Truth to Materials

Throughout my research, I have looked into the use of natural imagery in fabrics and wallpapers.  This however only touches on the soft furnishings side of interior design.  I will also be using furniture such a tables, cabinets and chairs.  This post aims to explore the use of natural materials in regards to furniture, and will begin by looking at Understanding architecture: an introduction to architecture and architectural history by Hazel Conway and Rowan Roenisch.  In this book, a chapter titled Theories and Histories in Architecture examines the idea of truth to materials.

‘Truth to materials meant that all materials were chosen for their particular qualities and not painted to look like other materials’ (Conway, 2005).

The idea of truth has been applied to materials, however the theory has religious connotations.  Pugin, a catholic architect, and the founder of the theory believed that the ‘religious principle of truth’ should be expressed in gothic architecture used in churches and cathedrals.  In his eyes this meant not concealing the architecture of the building (Conway, 2005).  The resemblance to the high modernist theory here of showing off internal technologies to the outside world is eveident here, as many of the principles are the same.  Linking to High-modernism, Pugin expresses that

‘Constructioanl truth to materials meant that the construction of a building was evident and not concealed; ornament was used, but it did not obscure the construction and it was appropriate in form and meaning’.

Although this theory relates to architecture, it can be applied to interiors, inparticular furniture.  Below is an example of how this can be applied

(Alibaba n.d.)

Both of these coffee tables are made from wood, however only one is true to its material.  The timber coffee table above has been roughly sanded, and the grain of the wood is evident.  The natural colours have been preserved, and looking at it, you can see all the joins and methods of construction.  Below is a coffee table made from mdf, an engineered wood.  The lacquer finish and smooth surface makes it look like it could be made from plastic.  This finish also hides any construction work such as joinery and screws.

(Furniture Beyond n.d.)

The lacquered coffee table is far more modern as it demonstrates modern practices.  As the focus of my project is to connect to the countryside, the timber table fits in much better with my theme.  It is for this reason, that I will consider the idea of truth to materials when choosing my furniture, to create as natural a design as possible.

Post Bibliography 

Conway, H and Roenisch, R. 2005. Understanding architecture: an introduction to architecture and architectural history. Routledge

Alibaba. (n.d.). recycle timber dining table. [Online] Available at: http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/11738124/recycle_timber_dining_table.html [Accessed: 18th October 2011]

Furniture Beyond. (n.d.). Coffee Table. [Online] Available at: http://furniture-beyond.com/?p=2&a=view&r=312 [Accessed 18th October 2011]

Simple Elements of Nature

Wallpapering an entire wall can create a permanent feature.  In this post I will be looking at simpler ways to add an element of the outside.

(Homeklondike n.d.)

The blind adds a subtle reference to the outside using cool natural shades.  I really like the use of the blind with the contrasting fabric curtains as it gives the window more depth.  This is something that I would like to develop and start looking at mixing my own fabrics to give an idea of this look.

(Shabby Chic, 2008)

These wallpaper-style chinoiserie tiles from Fired Earth are no longer in stock but I would be very interested to see if any other companies do something similar.  I think the use of the tiles are very effective here, and would work well in the clients bathroom.

(Cushlab, n.d.)

Cushions are a very changeable design feature, and can be regularly updated without too much cost.  This floral cushion has depth and texture and is a more interesting take on floral cushions.

(Colefax and Fowler n.d.)

This design is similar to the blind, using a fabric which incorporates a natural image, and then tying this in with a matching fabric.  I also like the different use of fabrics adding different textures to the design.

(Cozypad, 2011)

I have found lots of designs that include wild birds, and this is something that I am quite keen on.  This is one of my particular favourites, and I like the link between the green tones in this design.  This room incorporates a lot of natural plants, and this is perhaps a more obvious way of bringing in natural elements.

(Colefax and Fowler n.d.)

Finally this fabric by Colefax and Fowler uses a very natural colour palette.  I really like the use of colour in this fabric, the white against the grey with a subtle hint of green.  My clients house contains lots of large windows, and so I feel I should look more at fabrics and fabric designers who have used natural imagery in their designs.  

Post Bibliography

Homeklondike. 2011. White Traditional Living Room Ideas [Blog]. Available at: http://homeklondike.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/1-white-traditional-living-room-ideas-2011.jpg. [Accessed: 12th October 2011]

Shabby Chic. 2008. Wallpaper-style chinoiserie tiles from Fired Earth. [Blog]. Available at: http://lovelythings.typepad.co.uk/lovely_things/2008/08/wallpaper-style.html. [Accessed: 12th October 2011]

Cushlab. (n.d.). Cream Floral Cushion. [Online] Available at: http://www.cushlab.co.uk/floral-cushions/272306_cream-floral-cushion.html. [Accessed: 12th October 2011]

Colefax and Fowler. (n.d.). Haslemere Prints. [Online] Available at: http://www.colefax.com/collections/new/haslemere-prints.aspx. [Accessed: 12th October 2011]

Colefax and Fowler. (n.d.). Haslemere Prints. [Online] Available at: http://www.colefax.com/collections/new/haslemere-prints.aspx. [Accessed: 12th October 2011)

Cozypad. 2011. Pottery Barn’s Beautiful Spring Collection Of Pillow Covers. [Online] Available at: http://www.cozypad.com/pottery-barn’s-beautiful-spring-collection-of-pillow-covers/1924.html. [Accessed: 12th October 2011]

Bringing the Outside Into Wallpaper

In this post, I have looked at other designs that have incorporated natural shapes and images to give a sense of bringing the outside in.

(Apartment Therapy, 2009)

This bedroom scene has a big emphasis on the woodlands and trees.  The bed is the main focus of the room, a bespoke design by European crafts marketplace Dawanda.  The height of the bed means it would not be practical to incorporate this into my clients bedroom, however looking more closely at this design, it is the wallpaper behind the bed that catches my eye.  The image depicts a meadow or field with long grass and birds.  Looking out of the en-suite bathroom window, you can see a wild garden, so it might be nice to incorporate this into the bathroom scheme.

(Flickr, n.d.)

This design is very similar to my metaphorical image, with the ivy on the wall looking asthough it is falling curtain-like into the room.  It is not possible to tell from this image, whether this has been painted on or whether it is wallpaper.  It may even be a sticker motif.  I like how the design comes from the ceiling as it is more effective and realistic.  In this image, I think the wall eradicates the need for a feature headboard, and the imple bed in this design allows the wall to be the main focus of the room.

(Abode Love, 2011) 

This is a very popular design at the moment, the idea of thin trees spread densely across the wall.  To me this design is quite modern because of the pattern repeat.  Its vey stiff and regimented, and so does not reflect the untameable countryside.

(Apartment Interior Design, 2011)

This wallpaper has be created using a photograph, and so is incredibly realistic.  The use of the sunlight coming through the trees almost gives the impression that this is a window allowing light to travel in to the room.  I like the idea of taking a photograph of somewhere more personal to the client, perhaps an area of woodland that they are familiar with.  This is something to consider in the development of my research.

Botanical Illustration

Stephen Lewis and interior designer, Joanna Wood founded textile and wallpaper company Lewis and Wood in 1993.  Many of Lewis and Woods fabric and wallpaper collections focus on botanical illustrations.

Having looked at designers who have a stylistic and abstract approach to natural forms, this post concerns itself with a more realistic approach.  Below are a number of Lewis and Wood designs, each of which I have analysed.

ADAMS EDEN

This design titled Adams Eden has a watercolour effect print. Warm greens and browns make up the main colour palette, and the print is a perfect example of a Botanical illustration.  Below is an example of how this fabric has been used to cover a chair, and what is interesting about this fabric, is that the lack of repetitive pattern.  This means that the branches and flowers all fall in different directions, adding to the realistic impression, and echoing the imperfections of nature.

This design has also been printed as a wallpaper as shown below.

Although it is possible to see a pattern repeat here it is a half drop repeat which gives the pattern more freedom.  The pattern still looks untamed and represents the randomness of nature's natural growth.

CHINA ROSE

This is a more this looks like more of a pen and ink design, but still a recognisable representation.  This design shown below as curtains and a wallpaper looks more old fashioned than the previous design, and is not one of my favourites from the collection.

INDIENNE

Although floral wallpaper can be seen as old fashioned, the colour palette modernises this design.  The application of this design shown below resembles the arts and crafts movement, and its use of matching wallpaper and curtains.  I prefer the design printed on curtains, as it is quite a busy and overpowering design on a wall.

The work of Lewis and Wood is primarily floral, and so does not look much into other forms and aspects of nature.  It is however a possible company that I will use in my design project, and so this research has been useful.  However, to gain more insight into how nature can be used in an interior, I have decided to further my research into this.  This will be shown in subsequent posts.

Post Bibliography 


Lewis and Wood. (n.d.) Fabrics. [Online] Available from: http://www.lewisandwood.co.uk/products/category/fabrics [Accessed: 22nd October 2011]

The metaphorical idea

 The client want's a design that connects the outside surroundings, the trees, the plants, the colours and the textures.  The image below is a metaphorical reflection of this idea.  The ivy from the outside has worked it's way into the interior that I have super imposed onto the image.  Creating this has given me the inspiration to research interiors that include natural imagery to connect to the country side.

Original Image

Material Innovation

As part of my research into bringing the countryside into the interior, I have looked at the work of Textile Artist, Lesley Richmond.

In her Biography, she explains how she is 'inspired by natural forms and textures and constructs textiles that simulate organic surfaces', and 'makes textiles that suggest organic surfaces by changing the structure of the fabric, rather than imposing a design on the surface of the cloth'.  This approach is one that I could explore, looking at how nature can be suggested in interior design using textures and form, rather than images of nature.  Below are a number of images of her work that I have analysed.

The above image is from Richmond's collection of lace.  The close up below shows that the lace imitates a decaying leaf, leaving only the structure or skeleton.  This clever link between leaf and lace, works because it has not changed the delicacy of either objects, but combines them seamlessly.

These two images are from the leaf cloth series.  Here it is clear what is being depicted, but the Richmond achieves a natural and organic look, as if a forest floor has been picked up and stitched together.  Reflecting on these, Richmond describes using 'distressing techniques and chemical processes to change the surface structure of the fiber into an illusion of organic decay'.  This is the second example of Richmond's use of decay, an important consideration in my development of the theme country connections.  Richmond has looked at the effects of natural forces such as decay and rot, and it is this element that I could consider in my research, possibly looking at weathered furniture, and unfinished, rustic surfaces. 

This image indicates the nature's changing seasons, looking at the structure of trees without their leaves representing Autumn.  The natural change that occurs throughout the year is another possible area of study and development that I could look at in terms of my theme.

Use of Fabric

Below I have looked at ways that this fabric could be used, photoshoping it into images to give a rough idea of what it might look like.

Own image

Here I have looked at using the fabric for a curtain.  With the light shinning through, this will create a warm ambience and a cosy feeling.  This idea allows the natural surroundings to flow into the room.

Own Image

In this image, I have looked at using the fabric on cushions to create a more subtle reference to the the outdoors. The cushion in the foreground seems to work particularly well, as it looks like a delicate winter scene.

Having looked at the abstraction of colour in the previous post, and looking at the abstraction of natural forms in this post, I would now like to research nature from a more realistic point of view, and how this can be used in interior design

Post Bibliography

Lesley Richmond. (n.d.) Biography. [Online] Available from: http://lesleyrichmond.com/ [Accessed: 19th October 2011]

Dulux: How lighting affects your room

The following video looks at natural light, and how it affects a room.  My clients house contains many windows, alowing lots of natural light in, and so this is an important area to look at.  Having looked at nature's colour in the previous post, it is also important to look at how natural light can alter a room, and the colours in it.

Having watched the video, I have made notes relevant to my own design project.

Rooms with north facing windows never receive direct sunlight, important to choose colours with no black to brighten the space.  

Although the my clients house has north facing windows, rooms with this also have windows in other directions, and so this does not apply to my project.

Dulux 'light and space paint' work to make the room look bigger by reflecting twice as much light.  

The en-suite bathroom in my clients house is quite small, and so this may be a good paint choice to help make the space look bigger and more open.

Rooms with a south facing windows can almost have too much light and the sun is in these rooms for the greater part of the day.  Use paints that contain grey, as these will absorb a little of the light.

The bathroom window is south facing, and so perhaps a grey based light and space paint would create a large looking room, without glaring sunlight.

In the kitchen, there are north and south facing windows.  There are however more south facing windows, and so perhaps these windows should govern the paint colours.

In east and west facing rooms, light will still need to be maximised.  Dulux suggests warm colours, as when the sun is off the house, the rooms can start to look dreary.

The bedroom, which has a westerly facing window, should take this rule into consideration to ensure that it looks inviting and cosy instead of dreary and cold.


Post Bibliography


Dulux. (n.d.) Understanding how light affects your room [Online video] Available from: http://www.dulux.co.uk/video/ca_lighting.jsp [Accessed: 18th October 2011]

The Relevant Theories of High Modernism

High modernism occurred towards the end of modernism, and is conceived by James Scott ‘as a strong, one might even say muscle-bound, version of the self-confidence about scientific and technical progress, the expansion of production, the growing satisfaction of human needs, the mastery of nature (including human nature), and above all, the rational design of social order commensurate with the scientific understanding of natural laws’ (1998).  The theories of high modernism affected architecture, leading to the Modern Architectural Movement.  This movement generated a new form of architecture known as Brutalism and Hi-Tech Architecture or Self-Expressionist Architecture.

Self-Expressionist buildings link the internal to the external in terms of structure, and allow technology to be revealed to the outside world.  This high modernist theory has produced buildings such as the Pompidou Centre, which exhibits an ‘exposed skeleton of brightly colored tubes for mechanical systems’ (Pogrebin, 2007), pictured below.

(Centre Pompidou n.d.)

What should be inside the building is open and exposed on the outside.  The relevance of this idea to my own project is not the physical aspects of high modernism, but the theory behind it.  The high modernist theory of linking the inside to the outside, reverses the key theme in my project, to bring what should outside, in.  This approach is a more modern approach to the high modernist theory, and demonstrates that research into the high modernist theory should be carried out.

As a designer, I am looking for a visual approach to the high modernist theory, and so the research I have undertaken is based upon this, as a key area of reference.

Casa Batlló is a building built in 1877, but restored with a High Modernism stance by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol into the building you can see below. 

(Arnewde, 2010)

This adaption of the highmodernist theory considers the human skeletan which is normally perceived to be an internal structure, and uses it as an external structure.  The balconies have been made to look like skulls, and many of the supporting columns have been styled to imitate bones.  Here the architects have looked at the form of the human skeleton.  This technique is transferable into my own project, by looking at forms of nature, and how this can be interpreted into interior design.

The Lloyd’s building in London designed by Richard Rogers, is another example of high modernist architecture.  Although it is not possible to see in this image, the electrics, pluming and services such as lifts are all external. 

(Origin Design Studio, 2010)

According to Kenneth Powell, this building ‘epitomizes Richard Rogers' concern with overt technical imagery’ (1994).  Overt or unconcealed imagery appears to be key to the theory of self-expressionist buildings, as the three buildings I have researched are based on revealing and showing the external world, what is on the inside. 

Post Bibliography


Powell, K. 1994. Lloyd's building: Richard Rogers Partnership. Phaidon


Progrebin, R. 2007. British Architect Wins 2007 Pritzker Prize. The New York Times, [Online]. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/arts/design/28cnd-pritzker.html?hp . Accessed 10th October 2011


Scott, J. 1998. Seeing like a state: how certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed. Yale University Press

The Natural Surroundings

The client want's to emphasise the location of the property by implementing a design that reflects the natural surroundings.  This image taken from Google maps shows the immediate area.

As you can see from this image the area is dedicated predominantly to farmland and woodland.  It is also possible to depict the wealth that lies in this area from the size of the houses to the number of swimming pools.

The white line indicates roughly the land owned by my client.  This again s dominated by trees and fields.  To further my research, I will look into this sort of landscape, and focus on colours and textures that I can transfer into my design

The Way We Live - Alfresco

Stafford Cliff’s book The Way We Live Alfresco, looks at the ways in which we can incorporate the external environment into our every day lives.  This covers transitional spaces, which Cliff interprets to be ‘Verandas, Terraces, Patios and Conservatories’ (Cliff, 2005), and a particularly relevant chapter titled Bringing the Outside In.

Looking firstly at transitional spaces, Cliff explores how these allow the movement from interior to exterior.  The spaces described by Cliff usually accommodate social happenings, and so the images and detail within this chapter depict how to create a flow between perhaps a sitting room and an outdoor seating area.  This aspect is important in my research, as I am looking to design a kitchen, and possibly open this up onto a dining patio.

The image below shows how a transition can be created however the design contains items of furniture that the English climate would not allow.  Although I cannot use the patio as an extension of the kitchen by bringing out a dresser or cupboard, other ways that a smooth transition can be achieved is perhaps to have seat cushions that match the kitchen curtains or to have similar chairs to those at the breakfast table.  Working the transition the other way, flowers from the patio could be used as decoration in the kitchen to link the two areas together.

Cliff, 2005

This second image is another example of a seamless transition from internal to external.  The internal flooring perfectly matches that of the patio, allowing the interior to flow through to the outside.  This is an idea that I could use when designing my client’s kitchen, to continue the connections theme.

Cliff, 2005

The chapter mentioned previously Bringing the Outside In is subtitled Alfresco Decorations, and looks at ways of bringing external features inside.  The images in this chapter are described as being ‘concerned with ways in which the outside can illuminate the interior – how for instance, the peace and tranquility of gardens can be brought inside as an influence, without compromising the comforts of life indoors’ (Cliff, 2005).  As this is a key theme stated in my brief, I will be analysing this chapter carefully, and looking at the images that display a connection to the outside environment.

Cliff, 2005

This design has interesting hints of nature dotted throughout it.  The main focus in this room are the vases on the table.  These are made from tree branches, and so here we have the first hint of nature.  The branches growing out of the vases indicate a natural structure, bringing life and movement into the room.  The fabric on the chair in the foreground imitates grass, and has some sort of reptile sitting on it.  The Logic behind this design is not clear, however the presence of the countryside is very clear.

Cliff, 2005

This floor design lookes at the structure of a leaf, detailing its skeleton.  I really like the idea of this design, it could work well as a kitchen floor.  The subtlety of nature here makes the brick almost look elegant.

Cliff, 2005

This kitchen is made entirely from wood and stone.  It feels as though it could be outside in spite of the man made items such as the cooker.  The colours too are entirely natural, however I do not know how practical this design would be.

Cliff, 2005

In this image, the fire place is guarded by large natural stones.  The floor seat layout suggests this is not a design from this country, as it looks far too ethnic.  The presence of nature dominates this room with heavy wood furniture and a natural colour palette.

Cliff, 2005

This room also uses colours to demonstrate nature.  The seating is covered in an earth red fabric, and the wooden tables look rough and natural.

Nowadays it is possible to see nature brought into the home through floral prints on walls and curtains.  What Cliff does is demonstrate a range of different ways that nature can be incorporated into interior design.

Discussing materials for furniture, Cliff states 'articles of furniture may even reflect the natural world in their roughness of texture and the untreated state of the materials from which they are made.  Here Cliff is beginning to touch on the idea of truth to materials, a theory that will be looked at later.

Cliff discusses the idea of natures forms, and explores how these can be used in decoration.  Richard L. Dubé is another who discusses natural forms and it is his book Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design he gives the following definition:

'Natural patterns and natural forms can be defined as any arrangement of objects/masses and/or bisecting smooth or disturbed planes that have come together without the assistance or influence of humankind'

By looking at the countryside and how its natural structures and forms can be brought into the interior, my theme juxtaposes Dube's theory.  The key aspect of his theory, is that natures forms occur 'without' man.  Trying to convey true nature, and natures true forms in interior design is never going to be fundamentally accurate, and so I need to research other ways of allowing the countryside to connect through the interior.  This is not to say that I won't look at nature's form, and ways that it can be used, as my client is looking for a connection with the countryside, and not an exact imitation of the external environment.  This brings me back to Cliff's earlier quote 'how for instance, the peace and tranquility of gardens can be brought inside as an influence, without compromising the comforts of life indoors’ (Cliff, 2005).  Cliff acknowledges that the countryside should be an influence, and so this is how I will approach my design task.

Post Bibliography

Cliff, S and De Chabaneix, G.  2005. The Way We Live Alfresco. Thames and Hudson

Dubé, R. 1997. Natural Pattern Forms: A Practical Sourcebook for Landscape Design. John Wiley and Sons

Primary Observations

To gain a better understanding of how my client uses the spaces I am to redesign, I have made the following observation notes and sketches.  Some notes are my own ideas and projections for what I might do to the space, but mostly these drawings depict the original space and how my client interacts with it.

Kitchen - Own Drawing

Bedroom & En-Suite - Own Drawing

Drawing Room - Own Drawing

Primary Research into the Design Process

CASE STUDY - SIMMONS HOME INTERIORS

In order to carry out a professional project, I wanted to look at how a professional company undertakes and carries out a project.  Simmons Home Interiors is an interior design company based in Grayshott.  Despite the name, the company works on domestic, and commercial projects, and from May to September, I joined them as an assistant designer.  To begin my research into the design process, I am using the Simmons design process as a case study and starting point.

To introduce you to the company, I have posted the front page of their website below, which contains a brief description of what they do.

(Simmons Home Interiors, n.d.)

Having worked for the company, I learnt a lot about the design process they use, how they carry out certain practices, and how they organise a project.

Below I have recapped the process, reminding myself of all the key stages.  This should help me to carry out the design process for my client in a professional and methodical manner.

The design process used at Simmons contains a number of stages.

In stage 1 the designer will

• Visit the client to get a feel for the size and function of the space.  It is important to take rough measurements here.
• Following the visit, scale floor plans are drawn up, so that possible furniture lay outs can be plotted on
• These can then be developed in to lighting plans if necessary
• Next the designer will begin to source fabrics and furniture
• And combine these to make mood boards

Stage 2 is the presentations stage

• Floor plans and mood boards are presented to the client for approval
• The client can object to any items on the mood board at this stage and alternatives can be discussed
• It is important to make notes at this stage as there may be changes that need to be remembered or items to look up after the client has left
• This process can be repeated over and over until the client is happy.  This can sometimes mean re-doing mood boards even if only 1 thing has changed.

Stage 3

• Once all the fabric, furniture and fittings have been agreed upon, an estimate is drawn up to give the client an idea of the overall cost.  The estimate should include:
• Cost of products
• Cost of fabric and quantities
• Fabric specifications
• Cost of flame proofing fabrics
• Delivery Costs
• Simmons does not charge per hour spent on the project, instead they buy products at trade price and then add on a percentage mark-up to create  profit.

Stage 4

• To complete the design process a check measure is carried out
• This is to ensure all the measurements for curtains are correct, and this is carried out by the curtain maker and fitter.
• Finally all the items detailed in the estimate are ordered
• And decorators are employed to carry out painting and wallpapering

Having documented the above process, I can now use this as a rough guide throughout my own design project.

To get a more general view of the design process, I have looked at the book Professional Practice for Interior Designers by Christine M. Piotrowski.  The book covers a wide range of aspects, and a chapter titled The Project Management Process is particularly relevant to my project.  This chapter looks at 'the phases of an interior design project' (Piotrowski, 2011), and like Simmons, breaks the process down into sections.  The title for each section is as follows:

The Programming phase
Scehmatic phase
Design Development phase
Contract doccuments stage

The programming phase is described by Piotrowski as 'the information-gathering portion of an interior design project' (Piotrowski, 2011).  I have already created a project brief through an interview with my client, however Piotrowski indicates the main information that should be obtained before beginning the project.  Many of these  I have covered in the brief, such as the clients expectations and functional needs, however, Piotrowski also includes a form that a designer might use in an initial meeting.  This I have photocopied and filled out following a second consultation with my client.  This form allows me cover areas that I may not have thought about.

To Create a strong design, it will also be important to research around the clients wish for the design to connect to the natural surroundings.  In this research, I should look at ways of bringing natural elements into an interior.

The next phase is the Schematic phase.  This Piotrowski describes as 'The execution of preliminary design decisions' (Piotrowski, 2011).  This cover areas such as design concepts, preliminary floor plans, sketches, initial furniture and materials selection.  This  will be the beginning of the development, and will involve experimentation into ways of connecting the natural surroundings to the interior.

In professional practice, this stage would end with a sign off, or client signature which will allow the designer to move onto the next phase.  This may be a signature to say that the floor plans have been approved or the furniture selection is what the client wants. Piotrowski refers to this as the client sign-off, and explains that this is important, as any changes made after this stage will mean an additional cost.  To ensure the company or designer does not end up paying this, the signature indicates that the client will absorb the costs.

The design development phase 'involves the preparation of all final furniture plans'.  Looking at this section, it appears to be the most weighted section, with several elements to consider.  Firstly, the final selection of furnitre muat be made, secondly visuals and mood boards must be created to present to the client.  Depending on the role of the designer, it is in this stage, that construction specifications and contract documents.  This should involve consultations with relevant technical consultants to ensure that all of the design elements can be carried out.  This appears to be as important as the client sign-off, as it is another area that can incur additional costs if it is not consulted on.

Finally in this stage, an estimate and final presentation should be given to the client for a second sign-off before the contract documents are prepared.  Again this ensures that all design areas have been approved by the client, and that they are happy to pay the estimated cost.

The penultimate stage is the Final Documents Stage. This involves finalisation of all the working 'drawings... schedules, and specifications' (Piotrowski, 2011).  Piotrowski looks at the difference between the commercial and domestic implications of this stage, and explains that for a domestic project, 'this stage includes preparing lists of recommended vendors or contractors' (Piotrowski, 2011).  Having completed all of the above, the designer can then move on to the final stage of the design process.

The final stage will not be carried out be myself as it is not a fully live project.  However, this stage, the Contract administration phase 'involves placing orders for all the furniture and equipment, as well as the actual construction and installation work.  The designer or project manager will be involved with making sure the furniture and fittings are being installed properly, and includes regular visits to the site.

Having looked at these two design processes, I will now look at a few other design processes in a little less detail, just to ensure I have a solid understanding of the design process.

(Michael@GSA, 2009)

This visual of the design process indicates how each stage leads in to the next.  Looking at each section, it is very similar to the design process documented in Professional Practice for Interior Designers, and the Simmons design process.  This indicates that they all follow a similar structure, and order of work.

The Process below is taken from a website titled careers in interior design.

• interviewing the client to determine their business objectives for the new space, and interviewing some of the employees to get a sense of what they need and want in the space
  
• taking an inventory of existing furniture and equipment, and obtaining information on expansion plans; assessing meeting room, boardroom, classroom and lunchroom requirements
  
• preparing for presentation to the client three different design concepts of the new space, each including plans for a reception area that is a modern showcase for the many visitors to the new headquarters and adequate classrooms to accommodate the numerous seminars the employer offers employees
  
• making the presentation to the client’s senior management team and subsequently working with the client to incorporate requested changes into the final concept that will be implemented
  
• preparing all the working drawings for implementation of the plan, including structural, mechanical and electrical drawings prepared by other professional consultants (e.g., engineers and architects); preparing furniture plans; and preparing detailed drawings for all custom-designed furniture (e.g., custom bookshelves, custom boardroom table)
  
• sourcing all products for use in the project, including new systems furniture, custom boardroom and reception furniture; carpet, paint and wallpaper; special glass walls for lobby; and lighting and floor tiles for meeting areas
  
• coordinating construction schedules and ensuring that all trades are working towards the same completion date
  
• coordinating move-in for the client, ensuring that all three locations are ready for occupancy on the targeted completion date 

(Careers in interior design, n.d.)

This process also contains similar elements, but follows a slightly different order.  Instead of choosing furniture and then presenting it to the client, the process indicates that you should present a concept to the designer and then source the final products.

Finally I have looked at the RIBA Outline plan of work 2011

(RIBA Green Overlay, 2011)

This design process incorporates the issue of sustainability, and although RIBA is an architectural organisation, there are some similarities to the previous design processes I have looked at.  The preparation and design stages appear to be the most relevant to interior design, and these stages cover appraisel, design brief, concept, design development and technical design.

Having researched some professional design processes, I felt confident in designing my own design process, tailor made to suite my project.  This is shown below:

My Own Design Process

This is the design process I will follow, and in a following post, I will look at transforming this into a schedule or plan of action.

Post Bibliography

Simmons Home Interiors. (n.d.) Profile. [Online] Available at:http://www.simmonsinteriors.com/ [Accessed: 7th October 2011]

Piotrowski, C. 2011. Professional Practice for Interior Designers. John Wiley and Sons

Michal@GSA. 2011. Qualities needed for making a good Interior Design / Interior Design Process. [Online] Available at: http://michalgsa.blogspot.com/2009/10/qualities-needed-for-making-good.html [Accessed: 7th October 201]

Careers in interior design. (n.d.). A Sample Design Process. [Online] Available at:http://www.careersininteriordesign.com/sample_process.html [Accessed: 7th October 2011]

RIBA. 2011. Green Overlay to the RIBA Outline Plan of Work. [Online] Available at: http://www.ribabookshops.com/uploads/9a0204f4-8775-d644-c9d1-b2d508c5924b.pdf [Accessed: 7th October 2011]