Islamic ornament decorates architecture and objects through geometric, vegetal and calligraphic compositions, with figural elements in some contexts. Andalusian examples include the Córdoba mihrab and the Alhambra in Granada. Contemporary interiors can draw on this visual language through carefully scaled patterns and suitable materials.

Prepared by SMD Decoration · Content reviewed: 9 October 2026

What is Islamic ornament?

The Met’s educational guide groups ornament into geometry, vegetal motifs, calligraphy and figural imagery. [1]

Consider an object’s location, period, purpose and material. This context helps explain ornament without reducing a broad artistic history to a single motif or assigning a fixed symbolic meaning to every repeated form.

How did Islamic ornament develop?

Geometric ornament did not originate in a single building. The Met traces earlier forms to Greek, Roman and Sasanian traditions, subsequently developed by artists in the Islamic world. [2]

A building’s date therefore does not establish the beginning of all Islamic ornament. Trace developments within a region, material and group of works, distinguishing original construction from later additions or restoration.

Main types of Islamic ornament

Geometric patterns

Circles, polygons, stars and interlacing form repeatable compositions. Their visual effect depends on relationships between units and their arrangement. [2]

Vegetal motifs

Leaves, flowers and stems are adapted into compositions with varying degrees of abstraction. The Met describes diverse forms combined with other elements, rather than one plant pattern representing every period and region. [3]

Calligraphic ornament

Calligraphy functions as both text and visual composition, independently or alongside other elements. The Met stresses that decoration does not remove writing’s role in communicating meaning. [4]

For a contemporary project, have the wording, meaning and letterforms reviewed before fabrication. Attractive lettering in an image or digital file still needs to be readable and appropriate to its intended setting.

Figural imagery in context

Human and animal imagery exists in Islamic art, particularly in secular settings. The Met distinguishes this from common traditions in religious art and architecture. Describing the whole field as entirely without figures is inaccurate. [5]

Where can Andalusian ornament be seen?

Córdoba: the Great Mosque’s mihrab

The official Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba website documents the mihrab’s mosaics, inscriptions, geometric and vegetal decoration, and connections with Byzantine craftsmanship. It provides a specific example of interacting traditions. [6]

Granada: the Alhambra

The Alhambra authority’s publication Alhambra. Belleza Abstracta discusses the integration of geometry, calligraphy and vegetal ornament in the Nasrid palaces. Read these surfaces within their architectural composition. [7]

When comparing examples, examine the panel boundaries, openings, material and light. This can inform proportions and rhythm in a new design, without presenting a contemporary interior as a reconstruction of a historic monument.

How to use the inspiration in interior design

Start with the room’s function, dimensions and furniture. Choose one focal element, such as a panel behind a sofa, a screen or a doorway detail, and let surrounding finishes support it. Repeating a pattern across every wall, floor and ceiling is unnecessary.

Choosing the pattern, material and installation

1. Record the room, circulation, furniture and openings.
2. Choose a clear reference and identify the new design as an interpretation of its inspiration.
3. Test the repeat size in a scaled drawing or full-size mock-up.
4. Discuss material, thickness, fixings, edges and cleaning with the supplier and installer.
5. Review samples under the intended lighting and check lettering if included.
6. Document panel boundaries, joints, services and maintenance access before fabrication.
7. Approve the sample, details and scope, then inspect the completed work and obtain care instructions.

For bathrooms or splash-exposed locations, confirm the suitability of the actual material and system. For perforated screens, have stability and edge details reviewed by the relevant specialist. Ornament does not specify the supporting assembly.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Competing patterns without a clear focal composition.
• Cutting repeats arbitrarily at corners or electrical outlets.
• Choosing details too small to read from the normal viewing distance.
• Fabricating lettering without language and calligraphy review.
• Assuming a decorative panel provides acoustic performance or moisture resistance without product evidence.
• Labelling a new design as an authentic Andalusian artefact without documentation.

Cost varies with area, material, craftsmanship, drawing detail and installation. Request an itemised scope covering design, samples, fabrication, fitting and finishing, then compare quotations for equivalent work.

References

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Islamic Art and Geometric Design
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Calligraphy in Islamic Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Figural Representation in Islamic Art
• Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba — Mihrab
• Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife — Alhambra. Belleza Abstracta

Related guide: Moroccan bathroom design, zellij and material selection