6 Interior Design Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Interior Design Defined Design, in general, is a way of making sense of things people see, interact with, or perceive in their environments. Through design, professionals try to make environments better, safer, healthier, more effective, and understandable. When design moves into the interior—a space enclosed by walls, ceilings, and fl oors with such openings as windows and doors—it often refl ects how people work and live in their spaces. An interior space, a volume within an enclosure, is a location where life takes place. These places often have unique characteristics depending on their function, the people living in or using them, and the construction of the building itself. For the purpose of this text, the following defi nition captures the complexity of the interior design profession. Interior design is the creation of interior environments that support the function, aesthetics, and cultures of those who inhabit, live, and thrive in interior spaces. It enhances the well-being of people who live, work, and play in those interiors as well as protects their health, safety, and well-being (HSW)—a key responsibility of the interior design profession to produce designs that do not adversely impact the public. The study of interior design involves a mixture of art, business, and psychology—sometimes with a different twist. Where art serves as an expression of personal emotions, interior design serves to capture and express someone else’s taste, style, and needs. Where art claims its value in beauty and aesthetics alone, interior design is an applied, practical, and functional art that addresses serious human problems. Such problems include living well with chronic illness, as well as ordinary, everyday needs such as more storage in a bedroom. People often undervalue the artistic nature of interior design for the primary reason that it is diffi cult to measure beauty and its impact. Therefore, it is diffi cult to explain and sell to potential clients. It is much easier to applaud effi ciencies and productivity than it is to sell aesthetics. It is the art of interior design, however, that ensures beauty in a space, and elicits the human response—often touching the human heart, Figure 1-1. Interior design as a business is similar to such professional services as medicine or dentistry. When a client leaves the interior designer’s offi ce, however, often the product a client buys is intangible (abstract). It is a creative idea rather than an obvious product such as a set of clean teeth or new braces. Therefore, it is important for a successful designer to have a plan that ensures the business will be profi table and protective of those who purchase his or her design services. Good business organization and management are necessary for any design practitioner. All must be familiar with the basic principles of running a business. The fi eld of interior design is comprised of people—the clients you serve, the team members you work with, and the people who inhabit or use the spaces you design, Figure 1-2. Because of this, a foundational principle of interior design is an understanding of the psychology of human needs and emotions—from dreams and disabilities to frivolity and function. Introduction Interior design is one of the most rewarding professions in which to work. It is also one of the most interesting to study. In an interview with Metropolis Magazine, Suzan Globus— past president of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)—defined interior design as the “…creation of environments that sustain and support human beings to live to the highest of their capabilities.” This description begins to capture the creativity that is part of the process of design. It also captures the ability of well-designed spaces to shift people from a mundane, sometimes frustrating existence to a better life.