In ancient Rome owning furniture was a mark of distinction. The majority of the population would have lived with only the most basic items, predominantly fashioned from wood. For the aristocracy however furnishings were handcrafted from the most durable materials such as marble and finished with fine decorative details. Wealthy Roman domestic architecture featured hot and cold running water, a sophisticated drainage system, and in the most opulent homes, hot tubs modeled after the public baths. Comparably, their furnishings achieved a level of sophistication and artistry that would rival (if not surpass) the finest pieces created today. We are impressed how advanced civilization was so long ago, and yet realize that the very foundations of convenience in our modern lives are rooted in the past. Wicker chairs, wooden couches with stuffed cushions, beds supported on frames, tables for eating and drinking, storage cupboards, decorative mosaic tiles, painted walls: all of these elements could be found in a Roman house.

Antiquities
Ancient Roman