What is interior design?

The art and science of enhancing the interior and exterior of a space or a building is interior design. The process is mostly enhancing the interior of the space, but the aesthetics may be including the exterior and vice versa depending on the inspiration.

The objective of interior design is to achieve a healthy balance between aesthetics and utility of the environment for the user, says Anita from Verty Furniture.

How to find inspirations:

From Nature:

The universe is full of inspiration and everything about it offers input. This input when processes by our mind and heart become an inspiration. Humans are visual, kinesthetic, auditory and digital learners. The mind processes this information then feeds it to the heart. Then the heart combines it with our aspirations that inspire artistic expression in this case interior design.

For example; when you have visited the seaside. You absorb everything about the place. The colours, the sounds, the textures of the sand, the flora and fauna. Then you study how the animals and plants live there. What materials do they use to build their homes, the architecture of these abodes - if they are applicable & inspirational to your projects? You notice the native people - their art, craft and lifestyle. You process this to reinvent innovative designs.

The texture of the sand and shells nay inspire the textures of the walls and floor. They may reflect in reproducing the feel of bathing outdoors in the bathroom tiles featuring the sea and sea creatures. The bathtub may have fixtures that reflect the lapping of the sea waves washing away the stress of the day. The lighting and the fixtures could be programmable to reflect your favourite time of the day using programmable LED lights.

From Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the art and science of arranging and designing the space, products and systems such that they facilitate the user. These can be in the form of a well-designed kitchen for a paraplegic or a well-designed desk that enhances the safety and health of the users. An added factor of being multipurpose would add to the utility of the design. For example, a well-designed interior could be used as an office during the day and could be transformed into a dining area by the night. A simple extension could turn a work table into a dining table with an addition of a few chairs.

Ergonomics is an inspiration to produce spaces that better the posture, reduce stress and stain thereby improve the performance of the individual. The design should be such that it improves the interaction between the human, the space and the items in the space. Thus, keeping the principle of Universal Design would help improve and inspire interior design.

The principles are

· Equitable use: The design should be useful thus marketable to people with diverse needs and abilities.

· The flexibility of use: The design should accommodate a wide range of individual abilities and preferences.

· Intuitive and simple use: The design should be easy to understand and use. Regardless of the user’s abilities, experience, knowledge or concentration level.

· Offer Insightful information: The design should communicate the necessary information to the user, regardless of their ambient conditions or their sensory abilities.

· Tolerance for error: The design should minimize hazards and the adverse consequences of unintended or accidental actions.

· Reduce fatigue: The design should be efficient and comfortable to reduce the effort required to use it.

· Size and space for an approach for efficient use: Appropriate size and space should be provided for approaching, using and manipulating the item or space regardless of the user’s body mobility, size and posture.

From Art

Looking at a beautiful urn against a sunset can serve as an inspiration. The shape of the object, the splash of colours and the lighting accentuating the object can set the tone for the interior design. The point to be noted here is that a simple or single object and the play of colour and lighting can serve as an inspiration for a myriad elegant design.

From periodicals and settings

Flip through your favourite periodicals and visit places, try catching interesting details. You may be drawn to a certain detail that serves as an inspiration for an innovative design. The second technique is to break down the interior into its details. Studying these details and identifying how space has been put together helps find permutations and combinations that become new designs.

In conclusion, you could also study and decode the works of other designers to understand their process. You could also take inspiration from historical references and antique furniture to repurpose them into modern settings