Dark Mahogany

Strolling thru Europe's medieval cobblestone streets, your senses are totally engaged -- the saloons and coffee houses the buzz of traffic on an incomprehensible maze of streets, the centuries old design, the history, the smells, the statues, the lovely waterways and stone bridges.

Stepping out of the city and into the country, a rather more serene mood takes hold, with rolling green hills, vineyards, farms, towns, snow-capped mountains and monumental castles. You are witnessing Old World scenery in this European setting that has persisted largely unaltered for last several centuries.

A merging of designs, customs, and history, the term "Old World" pertains to a timeless look in European decorating that covers over 1500 years and includes these primary periods in history:

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  Gothic, Medieval, Middle or Dark Ages (500s - 1300s), marked by sketchy historic records, the increase and successive fall in population, spiritual wars, chivalry and knighthood; when home decorating was commonly extremely rustic, with just a couple of rooms that were sparsely adorned with furniture and art, vaulted ceilings, narrow glassless windows and floors of straw and clay.
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  Renaissance (1400s - 1600s), bridging the gap between the Dark Ages and the Early Modern period, the Renaissance is when many of the world's most illustrious scholars, artists and scientists blossomed and economic revival ensued; new trends in home decor began to emerge, such as solid floors and bigger windows (complete with glass), smaller, but more rooms, paneled walls, the addition of wallpaper, and cushions and cloth for added comfort.
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  Classical or Early Modern (1700s - 1800s), distinguished by increasingly substantial developments in science and technology, the increase of wide spread, market-oriented economics, and civilised authority and politics. During this time, architecture and decor became more complicated, with stucco-plastered walls and ceilings, grand staircases, and finely hand-crafted, ornately-carved furniture made out of walnut and mahogany, all of which are still popular in design today.

Britain, France and Italy are among the countries typically referred to when the term "Old World" is used in European decorating, and span not only time, but geographical locations across the Mediterranean, Central and Western Europe.