If you're looking to give your home a refined, elegant look, there's no better place to start than the art world. The most iconic artists have influenced interior design over the past centuries, from da Vinci to Van Gogh.

Egyptian art

You don't have to be an Ancient Egypt enthusiast to recognize the pyramid shape, which was popularized as a burial structure and as a tourist attraction. However, its iconic form is only one of several elements that make up Egyptian art, so you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of Egyptian art before embarking on your interior redesign.

Most Egyptian art is characterized by its use of color and geometric shapes (like the pyramid). As you create (or choose) artwork for your home - whether it's the furniture or the paintings on the wall - keep in mind how these two elements will come together to form a cohesive whole. In addition, consider how your choices reflect on you: after all, Egyptian dynasties were grounded in rituals regarding life after death. Your unique look can become a part of your lasting legacy, too!

Ancient Greek art

If you're interested in incorporating some ancient Greek art into your home or workplace, you'll find plenty of options. Greek art is distinctive in its use of marble and stone to depict the human body, as well as its use of natural frames such as leaves and branches. You'll also find many examples of the classical orders—a system that defines the proportions of columns and other elements—especially Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian designs.

Roman art and architecture

Roman art and architecture is a foundation for European, Western Asian, and some Northern African cultures. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen in the architecture of buildings all over the world. For instance, many modern courts are based on ancient Roman law codes and structures. The Coliseum in Rome is one of the most well-known pieces of Roman architecture, with its arches serving as inspiration for many modern architectural designs.

Roman art incorporates many different techniques such as mosaic making, wall painting, and sculpting with marble or bronze to create realistic forms that can still be seen today in museums around the world. During this time period, Greek art was also highly influential to artists creating work during the Roman Empire.

Early Christian and Byzantine art

Early Christian art (c. 200-1000 CE) refers to a variety of different artistic styles used to express early Christian beliefs, attitudes, and values. Most forms of art from this period were religious in nature and created for the purpose of celebrating and honoring God. Artists also emphasized man's relationship with God as well as the spiritual nature of all matter.

Most early Christian art was associated with the Church because it was mainly intended for use in churches, chapels, and catacombs, or underground burial places for Christians. The earliest surviving examples of early Christian art are frescoes (paintings on wet plaster) found in many of the catacombs beneath the city of Rome. These frescoes include paintings depicting scenes from the Old Testament as well as images representing Jesus's last supper with his disciples at Passover. Other examples include six-winged seraphim angels carrying a cross through clouds, which may have been inspired by descriptions found in various passages like Isaiah 6:1-8; Ezekiel 1:4-21; Revelation 4:6-9; John 12:41; Psalm 78:1-7; Exodus 15:8-10; 2 Kings 19:35; Daniel 10:5-10, etc., or even an artistic interpretation of Matthew 13:49 where Christ describes himself as both a fire that burns away all impurity and a refiner's fire that purifies gold ore.

The other significant form of early Christian artwork is architecture, which began to take shape during this time period. It consisted mainly of basilicas (or domed buildings), which had open floors surrounded by rows upon rows of columns supporting arches at the top. Some notable basilicas include Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and Hagia Sophia Mosque located in Istanbul Turkey.

Islamic art

Islamic art is a wide-ranging category of art spanning the history of Islam. It includes all the artistic traditions that have developed within Muslim civilizations across the world from Spain to India. Islamic art has been influenced by many factors, including the religion of Islam, the culture of the Muslim world, and the geography of the Muslim world.

While most Islamic countries were historically not strongly influenced by Western cultural practices, some Western cultures had a strong influence on Islamic countries under colonization (e.g., during British rule in parts of South Asia). There are examples in which non-Muslims have had a significant influence on Islamic arts (e.g., Arab Jews contributed to textile production in medieval Arab societies, while Andalusian Christians played an important role in transmitting Greek learning to Al-Andalus, where it was later assimilated into emerging Islamic philosophy).

Islamic art combines visual art and craftsmanship and is a combination of visual art and crafts. These include painting; calligraphy; manuscript illumination; pottery; metalwork (including armor); textiles; woodwork; ceramics; glasswork; jewelry; furniture-making as well as architecture.

Romanesque art

Romanesque art (ca. 1000-ca. 1250 CE) was primarily religious, and Christian, and therefore its themes were biblical, but it also borrowed from classical Roman art and architecture, as well as from Byzantine, Islamic, and Celtic art and architecture. There is some debate among historians as to where the term Romanesque comes from since very little of the architecture resembles that of ancient Rome; it has been suggested that the term derives instead from “romant” meaning “in the vernacular” or “common” (the Romanesque period was one in which Latin was used only by clergy and local dialects were preferred), and in this sense what defines Romanesque is the use of spoken languages in the liturgy where Latin had previously been standard. The Romanesque period was followed by Gothic art which continued many of its themes while also drawing upon new influences such as classical Greek architecture.

Gothic architecture

Gothic architecture is a style that originated in France in the 12th century and spread throughout Europe. It is characterized by the pointed arch, ribbed vault, and flying buttress. Gothic architecture has had a major influence on art history as well as home décor.

The architectural style known as Gothic first appeared in France about 1140 CE and remained popular for almost four hundred years. It was an evolution of earlier Romanesque styles (a style with rounded arches). A key feature of Gothic architecture is the ribbed vault (described by Sir Banister Fletcher as “the crowning achievement” of Gothic). The ribbed vault added extra strength to large spaces, allowing architects to build much higher ceilings than previously possible. Although we typically think of gothic cathedrals when this term comes up, it can also refer to domestic as well as public buildings—even castles!

Chinese and Japanese art and architecture

Chinese and Japanese art and architecture have many similarities that go back to the earliest part of their history. That said, there are some major differences between the two as well. Chinese art is more focused on sculpture, terra cotta and porcelain than Japanese art is. Chinese architecture tends to be more elaborate than Japanese architecture, with a heavy emphasis on symmetrical design elements.

If you're looking for examples of famous Chinese or Japanese artwork or architecture, you really can't go wrong with anything from either countries' respective Imperial families. Both the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Ching Dynasty (1644-1912) in China produced stunning works of art; however, perhaps no dynasty pales in comparison to that of Japan's Edo Period (1603-1867), when the country's most famous woodblock prints were made.

To integrate these styles into your home decorating scheme, think about using curved or asymmetrical design elements that mimic traditional Chinese artwork. To incorporate Japanese architectural features into your home decorating plans, try using simple yet elegant angles in your designs that highlight one another without competing for attention within a room's layout.

Buddhist art and architecture

As we've discussed previously, you can look to art history for inspiration if you're planning on redecorating your home. Buddhist art and architecture are great sources of ideas because they often combine aesthetic beauty with a natural feel and calming atmosphere. These elements can help you create a relaxing space in your home.

Buddhist art began in India nearly 2,500 years ago but spread from there to China and other Asian countries. As it moved across the region, the style of Buddhist art changed as it was influenced by the unique cultures that it came into contact with.

Although this religious tradition began in India, its visual artistic legacy is scattered throughout Asia and even into Europe. Some of the most beautiful pieces were created using fragile materials such as silk or ivory that no longer survive today. A lot of what we know about Buddhist art comes from images carved into wood or stone—that's how we know that these pieces would have been painted in vibrant colors and adorned with glittering jewels when they were first created!

You can find inspiration in art history

You can find inspiration for furniture, colors, patterns, textures, and shapes when looking at art history. Art history is not just about paintings. You can find inspiration from architecture, sculptures, and mosaics. You can look for details like moldings, arches, and pillars to use in your interior design project.