Interior designers excel at maximizing the visual elements within a space to achieve optimal solutions. We all recognize that a beautifully composed interior space is the result of meticulous planning and creative intuition. Designers manipulate visual elements to trick the eye, evoke specific moods, and enhance how people function within a space.

For instance, designers manipulate line to direct where one’s eyes should focus. Color is used to add visual interest and as a spatial corrector: by using colors that make elements advance or recede visually, to create a sense of balance and unity, or to create focal points and areas of emphasis. Texture and pattern add visual weight and interest to a space. Lighting is a sculptural tool that adds variation, creates depth, and highlights architectural features. Designers rely on symmetry and balance by organizing objects to provide a sense of order and reduce cognitive clutter.

Designers are skilled at all of these manipulations, and more. But all of these strategies rely on visual perception: what the inhabitants of a space can see visually. 

Although interior design is clearly predominantly a visual endeavor, this is not to say that designers ignore the other four senses, which are (in addition to sight): smell, touch, hearing, and taste. After all, design isn't just about what would look good in a photograph; it's about how a space feels when someone is actually experiencing it.

What is Multi-Sensory Focused Design?

Sensory-focused Design, also known as Atmospheric Design, focuses on ways people can experience interior spaces through their other four senses, in addition to sight. Intentionally adding elements that trigger smell, touch, hearing, and taste can greatly impact the experience of being in a specific space, making it emotionally resonant for the person.

This post is about a topic I have been thoroughly fascinated with for the last several years—ever since I became aware of this topic’s existence. A few years ago, I read an article in The New York Times that left me astounded. How did I not know about this phenomenon, so closely tied to a creative professional’s abilities?

The illuminating phenomenon I am talking about is the ability, or in some cases, the inability to willfully bring an image of something into your mind’s eye—to see something in your head. I had never given this any thought at all, but have come to understand that I have a very agile mind’s eye, and that this ability has served me well over my career as an interior designer. And, I understand that many people are not able to conjure images in their mind’s eye at all! How many times have we designers had clients wring their hands and become paralyzed with indecision, and say, “OOOOH, I just don’t know. I just can’t see it!!!”? (I have often clients that I CAN see it, and they need to trust me.)

It is important for designers to recognize house styles in order to coordinate interior styling with exterior design. It would be inappropriate to style the interior of a mid-century modern home with pieces referencing Georgian design, or to use French country furniture in a Mediterranean home. Below is a comprehensive description of many of the house styles found in the United States. 

Many of the house styles listed below overlapped with each other timewise, in the periods of their popularity, so the order they appear below is not strictly chronological.

Historic American furniture styles are extremely varied and diverse. They were influenced by a wide range of European settlers who immigrated here and brought their own stylistic heritage, as well as by designers who shaped trends with their unique American sensibilities. 

European Stylistic Influences across North America

During the 1500s, and 1600s, early Spanish settlers conquered and occupied what is now Florida, Texas, Arizona, Southern California, and Mexico. The Spanish strove to impress native populations and to demonstrate their superiority with construction techniques. Delve more into Spanish-influenced architecture in North America here. 

The French did not occupy as much of the Americas during this colonization period as the Spanish, but they did settle in northeast Canada, across the Midwest, and down to Louisiana. The most lasting impacts of early French settlers in architecture and design can be seen in Louisiana, along the Mississippi River, and in southeastern Canada, as described here. 

The Dutch (from the Netherlands, previously known as Holland) settled along the eastern seaboard, particularly in New Jersey and New York. German migrants settled in what is now Pennsylvania. Their legacy in architecture and design is explored here.  

The Spanish, French, Dutch, and Germans were not the main nationalities to settle in colonial America. It was the  BRITISH who were the most predominant settlers. They came not only to explore the new world, but also to flee political and religious upheavals in Europe. Learn more about their architectural and furniture traditions here.

Frank Gehry, one of the most remarkable and creative talents in the history of American architecture, died on December 5th, 2025, at the age of 96. He will be remembered for his awe-inspiring, hugely memorable buildings, and for the simple fact that he challenged the most basic and long-standing premise in building construction throughout the ages: that walls should be straight and perpendicular to the ground. 

Spanish design and architecture are important to understand because the Spanish people have influenced not only their home country of Spain but also many other parts of the globe. During the Renaissance in Spain, beginning about 1490, Spanish explorers conquered large parts of what is now Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Virgin Islands, Mexico, South America, and the Philippines, as well as the southern and western United States. So, knowledge of Spanish design means that one also understands the architectural influences that can be seen in all of these varied locales

In central European countries, such as Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark, the period of the Renaissance was delayed and not as long-lasting or influential as elsewhere in Europe. Even before that, these countries were not highly prominent within architecture and design as other parts of Europe. But there are several later periods when these countries were very much at the forefront of stylistic architectural and furniture innovations. This post focuses on several notable 19th- and 20th-century periods where important design innovations emerged from these central European countries.

Architecture from Ancient Rome

When broaching the topic of historic architecture in Italy, it is necessary to go allllllllll the way back to the ancient Roman Empire, which existed for nearly 1000 years, from 509 B.C. to 476 A.D.

It is astounding to consider that this civilization, which began over 2500 years ago, is still considered to have been one of the greatest political nations ever to exist on Earth. 

The Roman Empire was considered a period of enlightenment. 

• There was a quest for knowledge and beauty. 

• It was a period of wealth and prosperity. 

• There were great advancements in language, art, architecture, literature, law, and democratic government.  

How, so very long ago, were these people able to be so advanced politically, socially, and culturally??? 

Well, not everything in this culture was so dignified and venerated. These were the same people whose idea of a fun family outing was to go to the Colosseum to watch gladiators fight to the death, or a condemned criminal being brutally eaten alive by a wild beast. 

Fun times!!