Summer Research

The main objective of this assignment is to design the interior of a new Zebu Forno. The most important factor on which to focus is the necessity of everything "going together." The colors, furniture, artwork, merchandise, and areas of the store must all flow in a natural way with each other. It is essential to know the requirements and tasks of an interior designer, in order to fully complete the project, as well as to not miss any important components of the design.

The most important factors in interior design are creating an environment that is safe, functional, attractive, and meets the need of the business owner. (See figure above) Making sure that a space becomes both inviting and creative, as well as safe and functional, is one of the most important aspects of designing a commercial area (Thinking...). The key is to lure customers in, and make them buy the product. Their time in the store should be both fun and relaxing, which will cause them to tell others about the restaurant. At the same time, the area must be absolutely safe for all. If a certain person has difficulty or trouble while in the store, this would be an immediate sign that something was not right. This should not happen; it can lead to disorder and redesign.

Several keys to success are important when designing the interior of a store. The first is the ability to plan a space and to present it to the client. They must know about materials that will be needed to complete the space, as well as how texture, lighting, and color interact with each other. Structural requirements are necessary to the knowledge of an interior designer as well (Thinking...).

Second, meeting and conversing with different kinds of people is a must. Clear and efficient communication is key. Designers often function as both leaders and followers. They should be able to be in charge and direct others with things to do. At the same time, they must be able to take direction at times, in order to further the design process. Allowing other professionals to do their part is just as important as doing the actual designing. The ability to negotiate is helpful as well (Thinking...).

Finally, management of the entire project is incredibly important. Being able to manage both time and the design process is essential. Deadlines are always present while interior designing, and maintaining good communication skills and relationships with clients is a huge part of the getting the job done (Thinking...).

Selecting the shapes and forms a designer would like to use is of great importance. This includes visual inspection of what is already available in the given environment. In Elements of Design: Shape and Form, Albert W. Porter says, “…the limited viewpoint often takes priority.” Examining small sections of the whole at different times helps to cover all aspects of the project. “Selection means judgment,” says Porter (Porter, 54). The different interactions between shapes and forms help to increase their strength, which results in a better reaction from the human eye (Porter, 60).

When it comes to interior design, skills develop from exposure and experience. Designing involves problem solving – viewing a situation as a challenge and working through the difficult parts. “…you must be willing to strike a balance between what you envision as ‘the ideal’ and what you can achieve within the project’s practical constraints,” says Mary V. Knackstedt, author of The Interior Design Business Handbook: Fourth Edition. Details are extremely important in any design process. Staying on top of things is a must. Most of all, “designers have to make things happen,” (Knackstedt, 1-2).

Each kind of designer offers special and unique expertise. For example, specializing in computer-assisted drafting (CAD) is very useful. The capability of the program allows for easy changes and adjustments. Commercial design includes businesses, retail space, and offices, all of which would require the use of CAD (Knackstedt, 10-11). Whatever the case, interior design requires making choices and being open to change. If one cannot accept changes, one cannot design with ease (Knackstedt, 32).

Works Cited

Thinking of a Career in Interior Design? 2005. Careers in Interior Design. 3 October 2008. <http://www.careersininteriordesign.com/index.html>.

Knackstedt, Mary V. The Interior Design Business Handbook: Fourth Edition. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005.

Porter, Albert W. Elements of Design: Shape and Form. Worcester: Davis Publications, Inc., 1974.