Design is the
process of solving problems. Good interior design solutions have the power to
make people feel positive in their surroundings. Table 1.1 outlines the steps taken
by designers to solve problems and answer questions posed by a design project.
The Letter of Agreement
As protection for both parties, most designers prepare a letter of agreement outlining
the responsibilities of the designer and the fi nancial obligation of the
client to reimburse the designer for services rendered. The signed letter of
agreement is a legal document; it avoids the waste of spending design time on
researching, programming, and preparing conceptual designs in cases where the
project never comes to fruition or the client selects a different designer. The
letter also guarantees that the client will be supplied with whatever the
designer agrees to provide for all or part of a project.
The Problem Statement
Initial identifi cation of the problem might
begin with some kind of problem
statement indicating the basic nature of the project—as a primary residence,
vacation house, offi ce, clinic, retirement center, restaurant, hotel, or
clothing store. Such a statement might also include the location of the project
and even a specifi c address. The person or group commissioning the project
could also be named in a design statement.
Research and Programming
A functional and successful design must solve
problems. A clear understanding of the problems will lead to an effective design
solution. The summary of goals, requirements, and restrictions associated with
a design problem and its solution is known as the program. The process of programming
is accomplished by
gathering, compiling, analyzing, and verifying the
information necessary to understand the
problem and solve it. In contract design,the program is a formal written
document; a program may be used formally or
informally in residential design. There are
times when the program for a project will be
provided by those commissioning the design, but it will
probably still be necessary to collect additional data
to complete the program. When designers are responsible for the program, they will conduct research,
surveys, interviews, and studies and compile
inventories as part of the programming
process. The following are typical factors
that might be considered in research and programming.
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In the picture above the need for new interior design here
fulfi lls three categories: The kitchen needed refurbishing, the program changed
in family demographics, and fashions changed. The result is a kitchen with updated
and well-designed lighting, seating, unique plumbing fi xtures, and
state-of-the-art appliances that will meet the family’s needs for many years to
come. Design by Elina Katsioula-Beall,
CKD, Co-designer: Sarah Michalowski;
Users
The research process begins with identifi cation of each
of the users. The users, as the name implies, are those who will use the
design directly or indirectly, from principal occupants to service people to
guests and friends. In a residential design, a profi le may
be developed for each of the principal residents who will live in the home. The
profi le could include such things as age, sex, background, culture, values,
temperament, personality, personal habits, need for privacy, style preferences,
responses to color, and an inventory of possessions and furnishings that need
to be accommodated. Profi les reveal household demographics, which
is statistical information about numbers and kinds of residents. This would
include traditional families with two parents, as well as nontraditional
families such as those in combined households or single-parent households and special
populations such as the elderly or handicapped. Household demographics can be determined through
interviews of the principal users or by means of a questionnaire developed by
the designer.
Lifestyle
and Function
The profi le helps the designer understand the lifestyle of
the principal users. Lifestyle is a term frequently used in residential design to describe
part of the program for a home. It represents the constantly changing way a person or group of people live and how they
use their time. It
includes such considerations as whether they like to read, write, or use a computer;
whether they have special hobbies such as sewing, crafts, or woodworking; or to what extent they enjoy and
participate in sports. The way
people choose to entertain; how they prepare, serve, and eat
meals; whether or not a grandparent lives with them; the way they use their leisure
time; the type of musical instruments they play; the routine they use for
dressing and their personal toilette; the amount and type of interaction they
want with their children—all are examples of lifestyle considerations. As the
composition of families or groups changes and as people grow older, interests, needs,
and lifestyles also change. Consequently, fl exibility in planning for
potential modifi cations is very important in order to meet changes without
major upheaval.
Since lifestyles are in a constant state of fl ux as
household demographics change, it is important to be aware of the effect such
changes will have. For example, many families with small children may fi nd a
playroom well suited to their needs. Tiny children can use the space for toys
and for play. As children begin to bring friends into the home, the room will
provide space for playing games with peers. As children become teenagers and young
adults, the playroom can accommodate music and entertainment, and even parties
and dancing. When the young adults leave home, the room may start the cycle all
over again with space for grandchildren. Another example
of accommodating a changing lifestyle
is the evolution of a bedroom from nursery into child’s
room and then into a teenager’s or young adult’s
room. When the young adult leaves home, the room could be
used for hobbies, study, television, a home office, a guest room, or a
combination of uses. The foresight to project changes in lifestyle is an
important
asset
in the programming process.
Many kinds of design solutions have come to be accepted as
standard. However, the lifestyle of the users will often dictate solutions to
design problems that go beyond standard. Individual needs should be assessed in
terms of the kinds of functions a user envisions for a space, as well as the kinds of
furnishings and equipment required. For example, questions one might ask in
planning a kitchen space are:
• How many of the
users will be cooking at once?
• What kinds of
equipment will be needed?
• Will there be
minimal or gourmet cooking?
• What kind of
supplies must be accommodated?
• How should
supplies be stored?
• What kind of
dining, if any, should be planned?
In
a bedroom we might ask:
• Do the users like
to read in bed?
• Will the bedroom
be used for studying?
• Is an area for
seating desirable?
• Will there be
television or other forms of electronic entertainment?
• What are the
storage needs?
In
living areas we might want to know:
• Is the space used
by company, family, or both?
• Will there be a
piano or other musical instruments?
• Will television
and entertainment be included here?
• Should books and
reading be part of the planning?
• Will conversation
be an important function?
• Will the space be
used to display art?
Determinations should be made regarding every space and
its use. For example, a bedroom could accommodate study or sewing space as well
as sleeping. The family room could be used for dining, television, and stereo,
as well as conversation and games. The dining room or guest room could double
as a library or hobby room. This kind of fl exibility is crucial because the
cost of space is high, and infrequently used rooms need to be made more useful
by planning for several functions. Every lifestyle will dictate different kinds
of functions for each area; thorough inquiry will determine precisely what the
functions are. With this exact data, planning can be effective and accurate, and
lifestyle differences can be well accommodated.
In the picture above open shelves serve as a place to organize valued possessions,
such as occasionally used tableware and serving pieces, cookbooks, and baskets.
Design by Stephen Blatt
Architects/photo
