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INTERIOR DESIGN PRINCIPLES

What is Interior Design?

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Definition of an Interior Desginer•

The professional interior designer is qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces for the

purpose of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity, and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

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INTERIOR DESIGN PRINCIPLES

• By the knowledge of basic interior design principles you can transform any space to look fabulous.

• By walking into a well designed room, you can sense how everything feels cohesive and put together. It just feels right.

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1.BALANCE• In design, balance creates a feeling of equilibrium. It is all about equalizing or

approximating the visual weight of objects. Balance is created not just through shape, but through color, pattern, and texture as well.

Using Visual Weight in Decorating

• Darker shades, high intensity colors and warm hues have more weight than lighter shades, cooler hues and low intensity colors.

• Heavy or unusual patterns and forms also seem to have more weight as they attract more attention.

• Transparent forms appear lighter than solid forms. • Reflective surfaces seem to have less weight. • Heavy textures visually weigh more than smoother ones.

INTERIOR DESIGN PRINCIPLES

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1.BALANCE

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TYPES OF BALANCE

There are three different kinds of balance:

• Symmetrical or formal:

Traditional or formal spaces call for symmetrical balance where the space is evenly split into two sides that mirror each other. For example, two chairs on either side of a coffee table can be said to be symmetrically balanced.

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Eg. Of Symmetrical balanceThis kind of balance is easy to achieve as design elements are repeated on each side. If you are not careful, this kind of balance can become monotonous and boring.

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Asymmetrical or Informal:The visual weights of lines, colors, forms and textures are balanced without exact duplication. It is not as ordered as symmetrical balance and can be more complex and interesting. For instance a sofa can be balanced by placing two chairs on the other side .

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Radial balance :• It radiates from the center, and we see it most often

with a table in the center and chairs or other seating grouped around it.

This dining group form shows base table with a round top, and the tall Chairs balance it out nicely.

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• Radial balance is achieved when there is a central focal point with other elements radiating from it or around it. An example would be a round dining table, with chairs arranged around it. There is a lot of repetition of form, texture, and color. Take a look here at an example of Radial Balance.

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2.Rhythm

• Rhythm in interior design comes from repetition. You can repeat a shape or a color to let your eye move throughout the room.

• As in music, rhythm in design is all about creating patterns of repetition and contrast to create visual interest. You can achieve this by using the same color or shape at different intervals. Its purpose is to move your eye around the room.

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Rhythm

• For instance, you can establish a rhythm by using a color in the pillows, picking it up in a painting, and echoing it again in a rug. These repetitions will help carry your eye around the room.

• The red color is repeated in the artwork on the wall and the pattern of the chairs' upholstery . In turn, the chair fabric is used on pillows that are placed on the sofa.

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This rug helps give a strong sense of rhythm to this room.

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3.Harmony and Unity • Harmony is created when all the elements act together to

create a unified message. Just as rhythm can create excitement, harmony creates a sense of restfulness. For instance, you can create harmony by using just one color, even though your forms vary greatly in shape, size and texture.

When all the elements in the interior (from style of furniture to the colour scheme) work together, a unified whole is achieved. One way of achieving harmony is through repetition.

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Harmony can be achieved by using similar colors, shapes, or textures so that there is an uninterrupted flow.These gray finishes create a harmonious mood. Different shades of gray and gold create a restful atmosphere, and glass accessories only serve to continue it.

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While harmony creates a sense of restfulness, it can also add to a sense of richness, as in this living room.The sofa ,coffee table, etc. are all upholstered in colors that harmonize. The rug carries the colors even further. So while you have all different textures, similar colors bind them together.

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4.Proportion and Scale

• Proportion is the ratio between the size of one part to another, and scale is how the size of one object relates to another or to the space in which it is placed. For instance, a large overstuffed sofa in a small room will be out of scale.

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Scale is very important for a room to look right. Your furniture should be scaled according to the space you have. Larger rooms call for larger scaled furniture, and larger scaled pieces tend to look good when you place them with similarly proportioned pieces.This home is a complete TV room solution, with motion upholstery, multi-function occasional tables and home theater cabinets. Its generous sized pieces are meant for a large space and would completely clog up a smaller one.

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A space that is smaller needs furniture that is scaled to fit in it. These pieces with smaller profiles are meant to provide all the functionality of larger pieces, but are scaled appropriately for smaller ones.Scaling down the size of furniture also serves to make the space look better as the pieces are in proportion to it.

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5.Emphasis

• A room where everything gets equal importance will seem either scattered or boring. You need an anchor. Architectural spaces often have points of interest such as a fireplace or a window with a beautiful view. You can choose to enhance the built in focal point by arranging furniture around it to emphasize it. In a room that lacks such a built in point of interest you can create one through groupings of furniture or using an unusual or large piece.

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A focal point creates a point of emphasis in the room, serving to anchor it.Over here the focal point is an architectural feature, and the furniture is arranged around it. The geometric shapes of the rug in chartreuse, walnut and oatmeal serve to draw attention to it.

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There are times when you don't have an architectural feature for emphasis. If that is the case, select a piece of furniture that can act as the focal point.The chest is handcrafted, Its 41.5-inch height, color and detail create a piece that can easily become the focal point in a room.

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• Most of us take interiors for granted. • How often do you pay close attention to the– Furniture/ space planning– Colors– Textures– Lighting– Ceiling– Flooring

• 90% of our day is spent in interior spaces

Are you observant?

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• Start using your eyes more and pay close attention to your surroundings.

• Make mental notes on spaces that work and don’t work.

• Read interiors related magazines, study the pictures and read the advertisements.

• You learn by exposing yourself to good design.

Challenges

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Interior Design vs. Interior Decorating

• These are not the same.• Decorating is one aspect of design

and deals with the aesthetic embellishment of a space…making things look nice.

• Design deals with a more comprehensive approach that is all about human behavior and human interaction.

• Many decorators do not have a college degree and cannot be licensed in states with legislation laws.

• You don’t need a college degree to decorate…

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History of Profession• Craftspeople,

artisans and architects created the earliest interiors, long before interior decorating/ design was a profession.

• Only the wealthy could afford such luxuries

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• A relatively new profession• Architects, artisans and craftspeople

created the earliest interiors, before interior decorating existed.

• Only the wealthy could afford such luxuries• Elsie de Wolfe: First Interior decorator at

the turn of the century, 1900. An actress and a high society figure, her style was a popular departure from the dark Victorian styles of that time. She was the first to charge for her design, not simply on commission.

• New York School of Applied and Fine Arts, known today as Parson’s School of Design

• Decorator Clubs began to appear in the larger cities

History of Profession

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• The industrial revolution of the 19th century– Mass produced

furniture, new products like plastics

– Displayed in Department stores

– Appealed to the average consumer

– Bauhaus School in Germany, 1919: Walter Gropius focused on function. Closed in 1933 and faculty came to US

History of Profession

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Shift from decorating to design

• The 1940’s was when there was a shift away from decorating– More commercial development, corporate

offices– Those practicing commercial design– Dorothy Draper: First Interior designer

• Many of the greatest leaders you will study were decorators, not designers in today’s sense of the word. – Sister Parrish, Eleanor McMillen Brown,

Dorothy Draper, Billy Baldwin, Florence Knoll.

• Milestones: ADA, Universal Design, Building Codes, and Green Design.

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Where have we been and where are we going?

• ADA (Americans with Disabilities)• Universal Design / Aging in Place• Sustainable Design

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Interior design is all about

• Problem solving• But you will also

need to be– Artistic– Analytical– People oriented– Business oriented

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Artistic

• Good with color and light• Understand texture and how it

relates to the overall concept• VISION….Must be able to

visualize• Ability to render, build models• Good composition skills• Good graphic design• Good sense of scale and

proportion• Must be able to graphically

present ideas

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Analytical

• Problem solving through the analysis of detailed criteria. (are you a detail person?)– Creating and staying in a budget– Reading blueprints– Working with spread sheets– Estimating materials – Researching codes– Specifying materials and furniture

(example)– Project management

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People Oriented

• You should enjoy being around all kinds of people and their individual personalities.

• You should be able to work under difficult customer parameters

• You are patient and respectful• Can read between the lines, listen well• Can work in a team environment• Presents well, verbally and appearance• Can work with vendors and contractors• Can sell yourself and your ideas• Can make customers feel calm during tense

situations…reassuring

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Questions to Designers

• What is the single most important skill and interior designer needs to be successful?

• What do you look for in hiring a new designer?• What advice would you give someone who wants

to be an interior designer?• What is the most satisfying part of your job and the

least satisfying part of your job?

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Where will designers work?

• Architectural Firms• Facilities Management Teams (Large Corporations)• Hospitals• Military Bases• Contract Furniture Dealerships• Hotel Planning• Retail Planning• Manufacturer’s Rep• Self Employed

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Professional Organizations

• Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly FIDER)• American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)• Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)• International Interior Design Association (IIDA)• National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ)• National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)

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CIDA

• Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly FIDER)• Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research• Founded in 1971• Accrediting body for post-secondary interior design programs

in the U.S. and Canada• http://www.accredit-id.org/

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ASID• American Society of Interior Designers• The oldest and largest professional organization for interior

designers with the largest residential and commercial membership of any other organization.

• Founded in 1975 from the merger of the American Institute of Decorators (AID) and the National Society of Interior Designers (NSID)

• Currently, ASID has over 38,000 members• Levels: Professional, Allied, Industry Partner and Student• 48 chapters located nation wide• www.asid.org

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IDEC• Interior Design Educators Council• An international organization formed in 1967 to aid

interaction among educational programs.• Dedicated to the advancement of interior design education

and research in interior design• Publishes the only ID research journal: Journal of Interior

Design (JID)• www.idec.org

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IIDA• International Interior Design Association• Founded in 1994• Merger of Institute of Business Designers (IBD), the

International Society of Interior Designers (ISID) and the Council of Federal Interior Designers (CFID)

• 10,000 members with 30 chapters• www.iida.org• Student membership:

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NCIDQ• National Council for Interior Design Qualification• Conceived in the late 1960’s to serve as a basis for issuing

credentials to today’s professional interior design practitioners.

• Founders were the American Institute of Interior Designers (AID) and the National Society of Interior Designers (NSID)

• Administers the exam or professional status in the profession• Completing the exam should be

a goal of every young designer• www.ncidq.org

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NKBA National Kitchen and Bath

Association The only organization

dedicated to the kitchen and bath industry

Over 21,000 members CKD and CKB www.NKBA.org Student membership:

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Other Organizations American Institute of Architects

www.aia.org

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Represents individuals from across the built-environments industry

working to promote buildings that are environmentally healthy to live and work.

www.usgbc.org

     

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