Strolling thru Europe's medieval cobblestone streets, your senses are comprehensively engaged -- the pubs and cafes, the buzz of traffic on an incomprehensible maze of streets, the centuries old structures, the history, the smells, the statues, the attractive waterways and stone bridges.

Stepping out of the city and into the country, a rather more tranquil mood takes hold, with rolling green hills, vineyards, farms, hamlets, snow-capped mountains and enormous castles. You are witnessing Old World scenery in this European setting which has continued largely unaltered for last several centuries.

A coalition of designs, customs, and history, the term "Old World" pertains to a timeless look in European decorating that crosses over 1500 years and includes these primary periods in history:

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  Gothic, Medieval, Middle or Dark Ages (500s - 1300s), marked by sparse historic records, the uprise and subsequent fall in population, spiritual wars, chivalry and knighthood; when home decorating was normally exceedingly rustic, with just a few rooms that were sparsely embellished with furniture and art, vaulted ceilings, narrow glassless windows and floors of straw and clay.
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  Renaissance (1400s - 1600s), bridging the gap between the Dark Ages and the Early Modern period, the Renaissance is when scores of the history's most noted scholars, artists and scientists flourished and economic revival ensued; new trends in home decor started to appear, such as solid floors and bigger windows (complete with glass), smaller, but more rooms, paneled walls, the addition of wallpaper, and cushions and material for added comfort.
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  Classical or Early Modern (1700s - 1800s), identified by increasingly substantial developments in science and technology, the emergence of wide spread, market-oriented economics, and civilised authority and politics. At this time, architecture and decor became more complicated, with stucco-plastered walls and ceilings, grand staircases, and finely hand-constructed, ornately-carved furniture made from walnut and mahogany, all of which are still popular in design today.

Britain, France and Italy are among the countries generally referred to when the term "Old World" is used in European decorating, and span not only time, but geographical locations across the Mediterranean, Central and Western Europe.