More and more consumers are becoming aware that a building’s interior should not only be pleasing to the eye, but durable, environmentally friendly and conducive to good health. In line with a growing consumer demand, the availability of green products is constantly increasing, leading to a situation where product quality need not be compromised in a search for a more eco friendly interior, as Jill Phillips of zero4zero7 interior design explains.
The fast developing green approach to interior design is new, exciting and creative. Design in the emerging green interior market is sleek, contemporary and highly durable, aided by a new breed of designers and manufacturers very much at the forefront of creativity. As a designer, such an approach can be more challenging and creative, using products and surfaces designed especially for the client’s needs and preferences.
A commercial space should be one of calm stimulation, whereas the home should be a cocoon of warmth and security.
Our interior space can have profound effects on us without our realising. Typically in this world of material things we strive for a space we desire, creating an image, showing the world who we are; but now the boundaries are moving. Clients require more than the “wow” factor: we are increasingly expanding in values and aspirations and so interiors need to fulfil this request. We want to receive an experience from our space; our senses need to be massaged at all levels whilst we still yearn for excellently designed products.
Sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell need to be stimulated—ignoring this means a chance of not being in tune with our whole being. We are profoundly sensual beings, and need this stimulation to remain whole. The interior look is important as it reflects who we are and our surrounding needs and desires; we need to be in tune with our home to feel comfortable within it. The art of design is to use the space to its best advantage using light, colour and texture to engage feelings and good energy.
The interior design basics remain the same, concerned with space and function, colour and texture and light, inviting luxury and detail in the form of star or theatre pieces to give the drama in the interior where needed.
Regarding space and function , it is crucial to be aware of how the client likes to live, and to design a space which is fully functional for the consumer. It is key to start with a realistic budget, no matter how we like to dream of great things; good design is great design when the client gets the most from the budget. Plans and elevations allow the client to see how the layout and space will work for them. A mood is created with the style of pieces used to create an overall theme. Clients choose what the space will be used for and the interior designer will create the type of mood needed to best enhance this whether this is relaxing, stimulating, calm, extrovert or energised. Objects used within inject character into a room and the scale of these is very important.
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