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Drawing by Felipe Kersten, 2020
Summative Investigation Task
Summative Investigation Task
The goal of this investigation is to fully understand a designer's style.
The goal of this investigation is to fully understand a designer's style.
You will start by selecting an interior designer (individual or company) that you find really inspiring. Find someone who might influence or inform your style for an interior space you will design in the create part of the unit. Start by looking widely - any location, any time period, any room.
You will start by selecting an interior designer (individual or company) that you find really inspiring. Find someone who might influence or inform your style for an interior space you will design in the create part of the unit. Start by looking widely - any location, any time period, any room.
Once you have selected a designer, pick a single room or space that they have designed (only 1) and examine their background, individual style, and aspects of their design choices such as lighting, materials and interior features within that space. Report your findings in the padlet below.
Once you have selected a designer, pick a single room or space that they have designed (only 1) and examine their background, individual style, and aspects of their design choices such as lighting, materials and interior features within that space. Report your findings in the padlet below.
This is an opportunity to combine your knowledge of style, theory and independent research. You will need to indicate where you completed your research in the body of the text using the referencing methods found on the task rubric.
This is an opportunity to combine your knowledge of style, theory and independent research. You will need to indicate where you completed your research in the body of the text using the referencing methods found on the task rubric.
Form and function
Form and function
Today, you will be focusing on the relationship between form and function. Think about how the forms relate to the function or use of the object.
Today, you will be focusing on the relationship between form and function. Think about how the forms relate to the function or use of the object.
Examples of form and function
A day in the life of an Interior Designer
What is the creative process that this interior designer follows when creating a plan?
Selecting an Interior designer
Selecting an Interior designer
Designer's Style
Designer's Style
Is the designer able to achieve visual unity in the interior space?
Is the designer able to achieve visual unity in the interior space?
Elements of art
Elements of art
Artists and designers need to understand how to work with the elements and principles of art to effectively create a mood, communicate a message and develop a unique style.
Artists and designers need to understand how to work with the elements and principles of art to effectively create a mood, communicate a message and develop a unique style.
The elements of art are the building blocks used by artists to create a work of art.
The elements of art are the building blocks used by artists to create a work of art.
Like ingredients in a recipe, the elements are combined in a specific way to achieve a desired effect.
Like ingredients in a recipe, the elements are combined in a specific way to achieve a desired effect.
The recipe, or the way the elements are combined, are how the principles function in an artwork.
The recipe, or the way the elements are combined, are how the principles function in an artwork.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary
LINE: weight, direction, character, mood, horizontal, vertical, diagonal, dot, curve
SHAPE: 2D (length/width), organic vs. geometric, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, circle
FORM: 3D (length/width/depth), organic vs. geometric, cube, pyramid, rectangular prism, cylinder, implied
VALUE: Value pattern, highlight, core shadow, cast shadow, gradient, low contrast, high contrast, natural or artificial light source
TEXTURE: Actual vs. implied, surface quality
SPACE: Overlapping, size change, atmospheric perspective, positive and negative space, site specific, shallow vs. deep vs. infinite space, illusion of depth
COLOR: Primary, secondary, intermediate (tertiary), temperature, tint, shade ,tone, color schemes: monochromatic, complementary, analogous, triad, tetrad, split-complementary, achromatic
Unity in Style
Unity in Style
Balancing the principles of design
Balancing the principles of design
Unity is what brings everything in the room together (cohesion).
A designer must consider how the elements of art: lines, shapes, forms, textures, and colors are organized through the principles of design in order to create unity in a room.
The designer may choose to repeat certain elements to achieve harmony or they can include contrasting elements to create variety. Remember that too much repetitions can make a room feel boring (excessive harmony) while too many competing elements can make a room feel unnecessarily busy or chaotic (excessive variety).
Vocabulary
(V) Emphasis: The point in a room or design that the eye is drawn to. The decorative center of a room from which all other design elements take their cue.
(H) Rhythm: This type of room design has a flow to it that generates a rhythm within the design. The eye moves (H) Movement about the room, touching on one design element after another, such as (H) patterns, colors, and textures, some contrasting and others matching.
(V) Scale: An understanding of how the size of one object in a space relates to the size of the other objects in the space or (V) Proportion: An understanding of the scale of specific elements on the same object.
(V) Contrast: Creating contrast in a room's décor is achieved by using opposite textures (such as glass and wood), light and dark colors, solids and patterns, etc.
Interior Style
Interior Style
Let's learn how function and aesthetics combine to create the perfect room
Let's learn how function and aesthetics combine to create the perfect room
Use of Light
Use of Light
Light can be designed in one of two ways: natural and artificial. It’s also one of the many elements of space interior design, important in terms of achieving an amount of harmony within an interior space of any kind.
Light is also something that can affect the overall aesthetic of an interior element and space in general, which makes it especially important to control, especially in terms of drawing attention over a particular area and creating functional spaces.
How does your designer use light? What role does light play in organizing the space?
Vocabulary
Color temperature
Beam angle
Lumens and watts
Lighting layers
Ambient light
Accent light
Task light
Types of lights
Sconces: A type of light fixture that is fastened to a wall for support.
Dimmable: When a lightbulb’s brightness is adjustable.
Light fixture: A device that houses an electrical lamp meant to provide illumination.
Torchier: A standing lamp with indirect upward lighting
Vocabulary
Natural materials - stone, wood, slate etc
Synthetic materials - brick, glass, plastics, etc
Applied materials - wallpapers, paints, murals etc
Soft furnishings - textiles, carpets, curtains etc
Faux: A design element that is artificially constructed to mimic another type of material or piece.
Leather: It is a preserved and tanned hide of an animal
Leather-like: A reproduction of material emulating an animal hide
Suede: A tanned leather animal hide with the exterior layer removed and napped surface
Upholstery: Materials used to make soft seating furniture
Wrought iron: A heated, hammered, bent iron
Materials
Materials
There are surface finishes and materials that can affect the design, the color or the texture of the interior. The Materials used in a living space can completely determine the mood and comfort of the room.
Are there materials and finishes or craft practices that contribute to the interior character, such as wooden parquet floors, checkerboard marble floors, pressed metal ceilings, fine hardwoods, grained doors or marbleized surfaces, or polychrome painted surfaces, or stenciling, or wallpaper that is important to the historic character?
Are there surface finishes and materials that, because of their plainness, are communicating the essential character of the interior such as hard or bright, shiny wall surfaces of plaster or glass or metal?
Identify the flooring material HERE
Ceramic tile is one of the most versatile flooring types. Its many colors, textures, shapes, and sizes make it an option that could coordinate well with any room in your home.
Hardwood flooring is made from one single piece of hardwood cut from a tree of your choice. Most commonly, you’ll find floors made from oak, cherry, or walnut, but there are several additional solid wood options to choose from.
Laminate: A layered synthetic type of flooring that is made using lamination.
Parquetry: A geometric wood patterns inlaid in flooring and furniture
Plyboard: A manufactured sheet of wood from a thin pile of veneers and solid slats on the middle core
Plywood: A several layers of thin wood veneers glued together one top to another forming a wood sheet
Interior Features
Interior Features
Are there interior features that help define the character of the rooms, such as fireplace mantels, stairways, arched openings, interior shutters, curtains, pillows, light fixtures, balconies, doors, windows, hardware, wainscoting, panelling, trim, stained glass, or art?
Start by identifying what's in the room
Start by identifying what's in the room
Click here for support in identifying different types of seating
or here for a glossary of helpful interior design terms
Need some help figuring out what a certain feature of your selected room includes?
Check out this resource.
Windows
Clerestory: A window or series of windows that are placed above eye-level.
Sidelight: A stationary, vertical windows flanking an operating exterior door
Window treatments: Window coverings that are used for aesthetic design purposes as well as to provide privacy and insulation.
Rooms and structures
Enfilade: A series of rooms that are connected via doorways that align with one another (commonplace in grand castles, like the Palace of Versailles, or even museums).
Interior wall: A wall found on the inside of a house designed either to bear structural weight or divide sections of a building’s interior.
Open concept: This popular modern phrase is used to describe an open floor plan where multiple activities or tasks take place, such as a kitchen, dining and living spaces occupying a large open area.
Niche: A recessed area within a wall or room.
Partition wall: A non-structural dividing wall
Wainscoting: A type of interior wall paneling that covers the lower portion of a wall.
Furniture
Armoire: A large cabinet or wardrobe; can be converted to entertainment or computer center
Bench seat: A built-in bench
Case goods: Types of cabinetry and furniture that are designed to provide storage.
Chaise lounge: Long reclining chair or sofa
Chifferobe: A large furniture wardrobe with drawers
Console table: A freestanding table, often found in the entryway of homes, that typically serves as a space for decorative elements.
Diagonal cabinet: A corner wall cabinet
Étagère: A tall, open shelving unit to display accessories, a hanging or standing shelves that is open in all sides
Girandoles: An embellished mirror with a pair of sconces installed permanently
Loveseat: An upholstered seat with arms and back rest that is for two
Pedestal: Is a support or stand for an object of art
Settee: A light scaled, medium-sized or long bench
Upholstery: The cushioning and padding found on furniture pieces.
Wardrobe: A free standing or built-in cabinet for storing clothes
Windsor chair: A spindled-back, turned legged chair with rush seat
Wing-backed chair: A high back chair with protruding wings on sides of it, often with exposed carved cabriole legs
Soft Furnishings
Bolster: A cylindrical shaped pillow (w/ or w/o tassels, & trims)
Ottoman: A heavy fabric with pronounced crosswise ribs; it is a foot stool
Pillow sham: A fabric cover designed to protect a pillow
Enjoying learning about Interior design?
Enjoying learning about Interior design?
Check out these university programs for a future career in the industry.
Check out these university programs for a future career in the industry.
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