History of Interior Design 1: Middle Ages: Byzantine

The Byzantine time is associated with the western culture and influenced by the Greeks and Orient. Their basilicas were also more of a centralized plan and they combined the look of the dome from the east and the square base of the classical temple of the west to create their building style. This style is called pendentive construction. Churches had a centralized plan with circle windows and massive domes that gave a sense of importance to the exterior. The interior was separated by church and the nave and divided into bays. Flooring was tiled in marble, usually in geometric designs, and wall or ceiling surfaces were ornamented with marble, frescoes, mosaics and alabaster. Hollow tile was used for the dome and the domes were supported by square bases to distribute the weight.