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 Art Nouveau The “new art” era is different from most design strategies. In the past, styles have come from inspiration or rejection of other ways of designing, yet the art nouveau era was created from not history, but the present. Victor Horta, one of the first designers to use the Art Nouveau style, took inspiration from his surrounding environment in nature. This means the design heavily incorporates plants, flowers, vines, birds, and other small wild animals. The art nouveau designers appreciate Japanese art or artists who constructed pieces with nature such as Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Gauguin, and Aubrey Beardsley. The style originated and blossomed in France and Spain. When thinking about France, Paris and Nancy were the two main cities that the style demanded due to their artistic histories. Hector Guilmard, a Paris native, was an artist, interior designer, and industrial designer who focused on the art nouveau style in residential homes. He also designed city signage and...

  Japan and Japanisme During 100 A.D. Japan’s empire was strong and in close contact with China and Korea. It wasn’t until 1542 that the country was exposed to European trading and in 1854, American trading. Between 100AD and the 1800s, Japan focused on its culture, traditions, and civilization, to strengthen its identity. Japan and China had close ties and influences on each other, yet their ways of designing were not identical. While China liked formality, symmetry, consistency, and perfectionism, Japan designed with impromptu, asymmetry, change, and imperfections. During the Arts and Crafts movement, many designers were influenced by Japanese textiles and created wallpapers that were inspired by the design’s focus on nature. They also appreciated the Japanese style's focus on craftsmanship and use of wood and exposed joints which led to the sturdy, simple, and resilient designs we see in the arts and crafts era. Not only did this era inspire the arts and crafts movement but it...

 Arts and Crafts: The arts and crafts movement arose after the Victorian period that ruled the late 1800s. During this shift, many designers rejected the Victorian style and wanted to turn to a more simplistic and practical method of designing. The Victorian style was a result of the Industrial Revolution. The modern technology of this time made it easier to produce building materials, furniture, and decorations. The mass production resulted in middle- and lower-class families being able to indulge in these products when in the past people of these means were only able to afford the necessities. We can see a combination of design periods in the Victorian period which resulted in a cluttered, chaotic design style.   Although this era allowed people of all economic backgrounds to be able to purchase extra furniture and decorations, the mass production resulted in poorly manufactured materials. Designers began to realize this way of living wasn’t ideal, in fact, a British man...