Diversity in Design.

No single look defined interior design in the 1990s. Styles were influenced by everything from minimalism to the Arts-and-Crafts movement; professional interior designers and American consumers alike drew on regional styles, historical trends, and personal tastes to create dwellings that were highly individualistic. Minimalism, as the name suggests, highlighted the absence of decoration. Walls and doors were white, windows were bare, and furnishings were spare. Critics thought it sterile and impersonal; proponents, on the other hand, found the design style calming and said it focused attention on the quality of the few pieces that were visible. A passion for antiques balanced minimalism. Americans gathered all sorts of collectibles at auctions, flea markets, and yard sales to help create homes that looked as if they had been in their family for generations. A renewed interest in art deco and the simple...