Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interiors, sometimes including the exterior, of a space or building, to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the end user. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordinates, and manages such projects. Interior design is a multifaceted profession that includes conceptual development, space planning, site inspections, programming, research, communicating with the stakeholders of a project, construction management, and execution of the design.

Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface treatment for the betterment of human functionality.

In the past, interiors were put together instinctively as a part of the process of building.[1] The profession of interior design has been a consequence of the development of society and the complex architecture that has resulted from the development of industrial processes. The pursuit of effective use of space, user well-being and functional design has contributed to the development of the contemporary interior design profession.[2] The profession of interior design is separate and distinct from the role of Interior Decorator, a term commonly used in the US. The term is less common in the UK where the profession of interior design is still unregulated and therefore, strictly speaking, not yet officially a profession.

In ancient India, architects used to work as interior designers. This can be seen from the references of Vishwakarma the architect - one of the gods in Indian mythology. Additionally, the sculptures depicting ancient texts and events are seen in palaces built in 17th century India.

In ancient Egypt, "soul houses" or models of houses were placed in tombs as receptacles for food offerings. From these, it is possible to discern details about the interior design of different residences throughout the different Egyptian dynasties, such as changes in ventilation, porticoes, columns, loggias, windows, and doors.[3]

Throughout the 17th and 18th century and into the early 19th century, interior decoration was the concern of the homemaker, or an employed upholsterer or craftsman who would advise on the artistic style for an interior space. Architects would also employ craftsmen or artisans to complete interior design for their buildings.

In the mid-to-late 19th century, interior design services expanded greatly, as the middle class in industrial countries grew in size and prosperity and began to desire the domestic trappings of wealth to cement their new status. Large furniture firms began to branch out into general interior design and management, offering full house furnishings in a variety of styles. This business model flourished from the mid-century to 1914, when this role was increasingly usurped by independent, often amateur, designers. This paved the way for the emergence of the professional interior design in the mid-20th century.[4]

In the 1950s and 1960s, upholsterers began to expand their business remits. They framed their business more broadly and in artistic terms and began to advertise their furnishings to the public. To meet the growing demand for contract interior work on projects such as offices, hotels, and public buildings, these businesses became much larger and more complex, employing builders, joiners, plasterers, textile designers, artists, and furniture designers, as well as engineers and technicians to fulfil the job. Firms began to publish and circulate catalogs with prints for different lavish styles to attract the attention of expanding middle classes.[4]

As department stores increased in number and size, retail spaces within shops were furnished in different styles as examples for customers. One particularly effective advertising tool was to set up model rooms at national and international exhibitions in showrooms for the public to see. Some of the pioneering firms in this regard were Waring & Gillow, James Shoolbred, Mintons, and Holland & Sons. These traditional high-quality furniture making firms began to play an important role as advisers to unsure middle class customers on taste and style, and began taking out contracts to design and furnish the interiors of many important buildings in Britain.[5]

This type of firm emerged in America after the Civil War. The Herter Brothers, founded by two German emigre brothers, began as an upholstery warehouse and became one of the first firms of furniture makers and interior decorators. With their own design office and cabinet-making and upholstery workshops, Herter Brothers were prepared to accomplish every aspect of interior furnishing including decorative paneling and mantels, wall and ceiling decoration, patterned floors, and carpets and draperies.[6]

A pivotal figure in popularizing theories of interior design to the middle class was the architect Owen Jones, one of the most influential design theorists of the nineteenth century.[7] Jones' first project was his most importantin 1851 he was responsible for not only the decoration of Joseph Paxtons gigantic Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition, but also for the arrangement of the exhibits within. He chose a controversial palette of red, yellow, and blue for the interior ironwork and, despite initial negative publicity in the newspapers, was eventually unveiled by Queen Victoria to much critical acclaim. His most significant publication was The Grammar of Ornament (1856),[8] in which Jones formulated 37 key principles of interior design and decoration.

Jones was employed by some of the leading interior design firms of the day; in the 1860s he worked in collaboration with the London firm Jackson & Graham to produce furniture and other fittings for high-profile clients including art collector Alfred Morrison and the Khedive of Egypt, Ismail Pasha.

In 1882, the London Directory of the Post Office listed 80 interior decorators. Some of the most distinguished companies of the period were Crace, Waring & Gillow and Holland & Sons; famous decorators employed by these firms included Thomas Edward Collcutt, Edward William Godwin, Charles Barry, Gottfried Semper, and George Edmund Street.[9]

By the turn of the 20th century, amateur advisors and publications were increasingly challenging the monopoly that the large retail companies had on interior design. English feminist author Mary Haweis wrote a series of widely read essays in the 1880s in which she derided the eagerness with which aspiring middle-class people furnished their houses according to the rigid models offered to them by the retailers.[10] She advocated the individual adoption of a particular style, tailor made to the individual needs and preferences of the customer:

The move towards decoration as a separate artistic profession unrelated to the manufacturers and retailers, received an impetus with the 1899 formation of the Institute of British Decorators; with John Dibblee Crace as its president it represented almost 200 decorators around the country.[11] By 1915, the London Directory listed 127 individuals trading as interior decorators, of which 10 were women. Rhoda and Agnes Garrett were the first women to train professionally as home decorators in 1874. The importance of their work on design was regarded at the time as on a par with that of William Morris. In 1876, their work - Suggestions for House Decoration in Painting, Woodwork and Furniture - spread their ideas on artistic interior design to a wide middle-class audience.[12]

By 1900, the situation was described by The Illustrated Carpenter and Builder:

In America, Candace Wheeler was one of the first woman interior designers and helped encourage a new style of American design. She was instrumental in the development of art courses for women in a number of major American cities and was considered a national authority on homedesign. An important influence on the new profession was The Decoration of Houses, a manual of interior design written by Edith Wharton with architect Ogden Codman in 1897 in America. In the book, the authors denounced Victorian-style interior decoration and interior design, especially those rooms that were decorated with heavy window curtains, Victorian bric-a-brac and overstuffed furniture. They argued that such rooms emphasized upholstery at the expense of proper space planning and architectural design and were, therefore, uncomfortable and rarely used. The book is considered a seminal work and its success led to the emergence of professional decorators working in the manner advocated by its authors, most notably Elsie de Wolfe.[14]

Elsie De Wolfe was one of the first female interior designers. Rejecting the Victorian style she grew up with, she chose a more vibrant scheme, along with more comfortable furniture in the home. Her designs were light, with fresh colors and delicate Chinoiserie furnishings, as opposed to the Victorian preference of heavy, red drapes and upholstery, dark wood and intensely patterned wallpapers. Her designs were also more practical;[15] she eliminated the clutter that occupied the Victorian home, enabling people to entertain more guests comfortably. In 1905, de Wolfe was commissioned for the interior design of the Colony Club on Madison Avenue; its interiors garnered her recognition almost over night.[16][17] She compiled her ideas into her widely read 1913 book, The House in Good Taste.[18]

In England, Syrie Maugham became a legendary interior designer credited with designing the first all-white room. Starting her career in the early 1910s, her international reputation soon grew; she later expanded her business to New York City and Chicago.[19] Born during the Victorian Era, a time characterized by dark colors and small spaces, she instead designed rooms filled with light and furnished in multiple shades of white and mirrored screens. In addition to mirrored screens, her trademark pieces included: books covered in white vellum, cutlery with white porcelain handles, console tables with plaster palm-frond, shell, or dolphin bases, upholstered and fringed sleigh beds, fur carpets, dining chairs covered in white leather, and lamps of graduated glass balls, and wreaths.[20]

The interior design profession became more established after World War II. From the 1950s onwards, spending on the home increased. Interior design courses were established, requiring the publication of textbooks and reference sources. Historical accounts of interior designers and firms distinct from the decorative arts specialists were made available. Organisations to regulate education, qualifications, standards and practices, etc. were established for the profession.[18]

Interior design was previously seen as playing a secondary role to architecture. It also has many connections to other design disciplines, involving the work of architects, industrial designers, engineers, builders, craftsmen, etc. For these reasons, the government of interior design standards and qualifications was often incorporated into other professional organisations that involved design.[18] Organisations such as the Chartered Society of Designers, established in the UK in 1986, and the American Designers Institute, founded in 1938, governed various areas of design.

It was not until later that specific representation for the interior design profession was developed. The US National Society of Interior Designers was established in 1957, while in the UK the Interior Decorators and Designers Association was established in 1966. Across Europe, other organisations such as The Finnish Association of Interior Architects (1949) were being established and in 1994 the International Interior Design Association was founded.[18]

Ellen Mazur Thomson, author of Origins of Graphic Design in America (1997), determined that professional status is achieved through education, self-imposed standards and professional gate-keeping organizations.[18] Having achieved this, interior design became an accepted profession.

Interior design is the art and science of understanding people's behavior to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.

Interior designer implies that there is more of an emphasis on planning, functional design and the effective use of space, as compared to interior decorating. An interior designer can undertake projects that include arranging the basic layout of spaces within a building as well as projects that require an understanding of technical issues such as window and door positioning, acoustics, and lighting.[1] Although an interior designer may create the layout of a space, they may not alter load-bearing walls without having their designs stamped for approval by a structural engineer. Interior designers often work directly with architects, engineers and contractors.

Interior designers must be highly skilled in order to create interior environments that are functional, safe, and adhere to building codes, regulations and ADA requirements. They go beyond the selection of color palettes and furnishings and apply their knowledge to the development of construction documents, occupancy loads, healthcare regulations and sustainable design principles, as well as the management and coordination of professional services including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life safetyall to ensure that people can live, learn or work in an innocuous environment that is also aesthetically pleasing.

Someone may wish to specialize and develop technical knowledge specific to one area or type of interior design, such as residential design, commercial design, hospitality design, healthcare design, universal design, exhibition design, furniture design, and spatial branding. Interior design is a creative profession that is relatively new, constantly evolving, and often confusing to the public. It is not an artistic pursuit and relies on research from many fields to provide a well-trained understanding of how people are influenced by their environments.

Color is a powerful design tool in decorating, and interior design which is the art of composition, and coordinates colors together to create stylish scheme.[21] Interior designers have knowledge about colors to understand psychological effects, and meaning of each color to create suitable combinations for each place.[22]Combining Color also gives a certain state of mind, and has positive and negative effects. It makes a room feel more calm, cheerful, comfortable or dramatic. It also makes a tiny room seem larger or smaller.[23] So it is the Interior designer profession to choose appropriate colors for a place in a way people want to look and feel in the space.[22]

Residential design is the design of the interior of private residences. As this type design is very specific for individual situations, the needs and wants of the individual are paramount in this area of interior design. The interior designer may work on the project from the initial planning stage or may work on the remodelling of an existing structure. It is often a very involved process that takes months to fine-tune and create a space with the vision of the client.[24] Fine examples of contemporary designers include Kelly Hoppen and David Collins who in keeping with current trends have both a strong media presence and successful independent business.

Commercial design encompasses a wide range of sub specialties.

Other areas of specialization include amusement and theme park design, museum and exhibition design, exhibit design, event design (including ceremonies, weddings, baby and bridal showers, parties, conventions, and concerts), interior and prop styling, craft styling, food styling, product styling, tablescape design, theatre and performance design, stage and set design, scenic design, and production design for film and television. Beyond those, interior designers, particularly those with graduate education, can specialize in healthcare design, gerontological design, educational facility design, and other areas that require specialized knowledge. Some university programs offer graduate studies in theses and other areas. For example, both Cornell University and the University of Florida offer interior design graduate programs in environment and behavior studies. Within this program at the University of Florida, students may choose a specific focus such as retirement community design (under Dr. Nichole Campbell) co-housing (Dr. Maruja Torres) or theft prevention by design (Prof. Candy Carmel-Gilfilen) (Campbell, 2012, Personal Communication).

There are various paths that one can take to become a professional interior designer. All of these paths involve some form of training. Working with a successful professional designer is an informal method of training and has previously been the most common method of education. In many states, however, this path alone cannot lead to licensing as a professional interior designer. Training through an institution such as a college, art or design school or university is a more formal route to professional practice.

In the UK and the U.S, several university degree courses are now available, including those on interior architecture, taking three or four years to complete.

A formal education program, particularly one accredited by or developed with a professional organization of interior designers, can provide training that meets a minimum standard of excellence and therefore gives a student an education of a high standard. There are also university graduate and Ph.d. programs available for those seeking further training in a specific design specialization (i.e. gerontological or healthcare design) or those wishing to teach interior design at the university level.

In China, seldom does university offer Interior Design as a major, instead of offering one or two elective classes. As a result of losing official government supports education in Interior Design, requires people to take some tutoring classes from some private institutions, if they are interested in this area and want to study. However, the educational quality is poor. On the other side, the certification test of interior design in China is different from US, because China only requires basic skills and knowledge.

There are a wide range of working conditions and employment opportunities within interior design. Large and tiny corporations often hire interior designers as employees on regular working hours. Designers for smaller firms usually work on a contract or per-job basis. Self-employed designers, which make up 26% of interior designers,[25] usually work the most hours. Interior designers often work under stress to meet deadlines, stay on budget, and meet clients' needs.

In some cases, licensed professionals review the work and sign it before submitting the design for approval by clients or construction permisioning. The need for licensed review and signature varies by locality, relevant legislation, and scope of work. Their work can involve significant travel to visit different locations. However, with technology development, the process of contacting clients and communicating design alternatives has become easier and requires less travel.[26] They also renovate a space to satisfy the specific taste for a client.

The Art Deco style began in Europe in the early years of the 20th century, with the waning of Art Nouveau. The term "Art Deco" was taken from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a worlds fair held in Paris in 1925.[27] Art Deco rejected many traditional classical influences in favour of more streamlined geometric forms and metallic color. The Art Deco style influenced all areas of design, especially interior design, because it was the first style of interior decoration to spotlight new technologies and materials.[28]

Art Deco style is mainly based on geometric shapes, streamlining, and clean lines.[29][30] The style offered a sharp, cool look of mechanized living utterly at odds with anything that came before.[31]

Art Deco rejected traditional materials of decoration and interior design, opting instead to use more unusual materials such as chrome, glass, stainless steel, shiny fabrics, mirrors, aluminium, lacquer, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebra skin.[28] The use of harder, metallic materials was chosen to celebrate the machine age. These materials reflected the dawning modern age that was ushered in after the end of the First World War. The innovative combinations of these materials created contrasts that were very popular at the time - for example the mixing together of highly polished wood and black lacquer with satin and furs.[32] The barber shop in the Austin Reed store in London was designed by P. J. Westwood. It was soon regarded as the trendiest barber shop in Britain due to its use of metallic materials.[31]

The color themes of Art Deco consisted of metallic color, neutral color, bright color, and black and white. In interior design, cool metallic colors including silver, gold, metallic blue, charcoal grey, and platinum tended to predominate.[29][33]Serge Chermayeff, a Russian-born British designer made extensive use of cool metallic colors and luxurious surfaces in his room schemes. His 1930 showroom design for a British dressmaking firm had a silver-grey background and black mirrored-glass wall panels.[31][34]

Black and white was also a very popular color scheme during the 1920s and 1930s. Black and white checkerboard tiles, floors and wallpapers were very trendy at the time.[35] As the style developed, bright vibrant colors became popular as well.[36]

Art Deco furnishings and lighting fixtures had a glossy, luxurious appearance with the use of inlaid wood and reflective finishes. The furniture pieces often had curved edges, geometric shapes, and clean lines.[27][31] Art Deco lighting fixtures tended to make use of stacked geometric patterns.[37]

"Modern design grew out of the decorative arts, mostly from the Art Deco, in the early 20th century."[38] One of the first to introduce this style was Frank Lloyd Wright, who hadn't become hugely popularized until completing the house called Fallingwater in the 1930s. "Modern art reached its peak in the 1950s and 60s which is why designers and decorators today may refer to modern design as being "mid-century."[38] Modern Art does not refer to the era or age of design. "Modern art is not the same as contemporary design, which is a term that interior designers apply to a shifting group of recent styles and trends."[38] Modern designs is defined by its own trends which has gone unchanged for decades.

Majlis painting, also called nagash painting, is the decoration of the majlis or front parlor of traditional Arabic homes in the Asir province of Saudi Arabia and adjoining parts of Yemen These wall paintings, an arabesque form of mural or fresco, show various geometric designs in bright colors: Called 'nagash' in Arabic, the wall paintings were a mark of pride for a woman in her house.[39]

The geometric designs and heavy lines seem to be adapted from the areas textile and weaving patterns. In contrast with the sobriety of architecture and decoration in the rest of Arabia, exuberant color and ornamentation characterize those of 'Asir. The painting extends into the house over the walls and doors, up the staircases, and onto the furniture itself. When a house is being painted, women from the community help each other finish the job. The building then displays their shared taste and knowledge. Mothers pass these on to their daughters. This artwork is based on a geometry of straight lines and suggests the patterns common to textile weaving, with solid bands of different colors. Certain motifs reappear, such as the triangular mihrab or 'niche' and the palmette. In the past, paint was produced from mineral and vegetable pigments. Cloves and alfalfa yielded green. Blue came from the indigo plant. Red came from pomegranates and a certain mud. Paintbrushes were created from the tough hair found in a goat's tail. Today, however, women use modern manufactured paint to create new looks, which have become an indicator of social and economic change.[40]

Women in the Asir province often complete the decoration and painting of the house interior. You could tell a familys wealth by the paintings, Um Abdullah says: If they didnt have much money, the wife could only paint the motholath, the basic straight, simple lines, in patterns of three to six repetitions in red, green, yellow and brown. When women did not want to paint the walls themselves, they could barter with other women who would do the work. Several Saudi women have become famous as majlis painters, such as Fatima Abou Gahas.[39]

The interior walls of the home are brightly painted by the women, who work in defined patterns with lines, triangles, squares, diagonals and tree-like patterns. Some of the large triangles represent mountains. Zigzag lines stand for water and also for lightning. Small triangles, especially when the widest area is at the top, are found in pre-Islamic representations of female figures. That the small triangles found in the wall paintings in Asir are called banat may be a cultural remnant of a long-forgotten past.[39]

"Courtyards and upper pillared porticoes are principal features of the best Nadjdi architecture, in addition to the fine incised plaster wood (jiss) and painted window shutters, which decorate the reception rooms. Good examples of plasterwork can often be seen in the gaping ruins of torn-down buildings- the effect is light, delicate and airy. It is usually around the majlis, around the coffee hearth and along the walls above where guests sat on rugs, against cushions. Doughty wondered if this "parquetting of jis", this "gypsum fretwork... all adorning and unenclosed" originated from India. However, the Najd fretwork seems very different from that seen in the Eastern Province and Oman, which are linked to Indian traditions, and rather resembles the motifs and patterns found in ancient Mesopotamia. The rosette, the star, the triangle and the stepped pinnacle pattern of dadoes are all ancient patterns, and can be found all over the Middle East of antiquity. Al-Qassim Province seems to be the home of this art, and there it is normally worked in hard white plaster (though what you see is usually begrimed by the smoke of the coffee hearth). In Riyadh, examples can be seen in unadorned clay.[41]

Interior design has become the subject of television shows. In the United Kingdom (UK), popular interior design and decorating programs include 60 Minute Makeover (ITV), Changing Rooms (BBC), and Selling Houses (Channel 4). Famous interior designers whose work is featured in these programs include Linda Barker and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. In the United States, the TLC Network aired a popular program called Trading Spaces, a show based on the UK program Changing Rooms. In addition, both Home & Garden Television (HGTV) and the Discovery Home networks also televise many programs about interior design and decorating, featuring the works of a variety of interior designers, decorators and home improvement experts in a myriad of projects.

Fictional interior decorators include the Sugarbaker sisters on Designing Women and Grace Adler on Will & Grace. There is also another show called Home MADE. There are two teams and two houses and whoever has the designed and made the worst room, according to the judges, is eliminated. Another show on the Style Network, hosted by Niecy Nash, is Clean House where they re-do messy homes into themed rooms that the clients would like. Other shows include Design on a Dime, Designed to Sell, and The Decorating Adventures of Ambrose Price. The show called Design Star has become more popular through the 5 seasons that have already aired. The winners of this show end up getting their own TV shows, of which are Color Splash hosted by David Bromstad, Myles of Style hosted by Kim Myles, Paint-Over! hosted by Jennifer Bertrand, The Antonio Treatment hosted by Antonio Ballatore, and finally Secrets from a Stylist hosted by Emily Henderson. Bravo also has a variety of shows that explore the lives of interior designers. These include Flipping Out, which explores the life of Jeff Lewis and his team of designers; Million Dollar Decorators explores the lives of interior designers Nathan Turner, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Mary McDonald, Kathryn Ireland, and Martyn Lawrence Bullard.

Interior design has also become the subject of radio shows. In the U.S., popular interior design & lifestyle shows include Martha Stewart Living and Living Large featuring Karen Mills. Famous interior designers whose work is featured on these programs include Bunny Williams, Barbara Barry, and Kathy Ireland, among others.

Many interior design magazines exist to offer advice regarding color palette, furniture, art, and other elements that fall under the umbrella of interior design. These magazine often focus on related subjects to draw a more specific audience. For instance, architecture as a primary aspect of Dwell, while Veranda is well known as a luxury living magazine. Lonny Magazine and the newly relaunched, Domino Magazine, cater to a young, hip, metropolitan audience, and emphasize accessibility and a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to interior design.

Other early interior decorators:

Many of the most famous designers and decorators during the 20th century had no formal training. Some examples include Sister Parish, Robert Denning and Vincent Fourcade, Kerry Joyce, Kelly Wearstler, Stphane Boudin, Georges Geffroy, Emilio Terry, Carlos de Beistegui, Nina Petronzio, Lorenzo Mongiardino, and David Nightingale Hicks.

Notable interior designers in the world today include Jonathan Adler, Michael S. Smith, Martin Brudnizki, Kelly Hoppen, Kelly Wearstler, Andrew Martin International, Nina Campbell, David Collins, Nate Berkus, Sandra Espinet, Jo Hamilton, Premdas krishna and Nicky Haslam.

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Interior design - Wikipedia

The E-Z DECORATOR System is an interior design visualization tool that enables you to creatively design and sketch the interiors of homes, offices, kitchens, baths, and outdoor living areas. This easy-to-use kit is an alternative to using software, providing spectacular hand-drawn illustrations that interior decorating software cannot achieve. The E-Z DECORATOR Furniture Planner is a furniture layout/furniture template tool that illustrates how furniture will fit into rooms. Both the E-Z DECORATOR System and Furniture Planner are essential for interior design, interior decorating, home staging and students of interior design education."

Additionally, the E-Z DECORATOR System and Furniture Planner are sold in many prestigious interior design school bookstores as well as being incorporated into their classroom design curricula. When studying interior design it is important to work with materials and tools that can also be used after completion of the interior design program, in real-world design projects. The E-Z DECORATOR System and Furniture Planner are design tools that can effectively transition from classroom to office/studio. It has been proven that clients hiring interior designers, decorators, home stagers and design consultants need to see accurate and artistic drawings, sketches and illustrations in order to best "see" what the finished design project will look like. Since sketching interiors is time-consuming and expensive to outsource, it is necessary to have a method of visual communication that is easy to use and effective. Interior design software is expensive and hard to master, giving results that are not artistic but rather stiff and animated. Since each and every illustration in the E-Z DECORATOR System and Furniture Planner has been hand-drawn by the same award-winning artist, the interior drawings and layouts are of the highest quality, showcasing the creativity of the user in the most professional and artistic manner. .

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EzDecorator Interior Design Tools: Templates for furniture ...

by Kristine Tucker, studioD

An interior designer is often required to obtain a license to practice.

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The terms interior designer and interior decorator sometimes are used synonymously, but each has its own job description and function. Designers study people's needs to create functional, structural living or work spaces to satisfy those demands. Decorators furnish interior spaces with furniture and accessories, creating an aesthetic environment. An interior designer must obtain a license to practice, but an interior decorator isn't required to do so. As a result, interior designers may decorate, but decorators are not permitted to design.

An interior designer creates interior living or work spaces to accommodate people's needs. A designer problem-solves difficult structural living arrangements to create spaces that enhance residents' qualities of life. According to the Patty and Rusty Rueff School of Performing and Visual Arts at Purdue University, interior designers must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, encouraging environmental sustainability. An interior designer researches, analyzes and plans interior layouts to make them physically, socially and aesthetically functional. Students in Purdue's interior design program develop analytical skills to plan commercial, institutional, health-care, retail, and residential interiors. Modern technology and advanced computer programs allow interior designers to create virtual living areas before finalizing them for development or construction.

Interior decorators don't create interior spaces; they embellish interior spaces that already exist. The National Council for Interior Design Qualifications, NCIDQ, states, "Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things." An interior decorator often paints walls, hangs wallpaper, selects and places furniture, installs window treatments, and adds accessories such as throw rugs, lamps, throw pillows and wall art to a room. An interior decorator doesn't knock out walls or structurally change the layout of an interior space. An interior decorator often uses her skills to adorn a living space once an interior designer has made necessary structural or functional changes.

According to the NCIDQ, many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have laws that require interior designers to be licensed or registered before they can practice. These laws require designers to provide documentation of their formal education, including degrees and training certifications. Some even require practicing interior designers to earn an official NCIDQ Certificate to demonstrate their expertise and qualifications in the industry. Formal training and licensure isn't required for interior decorators.

The job outlook for interior designers is just above average when compared to all occupations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interior designers is expected to grow by 19 percent from 2010 to 2020. The job prospects are likely to be higher at corporations that are striving to create environmentally friendly structures to support sustainability. The job outlook is also highest in wealthy communities where employers and individuals can afford remodeling and redecorating projects. Jobs for interior designers in specialized design firms are expected to grow by 27 percent from 2010 to 2020. As this specialized industry develops, there will be a continuing need for designers to work with decorators and others in design-related fields. Interior Design Schools reports a higher than average job growth rate for interior decorators; those who demonstrate a high degree of talent are most likely to gain employment. Since a large number of interior decorators are self-employed, precise job growth numbers are difficult to predict.

As curriculum developer and educator, Kristine Tucker has enjoyed the plethora of English assignments she's read (and graded!) over the years. Her experiences as vice-president of an energy consulting firm have given her the opportunity to explore business writing and HR. Tucker has a BA and holds Ohio teaching credentials.

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Difference Between an Interior Designer & an Interior Decorator

In 2010, House Beautiful named Andrea Schumacher Interiors, Top 20 Under 40 Designers to watch in the country. Over the past several years, we have built upon this acclaim and reputation for creating rooms that are original, chic and sophisticated.

We strive for sumptuous, imaginative interiors that reflect our clients aspirations, lifestyles, personalities and brand, as no two jobs are ever alike. The interior design of each space is timeless, intriguing and softly polished, with just the right amount of drama.

I love to think my talent and creativity is backed by my education, which includes a B.S. in Interior Design from Colorado State University, a certificate in Universal Design from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and further studies toward my Masters in Architecture at the University of Colorado, but my true knowledge of design comes from a long and on-going love of the world around me, which includes my travels and my awareness of emotions evoked from the built environment. I am a true student of the living, breathing world. Texture and form effect everyone, through all phases of life.

After my studies, I apprenticed at Days of Our Lives, which then afforded me a job at Columbia Pictures Entertainment as an in-house Interior Designer. Set Design was ingrained in my sensibilities and stands true today, that space, form and architecture are back drops to work magic with color, textures and materials.

As a full-service Denver interior design firm, we create aesthetically exciting interiors, but also provide a personal commitment to our design partners in each aspect of a projects interior design; from space planning, budget definition and design concepts to construction documents and final installation. We provide our clients the benefit of personal attention and professional experience which has produced distinctive personal homes, as well has highly regarded branding in the law, oil and hospitality industries.

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Residential Interior Designer & Decorator | Commercial ...

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A malfunctioning heating or cooling system can mean costly repairs or replacement, but the immediate result for people is discomfort. It means being cold in the winter because the heat isnt working or being hot in the summer because the air conditioning isnt working. It also means high anxiety and panic in some cases because if your furnace or AC decides to break down, it usually happens when you need them the most. Thats why it pays to keep an eye on any unusual behavior that may indicate trouble is ahead.

With your heating system, the intensity of the heat that is produced during the colder months can cause parts of the system to corrode which decreases efficiency and can lead to a complete failure of the system. Other issues include worn out parts like pumps, fans, motors, electrical circuits and sensors. Minor problems like clogged and dirty furnace filters can send dust throughout your house and affect the efficiency of the furnace. Any of these issues requires some sort of professional attention, from a quick repair to a full replacement.

Air conditioning systems have their share of problems, too. Like the furnace, your AC filter may be clogged and need replacement to boost efficiency. Issues that are more serious include blown motors, damaged evaporator coils or condenser coils, a broken compressor, damaged sensors and problems with the electrical circuitry. Whatever the specific issue, the result is no AC or limited AC, and professional service is required.

Sometimes, even the most skilled repairperson needs to relent and admit when its time for an AC replacement. Usually, the decision to replace the air conditioning system with a new one depends on a handful of factors. If it is close to 15 years old, then replacement is often the right choice, especially if there are issues affecting its performance. If you are faced with mounting repair costs, and the unit is older, then replacement is the right way to go. The decision should be made with the help of your local cooling expert, who will guide you to the most cost-effective solution.

Many homeowners dont bother with routine furnace maintenance because they dont see the need to spend the extra money. When compared with more repairs and a shorter lifespan, annual furnace maintenance will actually end up saving money. Your furnace is cleaned just before the busy winter season, and any smaller issues can be resolved before they have an opportunity to become bigger problems that cause the system to stop working. Extending the life cycle of the furnace will enable you to delay having the system replaced, which adds up to substantial savings. Its a classic example of taking care of your things so they last longer.

If the furnace or AC installation is a replacement or in a brand new space, do yourself a big favor and find a reputable company to provide the service. Swiss Air Heating and Cooling have been in business since 1966, and we have installed thousands of heating and AC systems along the way. Professional installation is the only way to ensure complete safety, total efficiency and maximum performance from your heating and AC system.

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Columbus Heating and Cooling Service | HVAC Repair ...

Seedland has provided this informational site - Grassing.com -- to help you choose, plant and grow your own beautiful lawn grass from seeds. Read through the general grass seed information on the pages linked in the menu above to help you choose a grass seed species, determine when to plant your grass seed, prepare for your grassing project, as well as discover the various methods used to plant grass seed. To further assist you in determining the best grass seed for your needs, we have a state by state lawn grass guide at http://www.lawngrass.com. Our http://www.lawngrasses.com website is a step by step guide to help you choose the correct grass seed for your area based on climate. Then visit your specific lawn grass species page listed in our menus on the right under "Lawn Grass Informational Sites".

Here you can learn the basics of seeding lawns or rather planting grass seed. If you are wanting to sod a lawn, visit our sodding.com web site for great sodding turf grass tips. For a complete selection of grass seeds or grass plugs visit our online store at Seedland.com.

Helping make your lawn green and growing! -- Follow our step by step help on seeding your lawn:

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Grassing.com - How to Seed A Lawn|Grass Seeding Time ...

ELECTRICIAN TODAY CALL 714-987-2368

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Working with electricity can be dangerous, so handling your own minor electrical problems within your home is not a wise move. Furthermore electricity is just too dangerous for someone that has no experience to work with, so hiring someone that is not qualified can lead to huge issues. Always hire a licensed and insured professional when dealing with electrical problems. If you are looking for an electrical company that will install or repair small or big jobs you have come to the right place. We have the experience to handle safety guidelines when repairing or installing electrical wiring and devices within your home or business. Here are some reasons why hiring us will be the best decision you can make. We have a license and the training, the state of California requires that anyone who deals with electricity must be licensed. In order to be licensed you must go through training so that we can repair or install according to local and NEC code. This means the Orange County Electrician will do the repair or install correctly and safely. This will also help save money, when minor or big mistakes happen this will cost more in the long run. Dont be the person who tries to save money by hiring someone that is not qualified, correcting mistakes always cost more in the end. We have insurance and we also give a guarantee in writing.

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Electrical issues can be very dangerous when they are not fixed right away and no electricity can be an inconvenience when you need it the most. Electricity offers the ability to turn on your lights when its dark, it runs your refrigerator so your food does not go bad, it supplies power for your Orange Countyair conditioning and heater when its hot or cold, and it also allows you to run your electronics which brings entertainment in your home. When electricity goes out, or if any electrical device or appliance no longer works, your comfort and entertainment are gone. Electrician Services is your reliable source for electrical repairs and installs. We are fast and efficient, and all of our electricians are master level technicians. We have the experience to get the job done right and on time. No matter what electrical repair or install is needed you hired the right company. We service Orange County California and we will arrive with the necessary tools to get the job done the first time.

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We offer a complete multitude of electrical services. From lighting and outlet installation and troubleshooting , whole house rewires to complete panel upgrades, whatever your electrical service needs are, we can help. Our goal for your home and business is your safety and comfort. Customer Satisfaction is our top priority. Our technicians will offer recommendations on energy efficiency so there are no issues in the future. Trying to complete your own repair or install within your home or business can end up not working out the way you wanted it. Doing things yourself can cost you more in the long run. We are the experts when it comes to troubleshooting and installations. Trust the professionals and the job will be complete the first time with a peace of mind. Need a new attic or whole house fan installed? Do you need a panel upgrade? Does your appliance, pool or spa require a new circuit? No matter your electrical need, Electrician Services has the professional experience to completely repair or install your electrical system. We diagnose and install all aspects of residential and commercial systems. At Electrician Services we guarantee our work!

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Are you still looking for a reason to hire us?Look no further we have been screened and background checked through numerous companies including Angies List, and Home Advisor. Our Orange County Electricianwill go through an extensive hiring process and only the best make it. Your familys safety means that much to us. Our clean cut and courteous electricians will give you a Flat-Rate price before any work starts. Any electrician that normally charges by the hour for labor can end up as bad news when receiving the final bill. So no matter how long it takes our electrician to do the task there will be no surprises in the end. So let us help you save time and money, trust the experts when it comes to installing or repairing your electrical system. From Orange County to Los Angeles and The Inland Empire, Electrician Services is here to diagnose, repair and install all your electrical needs. So what are you waiting for call your Electrician in Orange County Cafor SAME DAY SERVICE. CALL NOW 714-987-2368

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Orange County Electrician Services

Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use.

For small buildings, such as houses, that are only two or three stories high, demolition is a rather simple process. The building is pulled down either manually or mechanically using large hydraulic equipment: elevated work platforms, cranes, excavators or bulldozers. Larger buildings may require the use of a wrecking ball, a heavy weight on a cable that is swung by a crane into the side of the buildings. Wrecking balls are especially effective against masonry, but are less easily controlled and often less efficient than other methods. Newer methods may use rotational hydraulic shears and silenced rock-breakers attached to excavators to cut or break through wood, steel, and concrete. The use of shears is especially common when flame cutting would be dangerous.

The tallest planned demolition of a building was the 47-story Singer Building in New York City, which was built in 1908 and torn down in 19671968 to be replaced by One Liberty Plaza.

Before any demolition activities, there are many steps that need to take place, including performing asbestos abatement, removing hazardous or regulated materials, obtaining necessary permits, submitting necessary notifications, disconnecting utilities, rodent baiting, and development of site-specific safety and work plans.

The typical razing of a building is accomplished as follows:

Hydraulic excavators may be used to topple one- or two-story buildings by an undermining process. The strategy is to undermine the building while controlling the manner and direction in which it falls. The demolition project manager/supervisor will determine where undermining is necessary so that a building is pulled in the desired manner and direction. The walls are typically undermined at a building's base, but this is not always the case if the building design dictates otherwise. Safety and cleanup considerations are also taken into account in determining how the building is undermined and ultimately demolished.

In some cases a crane with a wrecking ball is used to demolish the structure down to a certain manageable height. At that point undermining takes place as described above. However crane mounted demolition balls are rarely used within demolition due to the uncontrollable nature of the swinging ball and the safety implications associated.

High reach demolition excavators are more often used for tall buildings where explosive demolition is not appropriate or possible. Excavators with shear attachments are typically used to dismantle steel structural elements. Hydraulic hammers are often used for concrete structures and concrete processing attachments are used to crush concrete to a manageable size, and to remove reinforcing steel. For tall concrete buildings, where neither explosive or high reach demolition with an excavator is safe or practical, the "inside-out" method is used, whereby remotely operated mini-excavators demolish the building from the inside, whilst maintaining the outer walls of the building as a scaffolding, as each floor is demolished.

To control dust, fire hoses are used to maintain a wet demolition. Hoses may be held by workers, secured in fixed location, or attached to lifts to gain elevation.

Loaders or bulldozers may also be used to demolish a building. They are typically equipped with "rakes" (thick pieces of steel that could be an I-beam or tube) that are used to ram building walls. Skid loaders and loaders will also be used to take materials out and sort steel.

The technique of Vrinage is used in France to weaken and buckle the supports of central floors promoting the collapse of the top part of a building onto the bottom resulting in a rapid, symmetrical, collapse.[1]

The Japanese company Kajima Construction has developed a new method of demolishing buildings which involves using computer-controlled hydraulic jacks to support the bottom floor as the supporting columns are removed. The floor is lowered and this process is repeated for each floor. This technique is safer and more environmentally friendly, and is useful in areas of high population density.[2]

To demolish bridges, hoe rams are typically used to remove the concrete road deck and piers, while hydraulic shears are used to remove the bridge's structural steel.

Large buildings, tall chimneys, smokestacks, bridges, and increasingly some smaller structures may be destroyed by building implosion using explosives. Imploding a structure is very fastthe collapse itself only takes secondsand an expert can ensure that the structure falls into its own footprint, so as not to damage neighboring structures. This is essential for tall structures in dense urban areas.

Any error can be disastrous, however, and some demolitions have failed, severely damaging neighboring structures. One significant danger is from flying debris, which, when improperly prepared for, can kill onlookers.

Another dangerous scenario is the partial failure of an attempted implosion. When a building fails to collapse completely the structure may be unstable, tilting at a dangerous angle, and filled with un-detonated but still primed explosives, making it difficult for workers to approach safely.

A third danger comes from air overpressure that occurs during the implosion. If the sky is clear, the shock wave, a wave of energy and sound, travels upwards and disperses, but if cloud coverage is low, the shock wave can travel outwards, breaking windows or causing other damage to surrounding buildings.[3]

Stephanie Kegley of CST Environmental described shock waves by saying, "The shock wave is like a water hose. If you put your hand in front of the water as it comes out, it fans to all sides. When cloud coverage is below 1,200 feet, it reacts like the hand in front of the hose. The wave from the shock fans out instead of up toward the sky."[4]

Controlled implosion, being spectacular, is the method that the general public often thinks of when discussing demolition; however, it can be dangerous and is only used as a last resort when other methods are impractical or too costly. The destruction of large buildings has become increasingly common as the massive housing projects of the 1960s and 1970s are being leveled around the world. At 439 feet (134m) and 2,200,000 square feet (200,000m2), the J. L. Hudson Department Store and Addition is the tallest steel framed building and largest single structure ever imploded.[5]

It takes several weeks or months to prepare a building for implosion. All items of value, such as copper wiring, are stripped from a building. Some materials must be removed, such as glass that can form deadly projectiles, and insulation that can scatter over a wide area. Non-load bearing partitions and drywall are removed.[6] Selected columns on floors where explosives will be set are drilled and high explosives such as nitroglycerin, TNT, RDX, or C4 are placed in the holes. Smaller columns and walls are wrapped in detonating cord. The goal is to use as little explosive as possible so that the structure will fail in a progressive collapse therefore only a few floors are rigged with explosives, so that it is safer (fewer explosives) and costs less. The areas with explosives are covered in thick geotextile fabric and fencing to absorb flying debris.[6] Far more time-consuming than the demolition itself is the clean-up of the site, as the debris is loaded into trucks and hauled away.

A new approach to demolition is the deconstruction of a building with the goal of minimizing the amount of materials going to landfills. This "green" approach is applied by removing the materials by type material and segregating them for reuse or recycling. With proper planning this approach has resulted in landfill diversion rates that exceed 90% of an entire building and its contents in some cases. In addition, it also vastly reduces the CO2 emissions of the removing of a building in comparison to demolition.[7]

The development of plant and equipment has allowed for the easier segregation of demolition waste types on site and the reuse within the construction of the replacement building. On site crushers allow the demolished concrete to be reused as type 1 crushed aggregate either as a piling mat for ground stabilization or as aggregate in the mixing of concrete.

Timber waste can be shredded using specialist timber shredders and composted, or used to form manufactured timber boards, such as MDF or Chipboard.

Safety is paramount, a site safety officer is usually assigned to each project to enforce all safety rules and regulations.

There is a small niche of companies that offer diamond wire sawing and similar services for a more precise demolition option, these companies include cti, penhall, and Bluegrass companies

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Demolition - Wikipedia

Americans spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, causing indoor air pollution to become a growing concern, especially for allergy or asthma sufferers. Our experienced, certified technicians use the most effective equipment available to make it possible for you and your family to breathe clean without worry.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides valuable information to consumers about the importance of good indoor air quality and the dangers associated with having air ducts cleaned improperly. Less experienced, uncertified providers can actually cause more harm to your system and further pollute the air in your home through faulty cleaning methods.

Our experienced duct cleaning technicians use methods to prevent harm to your heating and cooling system and to avoid releasing dust and debris into the air.

We use high-quality Air-Care portable duct cleaning units. These machines incorporate both the contact cleaning method and negative air method in cleaning air ducts, a capability that many other types of portable vacuums do not have. The machines brushes automatically adjust to the duct size, ensuring efficiency and thorough duct cleaning. For increased accuracy, we use a video inspection system -- a small, high-powered video camera that we place in the system to give us a real-time, full-color view of the job's scope before we begin.

With so many considerations when choosing a duct cleaning service, ensuring that you are choosing the right company is vital to your health and the longevity of your system. Be sure to ask your duct cleaner specifically about their cleaning products and methods. With Green Clean Choice, you can be sure that we only use organic, environmentally-friendly products and adhere to the highest cleaning standards, making us the best choice for your duct cleaning needs. Contact us today for a free quote. If you have any questions about our products or our methods, please dont hesitate to ask.

A clean dryer vent can not only save you money, it can potentially save your home, or even your life. Clothes dryers trigger nearly 16,000 fires each year, and failure to clean is the leading factor contributing to these fires in residential buildings.

Our trained technicians thoroughly clean your vents, allowing you to dry your clothes without worry. A clean dryer vent also means that your clothes dry more quickly, saving you money in energy bills.

Also visit: Furnace & Air Conditioner Cleaning Fireplace & Chimney Cleaning

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Green Clean Choice | Air Duct | Crawl Space Cleaning ...

Creating a retaining wall is not only aesthetically pleasing and can add great curb appeal to your home, but it also helps keep your landscape orderly and preserved. The retaining wall allows roots and soil to stay in place, even during harsh rains or extreme exposure to moisture.

Retaining walls can come in various designs, using different materials. Moneypit.com has 5 important tips you should keep in mind when building your retaining wall.

A well-built retaining wall has many benefits: structures are protected from soil eroding either away from or toward their foundations, the integrity and features of the landscape are preserved, and new outdoor rooms for leisure and recreation are created.

The style, materials and construction you choose for building aretaining wallwill depend on the terrain youre dealing with, but the basic ingredients and considerations stand solid across most types of retaining walls.

Heres where to begin:

Scale.The higher and broader theretaining wall, the more complex the construction and planning of the retaining wall will be, so consider hiring a pro to help with anything over three feet set in a complicated soil situation. The retaining walls cap-to-foundation dimensions will also depend on the climate you live in. Frost is one element that has a real knack for making retaining walls buckle and pop, so if your retaining wall will experience harsh winters, youll need to excavate and anchor the retaining wall well past the typical point of underground freezing.

Codes.If youre building a retaining wall project on your own, do some research before you start digging. Local building codes may require permits and other documentation for any structure over a yard tall, and some pretty important utility lines could be running right through your retaining wall project area. So be sure to get your retaining wall plans approved and the utilities literally staked out.

Materials.Several retaining wall material options are available to you and your property, depending on the considerations above.

Reinforcement.Any retaining wall you build should lean into the earth its retaining at the rate of one inch for every foot of height. The retaining wall should be further reinforced and stabilized by ties and anchors that reach deep into the earth behind the wall, the style and size of which will vary according to wall materials used. A timber retaining wall over four feet high, for example, calls for 6-foot-long, T-shaped anchors for excellent reinforcement; other systems have anchors integrated into their construction.

Draininage.When building a retaining wall, proper drainage around the retaining wall keeps soil and sediment from clogging up the works and allows water to escape in such a way that the retaining walls integrity remains intact. Start by lining the cavity behind the wall with landscape fabric, and replace part of the native soil youve removed with gravel. Then lay in a system of perforated PVC pipe, and cover with well-tamped gravel and topsoil. This method will keep your retaining wall properly drained.

While a DIY project might save you some labor costs, it is important to seek professional help. If not done properly, a retaining wall can fail during harsh rains and cause damage to your landscape.Hiring professional masonry services will help to ensure that your retaining wall is installed successfully.

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5 Tips to Build a Strong Retaining Wall - Camosse Masonry Supply