Jihyun Ryou’s project focuses on the present situation of food and how to preserve it. As quoted from her (and what I found particularly interesting), “I’ve learned that we hand over the responsibility of taking care of food to technology, the refrigerator. We don’t observe the food anymore and we don’t understand how to treat it”.
Basically, the cool thing about this is that the concept is actually very simple and quite basic. It is something we have easily overlooked in this modernized world full of technology. This is also my belated “Green” tribute to St. Paddy’s day. A very good example of Green Design, that addresses an aspect of the overuse of energy and food wastage. Enjoy!
Verticality of Root Vegetables
Keeping roots in a vertical position allows the organism to save energy and remain fresh for a longer time. This shelf gives a place for them to stand easily, using sand. At the same time, sand helps to keep the proper humidity.
Symbiosis of Potato+Apple
Apples emit a lot of ethylene gas. It has the effect of speeding up the ripening process of fruits and vegetables kept together with apples. When combined with potatoes, apples prevent them from sprouting.
Breathing of Eggs
An egg has millions of holes in its shell. It absorbs the odour and substance around itself very easily. This creates a bad taste if it’s kept in the fridge with other food ingredients. This shelf provides a place for eggs outside of the fridge. Also the freshness of eggs can be tested in the water. The fresher they are, the further they will sink.
Dryness of Spices
Rice absorbs humidity easily. The spice container with rice inside helps spices stay dry without forming into lumps.
Humidity of Fruit Vegetables
We tend to think zucchini, aubergine, cucumber, etc. as vegetables. But they are biologically fruits. This shelf gives them a space to be outside the fridge. Also through the ritual to water them everyday, they will stay fresh.
P.S. Really cool ideas that we can try to apply in our own kitchens and in how we store some of our goods. Doing our part in minimizing the use of energy will be a good thing to do for our environment. Cheers! 
P.P.S. In addition, you can check out a video about it below. Functional and absolutely brilliant design!
I am at loss for words at the moment. I do have a lot of photograph backlog so I’ll work those. I also have to finalize two designs for armchairs I’m working on at the moment and finalize a color scheme. I have to move my butt and start getting a couple of things made. In some ways, I have come to realize that I tend to use this journal as a receptacle for my to-do lists. I’ll have to try and stop doing that and just stick to paper like how normal people do it. Haha.
Green Design talk pictures soon! I thought I was gonna be able to post them today but I still lack a couple more. Also, I have a long Georgia to-do list as well. She isn’t due for her other annual shots for a couple more months but I do need to get her a couple more things. I’ve been doing some research on stuff that would be best for Georgia. Talk about that next week when I pick up one of the big items.
Anyhow, I’m off for a snack. Toodles!
P.S. I guess the words start coming back when I get started ticking off things from the top of my head. Silly Pau. Haha.
Hi Everyone! This was the article I made for Vécu Magazine (A big thank you to Delina!). This was supposed to be posted earlier, but hopefully it can still help you guys out in some way (for those who are doing some last minute preparations). Enjoy!
A favorite event of the year, Christmas is truly a festive celebration spent with family and friends. Christmas dinners, decorating your tree, tinsels and lights, and basically turning your home into a sparkly yuletide confection – although secondary, are certainly just as significant and have become memorable traditions for most households when December comes knocking at our doors.
Achieving the holiday atmosphere you have always wanted can be quite a challenge. To ensure that your home is “Christmas Ready”, preparation is key and a couple of tips should help you be on your way. Happy Holidays!
Your Basics
Try Out A Theme For Your Tree
It can be somewhat overwhelming when you are just getting started, especially when you don’t know where to begin. As a suggestion, you can pick out a theme for your tree and from there you can work your way around everything else. Some people want to go for something whimsical and thus might even get a pink tree. You can go with a Wild West theme or even an Under the Sea one if you wish to go with something unconventional. You can also stick to something simpler, such as picking a color spectrum (think blue in various shades for example) or two of your favorite colors and build around that.
Decorating Trends For The Holidays
Just like in fashion, you can also acquaint yourself with this season’s hottest holiday trends if that is your preference. You can certainly use that as a guide for ideas. According to the Trend Curve, light shades of green and silver have been paired up together. Masculine influences are also present. Think hunting lodge and deer motifs. For a more urban feel, colors like pewter and metallic gray together with black and beige are used. New applications for glitter and metallics are also added in the mix.
Traditional Christmas décor is trendy still and I believe will always be timeless. The return of classic reds and greens are quite evident. According to Sphere Trending, gold and silver are staples. Bronzes with a rosy tint and silvers with a touch of golden sheen are options as well.
The Technicalities and Observing Practices
Warm Lights and Candles
Incorporating lighting will help provide an exceptional atmosphere at night. For indoors, try looking into LED types of Christmas lights. They are very good investments in the long run, though they may appear small but they actually provide very good illumination and are energy efficient. If you are new to installing lights (these apply for both indoors and outdoors), do start out small. Make sure that you are using lights designed specifically for that certain area and if you are using lights from the year before, test them out first. Add dimension by using different sizes, use electrical tape instead of staples to stick lights in place and make sure to not overload your circuits.
Get some candles and consider tea lights, these are affordable for the most part. They add a homey touch and come in a variety of designs, colors and even scents. You can arrange them in groups with varying heights or get large pillar ones and place them near your window.
Décor Longevity
Consider getting décor that are timeless and thus can be used for many years. Products with longevity are important because the economy today is becoming an integral factor in re-evaluating how we spend for seasonal décor. As an example, consider the use of ribbons and bows because of their versatility. They can be used for plants, your chandelier, stair railings and even chair backs. Choose ribbons in patterns and colors that go with your overall design scheme, they will definitely add to the festive feel. You can even utilize plaids or metallics. To save money, choose ribbons that you can untie and re-tie each year. In terms of storing, this will ensure that your bows won’t get crushed and will be ready for the following year.
For Small Spaces
Small spaces can be quite challenging. That being said, a good imagination and a bit of innovation will help. Move your furniture closer together to come up with a cozy corner for your tree. If incorporating one in your space is not an option, alternatives include getting faux tabletop tree or even a wall decal one. Use clear and reflective décor. Clear pieces such as glass lamps or those made of Lucite lend visual weightlessness and reflective ones with mirror panels help make your space appear bigger.
Bring out the Creativity
Dining and the Christmas Table
Christmas dinners with loved ones are priceless and a beautiful Christmas table helps set the mood for a wonderful evening. Opt for classic and good quality holiday pieces that will stand the test of time. This enables you to try out something fun such as using holiday tableware for every meal in December. You can definitely add new pieces to your collection each year and soon you’ll be able to have one or two settings to use. Start out with classic white dishes and a neutral setting and layer color through patterned textiles and textures in your ornaments. Incorporate pieces passed down in your family such as your Grandparents’ china or pieces from your flea market trip. Add candles, greenery, pinecones and a bedazzled touch by using gem ornaments and some gold and silver.
Indulge in Nifty Crafts
You can always incorporate little DIY projects during the holidays and they can range from doing Christmas tree toppers or doing something interactive with your children such as making pasta garlands. Do try out two of these nifty crafts, they don’t take much time plus they look great. If you have fresh fruit on hand and would like to create a centerpiece, simply use some egg white and sugar to coat the fruits and end up with gorgeous frosted fruit. For a more bedazzled effect and this isn’t limited to just fruits, try spraying food with Food Finish. This is a type of food coloring that comes in various metallic finishes and will definitely add luster to your cuisine.
P.S. I am one of Vécu Magazine’s Contributors for December (Awesome sauce! ♥). Do support Independent Artists!
(Photography by Paula Cañete)
I have received some good feedback with regards to a previous post about Interior Design, more specifically the post on why one should hire an interior designer. I decided to post another excerpt from our Directory and Sourcebook simply for educational/informative purposes and to address this particular concern in a sense. The text is by Archt. Ma. Daisy Mah, an Interior Design Lecturer from the University of San Carlos and a very supportive mentor.
Many misconceptions surround Interior Design, the most common of which is that Interior Design is only for the wealthy. Interior Design actually attempts to make man work efficiently in his space but more importantly, feel good about himself in it. For this reason, the designer makes an attempt to know his client very well, understanding his needs and wants. Providing his needs results in a functional space while providing his wants end up in enriching his living. Such is not only for the wealthy. The nature of the job of an Interior Designer is often misunderstood too. Many make the mistake of calling themselves Interior Designers when they simply spruce up the place with new paint, rearrange the furniture, change the light fixture, and accessories here and there. Though tastefully done, this is simply Interior Decorating.
An Interior Designer’s job is more technical, more detailed and more comprehensive. This is the reason why an aspiring Interior Designer is required to finish a four-year course, Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and pass the Professional Regulation Commission’s Board Examination. Another involves the time it requires for the designer to arrive at an accurate design solution. Clients don’t realize that the creative process takes longer than usual, simply because it involves intangible immeasurable qualities such as beauty and originality, yet tempered or compromised by practicality, function and convenience.
Do not forget the economic feasibility of the budget. Such strong considerations challenge the designer to reach his best solution. Perhaps the blame falls on the designer himself. His approach or manner by which he presents his seemingly simple design has inadvertently made the client think of the ease by which his design was conceived.
(Image Credit – Working Drawing by Paula Cañete)
(Referring to the first photo below) – Where is this cool place? Better yet, what is it?
We had an awesome time at the Island Paints Showroom yesterday when they invited us to come by for a visit. I got acquainted with their paint basics (and the colors they offer) and their line of paint products with more focus on architectural and interior paints and finishes.
I have always loved paints (I mean I love color to begin with) and I do get so enamored with ranges of paint and product lines. I especially want to try out their Concreto Bond (Ok Pau, showing your nerdishness again. Haha.). Basically, it’s a plaster and waterproofing compound.
They also gave us tips on how and when best to apply their paints, as well as how best to prep and do surface preparation. They were quite informative with ratios (ex. amount of their cement polymer mix to how many kilos of concrete to mix together for optimum strength and durability) as well as how to apply some of their other products (ex. their stone coating system by means of a mortar gun). They also talked a bit about appliance paints.
They were quite awesome as well for doing a great deal of demo for us, I am quite into stain finishes and beautiful wood (Yup, that explains just a little bit why I have quite a number of pictures of their demo).
P.S. Yup, paints come in various “stages” (I can’t seem to find a better word at the moment.). You can get them in gloss, semi-gloss, satin (or an egg shell finish) and flat (or matte). Do know when to use solvent based and water based paints and what best to use for a certain surface (ex. wood, concrete, metal).
P.P.S. Bernie (I love you and your armpits. Haha.) and I were able to get a picture taken together. Awesome sauce! I’ll add it to this post once I get a copy. Oh, Happy Bonifacio day as well if you are in the Philippines
This is an excerpt from our Directory and Sourcebook, basically a Publication from PIID-Cebu (Philippine Institute of Interior Designers – Cebu Chapter). Do get your copy!
Who needs an interior designer, one might say, when you know what you want and think you have the eye for it. A sofa you’ve been eyeing comes on sale so you rush to purchase it only to find it is way too big for your room and is now blocking your doorway.
Or, seeing tiles that are on sale, you rush to purchase them and have them installed only to find you are missing a few more pieces but the tiles have been sold out and discontinued.
Hiring a professional interior designer may cost a bit, but it’s more costly to make one mistake after another. PIID-Cebu would like to share some reasons for hiring an Interior Designer:
1. An Interior Designer is client-oriented and designs spaces based on the client’s budget, needs and lifestyle.
2. An Interior Designer is a problem solver and he does it systematically.
3. An Interior Designer pays attention to the littlest details.
4. An Interior Designer can plan, schedule, manage and see formidable costly mistakes that may incur in the long run.
5. An Interior Designer can anticipate a long-term view of the situation, not merely a current snapshot.
6. An Interior Designer can present unique and custom furnishings that cannot be found everywhere else, he can also give you access to furniture showrooms that are not open to the general public.
7. An Interior Designer can pull together spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and functional – he can maximize space and make it more efficient.
8. An Interior Designer can translate your vision into paper, making it easy for contractors to execute the design.
9. An Interior Designer has a wide database of vendors, contractors, and other service providers; thus simplifying the client’s life, as designers can have samples brought to the client instead of having the client go out of his way to check out materials.
10. An Interior Designer is acquainted with a wide array of surfaces, materials, finishes and products, and can recommend the most appropriate one for the client’s needs.
(Image Credit – Paula Cañete, A Quick Perspective Sketch for a Café)
Your dining room is a place where you and your family will be spending some time each day. This area is also going to be used when you entertain guests or invite family over for a holiday. So the kind of dining room furniture you buy is important.
Here are some tips to help you get started decorating your dining room-
What type of dining room table will you require? You have to decide whether it is a glass topped one, a regular wood table or whether wrought iron can make more sense. Decide on the shape and the size – round, square or rectangular?
Depending upon the dimensions of your dining area and the size of your family and other requirements, you will also have to decide whether you want a regular 6 seater, a smaller 4 seater or a larger table. Also consider extendable dining tables that can be increased in size when required to accommodate more people or guests.
Consider your chairs – Your chairs don’t have to match your dining room table slavishly. In fact you can create some interesting contrast and combinations using different materials and textures. For instance you may well have a modern looking glass topped table and then team it effectively with more traditional chairs.
Or you can decide whether you want a plain and simple dining table teamed with futuristic chairs of a minimalist aspect. Mixing and matching the dining room furniture in this way can be fun and will offer a highly individualistic and eclectic result.
Consider whether you want stark looking, contemporary designs or whether you want traditional types of chairs. You will also have to decide whether it is armchairs that you want, whether you need them upholstered or not and so on.
What other dining room furniture do you need? Ideally you should pick out the other bits of furniture after you’ve decided on the table and chairs. Because this will inform you how much space you have left over in the dining area, and will also help you create a central theme for your dining room if you so wish.
Hutches are popular options when buying furniture for the dining room. Again here you need not match the hutch or the side board to the table and chairs, rather try and create interesting combinations. Here as well there are several practical aspects to consider – do you need pull out drawers or cabinets / doors and do the doors have to be wooden or glass paned?
Make sure that the sideboards or the hutches you consider are suitable in size and proportion for the area. Also consider whether you will be using it for laying out dishes, for displaying photos, china or artifacts or whether you want it principally for storage of crockery, cutlery, dining linen such as napkins, tablecloths and so on.
Also consider whether you will need dining table furniture accessories such as a table pad, which can help to protect the table surface from heat, dust, spillage and regular wear and tear.
Author bio:
Sarika Periwal represents Amish Furniture Home, a hardwood furniture store where you can buy authentic Amish furniture handcrafted by Amish craftsmen, both online and offline. It is one of the premier furniture stores in Michigan.
P.S. A big thank you to Sarika for providing all these important tips for all of us, they certainly come in handy when you are starting out or doing your own dining room project. On a related note, my family and I love to eat and we spend a great deal of time in our dining area. How about you?
P.P.S. I love putting together and designing dining rooms. Sarika was kind enough to let me pick out the pictures for this post. I definitely had a ball with that and ended up making a sort of collage. Haha.
I love color a great deal but I also love using neutrals for spaces. Some people find beige to be boring or the use of a neutral palette to be bland but this only happens when you aren’t maximizing the potential of browns, creams, and neutrals in general. We had to render an interior in watercolor using only white once and believe me, there is a very thin line between the interior turning into blah and it becoming quite tasteful and interesting. You can create depth with neutrals and by striking a good balance, you can end up with an entirely elegant and timeless space. This I can assure you.
A couple of really quick tips I put together to help you out -
1. Play around with darker and lighter neutral colors
When utilizing neutrals, you can go ahead and utilize your beiges and your tans but remember not to use said colors for everything. By doing so, it makes the space boring quickly. This translates to you avoiding going crazy with white and utilizing it for your walls, your ceiling, your floor, your furniture. Play with darker and lighter neutral colors for contrast. The lighter ones add a calming effect while the darker colors add depth to the space.
2. Incorporate patterns and some texture
Mixing textures will definitely add interest in a heartbeat (but remember to not overdo this). Utilize a variety of surface materials such as slate against a smooth tile or flat veneer with organic wood branches. Patterns work too. Think stripes or utilize a damask fabric.
3. Lighting is key
Lighting plays an important part as well in terms of adding a certain effect to the space and it is very important. No harsh white light here. Keep soft and warm lighting in mind (i.e. table lamps for some task lighting, accent lighting to highlight a wall installation perhaps and some soft overhead ambient lighting).
I went over beautiful interior photography by Moris Moreno and picked out a couple of his interior shots which I really liked. They are good examples (color-wise) of achieving a good balance when using neutrals. Do check them out (as visuals) and I hope you can pick out a few key pieces when you can incorporate in your own interiors.
P.S. Many people think that neutral options are quite limited and only comprise the standard whites and browns. But there are choices available actually, we even have warm neutrals and cool neutrals. If you are lost and can’t decide on which choices to go for, here are a couple of popular selections that can get you going. Quick tip for the selection below – Remember to not think of the color in solitary terms but rather a mesh of two or more colors to give the space definition and some character. For example, Wheat is a trendy color at present. To make this beautiful hue work for you, complement it with a dark tan shade. Think wheat for walls and placing an armchair upholstered in rich tan leather next to it.
P.P.S. On a lighter and less academic note, Hi Everyone! Haha. I was attending to a couple of things over the last few days and I am slowly working on stuff to get them done. I do hope you like this post and find it informative. A big thank you to Mr. Wonderful for his help with redirecting sites. Also, pictures about my trip from last weekend – I’ll be posting them over this weekend. Yup, my sentence construction and thought formation is weird (but I do make sense!) Haha. Stay tuned!
A color scheme you can try out (I actually love it, love color ♥). It adds warmth to your space and will let you transcend from one style to another in a very manageable manner. In a way, it reminds me of the tropics and hot warm days while sipping lemonade.
Remember, do not be afraid to use orange and blue together. When done properly, they can produce dramatic results and don’t forget your neutrals. The interior above is still a very good example even if the use of said colors is done quite sparingly.
Before I go, I just realized that this is my 100th post! Wow, cool beans
P.S. Good news made me very thankful today and we go on. On a different note, Georgia needs a bath and I just made a really good soup concoction. Would you like a recipe?
P.P.S. A guest post tomorrow by Susi (a writer from Arcadian Lighting). Stay tuned!
“You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair”
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.”
- Chinese Proverbs
(Beautiful Print Credits: Juri Romanov)
I had planned on doing a trends post for this year (in terms of interior design), I have yet to finalize that. Speaking of trends, Pantone had released their Color of the Year (for 2011) late last year (December) and I think most of you know what it is. For those who don’t know yet, it’s Honeysuckle.
Pantone describes it as a courageous, confident and vital color – “a brave new color, for a brave new world.” Last year’s color, Turquoise (Pantone 15-5519) represented a comforting escape and serenity. This year’s color inspires us to face everyday head on.
As described, it (Pantone 18-2120) is a dynamic reddish pink hue which is both encouraging and uplifting. Leatrice Eiseman (the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute) explains that Honeysuckle allures and engages. It “may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”
If you wish to incorporate this hue in your homes (or in other interiors) this year, don’t fret. The dynamic aspect of Honeysuckle (it is such a pretty color!) doesn’t make it a difficult color to work with. It can be incorporated gradually by starting off with certain pieces. It can be integrated in your dining room and even in your kitchen (Little Trivia – Honeysuckle is an appetite and conversation stimulant, perfect for your dining area). You can carry out the hue through certain key pieces – examples include linens, candles and even glassware. By the way, you can refer to the mood board I made below (featuring honeysuckle-hued pieces to give you some ideas). I love making mood boards!
For those who aren’t afraid to utilize this hue on a much bigger scale, you may do so by using this on your walls (as an accent color wall or even for your entry way) or by incorporating it on bigger pieces of furniture (such as armchairs or even couches). It can also be incorporated in areas which need an upbeat touch (this can be used in a small powder room or a little girl’s room). For visual examples, check out a couple of interiors below.
You may go all out with this hue (please refer to first picture) or if you wish to go with a more gradual approach, you may use it as an accent color for that certain punch of color in your spaces (please refer to the second and third picture, beautifully executed by Betty Murdock Interiors).
I encourage all of you to play around with this color and consider incorporating it in your spaces this year. I hope it will “instill confidence, courage and spirit (within you) to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life”.
P.S. You can incorporate it in your wardrobe too!
P.P.S. Do check out my very first post for this year. Click here. Thanks!
Curtains (also known as drapes) are treatments used for wall openings (such as windows or french doors even). They are pieces of fabric or cloth that come in different configurations and are used further to maintain privacy and they provide us a certain amount of protection from the elements (i.e. they obscure light and even drafts).
Rolls of Fabric (Patterned, 100% Cotton)
They are available in various ways – colors, the sizes, materials, shapes and even patterns. They can further be (available) equipped with the following – noise absorption and dust retention among others. In case of a DIY situation (and especially with first timers), take note of window sizes (there are times when their measurements vary), their intended function (so that the type of curtain that you will need and even its weight can be determined) and the climate in your area or country (wooden window shutters are utilized in warmer countries to keep the house cool inside). In terms of aesthetics, one may visit a fabric store to get an idea of the pattern, color and even the texture that you want – you’ll be able to decide which fabrics work and look well together.
These tie-top curtains are ideal for letting a certain amount of light in while maintaining the privacy inside. (Stripe Voiles, 100% Linen)
These cotton lined roman blinds work perfectly in a kitchen setting. They also add color and warmth to the space – with the statement stripes. (100% Cotton)
These fabrics (for example) are suited for curtains and blinds and even for upholstery at times. (100% Cotton, Red Fabric Selection)
Triple pleat lined and interlined silk curtains along with its rich coloring add a luxurious and elegant touch to the space. (100% Silk)
For a light and airy look, semi-sheer pencil pleat curtains (and matching blind) in classic white does the trick. It produces a very refreshing look. (100% Linen)
(Photo Credits – The National Curtain Company)
Although we are already halfway done with 2010 (It’s August already. Wow.), I nevertheless wanted to write a post about the trends for this year – Interior Design wise. Keeping in mind that trends do come and go, however proper utilization and selection of which trends to incorporate will go a long way. Thus, you won’t necessarily have to worry about the pieces you bought at one time and having to dispose of them the next because they are no longer in style.
Just like what they say in fashion, trends are fleeting. It is therefore wiser to invest in key pieces. This applies the same way in Interior Design.
In brief and as quoted (though not word for word), 2010 is about innovative and new treatments, techniques and designs. Both social and economic trends play key roles in influencing the trend this year.
Key words and phrases as follows -
1. Simplification (there is a desire to simplify; a good example of a “simplified” interior concept is minimalism)
2. Green Living (I like this a lot and highly encourage this cause because it means lesser carbon footprints and generally doing something for Mother Earth – especially when observed properly. “Going Green” was once considered one of the hottest trends at one time and it is now a regular in the industry)
3. Revisiting the Past and Renewed Interest in Roots (The coined term, “Old is new again” means just that. People are focusing more on delving in their roots)
4. Optimism (Society is focusing on “the good things tomorrow would bring”)
Simplification
Neutrals are a main staple since there is the desire to simplify things – to tone down ornamentation. A variety of grays are being utilized and are at times paired with warm colors (creamy yellow is a good example) to add a bit of a punch. Metals are being utilized as well for a more streamlined look.
Green Living
We are paying more attention to repurposed and reinvented furniture and accessories this year. There is a play on recycling pieces and doing something new to them – may it be stripping one’s chairs and turning them to display pieces or trying out a new treatment. Think organic and the use of environmentally friendly products. Color palette of browns, greens, white and beige.
Revisiting the Past and Renewed Interest in Roots
This includes distressed, weathering furniture and finishes as well as aged pieces, patina and heirlooms. Think earthy browns and aged victorian greens – the vintage approach (picturing out an old stuffy study).
There is also a renewed focus on one’s ancestry and more of international influences (Middle Eastern interpretation is an example). Think geometrics, tribal patterns, intricate textures, even Africa and Aboriginal influences – of rich colors such as amber and red.
Optimism
The feeling that Spring brings (Yep, the Philippines isn’t as acquainted with this season but we can envision what it’s like). Think fresh and vibrant colors for 2010. A warm and lively palette (refreshing tangerines, greens as well as striking violets). Don’t forget florals and blooms as well – a lemonade works right about now.
Whether the tribal influence or the minimal approach rocks your boat, it is good to know that we are incorporating positive elements and concepts this year.
(Photo Credits – Beautiful Photos by Pia Ulin)
I think it would be best if we tackle things at a reasonable pace and discuss thingamabobs (I think thingamabobs is a cool substitute word for stuff) one at a time. Defining Interior Design somewhat is a good start.
Dictionary Definitions (Once again, I’m not trying to be cheeky. I also just love dictionary definitions):
interior |inˈti(ə)rēər|
Definitions – 1. situated within or inside; relating to the inside, 2. existing or taking place in the mind or soul; mental
design |dəˈzīn|
Definitions - 1. a plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is built or made, 2. the art or action of conceiving of and producing such a plan or drawing, 3. purpose, planning, or intention that exists or is thought to exist behind an action, fact, or material object
I took up Interior Design and it is defined in so many ways – ranging from academic descriptions to those of a more personal nature. My mental definition for it grows all the time, everyday. Interior Design is both an art and a science.
Art – it involves creativity, expression, style, it makes use of imagination.
Science – it has structure, it deals with limitations and probability, it has a good number of technicalities.
You may notice a mishmash of ideas above – this makes sense because Interior Design is a multidimensional profession. You combine various elements (furniture, textile, woodwork, lighting, anthropometrics among others), and work your way around it (existing considerations, budget, the building code, future considerations to name a few) thru your design process (research, site visits, drafting design plans among others) to come up with the best possible solution (good balance of form, function and aesthetics in the interior environment) and be able to accomplish your intended purpose (may it be meeting the needs of the clients or interiors achieving their utmost potential). Note: Being an Interior Designer is not an easy task.
Furthermore, Interior Design can be subdivided into various areas of specialization (such as residential, commercial and hospitality) and are associated with other professions (examples include Interior Decoration and Interior Architecture).
Living Room with a refreshing palette
Somber Kitchen (mixing and matching pieces)
I think that sums it up for now. These are just a few things that might come in handy (as a dinner topic or a conversation starter, who knows? I kid.) or something new to learn just because. I would like to leave you with this last statement (I am feeling insightful right about now). Interior Design is complex, it is beautiful. There is more to it than just reconfiguring furniture in a room or painting your walls yellow. Please take time to delve in its insides, its “interiors” (no pun intended). Acknowledge what it can do and is doing and you’ll be able to appreciate it.
P.S. I’ll eventually write a post about Interior Designers so that there is proper segregation of thoughts and posts. (Yep, I can be prissy about these things. Pardon me.)
