Basic interior design rules

BASIC INTERIOR DESIGN RULES

1) SPACEA) Height always adds to an impression of spaceB) People crave for views regardless of what they are viewingC) Lots of glass equals lots of space and lightD) The biggest luxury is a viewE) In the past people put drapes on windows to block all light but in the 20th century they want light pouring in because it is good for the health

F) Floors bounce back sound and light better than carpetG) Floors maximize the feeling of light and spaceH) The direction of the flooring can have an impact 1) Diagonal flooring increases the feeling of width 2) Vertical lines accentuate the length and depth, they draw the eyes upward increasing the feeling of height

3) Horizontal lines like the colors below the day deck brings the height down but increases the feeling of widthOTHER TRICKS1) Strong colors that come forward to greet the eye on short walls decrease the depth but increases the width or the room

5) If you put strong colors on long walls, you get a long corridor effect6) Dark colors on the ceiling or on the floor will decrease the feeling of height which makes the room more homey or cozy. Do this when the ceiling is too high.

6) Dark timber paneling along the stairs heighten the theatricality of coming up the stairs. You walk from the dark timber paneling into the light. 7) Mirrors used like windows reflecting corners of the room make the space look bigger

8) A big picture in a small room draws your attention to it like an eye magnet instead of on how low the ceiling is or where the corners of the wall are9) Move the furniture out of the walls10) Have a lot of storage-declutter, clutter makes a room seem smaller

11) Strong colors close a room down12) Maximize the light coming in. Use white or light colored table tops or drawer tops to bounce back sunlight

2) LIGHTA) Make the most of daylight:It is good for the healthB) People are drawn to light as plants are drawn to the sun(human phototropism)C) To maximize light coming indo not clutter the windowC) A dramatic lighting scheme can transform your room in an instant from light and functional to atmospheric and moody (the plug-in kind)

C) A dramatic lighting scheme can transform your room in an instant from light and functional to atmospheric and moody (the plug-in kind)D) Light affects the way we see and it directly influences our moodsE) You do not see well in a gloomy room but you feel comfortable and happy in a bright room

F) Use a picture frame that reflects light

G) Red, orange, brown and black hold daylight like a spongeH) Pale green, pale blue, pale lilac and lighter colors reflect light better.

I) Do not use carpet for a dimly lit room

Types of Floors1) Matte – scatters light in all directions2) Glossy – bounce back the light back to the ceiling

The way your room faces is a big consideration1) East and north facing rooms get less sunlight, they tend to be darker and colder.They need bright and warm color palets2) South and west facing rooms get more sunlight. They should have cooler colors3) Cool blues are good for hot places but too depressing for cold places

What is the room used for?1) Is it for relaxing, sleeping or for families to get together? Use warm colors for living rooms and cool colors for bedrooms.2) Busy family kitchens

should have cool relaxing colors

3)Trendy singles can take more drama4) Strong colors are not good for bathrooms5) Hallways should have strong colors

5) Strong colors in restaurants make people hungry and make them eat faster6) If the room is too large, use strong colors to make it look smaller7) The interior of space-Crafts are colored blue toLook bigger8) Prisons are colored pale cColors to help the in matesRelax and calm down

Orange: joyful, exciting and stimulates the appetiteYellow: sunny and happy, egotistical,argumentativeGreen: natural, harmonious and balancedBlue: calming, sleep inducing3 LAYERS OF LIGHT1) General Lighting(Ambient Lighting) Provides an area withOverall illumination

9)Red: the color of blood, war, fire, assertiveness, boldness, risk, warmness

10) Pink: romantic but can be shocking

Orange: joyful, exciting and stimulates the appetiteYellow: sunny and happy, egotistical,argumentativeGreen: natural, harmonious and balancedBlue: calming, sleep inducing3 LAYERS OF LIGHTLayer 1: General Lighting(Ambient Lighting) Provides an area withOverall illumination> It radiates a comfortable level of brightness without glare and allows you to see and walk about clearly.

>It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall mounted fixtures, recessed or track lights and with lanterns.Layer 2: Accent Lighting>anything that creates a mood, or atmosphere > adds drama to the room by creating visual interest.> It is used to draw the eye to houseplants, paintings, sculptures and other prized possessions. It can also be used to highlight the texture of a brick or stone wall, window treatments or landscaping.

Layer 3: Task Lightinghelps you perform specific tasks, such as reading, grooming, preparing and cooking food, doing homework, working on hobbies, playing games and balancing your checkbook. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and undercabinet lighting, as well as by portable floor and desk lamps.

Types of Luminaires1) Recessed-mounted

luminaires: direct in distribution(downward)

2) Semi-recessed-mounted luminaires: offer an opportunity to incorporate An indirect component3) spots/projectors4) Surface mounted or ceiling mounted luminaires: provide general illuminationsa) Linear generalb) Point general

Semi-recessed luminaire

Recess-mounted luminaires

Spot lights

Ceiling mounted luminaire

Linear general Point general

5) Pendant or suspended luminiares: used to save electricity because of very high ceilings, they are also decorative6) Free-floor standing luminaires: very flexible, focus the light on a visual task efficiently and economically7) Up lights or uplighters or floor lights: are a big part of creating drama. They direct light toward the ceiling, which acts as a large reflector creating a soft, ambient light. Uplighters make good background light, because unlike an ambient light that comes from a central source, they cast fewer shadows and enhance the wall.

Pendant or suspended luminaires

Free standing luminaire

Up lights

8) Trunking lighting system:Economical, used for places that are not permanent9) Down lights: add subtle

lighting to the home10) Wall lights or whitewash:Use to bring out the texture of the wall11) Staircase lightsTo light up the stair, add drama

Down light

Wall lights

Types of Artificial Light1) Incandescent bulb:consists of a filament that glows when electricity is passed through it.2) Halogen lamp: a type of incandescent lamp where high-pressure halogen gas is inside the bulb allowing the filament to burn hotter and longer.3) Gaseous Discharge• This technology passes electricity

through a gas, which excites the gas and causes it to glow. Fluorescent, high-intensity discharge lights (HID) and low-pressure sodium lights use this technology. HID lamps use different gases to produce light:

a) Mercury Vapor b) Metal Halide c) High Pressure Sodium

Halogen lamp

Metal halide

Mercury vapor

> Flourescent bulb