the exterior typically did not reflect the style of the interior.

Current Applications:

Discussion Blogs:

Alexandra: I really liked how she described the background of the French Renaissance and then show all the different major architectural structures. I also like how she puts side by side comparisons of current applications.
Jackson: I really like her analysis of the Rococo style and the various different modern applications of today. 

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