ABSTRACT
Any examination of the function of interior decoration, for example the relationship which is created with the viewer, will depend on its context within a particular room or building and the social context in which it is viewed. Roman domestic housing in Italy has been studied in some detail in this respect, and will therefore form the focal point of the analysis. Spaces that were designed for public reception, including formal dining, may be identified through a combination of the following criteria: size, shape, decor and furnishings, orientation, and relationship to other rooms. The relatively 'closed' and 'open' spaces which can be created through controlling access will relate to the ability of the house's occupants and visitors to structure social encounters in particular spaces. As well as considering the situation of rooms on a gradient from public to private, they may also be regarded as dynamic or static: spaces to move through versus spaces to occupy.
