Table Of Content© 2012 by Thomas L. Williams
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CONTENTS
Introduction
Part 1—Timeless and Enduring: Classic
Part 2—Updated and Durable: Contemporary
Part 3—Exciting and Sustainable: Modern
Afterword
Resources
INTRODUCTION
Timeless and Enduring: Clasic
W
ith its wealth of natural resources, our planet has been the repository of all we
use in our daily lives, both for sustenance and shelter, since long before
recorded time. Stone, wood, and metal ores were among the first items
manipulated by man, and our ability to mold these items to our needs continues to this
day. With the advent of farming and herding, we learned how to use fibers and fabrics for
our comfort and adornment. During the renaissance, we learned to fashion natural
elements into astounding displays of architectural and aesthetic beauty. Artisans,
builders, and craftsmen envisioned and created works of art in every genre to please the
eye, satisfy the soul, and surround us in comfort.
Since man combined tin and copper to create bronze, he has continued to look for ways
to produce new and durable metals. by the early 18th century, with the advent of the
industrial revolution, man began to manipulate elements in previously unthought-of ways.
by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the development of strong structural metals
helped create the cityscapes we know today and the buildings in which most of us live.
Since the middle of the 18th century, furniture makers, upholsterers, and sundry
craftsmen have endeavored to procure and manipulate a wealth of natural and man-
made resources when producing interiors for clients far and wide.
Today’s interior design professionals have at their command a plethora of materials,
fabrics, colors, items, and tools to produce some of the most beautiful and creative
interiors in the world. With this breadth of choice comes an overwhelming array of
elements, items, and possibilities. understanding the resources with which we work is
part and parcel of our job as professional interior designers. It is up to us to understand
which element is the correct choice for a particular application and explain to our clientele
why it is so. As professionals we need to understand how a product or element is grown,
manufactured, or produced to have a clear idea of how best to use it in any given
installation.
The Interior Design Sourcebook is designed to help you and your client understand
what an element is and how it might be used in today’s modern interior designs. From
classic and traditional materials to the most cutting-edge, sustainable, and ecofriendly
ones, this book will defne the elements of interior design, discuss their applications and
uses, and direct you to the best possible resources to find everything needed to complete
a refned and elegant interior.
Starting with classic elements like stone, wood, fibers, and metals, The Interior Design
Sourcebook considers new uses and applications for traditional materials. Durable and
reassuring, these elements have nonetheless been manipulated to be even more
enduring and usable. Professional interior designers need to understand the changes and
adaptations that have been made to best utilize these elements.
Contemporary elements encompass those used first in industrial or commercial
applications before fnding their way, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, into
residential use. It was during this period that concrete, steel, and structural elements
began to play a larger part in interior design, and understanding how to use these
elements in less-rigid residential interiors without giving up their inherent noble
characteristics is part of understanding how they are made and used today.
Professional interior design has experienced explosive growth since the end of World
War II, and the use of both classic and contemporary elements has created the modern
interiors we currently enjoy. Modern elements are a combination of classic sensibilities
and an out-of-the-box approach to application and function. Fabrics that change with the
light and concrete that is almost transparent create a sense of drama and excitement
while allowing modern interiors to remain warm and inviting.
As we have become more attuned to our needs and the needs of the planet as a
whole, we’ve learned to appreciate and embrace reclaimed and recycled elements. Many
of these elements, too, have come from commercial and industrial areas into our homes,
and understanding their origins will help when deciding what application is best for you
and your client. The reclamation of elements and the use of secondhand materials has
become one of the standard tools of our trade, and sustainability has come to the fore as
one of the most important aspects of material acquisition and use. our understanding of
how an element is created helps us make thoughtful and sensitive decisions about its use
within modern interior design installations.
Appropriate choices made in an effcient and thoughtful manner will help any
professional interior designer satisfy his or her clientele and, at the same time, create
sumptuous and refined interiors. A clear and complete understanding of resources and
acquisition will help make any designer’s job easier and more rewarding. The Interior
Design Sourcebook provides the tools necessary to meet client obligations, satisfy
aesthetic parameters, meet ecological considerations, and produce interiors that will
provide functional and comfortable surroundings.
