Introduction
Architecture aside, Adam was also famous for his interior designs. His approach to interior spaces had several characteristic features. He used all interior elements in conjuncture instead of relying on several specific ones and stressed adaptability over uniformity.
Main body
Careful arrangement of all the elements of interior design into a coherent composition, as opposed to overreliance on some of them, was pivotal for Adam’s style. Nothing escaped his attention: from decorations of ceilings and walls through furniture, mantles to commissioned works of art – everything served his artistic vision (Malnar and Vodvarka, p. 121). The creative arrangement of all these components is responsible for the “rich and lively interior” characteristic of Adam’s works (Malnar and Vodvarka, p. 120). This willingness to create interiors rich in detail, yet having no emphasis on any particular element, defines Adam’s distinctive place in the history of interior design.
Another characteristic feature of Adam’s style as an interior designer was his adaptability and distaste for bland uniformity. When decorating Williams Wynn House – one of the townhouses of London – Adam had to work with irregular and confined spaces, but regarded this circumstance not as a limitation, but as a challenge (Malnar and Vodvarka, p. 121). He stressed that even small premises have the potential for ingenious interior design: “where variety and grandeur.. cannot be obtained, we should be satisfied with a justness of proportion and an elegance of style” (Malnar and Vodvarka, p. 121). This principle was the extension of his general belief that “a single set of parameters” could never suffice for every conceivable situation. Instead of such stylistic uniformity, Adam insisted on adapting the interior design to every particular space.
Conclusion
To put it short, Adam’s approach to interior design stressed the adaptability and careful arrangement of all the elements. From ceiling decorations to artworks, all components of the interior complemented each other, with none being too overbearing. Adam also maintained that interior design should adapt to the premises instead of trying to use the same uniform schemes again and again.
References
Malnar, Joy M., and Frank Vodvarka. The Interior Dimension: A Theoretical Approach to Enclosed Space. Wiley, 1991.