FCS 348 HISTORY OF INTeRIOR DeSIGN: Romanesque Design

The Romanesque style arose around 800 AD in France and Italy an was meant to pay homage to the Roman style. The shift to this style occurred after the crowning of Charlemagne, who encouraged learning, the arts, and the use technology to build Roman structures. He also worked to preserve and copy Roman literature and established many schools and monasteries. There was such a large increase in church building, that between 1000-1100, at least 1,587 were constructed.

Typically, Romanesque churches included semicircular arches and vaults and borrowed elements from Early Christian basilicas. The nave, transept, and apse were modified to provide optimal space, and designs included a side chapel in the transept. These churches focused on accommodating more people, and therefor added an area for a choir, included multiple aisles, and added ambulatory areas for processions.

Romanesque roofs were made of masonry rather than wood. Interiors featured rich greens, blues, purples, and gold walls and also displayed rich tapestries and gilded sculptures. Romanesque design also used a great deal of gold, silver, and ivory set with pearls, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Furniture during this time was fairly primitive and used legs to belongings off of the damp floors. Common homes were constructed of wood, mud, and twigs and had dirt floors. Nobility, on the other hand, lived in stone castles. The homes of this time were drafty, dark, and wet, and needed a center fire to help provide warmth. Although few of the wood homes survived, the stone castles and churches were much sturdier and do provide a look into the lifestyles of this period.