Abstract
This paper begins with a look at what sparked the great interest in Orientalism beginning with the 19th century and continuing until the 1930s. The paper also describes the influence that Orientalism had on American tastes in decorative arts and explains that this interest in Orientalism was no doubt encouraged by the opening of the Suez Canal which had the effect of providing artists with abundant and seductive new motifs for their work.

From the Paper
"Although Bonaparte had had the idea years earlier, it was in 1854 that the French diplomat, Ferdinand de Lesseps persuaded the Viceroy Said of Egypt to grant him the concession to cut a 100-mile long canal across the isthmus of the Suez. DeLesseps had cultivated the Viceroy Said even when the Viceroy was a young man and De Lesseps was the French ambassador to the Egyptian court" (African Business 2003, p. 64). "The creation of the Suez Canal captured the imagination of people around the world, and its opening in 1869 was a party to end all parties. As the champagne flowed, it was hailed as a symbol of progress that would serve to unite the world. You might even call it one of the first adventures in globalization-an infrastructure project designed to strengthen links between Europe, East Africa, the Middle East and the Orient" (African Business 2003, p. 64). In hindsight, of course, it did not work out as the great peace- and commerce-maker some may have had in mind."

Tags:austen, henry, layard, iraq, museum, greece, orient, arab, lands, mediterranean, turkey

Abstract
This paper discusses purchasing decisions of brand vs. quality for the interior design and home decoration sector. The paper looks at factors shaping consumer buying decisions and at the special meaning that brands have for consumers. The paper also presents a research design to measure purchase choices.

From the Paper
"This report presents a research plan for determining whether consumers shopping for interior design and/or decor are most highly motivated by the variables of quality or brand name. Drawing upon literature describing the factors shaping consumer buying decisions and branding as well as issues in the highly competitive field of interior design/decor, the study presents a data collection and analysis strategy to test the research hypothesis that consumers are more likely to be..."

Tags:interior design, home decoration, brands, purchase, consumer, research design

Abstract
This paper explains that art is an aesthetic object that is created by skill and imagination, while decoration is defined by its function as an ornament. The author points out that when looking at the aesthetics of art in the individual home it is important to consider that art can also exist as a decoration. The paper concludes that the private world of art can take many forms, from the purely individualistic approach of the young person's home to the collaborative approach of the older couple who have lived together for many years.

From the Paper
"The function of the home is diverse, and this is an important consideration for many individuals when they choose decorative and artistic elements for their home. For example, the use of the washroom for showers makes it difficult to store objects that are easily damaged by water in the bathroom as a work of art. Further, many decorative objects may be chosen more for their functional aspects than their artistic or decorative function. For example, clocks may be chosen based on large hands for easy viewing, rather than simply for their aesthetic value."

Tags:function, ornament, imagination, collaboration, individual

Abstract
This paper explains that this company, which sells South American art and decoratives, wishes to market to hotels, restaurants and interior design agencies located in areas, such as the European continent, where the South American culture is considered exotic. Next, the author reviews the company's main competitors and develops a marketing strategy, which includes setting up the central office and showroom in San Diego. The paper discuses the promotion plan especially the use of the internet.

Table of Contents:
Marketing Segmentation
Main Competitors
Marketing Strategy
Promotion
Future

From the Paper
"On the other hand, the fact that there are many import partners, as well as more than one distribution center presents a very difficult challenge, that of coordination. Not only do all these company segments have to communicate on a daily basis, but the operations must be supervised and coordinated in order to make sure that the company functions as a whole and that synergy is achieved. The office is placed in San Diego so this will present the challenge of properly managing a communication process which implies partners working on another continent."

Tags:relationships prices, distribution network, e-advertising magazines

Abstract
This paper will examine three general approaches in modern feminist art by three feminist artists. It will be argued that these feminists assume radically different perspectives with regard to their mediums and objectives. Under the general categories of "the Body Politic" (feminism and politics), "the Body Social" (representations of the human body as a site of conflicting social values) and "Decoration vs. Abstraction" (hierarchical double standards with regard to "male" abstraction and "female" decorative arts), it will be shown how these differences in part reflect the shifting phases of modern feminist art, but more importantly signify the diverse multiplicity of modern feminist art.

Abstract
This paper explores the changes, which took place in the English country house during the 18th century. The author argues that these developments occurred as a microcosm to the rest of the nation. The paper contends that it was the confluence of classicist and romantic influences which made the interior architecture of the period so striking.

From the Paper
"The 18th century has been regarded as the epitome of the development of elegance of interior architecture throughout the Western world. Many critics believe that this century is unmatched in the history of the West with regard to the development of interior architectural styles. It is certain that during this century, perhaps more so than any other in recent historical memory, the development of interior styles was nearly without rival. Nowhere has this trend been more evidenced than in 18th century England in which the development of interior styles came head to head with various other socio-cultural forces to produce one of the most memorable periods in the history of design."

Tags:interior, architecture, england

From the Paper
"The spirit of Rococo style found its most characteristic expression in the decorative rather than the fine arts. This paper will define the spirit of the Age (1720-1760) and discuss this assertion.

The term "Rococo" refers to a style which is asymmetrical and makes extensive use of "sinuous S- and C-shaped curves."1 Rococo developed out of the earlier Baroque style, which also made use of curved shapes but was more symmetrical and far less elaborate than Rococo. Rococo works are highly ornamental and are typically embellished with fanciful shapes. The word "rococo" derives from rocaille, which "was originally used to refer to the tortuous rockwork fabricated for artificial caves or grottoes."2 Motifs such as shells, spirals, leaves, branches and flowers are commonly found in Rococo pieces. As such, although ..."

From the Paper
"Byzantine Influences: Church Decorations in Areas Outside Byzantine Control


Among the churches outside the territories of Byzantine political control, many show some degree of the Byzantine style of church decoration, as well as some alterations due to local influence. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss in detail six works of art from outside of the areas of Byzantine rule and the degree of Byzantine influence and departure from it.


St. Mark's in Venice dates from the years of 1063 to 1095. Its architectural plan is that of the cruciform--one dome at the crossing and one on each of the arms of the cross, one of the most important plans for churches developed by the architects of Justinian (Rice 98). The St. Mark's is the most important surviving example of this cruciform type of architectural design."

Abstract
The paper explores how minimalism can create a new direction in the interior design field and how interior design and minimalism will complement each other. The paper examines how minimalism in interior design would be marketable and how this type of interior design would work for a commercial setting. The paper discusses how the 'Minimalist' method holds great promise for interior decorators in applying their talents as well as in gaining work due to the lower costs involved. The paper also reveals that the marketability of minimalism in today's world market holds great promise in today's environmentally-conscious world.

Outline:
Objective
Introduction
Interior Design and Minimalism in a Working Relationship
Minimalism and the Creation of a New Direction of Design
Marketing Minimalism in Interior Design
Minimalism in Commercial Interior Design
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper
"The first step in attempting to research and ultimately answer the questions posed in this research is to apply a definition to specifically what is meant by Minimalism in Interior Design. According to Gilbert Brownestone, a curator in Palm Beach, Florida and Paris: "Minimalism is simple to the point of complexity...It evokes a spiritual response from the viewer." (Kim, 2003) The definition applied in the edict of Mies van der Rohe is: 'less is more', Minimalism in architecture is a working method in which aesthetic force and capacity are employed to create an effect that astonishes without the aid of superfluous elements. Its essence ...and its intention is to accommodate life simply but beautifully." (Minimalist Space, 2006)"

Tags:costs, savings, green, color, basics

Abstract
This paper explains that Roland Barthes relates that the knowledge a viewer needs to understand the meaning of the image is bound up with perception and association, intangible and fluid cultural products, rather than with the stable carriers of meaning that constitute language. The author explores two Netherlandish paintings using this theory: "Still Life with Fruits and Flowers" by Balthasar van der Ast (late 1620s), which is in the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California, and "Banquet Still Life" by Abraham van Beyeren (1667), which is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California. The paper concludes that these still life paintings immediately present the viewer with two layers of potential meaning: The decorative and the symbolic, with the latter very often embodying religious messages.

From the Paper
"Van der Ast's painting has as its focal point a large shallow bowl filled with fruit, partially encircled by a ring of fruit, shells, insects and other objects, while on the left of the picture is a glass jar containing flowers. Flowers and fruit possessed a particularly wide range of significance, as well as being regarded as attractive objects in their own right, and accordingly they are often found in still life paintings of this period. On an aesthetic level the image is an appealing one, with a balanced but lively composition, depicting attractive objects, and providing the eye with a variety of textures and colours. This aesthetic level of appeal is itself a carrier of meanings - that such an image, of such content, was seen as appealing in the society of its time itself tells us something about the symbolic as well as the directly artistic nature of this image. It is a painting of goods rather than people, produced in a commercial society, and as Richard Leppert has observed, "still life's attention to goods - possessions, things one could 'have' and by having in part define oneself -guaranteed its popularity with and significance for an audience of principally rich buyers". The nature of this type of art, the "time-consuming, meticulous work" that such elaborate pictures demanded, was expensive and thus in itself symbolized wealth. The physical nature and appearance of the painting is thus tied to the layers of meaning that can be excavated below its surface."

Tags:culture, decorative, symbolic, religion, still-life