Interior design profession - Essay Example

Disciplinary definition essay It has been a natural instinct of human beings to embellish and adorn their environment, ever since they first decorated the walls of their caves with primitive paintings and the roots of interior design suggest the relevance of the profession in the contemporary world of high-tech designing. The scope for interior design is immense in the modern world, where human life is largely played out in interior spaces, and the human instinct to keep his environment decorated has contributed to the progress of this profession. Interior design may be comprehended as a multi-faceted profession which makes use of creative as well as technical solutions within a structure in order to accomplish a built interior environment. The design, decoration, and refurbishment of a home or the dwelling environment provide a magnificent outlet for creativity to many people who are attracted to interior design. The advancements in technology, communication, and media today has highly educated and informed the general public regarding the various aspects of interior design and this in turn has stimulated enormous interest in the subject as a whole. The creative and technical solutions of interior design have great implications in the modern world as they improve the quality of life and culture of the occupants. Based on a systematic and coordinated methodology, such as research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, the interior design process tries to satisfy the needs and resources of the client in producing an interior space to the complete accomplishment of the project goals. Therefore, the work of an interior designer is highly challenging and it incorporates principles from several disciplines including environmental psychology, architecture, product design, and traditional design with aesthetics and cosmetics. In a reflective analysis of the wide ranging area of the work of an interior designer, it becomes evident that interior design is an essential profession in the modern world and it makes an immense contribution to the adorning of the human environment to make it appealing to live in. Interior design is a profession which covers a several significant areas of human life in the modern world and it incorporates the principles of different disciplines such as environmental psychology, architecture, product design, and traditional design with aesthetics and cosmetics. Significantly, the training for interior design is provided by established departments such as art, architecture, human ecology, and home economics and the career disciplines of an interior designer include several vital areas such as environmental planning, space planning, construction engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, ecology and the interrelation between humans and their environment, design as related to the home etc. According to Victoria Kloss Ball and David Stearns, the authors of the celebrated work Opportunities in Interior Design and Decorating Careers, “interior designers plan and provide for the insides of buildings in order to make them as functional, beautiful, and meaningful as possible. They direct the work that is necessary to achieve this result.” (Ball and Stearns, 1) An interior designer today plans the spaces of various types of building such as hotels, schools, hospitals, corporate spaces, private residences, restaurants, theatres, shopping malls, and airport terminals etc and he must be familiar to architectural detailing such as floor plans, home renovations, and construction codes. Thus, the inevitability of interior design as a profession becomes palpable in the context of modern life which is spread through the variety of spaces created by the designer. In comprehending what is interior design, it is essential to recognise that it is a multifaceted and ever-changing discipline which is influenced by the developments in technology etc. Significantly, there are several significant disciplines within the career of interior design and these disciplines enhance the scope and growth of interior design as a vital profession in the modern world of technological advancements. Within the broad field of interior design, the disciplines concerned with structure include disciplines of materials such as woods, fabrics, glass, synthetic plastics, ceramics, metals, colorants, finishes etc, of elaborate artefacts including furniture, cabinets, walls, windows, doors etc, and disciplines of building equipment systems, Disciplines concerned with function include performance of materials, performance of equipment, and interior space utilization. Toxicity, fire prevention, safety, air conditioning, illumination etc fall under disciplines concerned with specialised performance, whereas disciplines concerned with special group needs deal with the needs of the age groups, the handicapped, and the sick. Disciplines needed for business include business principles and procedures, organising and managing an interior design business, knowledge of details of an interior design business etc. Computer technology is essential for presentations, data recall, and business management. The professional disciplines include knowledge of and working under a professional code and working with others in the same profession. The aesthetic discipline of the career include designing of interior details, interior space planning from the visual point of view, colour and light planning in relation to space, colour and light, art and science interrelations – used for effective lighting and paint technology, and texture planning. The academic disciplines with cultural implications include economics, history, language, literature, mathematics, psychology, physical sciences, and sociology. Interior design is a science as well as an art and it makes use of the principles from both. As Ball and Stearns maintain, “interior design not only includes some matter of pure science, such as is found in the study of colour and illumination, but also makes use of a vast amount of information that could be classified as applied science or technology, such as computer drafting. Interior design is likewise an art – one of the most complex and perhaps one of the most important.” (Ball and Stearns, 4) Interior design is a discipline which has been evolving over the various ages in the history of mankind and it continues to evolve through the modern world, contributed by the technological and scientific advancements. The complex practice of interior design has been highly recognized in the contemporary world where man is looking for satisfaction with regard to his dwellings and environment he lives in. In his book Interior Design Visual Presentation: A Guide to Graphics, Models, And Presentation Techniques, Maureen Mitton comes up with the role of technological and societal changes and the advancements in technology in the shaping of interior design as crucial profession and discipline. According to him, “technological and societal changes fuelled by the industrial revolution and continued by more recent advancements in technology have shaped the profession in decisive ways. In a world that requires increasing professional specialisation, interior design has gained recognition as an independent discipline.” (Mitton, ix) The discipline of interior design has been developing in the modern world due to the advancements in technology and the related areas and in the contemporary world the design of interior environments requires specialised methods of interior design. In fact, the scope of interior design has improved beyond normal expectations and the modern developments such as computers, internet, and fax machines have deeply influenced and changed its practice. “In addition to undergoing rapid technological advancement, the profession of interior design has grown in terms of scope of work, specialisation, and the range of design practiced.” (Mitton, 1) The role of an interior designer is highly important in the modern culture and a professional interior designer must be qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces. Jenny Gibbs maintains in his book Interior Design that the role of the interior designer is multifaceted and that an interior designer should be efficient and disciplined, flexible, creative, and artistic, with business skills. “Interior design is a people-oriented industry, involving collaboration not only with clients but with other professionals, specialists and suppliers, and it is vital that the designer is a good communicator.” (Gibbs, 8) It becomes lucid that there are several essential attributes for any successful designer and the work of an interior designer is closely linked to others in the field. Therefore, it is essential for a successful designer to possess various skills required to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces. In conclusion, interior design has been undergoing a historical evolution from the time human beings first decorated the walls of their caves with primitive paintings and it has become one of the most important professions in the contemporary world, contributing to the progress of human living. Interior design has developed through the history of man and the stylistic changes in the recent practice suggest the possibility of further development of the profession in the future. Works Cited Ball, Victoria Kloss and David Stearns. Opportunities In Interior Design And Decorating Careers. McGraw-Hill Professional. 2001. P 1. Gibbs, Jenny. Interior Design. Laurence King Publishing. 2005. P 8. Mitton, Maureen. Interior design visual presentation: a guide to graphics, models, and presentation techniques. John Wiley and Sons. 2004. Read More