Architectural Wood Turnings

In 2007, there were over 52,000 interior designers in America. This may seem like a lot, yet the outlook for interior design jobs is very good. Experts anticipate there will be a 21 to 35% increase in this line of work by the end of 2010. Most interior designers will say the main perk is the ability to use both creativity and practicality on the job. The designer’s decisions will impact how people feel and act within that space, which can be empowering and rewarding. To start an interior design career, one must choose between the nation’s best interior design schools.

To become an interior designer, you will need a special set of skills unique to the interior design industry. You will need to understand color and how certain shades affect people’s moods or the size of the room. You will need to be an excellent communicator who is completely in-tune with your clients. You’ll need to be a problem solver who understands building codes and the challenges that come with arranging patterns, colors, architectural features and furniture in a meaningful way. You will need to know all the latest interior design trends and styles and understand interior design software for the computer. You must also be creative when it comes to envisioning a room but also practical when it comes to planning. While some of this is inherently innate, interior design schools can mold the sort of employees that an interior design company is looking for.

One of the best interior design schools is the Pratt Institute in New York City. This interior design school focuses on academic art theory, artistic design and placement coursework (during the senior year). According to their website, “It is widely acknowledged that interior design education, as it is taught across the United States, began at Pratt. That so many of our alumni are found in the Who’s Who of Interior Designers is no surprise. The Interior Design program is consistently ranked among the top in the country in an annual independent professional survey.” Courses range from designs color and lighting, to architectural drawing and building, to office management and portfolio development. Pratt focuses on preparing students for a competitive job market.

Other interior design schools to consider include Kansas State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Michigan State University, Arizona State University, Art Center Design College, Illinois Institute of Art at Chicago, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Miami University, the University of Missouri, the University of Oregon, the University of Texas at Austin and Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. While each school emphasizes preparation for certification and a combination of practice and theory, the choices are many. Students need to decide which approach they prefer; a classroom design theory/history approach like at Pratt Institute, a hands-on experience offered at the University of Cincinnati or specialization courses at Cornell University. Interior design jobs are waiting for students who are as decisive as they are creative.

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Home designs are continuously evolving as the needs and demands of consumers change and as iconoclastic designers capture our collective imagination with their creativity. Home interior trends are not quite as fickle as the fashion world, but there are subtle nuances that make each year fresh and rewarding for the professional interior designer.

Homes from the 1800s to early 1900s were special in that the home designs of large family estates were internally divided to create distinct environments. For instance, home owners had practical servant’s quarters on the lower level floors near the kitchen, whereas the family’s bedrooms were all situated upstairs. A powder room was often found downstairs and an en-suite bathroom was just off the parent’s master bath. The children often lived down a hallway and in their own separate quarter of the house, so the parents could have a bit of privacy and reprieve.

In some instances, a carriage house held the in laws or guests. This is a home interior trend that’s coming back for 2009, with second or third bedroom suites and added bathrooms increasing in popularity. “Buyers are saying, let’s put kids over here to one side to keep things quiet for parents or in-laws who will be moving in with them,” explains Kyle Lindsey, owner of Kyle Lindsey Custom Homes. These secondary suites are typically 300-400 square-feet with full bathrooms and occasional sitting rooms in an isolated section of the house, Lindsey adds.

Another home interior trend that will proliferate into 2009 is green, sustainable building and modifications, builders agree. “People are trying to save money wherever they can, building to higher energy standards and building green to save water and electricity,” admonishes Bob Weiss, executive VP for Kentucky Homebuilders. Many homeowners are trading in wall-to-wall carpets for recycled wood. TechShield radiant barrier roof decking, which reflects heat away from attics, is purchased by 98% of new home buyers in markets like San Antonio, where the sun beats down all day long, driving up air conditioning costs. Low VOC paint, which emits far less fumes than traditional paints, has become the standard. Spray foam insulation, energy efficient lighting, air circulation systems and insulating window coatings are a few of the eco-friendly interior design trends to look out for.

Any architect interior designer will tell you that the home interior vibe is all in the finishing touches: wall finishes, paint, flooring, countertops. These nuances can draw home owners in or leave them feeling discordant. John Friesenhahn of Imagine Homes says native rock and brick exteriors are classic choices, but home owners are looking for a little more color on their interiors. He says Silestone countertops offer a wide range of colors. Last year’s mocha and sage green paint colors will be traded in for mustard yellow and grassy greens. Allergen-proof, easy-to-clean and natural flooring is in this year too. High-end homes will see Italian mosaic tiles, travertine and porcelain. Dark exotic wood cabinetry became popular in 2008 and will continue as an interior design kitchen and bedroom staple throughout 2009.

Tags: architect interior designer, home designs, home interior, interior design jobs, interior design kitchen, interior design trends

Those who design interior spaces will tell you, “It is all in the details.” It could be a new piece of furniture or a new coat of paint that livens up a room, or it may take tearing down walls, adding storage space-saver options and revamping the flooring. There are a number of blogs and interior design trends magazines dedicated to showing you the latest and greatest custom designs and projects. To view some of the innovative designs we are about to discuss, visit www.freshome.com.

When you design interior spaces, you sometimes have to work in small areas and find ways of de-cluttering. This is typically the case when you are dealing with interior design kitchen work. Many cooks hate the boxed-in feeling of a crowded kitchen, which is why Elica Om has come up with a sleek black stove hood that sits up on the wall, like a mounted flat-screen TV, for a more open-concept kitchen. You can purchase this amazing piece for £975 at www.johnlewis.com.

Another option is Daniele Lago’s futuristic 36E8, which encases your dishes in a tall, sleek cabinet that doubles as an art-piece. You can find this piece at www.lago.it. Sometimes you need to work around walls and existing features or condense space a little in a large square kitchen. The Pedini round kitchen countertops improve the chi flow of your house, while also putting the stovetop, the sink, the fridge, shelves and cutting boards all within one step of each other. Find these modern designs at www.pedini.it.

Other times you try to create a mood with your design interior work. Color is the chief mood-creator, as is the lighting. One of the more futuristic designs is “Torn Lighting” by designer Billy May, which conceals a small LED light within what looks like a tear in your wall. It is a subtle hint of light that looks like an art illuminator, while also giving the impression that deep within the walls is a world of light. You can find these lights at www.coroflot.com. To create mood with vibrant furniture under-lighting, try LIT, designed by Mark Pohlkamp. You can project a brilliant “passion pink” beneath your sofa or a relaxing “tranquility blue” beneath your bed for $109 (www.gnr8.biz).

If you are considering interior design services to sell a house, you may not know where to begin. Hanley Wood LLC did a recent study on the average cost to design interior renovations. Kitchen renovations recouped 94% of the cost at resale, so an $80,000 kitchen would cost the home owner $20,000 when all was said and done. A mid-level bathroom remodeling job (costing around $10,000) recouped 102% of the original cost, making it one of the most practical upgrades. For a luxury bath, home owners may put in $25,000-$50,000 but will recoup over 90% of their original cost. Decks have a 90% return, as do windows. An attic bedroom addition will bring back 94% and a new roof 85%. Home siding pays for itself by 103%. So is it worth it to hire a professional interior designer? In short, yes!

Tags: bathroom design, design interior, home study interior design, interior design jobs, interior design kitchen, lighting designer, modern designs