Ethnic Styles

Let's clarify from the start—there are no distinct modern ethnic styles. This can be as challenging to accept as the absence of a style termed “modern classics.” A style should possess a unified structure and logic that brings all its elements together into a cohesive whole, which is what these so-called “ethnic interiors” lack. Attempting to classify all interiors with elements like stucco molding as “modern classic” is just as unsophisticated as labeling interiors with Moroccan lamps and tiles as “Moroccan style,” or observing a mirror framed with wooden carvings and dubbing it “neo-Russian style.”

However, what should you do if a client is drawn to oriental motifs or the imagery of India or China?

During this lecture, we will explore:

• Various approaches to incorporating ethnic motifs into modern interior design.
• Styles and stylistic choices that readily integrate elements of the East or Asia.
• A closer examination of what truly defines interiors with labels like “Moroccan,” “Moorish,” “African,” or “Japanese style.”
• An exploration of whether there exists a neo-Russian style and the presence of Russian motifs in modern design.