Rococo room decoration is ______: the more important the space, the larger and more lavish it is.

• A. Symmetrical
• B. Functional
• C. Hierarchical
• D. Minimalist

Answer: (C)

Rococo interiors convey social order through how space is treated. The larger, more important rooms—salons, reception halls, and galleries—are decorated in an especially lavish way, while smaller or private rooms receive less opulent treatment. This use of scale and ornament as a signal of status is what we mean by hierarchical decoration: the design communicates who belongs to the central social sphere by making the key spaces visually grand and extravagant.

Rococo is known for its ornate, curving lines, gilded details, and playful motifs, but the fullness of decoration is not applied uniformly. The emphasis is on elevating the spaces that matter socially, rather than aiming for symmetry or minimalism. That’s why “the more important the space, the larger and more lavish it is” fits Rococo better than a wish for symmetry, functional simplicity, or minimalist restraint.