Interior Design and Decorating for Men

Decorating or interior design are known as fields that favor women and not men. Men are not known for their decorating or furnishing prowess but that does not mean that men cannot recognize tasteful designs in houses, furnishings or even cars. Scientists often say that art, creativity, colors are functions carried out by the right side of the brain and men are known to favor the left side of the brain. These are the basic reasons why most women are artistic, creative, emotional and décor, fashion seem to come almost naturally for them.
This interesting fact does not rule out the male species as entirely hopeless when it comes to decorating their space in fact there are men who have made successful careers in interior and fashion design. What this fact means is men just have to switch for a moment and think of what interests them when it comes to decorating their living space.

Men will favor anything that reminds them of a cave hence they love bolder colors and rough furniture designs. The dark browns, black, grey e.t.c Men know how important it is for the living room, bedroom, bathroom to look good when they want to show off to the date they have just invited to their bachelor pad for the first time. The bachelor pad will turn from a den of dirty clothes and utensils to a clean and elegant space just to impress. Men can turn their living space into a permanent living home that exudes elegance, finesse and style. Interiors that give out the male character are often distinguished by sharp corner designs and furniture's of steel, leather, wood and glass.

When designing your bachelor pad or man cave, the first thing that men should remember is to go for quality and not quantity. Quality furniture will guarantee longevity and functionality at the same time. If you are buying wood furniture, lean towards the hardwoods as opposed to soft woods. It's advisable to go for antique or vintage furniture because they were designed to last as well as offer aesthetic appeal.
Secondly, go for comfortable furniture. When you are choosing a lounge chair, make sure it conforms to your body. This type of chair might be a bit pricy but trust me when guests sit on your comfy sofas they will literally not want to leave. They will be talking about them many years to come. You can buy bean bags to accessorize your living room but not for functionality purposes. Always have one comfortable and durable leather chair that you can sit on and un-wind after a long days work.

What Is Interior Design and How Is It Different From Interior Decorating?

To begin this journey, first an attempt must be made to answer the question, 'What is Interior Design'; The National Council for Interior Design Qualification offers up the following definition: 'is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive'. Comparing this to the definitions provided by The Free Dictionary for an interior decorator: 'also called interior designer a person whose profession is the planning of the decoration and furnishings of the interior of houses, shops, etc.' and 'a person whose profession is the painting and wallpapering of houses'

Well it is understandable, based on the two definitions above, why there are two camps. One camp holds that the interior designer is held to a higher standard and has significantly more training and design responsibilities than the interior decorator, and then there are those that bunch them all together as one and the same. There are those that look at the designer as a version of an architect and those that look at them as being a house painter. No wonder there is confusion amongst the ranks.

In an attempt to answer the question, 'Is there a difference or not?', a Google search was performed for 'Interior Decorator Degree' and the response overwhelmingly returned results for 'Interior Designer'; and not the keyword as searched. One can reasonably conclude that since one can get a degree in interior design, but not as an interior decorator, that there is a difference.

So where would one draw the line between a designer and a decorator? Reverting back to the two definitions above one can discern the key difference. The definition for the designer refers to 'built interior environment' whereas the decorator suggests 'decorating and furnishing' as the key activities. The higher standard is the designer's ability and responsibilities to call for tearing out walls, flooring, windows, lighting, electrical, as well as recommending furniture and miscellaneous design pieces. In short, the scope their role includes the responsibilities of a decorator, but goes much further.

Often it is critical for the designer to understand the wants and needs of the individual or company leadership that is hiring them to make a space comfortable and esthetically pleasing to 'the eye of the beholder'; meaning whoever is paying the freight. This will require the designer to ask the question, 'What is interior design through the eyes of my employer?'

Determining just how to customize a small dwelling area up to major corporate businesses like a national restaurant chain that must be attractive to the eye in many different regions of the country with a common design can be very challenging. Requiring a grasp of many different fields including developing and reading floor plans, a knowledge of building codes, and access to a long list of contractors that are capable of doing the work to specification are just a few of the extra requirement that separate interior design from decoration.

The Importance of Color in Interior Design

If you've ever dipped your toes into the world of interior design, you've probably quickly become overwhelmed by all the different concepts from decorative accessories to visual texture, incorporating balance and of course, let's not forget color. So why is color so important in interior design, especially when there are a number of elements that need to be incorporated into the mix?

Warm or Cool?

The color tones that you choose for your color palette will affect not only your interior design, but also your mood in the long run. With that in mind, don't forget that you can swap out colors relatively easily to create new looks if you decide that the current look isn't working for you.

That being said, there are two types of colors you can choose for your space: warm or cool. Cooler tones typically go one of three ways: they can be refreshing, they can be soothing or they can be stark, sterile and cold. In interior design, if you're looking to create a refreshing space you might choose a crisp and refreshing green or a refreshing gray. On the other hand, if you're looking to create a space that is more soothing, you may be more drawn to cool tones such as a soft blue. For stark color palettes, many people agree that too much white is the quickest way to this look.

This same concept also applies to warm color tones such as reds, yellows and oranges but also browns. These hues can stimulate and excite, but they can also comfort. For example, if you're looking for an energizing look for your interior design, you might choose a shade of yellow. If you're looking to create a more comfortable look, you might choose a warm shade of brown. Color affects our moods, making it extremely important for interior design.

Color is Everywhere

Of course, it goes without saying that color affects each and every single item that you choose for your space. This includes not only your paint, but also your flooring choices, your furniture, your wall art, your various knick knacks: vases, table lamps, wall clocks, even the books on your shelves!

It goes without saying that we are unaware of how much of an influence that color really has on us, not just in interior design, but also in our every day lives.

What Are the Benefits of Office Interior Design?

In this modern world, it is really vital that a company keeps their office modern. But keeping an office is not as easy as a person will think. It requires genuine planning and some significant changes in the structure of the office to provide it with a better and modern look. To be brief, interior design is a priority to almost all the people managing offices. From my assumption and as many people think, the furnishing of an office plays an important role in providing an office with a certain look. Lots of offices nowadays don't mind spending in buying luxurious and modern furniture for offices. Some companies even employ furnishing designers to customize their existing furniture for the interior design of their office space.

In the last few years, furnishing designers faced problems on how quick workplace spaces altered. There has been a change in trends as far as modification of furniture is concerned. To be specific, technology has taken a large amount of space in an office room.

Computer systems have turned out to be more and more essential in any contemporary workplace atmosphere. This trend has brought about revolutionary changes in designing suitable workplace decorators. Yes, it's true that technology is dynamic. So then is the furnishing of an office. But one thing that a company cannot afford is to exclude technology or technical devices in order to match an office with any other furniture. The interior designer of an office has to have an idea on how to create a harmony between the furniture and the technical devices in an office.

If a company is looking for cheap alternatives for the replacement of their existing furniture, it may not always work. The main reason behind this is that modified furniture may not always contribute to the beautification of an office. So, it's perhaps a better idea to ask for the help of an interior designer and then replace the existing outdated furniture with a new furniture and equipment.

Today, people are really getting concerned about the natural environment. It has been suggested to preserve trees for the safety of our future generations. This idea has impacted the interior designing of workplaces. People, today, are interested in modernizing their office rooms or space with the help of furniture. But they do not want to do it by cutting trees more often and thus endanger our existence in this world. Therefore, office interior designers have been using components or materials for furniture that is friendlier to the environment and avoiding some materials such as plastic.

Without any doubt, the new design of any furniture for office space rests on the idea of the interior designers for an office. With the passage of time, new and original looking furniture are gaining popularity among the masses. Some furniture is designed based on what the furniture will be used for. For example, furniture that will be used to put a TV on it and furniture that will be used to put a computer on it may be different in sizes and even in design.

How To Tell If A Career In Interior Design Is Right For You

It is a myth that one is always sure of what career path they should choose, or what their life's work will entail. In fact, many young people in fashion colleges or other universities remain unsure of what they really want to do throughout the process of obtaining their various degrees. However, you might have an inkling of a career path inside of your natural passions. For instance, an interior design school education might be right for you and you don't even know it yet! Read on to see if you can identify with any of these vital signs that could point you towards a rewarding career in design.

Take a moment to ask yourself a few simple questions. Do you have an interest in spaces? When you are in a new place do you pay a lot of attention to your surroundings? Are you often making changes to your house or apartment and its design elements? Are you creative and artistic? Are you crafty? Do you work well in a group or team dynamic? If you have answered yes to some or all of these questions, an interior design school degree might be just what you need to get your career off to a great start. The experience you will get at a top-notch design college will prepare you with the knowledge and skills you will use in any number of rewarding professional projects. For instance....

1. Artistic and technical foundation. Design students will learn how to draft plans for a space and communicate those plans to others. They will also familiarize themselves with a number of different design and construction methods and materials to create and furnish a space. Additionally, students learn how to accent a space with textures, colors and light.

2. Communication. A strong interior design degree program will also emphasize to its students the importance of interpersonal communication skills in the professional world. Often, a designer working on a project will be responsible for communicating with several different people all at once. Between clients, contractors and a design team, you must learn to command attention and also to listen carefully.

3. Strategies. Another important skill you can practice at design college is how to strategically plan out all of your projects and work. It is common for somebody in the interior design business to work on several different projects at once, often with demanding time constraints. A strong designer will carefully plan out their schedules and installation dates so they can satisfy their clients with a job well done.

An interior designer is somebody who possesses a wide variety of skills. A good designer must obviously be creative, artistic and have a knack for, well...design! But that is far from all. A truly good interior designer must also be innovative, precise in their designs and able to communicate idea and plans both to clients and to their work staff. An interior design school can teach you a lot of technique, but the true interior designer's flair must come from within. Do you have what it takes?

The Principles of Interior Design

Scientifically one can break interior design down into a few design principles. But be aware because these are not rules, rather see the principles as fundamental underpinnings for a feeling, flair or intuition to interior design.

Principle 1: UNITY

When doing interior design it is necessary to think of the house as a totality; a series of spaces linked together by halls and stairways. It is therefore appropriate that a common style and theme runs throughout. This is not to say that all interior design elements should be the same but they should work together and complement each other to strengthen the whole composition. A way to create this theme or storyline is with the well considered use of color.

Principle 2: FOCAL POINT

Interior design's biggest enemy is boredom. A well-designed room always has, depending on the size of it, one or more focal points. A focal point must be dominant to draw attention and interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further. A focal point thus must have a lasting impression but must also be an integral part of the decoration linked through scale, style, color or theme.

Principle 3:BALANCE

Balance can be described as the equal distribution of visual weight in a room.
The simplest, and most formal type of balance is symmetrical balance, where the same objects are repeated in the same positions on either side of a vertical axis, such as one would find in old fashioned state or gala rooms.

Asymmetrical balance is more appropriate in design today. Balance is achieved with some dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or eye attraction. Asymmetrical balance is more casual and less contrived in feeling, but more difficult to achieve.

Principle 4: PROPORTION

Proportion refers to the relative size measured against other elements or against some mental norm or standard. This design principle is of extreme importance when decorating a room.

Principle 5: RHYTHM

In musical terms we would describe rhythm as the beat or pulse of the music. In interior design, rhythm is all about visual pattern repetition. Visual rhythm is based on movement. As in music, rhythm in design can also be staccato - abrupt and dynamic or legato - connecting and flowing.

Principle 6: COLOR

Color is an element that tends to inspire emotion in people because color has an influence on the value of life above and beyond other considerations. Colors therefore have a definite impact on the atmosphere that you want to create when doing interior design.

Principle 7: DETAILS

Another important element of interior design where it is necessary to take infinite pains is details. Everything from the trimming on the lamp shade, the color of the piping on the scatter cushion, to the light switches and cupboard handles need attention. Unlike color people find details boring. As a result it gets neglected and skimmed over or generally left out.
As color expresses the whole spirit and life of a scheme; details are just as an important underpinning of interior design. Details should not be obvious but they should be right, enhancing the overall feel of a room.

Interior Design Based on Chinese Feng Shui

Home style that commonly used in Asia is very interesting. In China, there are some rules of the culture in creating interior design with the purpose of capturing the beneficial Qi and protecting it from negative energy. According to the feng shui master, this culture is created because the ancient people would look for a sheltered spot where the wind was not too harsh for their settlement.

Feng shui can be adapted to the modern home without regardless to the rule. The first tips on feng shui are you need to keep the door and pathways unblocked. The purpose is the Qi hoped to flow into your home.

During the day, the doors and windows would be good to be opened in order to let the fresh air in and let it circulates. You will also be suggested to have some indoors plants, but not too many. And then keep your home clean and tidy because it will bring comfort to all family members.

Next rule is about the bedroom, it needs much feng shui touch because the importance of this room is for relaxation. The first thing to make the bedroom as a relaxing place, you need comfortable furniture in proportion to the room. It is not good have too many furniture in small room either as if you have little things in a huge room.

It is important not to use too many round or circular shapes because it denotes motion. In the other hand you can choose furniture with square and rectangular shapes because it will give sense of stillness. However, the feng shui rule said that placing television in your bedroom is not good because you can see your own reflection while lying in bed.

When we go for interior design living room, you can arrange for furniture so people can sit around together. But still you must arrange for space to move within the room. Generally interior design for this place consists of sofa, coffee table and TV but it would be nice if you put soft fabric and soft cushions because it will make relax.

It is also recommended to have some sort of nice metal sound. You can post a chinning clock, the sound of piano, even recorded piano music. According to the feng shui, these arrangements can help to keep Qi clean and clear.

Interior Design Trend Colours For Your Home

A complete home comprises of interiors that are in sync with each other and to make this happen it is important that you make the right choices. The colour of your home walls, placement of furniture and their designs etc have to practical as well as pleasing to the eye; only then you will be able to enjoy yourselves surrounded by them. Just think about a home which is filled up with colours and furniture but makes the area appear cramped, it would make no sense. Thus it is important to create a balance of everything in interior planning. To make your home appear alive always it is ideal to make use of trend colours, there are many ways in which you can incorporate them.

Wall paints: Wall paints are available in numerous hues and there is one to suit every person's taste for sure. Some colour shades are timeless whereas some have their own fad which fades after sometime. If you wish to opt for colours whose charm won't reduce with the times, then trend colours are for you. Colours that belong to the family of blue, greens and reds are considered to be evergreen, this is because you can derive so many varieties of hues from them that you will never fall short of ideas to experiment. Every paint colour can be made to appear light or dark depending upon the theme of your room. When you go for colours that never go out of style, you have ample scope for experimentation.

Furniture: The way furniture designs have evolved there is no way you can avoid having some eye-catching pieces in your abode. From the use of recycled materials including plastic, wood to vibrant furnishings, there is no end to the options. From the chairs to the beds, everything can now be drenched in colour, make sure it isn't overdone. The theme of your home can also be brought into your furniture and if you are making use of trend colours there you will not get bored of your furniture early. In fact you can get it modified to match up your wall paint colour.

Lighting: Whoever said lights can either be bright white or yellow and nothing more did not try to experiment much. Effective lighting can brighten up any room and help in highlighting its real beauty. Lampshades, fixtures, ceiling lights can enhance the entire decor of your home. These are being used in bold colours like blue, red, green etc which makes them stand out and beautify every room.

Colours play an important role in our lives, from changing our moods to help us make a place look lively; they have an indispensable role to play. Interior decoration is also heavily dependent on the hues you choose, hence it is important to choose them smartly. With the use of trend colours your home will never go wrong.