intérieur

Intérieur is a French noun meaning the inside or inner part of a space or object. In architecture and design, it refers to the interior of a building—the rooms, volumes, and surfaces that shape daily experience—distinct from the exterior or façade. In broader use, it can denote the interior life or character of a person or place.

In professional practice, interior design focuses on planning, finishes, furnishings, lighting, acoustics, and climate control to create functional, comfortable, and aesthetically coherent spaces. Space planning, material selection, color theory, and ergonomic considerations are central, as is the adaptation of spaces to changing needs. Interior architecture emphasizes the architectural integration of form, structure, and services within the interior envelope.

Historically, interiors have reflected cultural and technological changes, from ornate Renaissance and Baroque interiors to the restrained modernist and democratic interiors of the 20th century, to contemporary, sustainable and flexible environments. Digital tools such as CAD and 3D visualization have transformed design processes.

In French contexts the term is standardly used; in English, interior or interior design is common. The word also appears in philosophy and literary criticism as a reference to interiority—the subjective, inner life of individuals.