Photo Analysis

The elements and principles of design work together to create a room that is visually appealing to the eye.  The elements of design include line, space, shape, form, texture, pattern, color and light.  Where as the principles include balance, emphasis, rhythm, scale, proportion, unity, variety and harmony.  The photo I chose portrays many examples in each category.

            The first principle shown in this picture is balance.  The large couch is placed against the wall, but is balanced by the two chairs and a table on the opposite side, creating a sense of symmetrical balance.  Proportion is also a key principle in this photo.  The furniture is the correct size for the room and the rug used in the room is the perfect size to fit underneath the furniture.  The emphasis of this room is the tall windows on the back wall.  The chairs are angled towards the middle, which draws the eye straight to the back wall to focus on the hanging picture and the long windows. 

            One of the first elements portrayed in this photo is color.  By keeping the walls, furniture, and flooring neutral, the orange and turquoise accents in the room draw most of the attention.  The majority of lines in the living room are horizontal, which create a sense of calmness and tranquility.  One of the last elements is texture.  When first looking at the photo, it looks like the same smooth textures are applied everywhere.  However, the drapery fabric looks rougher than the smooth fabric on the couches, chairs and rug.  Also, the orange vases and the glass lamp bases are a shiny glass texture. 

            Overall, this room is a very good example of how the principles and elements of design combine to create a beautifully designed room.  I really love the orange and turquoise pop of color that were added so the room did not look so dull.    

Unusual Materials

Typically shipping containers are seen stacked high on a barge, but now they’re being seen in a creative way.  These rectangular metal boxes are the inspiration for a new recycled and sustainable home.  Shipping containers have been turned into homes, offices, dorms, and apartments.

            The containers can be stacked in many different ways with the help of a crane.  They are also very durable, widely available, and have a low-cost.  Due to the standard measurements of the containers, they can easily be connected into larger structures and the boxes interlock for easy transportation.  In addition, the shipping containers are resistant to mold, fire, and termites, which make an ideal home with minimal upkeep.

            There are many buildings made out of shipping containers all around the world.  In 2002, a five-story building named Container City II was constructed and includes an elevator, twenty-two studios, and full disabled access.  In Amsterdam, a student-housing complex inhabits 1,000 students.  Each resident enjoys a balcony, bathroom, kitchen, separate sleeping and studying rooms, and large windows.  This complex has been so successful that the building’s lease has been extended until 2016.  Also, one of the more well-known container houses is the Adam Kalkin Quik House, which has a waitlist of over six months.  This container house offers 2,000 square feet, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and can be complete with interior details in three months.  There are endless options to choose from for these shipping container buildings.

            Even though living in a shipping container does not sound very appealing, there are countless ways to customize the containers.  They end up looking like amazing pieces of architecture that also happen to be recyclable and can be made extremely eco-friendly.  So next time you’re considering buying a new house or office building, consider all the new and innovative unusual materials being used around the world!

Design Expo 2011

            Every fall semester as Texas Tech University, many vendors come to the Merket Alumni center to attend the Design Expo.  It set up by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).  Before the Design Expo, there is a learning lunch that takes place and a guest speaker gives a presentation during the lunch.  Every year there are different vendors that attend the expo in order to share their products, show off their new lines, and talk to the interior design students. 

            Last year I was not able to go the learning lunch, but this year I had the privilege of being able to attend.  Our speaker this year was Brian Graham, who has had more than twenty-four years of experience in the design field.  He currently designs for Knoll and has a line of furniture for private offices.  One of the topics he discussed related to the importance of sketching and being able to visualize a designer’s train of thought through a process board.  Overall, he was a very funny guy that gave us useful tips for the future of our interior design journey.

            The design expo started later that day, upon entering there was a table set up that gave away a free bag to place all the samples in.  There were lots of booths set up with various products, such as office chairs, tile, wall coverings, paint, and many more.  I stopped at every booth to gather information about each company and what they sold.  Almost all of the booths gave away free samples of their products.  One of my favorite booths was Daltile.  They had a bunch of new tile lines on display, with everything from stone to glass to metal.  My favorite line had a combination of glass tile, which was curved, combined with a metal and a piece of stone.  It caught your eye because it was so shiny and sleek, but then it had the piece of stone in it to tone the rest of it down.

            All in all, Design Expo was a great experience.  It is such a great opportunity to see all the new products and get to know more about each person and their experience.  In the future, these companies could be potential jobs or potential clients.  

Campus Materials Analysis

In interior design, choosing the correct fabric for a space is one of the most important steps.  There are six different types of fabric applications which include seating, window treatments, wall coverings, panel applications, flooring and fiber-based artwork.   Out of all of these, seating is the most common application, so it is important to choose a fabric that is able to withstand daily use by many people. 

            Thousands of students come through the Student Union Building everyday to eat, study, or pass time in between classes.  There is a wide variety of seating throughout the building that includes benches, tables with booths, cushioned chairs, and cushioned stools.  In addition to the variety of seating styles, there are a variety of fabrics on the seats.  Most of the chairs and benches have a polyester blend of fabric with a geometric pattern on them.  The only issue with this fabric is staining.  The area is so commonly used for eating, there are stains on most of these chairs.  However, this fabric is not only comfortable but it is fairly durable.  The chairs are been upholstered in this fabric for several years and there is hardly any noticeable wear on them.  While this is a good choice, there is a better one.

            The other upholstered material on the seating in the Student Union Building is faux leather.  While there is not much of it, there are a few chairs that are upholstered the solid faux-leather.  This material would have been a better option for all of the seating in the building because of its durability and stain resistance.  On the other hand, the faux leather is most likely more expensive than the polyester blended material. 

            Overall, the seating upholstery in the Student Union Building is a good choice for the large amount of use that it takes daily.  The fabric is not only durable, but it has a fairly generic pattern so that it does not go out of style within a couple of years.  The only improvement that could have been made is to choose one uniform fabric throughout the whole building, such as the faux leather.  

All About Looks

            Whenever you’re looking to redo a room most people automatically think to go to a furniture store and buy new furniture.  But why not customize and reupholster the furniture you already have?  All About Looks is a unique fabric store that fits to your wants and needs. 

            All About Looks is a family owned store by a mother and her two daughters.  It was started nine years ago and none of the girls have any degree in interior design.  They also have a woman who sews and an upholsterer, which makes it cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture. In addition to furniture upholstery, they also create custom drapes, bedding, wall coverings, slipcovers, and area rugs. 

            They have a wide variety of fabrics to accommodate various tastes and styles.  One of the more interesting fabrics was cork.  They had samples of cork wall coverings and a pillow covered in cork that was on display.  One of the newer books they had gotten in stock was a new type of wall covering.  It was white and felt like sand, but you could make giant patterns or small patterns and paint over it with any type of paint.  A more interesting fabric that was shown to us was cowhide, however it was combined with newspaper.

            After experimenting with drapery and curtains, they decided that doing custom draperies would be easier.  They have a huge selection of curtain rods and decorative ends for the rods.  She also explained to us the importance of sewing the fabric so that the ends match up the right way. 

            I really loved this field trip and all the beautiful fabrics they had in store.  It was very informative.  Next time I need new furniture I will definitely think twice about running to the store to buy something new.   

FIber and Biopolymer Research Institute

Last week we took two trips to the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute.  On the second day we learned about the various different methods used to test the strength and durability of fabrics.  There are four main methods that relate to the strength of the fabric and one method relating to the shrinkage of the fabric.

The first method in the strength process is called the Martindale Abrasion Tester.  This process “determines the abrasion resistance of the textile fabrics, or wear ability of textile fabrics” (Handout 1, pp. 1).  There are a variety of fabrics that can be used in the test such as a plain weave, crossbred, or worsted wool fabric. These fabrics are used in combination with a felt fabric, the felt is first placed on top of the abrading table and the fabric is then placed over the top. Afterwards the pressing weight is placed on top and the clamp ring is placed over the weight and locked in.  The abrasion process works “by subjecting the fabric specimen to a rubbing motion in the form of a geometric figure, a straight line, which becomes a gradually widening eclipse until it for another straight line in the opposite direction,” (Handout 1, pp. 2).

The second method shown is the Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics. This method determines the breaking force by “using either a grab sample or a raveled or cut strip sample…and determine the bursting strength of fabrics,” (Handout 2, pp. 1).  The grab test determines the strength of a fabric. However, the breaking force does not show the strength of the yarns between the clamps, only the fabric.  The “values for the breaking force and elongation test specimens are obtained from the computer, which is interlaced with the testing machine,” (Handout 2, pp. 9).

The next method is the Tearing Strength Elmendorf Method tests the “average tearing force of a specimen from the energy loss of a falling pendulum,” (Handout 3, pp. 1). This machine subjects the fabric to a “real-life” scenario in which it would be exposed to a sudden heavy load, causing the fabric to tear. The fabric is “loaded into the sample jaws, the jaws are then closed and the specimen is slit by pulling down the knife lever,” (Handout 3, pp. 4). 

The fourth strength method is the Random Tumble Pilling Tester, which shows the fabric’s resistance to pills. This is mainly performed on all types of woven and knitted apparel fabrics. There are four different chambers, shaped like cylinders that are lined with a thin cork. The fabric is placed inside and covers are placed on the chambers, which then begin to spin for thirty-minutes. The fabric is then graded using a certain scale, which tell the researchers the amount of pilling on the fabric.

The shrinkage method is the Dimensional Changes of Fabrics Accelerated, which compares the distances between length and width direction benchmarks before and after a programmed test. The process begins by drawing four dots in a diamond on the fabric, then measuring the distance and washing the fabric. Once the fabric is dried, the dots are re-measured and the shrinkage is calculated.

Overall, this tour was very informative and provided a view into the production of everyday materials.  These tests are crucial to the quality of the fabrics that are used in upholstery and apparel manufacturing.