Furniture Design Evolution And The Way It Reflects On The Archviz Work

Modern furniture design, particularly its emphasis on minimalism, has fundamentally changed the workflow of architectural visualization artists like myself. There was a time when modeling an opulent chair like Riva, classic luxury italian design meant dedicating an entire workday to detailing its ornate carvings. Now, with the prevalence of sleek, simple forms, I can model a piece in minutes. This shift has had a profound impact on the field, not just in terms of time saved but in the way we think about composition, lighting, and realism in visualization. That shift is notieced not only in modern luxurious designs, but highly prevalent in mid-range and low-range designs. 

In this article I would like to take a closer look at what made this transition, how it effected our field of work and could we expect in the future. It will be a quite a light read, I promise. 

The Evolution of Furniture Design and Its Impact on 3D Modeling

To understand how our perception of form in furniture design has evolved, we must look at history. Across civilizations, ornamentation has often flourished during periods of cultural and economic prosperity. In architecture, for example, the restrained elegance of Classical Greek design was later overshadowed by the grandeur and decorative richness of Roman architecture, reflecting the empire’s wealth and ambition.

This cycle of ornamentation and restraint repeats throughout history. Following the fall of Rome, Europe entered the Middle Ages, where Romanesque architecture—though monumental—featured relatively simple, heavy forms compared to the elaborate detailing of its predecessors. The Gothic style later reintroduced complexity, but with an emphasis on verticality and structure rather than surface ornamentation.

The Renaissance revived the ideals of classical antiquity, placing emphasis on mathematical proportions and harmony, which set the stage for Baroque’s dramatic flair. Baroque’s theatrical excess, in turn, inspired even more elaborate styles, such as Rococo in 18th-century France, where furniture became an explosion of curves, gilded details, and intricate carvings. It was as if designers sought to outdo Baroque’s grandeur with an aesthetic overdose of embellishment—resulting in pieces of an intricate craftsmanship. While beautiful in its own way, such furniture presents a challenge for 3D artists: modeling every carved floral motif and undulating surface can be a daunting, time-consuming task.

Here is the example of Louis XV sofa to treat your eyes. I woulnd't say it is bad, but it is not up to my taste. But now, imagine modeling that. Oh boy... Thankfully there was no archviz in 18th century France.

This oscillation between simplicity and excess continued through the 19th and 20th centuries, with movements like Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco shaping design. However, the most radical shift came with the advent of modernism and minimalism in the early 20th century, where function began to take precedence over decoration. The Bauhaus school, along with designers like Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, championed "form follows function" and it led to designs that prioritized usability over decoration, giving us icons like Marcel Breuer’s Wassily Chair. Mid-Century Modern, on the other hand, introduced organic curves and mass-produced simplicity, as seen in Eames Lounge Chairs and Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair - ushering in an era where furniture became easier to manufacture, and coincidentally, much easier to model in 3D.

This historical progression explains why today’s design landscape favors simplicity: it is not merely an aesthetic preference but a reflection of technological advancements, industrial efficiency, and shifting cultural values. 

For 3D artists, these changes have been a godsend. Modeling a tubular steel Wassily Chair is a straightforward task compared to the meticulous labor required for a Louis XIV armchair, whose carved flourishes demand excessive polygon counts and hand-painted textures. With minimalism, the focus shifts away from intricate geometry to subtleties in material, lighting, and storytelling.

However, if history has taught us anything, it’s that design trends are cyclical. Who knows? The next wave of ornamentation might just be around the corner—ready to test the patience of 3D artists once again.

The shift towards minimalism is not just an aesthetic choice—it’s deeply tied to advances in manufacturing and materials. The early 1900s saw the rise of industrial techniques that allowed for mass production of sleek, geometric furniture, making detailed handcrafting less necessary. Tubular steel, plywood bending techniques, and molded plastics revolutionized design, enabling simple yet elegant forms. These same materials, now commonplace, also translate well to 3D modeling.

Take molded plastic chairs, for example. Designs like Philippe Starck’s Ghost Chair are composed of simple, smooth surfaces, which makes them easy to replicate digitally. Compare that to an antique Rococo piece, where even a basic digital representation demands sculpting intricate leaf patterns, custom UV unwrapping, and high-poly modeling.

Thankfully, we 3D artists are not always forced to model furniture from scratch. Platforms like 3D Sky and TurboSquid offer extensive libraries of high-quality furniture models, reducing the need for manual modeling. Many manufacturers, from IKEA to Poliform, now provide downloadable 3D assets for their pieces—though, let’s be honest, IKEA’s models often require some love before they’re usable in high-end renders.

This availability of pre-made assets means that, rather than spending hours sculpting a chair, I can focus on lighting, camera angles, and storytelling. A good rendering isn’t just about the objects in a scene—it’s about how they interact with their environment. Thanks to minimalism, I can dedicate more time to crafting compelling compositions rather than perfecting the filigree on a table leg.

It’s a common misconception that minimalism is synonymous with affordability. While brands like IKEA and Muji produce cost-effective minimal furniture, high-end manufacturers like B&B Italia and Minotti apply the same philosophy but with premium materials and craftsmanship. A simple walnut dining table may have the same clean lines as a budget-friendly laminate version, but the way light interacts with its surface—the reflections, the wood grain, the subtle imperfections—makes all the difference in a render.

As a 3D artist, this distinction is crucial. Basic forms may be easy to model, but high-end furniture demands precise material definition, including intricate wood textures, leather creases, and realistic reflections. Minimalism has sped up the modeling process, but texturing and shading have taken on a more significant role to maintain photorealism.

Beyond modeling, minimalism affects how we approach lighting and rendering. A Baroque scene with reflective gilded surfaces, complex shadows, and layered textures requires longer render times and intricate post-processing. In contrast, a minimalist interior relies on subtle gradations of light, smooth surfaces, and atmospheric storytelling. This shift allows for faster iterations and greater flexibility in client revisions.

From a business perspective, minimalism lets visualization studios take on more projects with shorter turnaround times, making it a commercially advantageous trend. And, let’s be honest—no one complains when a project gets finished ahead of schedule.

While minimalism dominates contemporary interiors, there are hints of a resurgence in decorative styles. Trends like Neo-Baroque and Grandmillennial design suggest a renewed appreciation for detail and embellishment. If this trend gains traction, 3D artists might once again find themselves painstakingly modeling intricate furniture pieces.

However, even if maximalism makes a return, technological advancements in AI-assisted modeling and photogrammetry may help offset the workload. Tools like substance materials and procedural shaders could simplify the process of creating detailed assets without the agony of manual sculpting.

As it stands, the minimalist movement continues to be a blessing for 3D artists. Modeling is faster, rendering is more efficient, and the focus has shifted from excessive detailing to composition and storytelling. While decorative styles may re-emerge, they will likely coexist with the efficiency of modern design.

For now, I’ll enjoy the era of sleek furniture while it lasts. If history is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before I’m once again sculpting intricate floral motifs and praying for a polygon budget increase. Let`s see what AI can come up with when imagining our future and let`s hope it can also generate quality 3D models in such a future. 

Let me know which of those AI designs are most probable!