Photo Analysis

Every interior room has several principles and elements of design. Finding which one is the strongest is always up to interpretation. Some viewers may find different aspects that other may not see. In the photograph about there are several principles and elements that I found most noticeable.

Principles of design are concepts used to organize or arrange a design. They are the applied affects and the expressive concept, or the message of the work. In the photograph above, which is the interior of a yacht, I found three different principles that stood out the most. Balance is most obvious principle. The ceiling has symmetrical balance, but the whole room together would be considered asymmetrical. Although there is different furniture on each side of the room, the colors of the pieces create and weight which makes the room look asymmetrical. This photograph also has two examples of rhythm. The lighting on the ceiling is a form of repetition while the lighting and the flooring work together and lead your eyes to the cylindrical staircase which is called transition. The staircase is also a main focal point in the room which creates emphasis because it is the first thing you notice when you look at the room.

Elements of design are components or parts which can be isolated and defined in any visual design or work of art. They are the structure of the work and can carry a wide variety of messages. There are only two elements that stood out most to me. A heavy use of line on the wood flooring, the seating and the windows is the predominant element. The lighting on the ceiling also creates a visual line as it leads you to the end of the room. The second element is shape. Although it is not as strong as the element line, the circles on the ceiling are used as shape.

Although not everyone will have the same principles and elements stick out to them, everything is up to interpretation. I believe balance, rhythm, emphasis, line and shape are the strongest of all the principles and elements. What sticks out the most to you?

Unusual Material

Designers and architect have been getting more creative in the way they use materials. Using recycled or unusual materials that people do not normally think of have become more popular. These materials have been started to be used for furniture, buildings and interior materials.

One building that I found while searching the internet is the Grain Bin apartment made by Don and Gare of the Dancing Rabbit Organization. Their goal was to create two one room apartments out of a recycled 3,000 bushel grain bin. In July of 2002, they began construction on this three month project. For the interior of the building the two used straw bales for insulation to keep the building warm during the winter months. Each apartment will have a door and three windows with double paned glass which will also help keep the apartment warm. Lumber and wheat sheets were used to help with the support for the doorframe and the window frames. Every material that was used for this project was recycled and reused from other parts of the farm.

Don and Gare kept a timeline with photographs of their process at http://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/GrainBin.php that explained how they created the entire apartment. They explained how they created the flooring and the walls from lumber and other materials that are found on a farm.

The Grain Bin apartment was created from an unusual material that not many people would think about using to create an apartment from. The entire project took three months and still looks like a well created building. It may not be a building everyone would enjoy, but it is definitely a creative use of space.

Don and Gare, . "Grain Bin." Grain Bin Renovation. Summersault, 21 JAN 2003. Web. 20 Oct 2011. <http://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/GrainBin.php>.

Design Expo, 2011

            In the fall semester at Texas Tech University, the two Interior Design committees, the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), set up a design expo at the Merket Alumni Center. Every year there is a guest speaker who comes and gives a presentation while the center provides lunch. In the afternoon, many venders set up booths around a room so students, faculty and others can come and learn about new products begin released in the design world.

When you walk into the center, there was a table with both of the organizations selling raffle tickets for door prizes. Although I did not bring any money with me to win something, I still enjoyed the expo. As I walked around the room I saw many different showcases, such as, Daltile, wall coverings, paint samples and new products that I had never seen before. I talk with at least one person at each booth so they could explain to me what their company does and how they affect the design world. Each booth had something interesting to explain and a free gift to give to each person that visited to help boost their PR and get their name to possible future employees.

I received many free samples of paint colors and fabric samples from many of the booths which I appreciated. I tried to also ask as many questions as I could to help understand some of the real world situations. Many booths explained to me what types of projects they had worked on and some even shared their difficulties. A woman told me about the time one of her dogs had destroyed a very expensive fabric then how she had to call the client and persuade her to change her mind on what fabric to use on the project! It was interesting to hear the different types of events that could possibly happen to me in the future.

There was one booth that caught my interest right away. It was a brightly colored table with different animals and shapes cut from different pieces of wood, laminate and other flooring and wall materials. The woman running the booth explained to me that each creation she had on the table was cut by pressurized water. I am amazed! Everything was cut so precisely and there were many jagged edges that would seem impossible to have done. I flipped through a book she had on her table that had many of the buildings and smaller rooms that she had decorated using this type of technique. I saw a children’s hospital decorated with ocean animals made from different materials cut from water that looked adorable. There were several things in the book that I did not think would be possible to create with water.

As I was walking past other booths, I passed by two women discussing two chairs that they had brought to the expo. They were explaining how the chairs had ergonomic functions and how the design came up with the design. He had passed by the Brooklyn Bridge and fell in love with simplicity of the design and used it to create one of the chairs. Other students that were further in the program were also talking to these women and told them who they should talk to so the students could use these chairs in the studio! The women also explained how Texas A&M University wanted to use these chairs for one of their classrooms or for a conference room. I believe it would be better use of the chairs to place them in one of the Interior Design studios in a bright red to represent Texas Tech!

While I was walking by the last few booths, every other booth has begun to clean up. The last booth that I had stopped at a woman told me about her table and explained what she did. She told me that she worked with hospitals in creating more aesthetically pleasing fire-safe curtains. She also showed me two books that she had on her table that showed different types of custom lamps and furniture pieces. I talked with her for a while about different things in the design world. We talked about what to expect, what kind of an impact she has, different projects that she has done, different types of custom made pieces from the magazines, her friend’s design business and much more. She gave me a card of several websites that she thought I would be interested in seeing. I was very excited to get home and learn more about what she had explained to me!

Every year I always get excited to go to the Design Expo. I get to meet new people and learn about how they feel about their passion and what they do to create a better looking world. Hearing stories and finding out about new products makes me nervous but joyous at the same time. 

Fabric Application

      When a designer is choosing fabric, they have several things they must consider. First, you must specify how the application will be used. There are six major applications such as seating, window treatments, wall coverings, panel applications, flooring and fiber-based artwork. Among these six, fabrics for seating are the most popular. In a high traffic area it is important to pick a fabric that can withstand the wear of every day use.

      In the Student Union building at Texas Tech University, hundreds of students walk through those doors to eat lunch or grab a snack daily. There are many tables with chairs as well as half-circle booth style seating that go through the pleasure of comforting each person as they quickly eat and scurry off to class. Although the color of the fabric used to cover all the seating is not the most appealing, but the dark colors with accents of bright colors work well with the light woods in the room. The pattern works well because it is used all through out the space. The repeating pattern on the booth seating and the color on the chairs work in the large, brightly lit room and come together to make the space feel welcoming and warm. The fabric was a good decision by the designer because it is very comfortable when sitting on. A blend of fabrics was used for the cushion on a person's back while simulated leather was used for the actual seat. Both fabrics are good applications because they are very easy to clean. If something were to be dropped or spilled, they only maintenance needed is to wipe up the mess and maybe use and wet napkin in the back cushion. Other than being comfortable and easy to clean, the fabrics are also very durable. It is obvious that they fabric have been used for several years because the pattern is out of style, but it is still in tact. Many of the booths show no sign of tears or look as if they will be tearing in the near future.
      The major signs of good fabric application in a high traffic area prove to have comfortableness, durability and easy maintenance. Most of the seating in the dining area in the Student Union building at Texas Tech surpass these tests over the many years. These applications prove to be a good choice by the University and the designer who chose the fabric.

All About Looks!

       In the Depot District of Lubbock, there is a small family owned business that is called All About Looks. The store is owned by a very nice woman and her two daughters. They told the class about their business and the different types of fabrics they have to offer their clients.
       The trip began by the women explaining what they can do for their clients in Lubbock, such as create furniture and reupholster current pieces. Their store was covered from head to toe in books and books of fabric! It was a young designers "Disney World"! They even had pieces they had created on display. The women explained the different types of fabrics in their store and what they could be used for. They also explained which fabrics were man-made or natural and had small samples of each that each student could feel and examine. We were also introduced to new creations that we soon to become popular! Fabrics made out of cork and also new wallpapers were shown to us. One book of textured wallpaper caught my eye. It was fascinating how the texture was created and how it looked on a wall once it was painted. Also, the cork fabric used on an ottoman in the store was very interested to see. I am still trying to figure out how that fabric was created! We also learned about a new technology where a pattern is almost screen printed onto a piece of fabric, but it is still a new technology. Another way of creating a new fabric is by using old pieces of tarp or cover and sew together to make something new. On a side note, everyone was told that for window treatments a designer is not longer allowed to use shown cords. That is a good tip to keep in the back of my mind!
       Later on in the tour, we met the man who gets everything done, Bobby. He was a very nice, older gentleman who shared a few stories about his experiences in the business. It was interesting to see how the back room and everything was created. It was also nice to hear some funny stories about certain projects and learn a little about what can truly go wrong in the real world.
       After the tour, we were allowed to walk around the store and browse through the different fabrics they had. A few girls had found a beautiful piece of metallic fabric that was absolutely gorgeous on both sides! We each wanted to take a piece home with us. A few of us also decided that it would be a great place to have a sleepover and possible make a pillow or two! Sounds like a great adventure and a good idea for next class!