Interior Design Study Guide

Topic 1: The basic principles of design

I. Five Design Principles: a rule that directs how the elements of design are organized.

  1. Balance
  2. Emphasis
  3. Proportion
  4. Rhythm
  5. Unity

II. Design: the art of combining elements in a pleasing way.

  1. Accessory: an interesting item added to make a space more personal

Examples: Quilts, Pillows, Poster and Pictures, Collections and mementos, Trophies and awards

  1. Décor: The style and layout of interior furnishings

Examples: Paint your walls, Books on the shelf, Lampshades, Pillows, Picture Frames

III. Floor Plan: A drawing of a room and how its furniture is arranged. Allows you to see how furniture fits together without actually moving any furniture.

Topic 2: Sustainable Design

  1. Sustainability-using a natural resource so that it is not depleted or permanently damaged.
  2. Conserve-to save
  3. Natural resources-substances that are supplied by nature and needed for survival
  4. Precycling-buying products that reduce waste
  5. Recycling-turning a used product into a product that can be reused
  1. Efficiency-working in the best possible manner with the least amount of waste
  2. Alternative energy- using energy from renewable resources (wind/sun)
  3. Insulation-material used to prevent the transfer of heat or cold
  4. Pollution-making natural resources unsafe or unusable
  5. Solar energy-energy from the sun’s rays
  6. Technology-use of new knowledge, tools and systems to solve problems and maximize resources

Topic 3: How to manage a living space

Your Home

  • Home provides people with the basic need for shelter, provides protection and safety. Homes are a place that fulfills people's Physical, emotional, and social needs. Homes any place people live.
  • House a freestanding, single family dwelling.
  • Shelter-a structure built to protect people from the weather and extreme temperatures.
  • Convenient-suited personal comfort or to efficient performance; easier to manage.
  • Universal design is the concept of designing homes and environment to be flexible and functional for all residents, including those with disabilities.

Organize Your Space

  • Floor Plan-
  • A drawing of a room and how its furniture is arranged.
  • Allows you to see how furniture fits together without actually moving any furniture
  • Scale floor plan-
  • A drawing that shows the size and shape of a room
  • Traffic Pattern-
  • The path people take to move around within a room as well as enter and exit the room.
  • Space Around Furniture
  • Doors and drawers need extra space for opening and closing
  • Functional Arrangements
  • Functional groupings of furniture and other items arrangement is useful and convenient.

Clean and Neat Home-

  • Routine-regular cleaning tasks are those that must be done every day
  • A cleaning plan can help you and your families manage their cleaning tasks.
  • Cleaning Shared Space
  • Cleaning Your Room

Safety at Home

  • Accidents that happen in homes can prevented or avoided.
  • Fire Safety- Exit Route, Smoke Alarms, Fire Extinguisher
  • Fall Safety- Put nonskid pads under rugs, keep walkways/stairways free from clutter

Accessorize

  • An accessory is an interesting item added to make a space more personal.
  • Quilts
  • Pillows
  • Poster and Pictures
  • Collections and mementos
  • Trophies and awards

Decorate

  • Paint your walls
  • Books on the shelf
  • Lampshades
  • Pillows
  • Picture Frames