An Overview Of Commonly Used Materials In Interior Design

Every interior space has some unique qualities attached to it. If you have visited a natural outdoor space like a forest, you will notice thousands of varieties of "textures" in the form of wooden barks, leaves, ground surfaces, stones, water etc...

All these natural elements create a unique visual effect and all visual effects have a corresponding effect on human mind. That's why when used carefully textures can create wonders in interior design.

The most commonly used materials in interior design and decoration are wood for furniture, cloth for linen, rubber/leather for flooring or upholstery, paper as wallpapers, plastic for accessories like lampshades and other decorative items, steel for furniture.

Let's take a closer look at these materials and their textural qualities.

1) Wood....

Most commonly used for furniture, door frames, shutters. The main reason behind this is it is easy to work with wood. The art of carpentry is an age old profession. Because of the nature of wood like softness and the same time the amount of strength it can withstand, makes it a popular choice amongst furniture designers.

A fully polished wood surface gives a very rich finish and projects user friendliness. Also wood comes in many varieties and colors, each having its own pros and cons.

2) Cloth....

A very natural choice for linen. Since a cloth finish is a smooth one it is most suitable in a bedroom where comfort is a very vital factor. The biggest advantage of various types of cloth is that most types are washable so maintenance is easy.

Cloth has one more important quality that it can be "painted" for expressing detailed decorative patterns, that can greatly add to the beauty of the space.

It is also possible to do "embroidery" on cloth, if painting is not a good choice or budget doesn't allow. Depending upon the weave of the cloth strands the thickness, transparency, etc. can be easily achieved. This makes the cloth most suitable for various kinds of uses such as linen, curtains, bed sheets, etc...

3) Rubber/Leather....

Rubber is used in the form of PVC flooring, is easily available and most importantly is wash proof and durable. It can be printed upon using design patterns of any style, rich with colors. Comes in the form of large sheets or even individual tiles.

Unlike tiled flooring the PVC flooring is much less affected by atmospheric changes. Other types of tiled floorings or even wooden flooring can have a direct effect on the surface because of the expansion and contraction of the flooring material. A PVC flooring is glued to the tiled flooring I hope you have benefited from these words.

4) Plastic....

There are infinite uses of this great material. The only disadvantage environmentalist have pointed out that it is not bio-degradable.

Because of its artificial nature it can be "manufactured" in various. colors, shapes, sizes, strength. The biggest advantage of plastic is it is waterproof and electrical shockproof. That's why mainly used for electrical accessories. It is lightweight as compared to other material types. Entire furniture pieces such as chairs, tables can be easily molded out as a seamless model in plastic.

5) Steel/Iron....

Steel is mostly used in interior design where the main purpose is to give support and carry weight to the floor. That's why main use of steel is done to create the structural frame that carries the weight of the people who are going to use the furniture piece.

A very common type of steel is the "Stainless Steel". Because of its shining nature, it very quickly gives a rich quality to the object being used on and enhances the overall quality of the interior space.

Furniture objects that have been designed with a combination of wood and steel look much balanced from aesthetic point of view. But doing so requires a careful study of the joiner details, especially where wood and steel joint together.

The following discussion was only a brief introduction of the types of material being used in interior design industry. Every day more and more good quality and cheaper material types are being presented in the market. I hope this article was informative to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com .Here you will find some great concept level design tips for bedroom sets.Visit today.

Interior Design Simply Means Personalizing Your Interior Environment

Interior Design Simply Means Personalizing Your Interior Environment

 by: Mike Yeager

Interior Design today is all about customizing your built environment with conceptual planning, aesthetic sense and technical solutions applied to achieve the desired result. It goes beyond just the visual or ambient enhancement of an interior space, it seeks to optimize and harmonize the uses to which the built environment will be put. Between you and me, this jargon simply means dressing up your closed spaces to make them look their best. And just as you would dress for the occasion, your interiors need to be "dressed up" for a specific intended purpose or use. And that is where technical expertise really helps.

Interior Designs should reflect your needs.

Each space is unique with its own dimensions, construction, design potential and, of course, - limitations. Are you going to use that space for work or leisure, entertainment or learning, worship or healing? Can you create the ambience that you wish to convey be it power, authority, wisdom, and achievement, a sense of security, playfulness or serenity, as required by that space?

Consider the practical aspects. Is access easy, lighting adequate, acoustics soothing, and seating comfortable? And have you worked out strategies for wise storage space without forgetting special needs especially health and safety? Sounds a wee-bit difficult, isnt it? Despair not! You as user are the only one who can come up with all the right answers. Look for interior design ideas they are available aplenty. Its just this small matter of putting things together judiciously. Who knows? There could well be a Le Corbusier hiding somewhere in your persona!

Mike Yeager Publisher http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/ mjy610@hotmail.com

Interior Design For Couples

Interior design for couples is one of the hottest, most popular types of design these days. In the past, men have not taken the initiative to actually be involved in the interior design of their homes, often resulting in very female orientated, elegant designs that are beautiful although not exactly appealing to the Saturday afternoon football crew. This type of design is often beautiful and can be ideal in certain situations. Although, more and more men today are interested in helping to decide what their home looks like on the inside!

Beware! Interior design for couples can put you (the designer) into a bit of a hot seat in the battle of the sexes. Here are a few tips on how to avoid disaster. First of all, always communicate with and listen to what both parties involved envision as being their dream space. Many times one party or the other will be much more dominate in the planning and conversations then the other. Take note of this and pay special attention to the quiet party by asking the questions and making sure to offer them the opportunity to express themselves. In this aspect of interior design for couples, you are the mediator. Take both sides into careful consideration before doing any planning.

During planning stages, again, be sure to include both parties in the process and if one person is noticeably quiet during the conversation, dont be shy to point things out that might be important to them. This way, you tend to buffer any arguments or resentment that may arise from your interjection of a neutral opinion or thoughts. If there are any problems, remind them both that your vision is to create a space that is pleasant and acceptable to both of them and that interior design for couples can be unpleasant but it is very easy to work within both persons boundaries in order to ensure that everyone is happy with the outcome.

If you see certain situations that you, as a designer can find ways to compromise in order to fit things into both peoples expectations this is key. Also, stress to both parties involved that a little give and a little take is vital when discussing and planning interior design for couples and that while they wont always reach the same conclusion, if they both make some trade offs it will create an environment they are both comfortable in.

If all else fails, encourage both people when making references to certain aspects of one anothers design ideas that they are good ideas that can be compatible with the others thoughts. Whenever dealing with interior design for couples, a certain he says, she says attitude is likely to arise at some point and it is your job as the designer to see that things work out smoothly and in the best interest of both people.

Color and furniture are normally the main items that are disagreed upon in interior design for couples. Suggest to the female counterpart that the leather sofa her husband is interested in can be a very classic and comfortable edition to any living space. Explain to her husband that the peach color she is looking for can actually be considered a light beige. You would be surprised what miracles a little bit of convincing can do when carried out in the right manner.

If neither party is willing to compromise, I have seen for instances when the designer actually had both of the couple write down their design needs/wants and do a point by point comparison/bargaining session that allowed each person an equal amount of yes and nos. Sound ridiculously childish? Be prepared!

Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home dcor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary's Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design."