Rosemary Kilmer - Designing Interiors

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kilmer, Rosemary, author.
Designing interiors / Rosemary Kilmer, ASID, W. Otie Kilmer, AIA.Second edition.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-118-02464-5 (pbk.); 978-1-118-41866-6 (ebk); 978-1-118-41580-1
1. Interior decoration. 2. Sustainable design. I. Kilmer, W. Otie, author. II. Title.
NK2110.K45 2013
729dc23

2013018921

For our creative daughters, Courtney, Lisa, and Teresa who all have a passion for interior design

Preface

Interior design is an exciting and expanding profession. The responsibilities of an interior designer encompass all spaces, components, and elements within environments built for human needs and aspirations. The education of the professional interior designer aims for the highest levels of creativity, knowledge, and skill in designing for our increasingly complex and technological society. Interior designers are also actively responsive to issues that concern our societies, our people, and this planet. These professionals have a commitment to conserving energy, ending pollution, preventing global warming, and recycling our resources. They support the preservation of endangered life and plant forms, as well as cultures and buildings. Interior designers try to understand the interrelationships of local and global factors and to make positive design decisions on both the macro and the micro levels. Above all, the interior designer is cognizant of human needs, cultural differences, and the contextual links necessary for responsive and responsible environments.

It has been many years since we wrote the first edition of Designing Interiors . The intent of the first edition was to provide a strong introduction and understanding of the process of designing interiors from the conceptual ideas to the final implementation. At the time it was first published, it was one of the few books on the market that included this process for both residential and commercial design.

The second edition of Designing Interiors follows a similar format and organization to the first edition. The second edition includes updated information and incorporates how interior design is taught and practiced today. This includes an emphasis on issues such as sustainability, universal design, practicing in a global society, and respecting social values.

We have added a great deal of new information, illustrations, and photographs to reinforce current design and construction methods, materials, and practices. However, some of the material we presented 20 years ago still remains relevant today. This includes our commitment to the planet, people, and natural resources we sought to emphasize back then.

This book is intended to serve as a comprehensive overview of the basic knowledge required for the education of the professional interior designer. As the field of interior design becomes an increasingly regulated and licensed profession, education and practice will continue to emphasize a solid expertise in designing for people, their environments, and a better quality of life for all. Complex technical knowledge and creativity will be required to implement environments while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Designing Interiors, 2nd edition, incorporates material essential to the preparation of a designer who has a holistic view and is capable of communicating with other professionals to help create successful and responsive interior spaces.

Interior design is presented in this book as an integrated process applicable to both residential and nonresidential (commercial) interiors. Although interior designers and some colleges focus on one or the other of these, the design of residential interior environments and the design of commercial interior environments are presented herein as similar processes with similar concerns. Although each area has special considerations, the education of interior design students must have a foundation applicable to both.

This book is intended to be used primarily as an introduction to interior design at the college level. However, as the interior design profession is so complex, this book could easily be used in subsequent studio courses that go beyond a mere introduction. As beginning interior design courses can vary in their content, breadth of coverage, and approach, some parts of this book may not be applicable for a single course or for a particular instructors teaching methods. Some chapters or sections might be bypassed or rearranged according to an instructors preferences. Some of the technical matter might be saved for use in upper-level courses. However, this book can serve as an introduction to those topics and as a comprehensive reference for interior design students throughout their education.

The text is organized into six parts consisting of related chapters. Content is introduced at basic conceptual levels and applied to the practice of interior design; then more complex information is added. This structure parallels the education and practice of interior designers from initial problem awareness and definition to incorporating various materials and building systems to create interior spaces.