Origin: Born in Italy in the late 16th century, flourishing in the 17th and spreading across Europe
Baroque emerged in Italy in the late 16th century and thrived in the 17th, associated with architects such as Bernini and Borromini. It favours sweeping curves, grand proportions, strong light and shadow, and dense ornament: gilding, relief carving, painted ceilings and large mirrors. The aim was to stir emotion and project authority.
Most Vietnamese townhouses and apartments lack the ceiling height and floor area for the original. The workable approach is to evoke its spirit: one living room with deep mouldings, a carved-frame mirror, a chandelier and rich paint or velvet, while the other rooms stay calm. In the humid northern climate, choose PU or moisture-treated plaster and timber, keep velvet away from external walls, and avoid so much detail that it collects dust and damp.
