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!!

When considering the historic architecture of Great Britain, Harry Potter’s Hogwarts school—with which we are all familiar—is not a bad starting point! The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was, of course, fictional and was never actually built (except in parts as movie scenery and theme park attractions). 

In the movies, images of how Hogwarts looked reveal both Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles. The set designers for the movies likely modeled Hogwarts Castle after various actual historic buildings in Great Britain. 

Romanesque architecture was a style used throughout Europe in the 11th and 12th centuries. Features used in ancient Roman buildings were emulated—thus the name Romanesque—such as half-round arches, barrel vaults, and decorative arcading. The overall appearance of Romanesque buildings is heavy and sturdy…

France and French culture are known for many notable contributions, including cuisine, fashion, wine, art, and more. But a visit to France uncovers centuries of unique and beautiful architecture to behold. A full summary of architecture throughout the many centuries of French history would be extensive, so only the most notable are highlighted here.

Rather than going all the way back to the beginning of civilization in France, let’s begin with the Gothic style, which was very prevalent in France from about 1150 to 1500. This was the Middle Ages, when life expectancy was a mere 31 years; while most of the population lived in extreme hardship, poverty, and constant danger from foreign invaders.

It’s critical for interior designers to have a basic understanding of historic furniture styles. If your client wants a French Country look (and this style will probably come around again in popularity at some point), you want to make sure you aren’t including a Chippendale-style chair (oh no!!!, that would be British!). Or, if your client wants you to work with an antique Biedermeier secretary desk they inherited from their grandmother, you’ll want to know what stylistic qualities to look for in pieces that accompany it. 

So, we’ve got you covered. In the upcoming weeks, in this HISTORY SERIES, we will cover French, British, Italian, German, Spanish, and American furniture and architectural styles.

Here we are completing our series on the Design Elements. The elements of design are like the ingredients that a designer adds in just the right amounts to arrive at a delicious finished product. 

 Although the list of the design elements varies by author or theorist, I consider these to be the definitive design elements:

• LINE

• SHAPE

• PATTERN

• TEXTURE

• COLOR

• LIGHT                                                                                                      

We have covered several of these in previous editions of The Design Brief™:

• Using LINE Effectively in Interiors

• SHAPE and FORM

• Color Theory 1

• Color Theory 2

• Using Color to Alter Spatial Perceptions

• Effective Interior Design Lighting Strategies

In today’s edition of The Design Brief™, we’ll delve into using PATTERN & TEXTURE to manipulate a final design aesthetic.