glo

glooooobalization. glo-bal-i-zation. glow-bull-eye-zay-shun.
extending things to other parts of the world.


what if the world were all the same? what if we all had the same clothing, the same food, the same furniture? its obviously boring. this is why it is important to have globalization - the extension of things to other parts of the world. in the united states, we are a culture of diversity. across the world, that obviously expands. but why does this matter? what are the advantages to this diverse world? lots of things. but when it comes to design, i would say main advantages would be inspiration, community, and healthier solutions. a prime example on how one product has changed over thousands of years, but has been bounced around the world into what it has become today, is paint. history of magnificent paint.

wow, lead is banned in house paint, but not in traffic paint.

we all know there is an abundant amount of furniture and fixture styles. you can find something you might find in the united states here. or an ethnic indian style here. one of my favorite styles is scandinavian here or see below
 

                                               


also, many people know about the ph artichoke pendant design in 1958, and is now popularized throughout industrialized countries.

everything is connected. one design is inspiration for another, then for another, etc. it is important we learn about new designs so we can broaden our knowledge and design "better". its important to know what is out there so as interior designers, we are capable of designing "correctly" and in the most effective way.

media vs reality

HGTV- a channel on television to watch some fun shows. anyone interested in home makeovers or remodels and has access to cable has probably watched a show on here. i tend to put this channel on when i try to wind down from work or school with just the background noise or light emanating from the television, so i dont feel alone. i chose this channel because it is the most "mellow" at night. however, this channel provides the general public is a false knowledge or how the real design world works. im not saying everything on there is false, but it might take a design degree to realize how much "crap" is really on there.

i'm sure some of you are convinced that a house can be built in a weekend - and if you are ignorant enough to believe that, then you need to get off that couch or get out of bed and try building a house yourself. wait, start small. maybe build a dollhouse. then tell me if it takes you only one weekend to complete the entire project. although dollhouses are just proportioned replicas of how real houses are, it may give some insight to others on what really is involved with aspects. don't forget to include  lighting  ( CHANDELIER ).

www.dheminis.com

then you can consider electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, weather factors, budget, accidents, changes, and details. congrats, you are just one minor step toward understanding the process of the chaos.

one weekend might get you a piece of the puzzle. ideas, drafts, sketches, floor plans, approvals, assessments, editing, changing, materials, budget, electricians, builders, contractors, plumbers, lighting specialist, furniture specification, material specification, architects, interior designers, engineers, elevations, sections, details, heating, cooling, light fixture specification, code requirements, .... what are you doing this weekend?

someone wants a new kitchen for $2,000. ummmm hello are you dumb? lets just take a look at HOME DEPOT to see what we can do with $2,000.
someone wants a complete room makeover for $100. yeah okay we can go thrifting but then take in the time it takes to do that, the travel costs, the resources, etc. paint and bedding alone costs about $100.or just go HERE* to see what other randoms have come up with.

look, i know its all television and hype, but seriously people, lets consider using our brain.

all for one and one for all

sometimes we get lost in the world. i picture myself getting lost more than average people. going to school for something that doesn't even have a high respect in society yet is a bit degrading, and offending, especially when people block you out as you try to explain yourself on the spot.

my roommate works with stage crew and directs the lighting. she said that you have approximately 7 seconds to make your impression, and you could lose it just like that if you don't be careful. last week thursday, in our school, we had ASID and IIDA come together to support regulation of interior design. all that attended were involved with the interior design profession - interior designers, architects, engineers, product sales, materials representatives, students, etc. we were asked to "mingle" and "network" or "make friends", in which is all fine by me, except in small crowds, and when over 200 people are in one large room, it is kind of hard to get your confidence up and become one with the group. some of the representatives who make the legislative decisions also came to support us. they were the most impressive part of the night when they stood and spoke to us to support us in regulating interior design. it was wonderful and, at times, breathtaking (meaning i was choking up from excitement but didnt want to look silly with tears streaming down my face) to see that we have actually made an impression on part of our government - even if its a small piece, we had made a difference. they talked about how the fight most likely will continue - but i do believe the individuals that were there will be there for us for the fight. i believe they may even have the power to change the minds of their group as well, so we can win this thing stronger.

it wasnt until a week later in sociology that i watched a movie called iron jawed angels and it opened my eyes even further. it wasnt until 1920 that women were allowed to vote. the movie was about the movement the women took in the battle to allow women to vote. they stood their ground, and made it clear that they were not budging. this movie reminds me of our battle with regulation. we will not bend, we will not bow, we will not break, and we will stand tall and get what we, and other people effected by interior design, deserve.

interior design value

you might continuously hear interior designers, interior design students, or anyone who explains interior design as a profession to "protect the health, safety and welfare of the public" where as interior decorators do not. but, what does this all mean? what else is there to it?

the difference between art and design, although related, is that art is an expression of one's self, for one's self, by one's self. design is a process and often mathematical formula, invention or innovation, that solves a problem at hand. with interior decorating, we can relate it to art - the person doing the job is having fun with it, the basics of specifications for walls, floors, and ceiling. this includes making things look pretty, but not necessarily functional. interior design is when a customer comes up to you and says, "i need an office. i have this space. i think i need 'this much' storage because i have 'these things', i need a 'desk', a 'chair', and it would be nice to be able to 'look out the window, because i like seeing whats going on'.

lets break this down.
here is the problem:
"these things" - for instance, files, books, papers, pencils, pens, markers, stapler, calendar, scissors, photos of the kids, more papers, more books, more files, computers, keyboards, extra electronics for backup, etc.
"this much" storage - amount of storage the client estimates is needed for "these things", maybe shown by pointing, indicating, and estimations with hand gestures or a small diagram on a piece of paper.
"desk","chair" - aka horizontal surface that allows work to be performed. aka a place to sit, comfortably, movable, stain resistant, but visually appealing.
"see whats going on" - a hierarchy, something of strong interest, a window would also be something to clear your mind to get rid of overstimulation from multiple stresses that are occurring, or to refocus from boredum. there are many factors to consider with this one.


here is the solution:
>survey of the space + research + knowledge = diagramming
>diagramming + more research + realized knowledge = ideation: forming a basic outline of points, lines, planes and volumes using place elements such as domains, centers, nodes, paths, arrival, through principles/ideas of inflection, repetition, and infraction, negative/positive volumes or voids, and finally using evaluation to check the fit and usability.
>ideation + more research + FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) = construction documents
>construction documents + construction = final space
>final space + site visitation = complete project, where users have the necessary horizontal surfaces, feeling of freedom, mobility, storage, comfortability and hopefully sustainability for the space. aka the answer.

of course there are other steps in between, but the formula changes with each project.
all of these contribute to the health safety and welfare of the person.

getting more into the fundamentals of what may make up the space, there are other things to consider. we all have an understanding that many places use drywall for the vertical surfaces. in a commercial space, we may need to layer the drywall and/or find fire-resistant applications to this drywall to prevent fires from happening or from spreading. we may need to find ceiling tiles, or whatever horizontal system above our heads, something that is fire resistant. but we also need to consider things we cannot necessarily determine unless specified by a knowledgeable professional of the particular product, such as VOCs - volatile organic compounds. these are known to cause health issues such as irritation, can cause depressents in the brain, and of course, cancer. it is found in paint, cleaning chemicals, cooking stoves, air fresheners, office equipment, etc (for a better understanding, see http://propex.com/C_f_env_voc.htm). we have to be careful even with simply paint, and just because they say "little to no VOCs" we have to look for other chemicals such a ammonia, which can have the same health effects. through education in interior design, we may not be a scientist, or know every hazardous chemical, but we learn many answers, and if we dont know them, we know where to find them. we have a community in which although may be competitive as with any, we all share ideas and collaborate on much of our work.


this just covers some of the value in interior design, what the professional (through education, practice, testing, and more education) can do for you.

passion for interior design

saying it is hot outside is an understatement. i feel like im going to shrivel up and die. very soon, right here.
oh, look! a nice tall glass of ice water just sitting there on the table. delicious. satisfying. refreshing.

water- its something none of us can live without. design- its something that i can not live without.

passion. a word that reminds me of why i do what i do. interest. another word for passion, but less powerful. interior design. a subject that has taken over my mind and has given me the ability to contribute to society in a positive way. this is something that from day 1 has brought something i can rely on in my life- something that will never go away.

everyone has different stories about how they became passionate about what career path they have chosen. we've all had that sort of, epiphany, either in  earlier or later years in life. age 11, new house, white walls, family of creative individuals living in a city of blue collar workers who think designing, building, and installing  things is the best thing since sliced bread. that is my story. i was given the opportunity to influence my parents house - their home. our home. this is where we would live. this is where we would make memories. this is where we would function in our daily life. this was the turning point in my life, when i decided that interior design could be the answer to my future.

protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. yes. this is what i do too. after experiencing a car accident in 2008, i have learned that hospitals TODAY lack the appropriate design to make recovering less stressful and personally invasive. this event was the next biggest impact on my passion for interior design. ADA guidelines are just what they are- guidelines. but after experiencing the space at a different perspective, i now know designers have to really step out of their shoes, walk around in others, and reconsider what we take for granted.

why do i enjoy this? what keeps me interested? knowing that i can bring comfort, happiness and good health to people in a space is just the beginning. after going more in-depth taking college courses on interior design, i have learned that my creative liberty has changed. following codes and guidelines at first did not appeal to me, because i was always able to "think freely", but after some consideration, i find myself embracing these codes and guidelines and have learned it pushes my creative process to make things function even better. my interest has continued in this field because i am continually influenced by new things, new ideas, and new designs. my instructors and the internet have been the most influential connections that have kept me on track. minimalist design, industrial design, LEED certification (going with sustainable design), and ASID are just a few specific influences that have opened my eyes to loving what i do.

if you are a student designer, designer, professional, architect, interior designer, artist, or any kind of creative mind, i would be honored to connect and share ideas together. i appreciate any and all comments, positive, negative, and so forth. i will be graduating in december 2011, so any advice or suggestions about "real world" experience or jobs would be appreciated.

-henkdesign