There is a lot more to Interior Design than first meets the eye

Interior design is a complicated profession. It is sometimes referred to as interior architecture and often confused with interior decorating. It involves the design, organisation and planning of an interior structure rather than just refinishing and furnishing existing interior spaces. It involves managing a business, hopefully meeting the desires of the client and delivering to them an interior environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.

The further you go back in history, it can be seen how interior design has blended with artistic societies such as during the Italian Renaissance. It has been shaped by numerous styles, movements, social developments and technological revolutions. It has crossed emotional boundaries, traveled across continents and has publicly revealed much of the lifestyles of societies and their artistic cultures in any marked period in time.

There are different types of interior design. Residential interior design involves dealing with home owners normally on an available budget. Some interior designers specialize in working on bathrooms, kitchens, living areas or even bedrooms. Others work in the larger and lucrative commercial interior design market. In this marketplace, interior designers are spoiled for choice and may select the retail industry, the hospitality business, the commercial building sector or specialize in related business as diverse as creating exhibits for art galleries and trade shows.

Interior Design is an exciting and rapidly growing field and it seems that interest in interior design as a particular career is increasing in popularity. Interior designers are licensed design professionals qualified by education, work experience and time. In the 1960s and 70s independent organizations were established to assess qualifications for interior designers and interior design programs. There are now many dedicated individuals in organizations such as CIDA and NCIDQ who presently work diligently to increase public awareness of interior design while developing the profession to where it is today.

There are interior design courses in universities, colleges and even online and an accreditation process that certifies a program will teach the principles necessary to ensure that the students acquire the knowledge, skills and experience to be successful in their future careers. All of this is seen as beneficial to the consumer who can be virtually assured of being led through the design process by someone who is not only creative and educated but also competently trained.

Examine the basic family home. Basically it is a cluster of interconnected rooms each with a primary function such as eating, entertaining, sleeping, washing and possibly even working. The conscious aim of interior design is to balance the owner’s needs with the spaces available. It is rarely straightforward. There are so many external forces that influence the decision making process. The key to interior design is knowing how to make sense out of the relationship between the owner, the home, the family and their lifestyle.

Controlling Light in Home Decorating

Light is what allows us to see, it is the source of vision, the key to beauty, the luminous source of all visual stimulation. As such controlling illumination is vital in any art form, but most especially in the decorative arts, where light will be coloring a three dimensional space rather than just a single place or point. Further, the nature of the space and the light coming from natural sources will change within the room, altering the nature of the space inherently, and requiring you to work with a whole new dimension, that of time.

The first rule of lighting is that the more sources you have of light, the more control you have over the illumination of the space. Different lamps and light points can give you access to far different ways which you can illuminate the room. These different lamps and lighting sources should all have differencing levels of illumination. The lower the output of the piece, the more of them you can comfortably lair on top of one another, giving you the option to play with all sorts of different levels of light.

Another trick to using light in your decorative schemes is to hide various unsavory points of a space using shadow. The absence of light can actually be a positive tool in some situations. Dim is not always dark, sometimes its romantic, sometimes it’s intimate, sometimes it’s just relaxed. You can use this to your benefit, giving you the ability to use light to emphasize some features, and hide others.

A simple way to take control of the illumination is with a dimmer switch, or using lamps that have multiple levels of output. This allows you to decide what the atmosphere will be at any given point in time.

Another way to take control of the light is by using curtains to tame the flow of sunlight into the space. Sunlight is extremely warm and bright, and while it can energize a space, during the summer months it can also lead to making a room unnecessarily hot. Gauzy semi translucent curtains can also allow you greater control over the nature of the lighting in the space.

Lighting is one of the most important elements in a home. It can cast a space in shadow or illumination. It can add energy, or mellow the mood. In this way its one of the vital elements to learn to control in a home decorating situation.

PebbleZ.com now has an exciting line of decorative onyx lamps available. Watch as the translucent semi precious stone lights up from within, revealing hidden spectacles of pattern and color. Jim Slate, an artisan for PebbleZ.com, is the author of this article.

Different Themes Of Interior Design Ideas

Interior design ideas unique because they are designed by different people. Many individuals choose to decorate with a theme when doing up their home. There are many different themes that can be used as interior design ideas.

Victorian Theme

One particular theme that has become increasingly popular is the Victorian theme. Victorian themes are sometime also called American gothic. Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901 and during this time the many works that interior designers created made a profound mark on history. Victorian furniture was normally made from the darkest wood available and had very dramatic shape and texture. Wallpaper and stenciling were common in the Victorian era, as were elaborate decorations and motifs. Smooth, plastered walls, usually in light colors, could be found in the typical Victorian home. To decorate in a Victorian interior design idea is to decorate in excess. Any individual should expect very ornate, detailed pieces and truly eloquent design.

Western Theme

Another common theme in interior design ideas is the Western theme. The Western theme is an eclectic mixture of interior design ideas. In a typical Western themed home it is not uncommon to find items that seem out of place anywhere else. Things like old rifles become such common items as lamps when matched with a creative mind. Any Western theme is bound to be abundant in vibrant color patterns, normally found on furniture, rugs, and throws. Imperfection is perfectly at home in Western design and somehow strikes a decidedly beautiful balance. Decorating with Western design is bound to please many individuals.

More Interior Design Ideas and Themes

For those looking for a more artsy approach to interior design ideas, try an African theme. The African culture is a rich, primal one filled with beautiful art and bold contrasts and colors. African design is uniquely beautiful, combining a minimalist, organic approach with dramatic art and style. While African design is no doubt beautiful and eclectic, it has yet to become a nationwide scene. Many prefer to incorporate a sample of the African theme into their own interior design idea. However, with the varied approach that African design takes, it will not be long before it begins to appear in more and more homes across the country.

There are many more interior design ideas that are available. Any individual that wishes to incorporate a theme into their interior design ideas need only find what theme suits the individual’s personality and then have fun with it. Elaborating on a theme that any individual chooses to use is what will make the home unique and personable.

Interior Design Today

Today, interior design has become a means of making a statement on the latest designs, thus creating an identity. A professional designer can identify, research and creatively resolve issues and lead to a healthy, safe, pleasing, user friendly and comfortable physical environment.

Interior design in India, is now well in sync with the global trends like simple straight line designs, Italian design concepts, green ecofriendly design, smart automated homes and offices that invite transparency in design.

The international style of interior design continues to be minimalist, clean, clear, sophisticated and soothing. Space and light continue to dominate the ambience. The trend that is emerging now is to camouflage an eclectic element with this clean, bold look. In terms of colour, the same trend of vivid colour thrown over a predominantly light background colour scheme continues, but in a sophisticated manner. Move over you now witness more awareness on CO2 monitoring by the use of eco friendly paints, CRI rated carpets, solar energy, use of leds and cfls, sensors in water sources, etc.

Individuals today believe in individualizing their space. They hate to be cloned. What is in, is the concept of designer spaces. It takes a broadminded approach to achieve an outstanding effect, and can extend from decor, lighting, colour and of course space planning. Office interiors are now being designed in such a way that an individual is not lost amongst the associates who work there.

The need for an ’emotional culture’ in our living environment is rising. The designer needs to reach a level where the user and him can connect as only when their wavelengths match is when the desired result is achieved. This is because interior designing is all about individualism. The best out of the designer will evolve only then as this is not a product to be sold, it’s a service which is unique for each individual. Work becomes relaxation, effort becomes challenge. People want to identify themselves with their environment .

Architects in Mumbai and interior designers all over the world are engaged every day in adding value to our homes, workplaces and living environment. Delivering a fresh and unique design with an informative approach is what a designer should look at. Getting your facility done up by a professional is preferred by a lot of people today as the end product is quite satisfying and well thought of. It doesn’t end to the furniture design and space planning, inputs are required even on the kind of art dcor, upholstery, lamps, etc. that will compliment the space. And that makes the outcome worthwhile and a treat. We at iDream, with our understanding of space, comfort, sustainability, functionality, efficiency, taste and above all beauty, shape places that identify individuals.

Tips in Decorating Small Spaces with Modern Furniture

Not everyone has a big home or large apartment. In the current economic crunch, it’s crucial to tighten our belts and downsize. Some even prefer to bunk or share the rent together. But if you prefer a smaller, more personal space than sharing a large one with a stranger, the first thing to consider is the furniture. Small spaces can be difficult to decorate because, well, they’re limiting. Fortunately, there are several ways for you to incorporate modern furniture in an undersized room and still maintain traffic.

Create a floor plan

The first step is to map out a floor plan for your space. Before buying modern furniture, you must determine where to place each furnishing. Since your decorating a small space, try not to arrange the furniture pieces helter-skelter. You should include several considerations, including, most importantly, the traffic. People should still be able to move in the area even after placing furniture pieces in it.

The best way to know what types of modern furniture pieces you need is to do some prior research. There are several interior design techniques that can effectively make your room larger.

Remove unnecessary objects and de-clutter

Before you even buy furniture and to allow you to create an effective floor plan, remove things that aren’t necessary in the room and de-clutter. Objects that take up space and little knickknacks, trinkets and tchotchke should be placed in cabinets, if possible. One of the best ways to do this is to install a hidden storage in the wall or place wall-mounted shelves. But before you do, be sure to ask your landlord first.

Consider monochromatic pieces

Colorful pieces can easily create a room smaller. To avoid this, choose several furnishings available in a variety of shades from a single color. Monochromatic scheme is tremendously effective in making the room larger. From the texture to the finish of the furniture, make sure you choose colors within the same family. Coordinate the colors and try not to deviate.

Mix small and big pieces

Even though small spaces are limiting, that doesn’t mean you have to stick to smaller pieces. You can still place a few large pieces and mix them with small ones. One suggestion when choosing larger pieces is to opt for multi-purpose furnishings. Nowadays, it’s extremely easy to find modern furniture pieces that can serve multiple purposes. For instance, drawers and credenzas are great as television stand or storage areas. These are large pieces that will look extremely well in any small space.

Mark Michael Ferrer
Modern Furniture