Jessica Whittaker asked:


Brilliant furniture designs – On 28 February 1929, Frank Gehry was born in Toronto, Canada. Frank Gehry is among the pioneering and inventive architects of the world today as well as furniture designers. He relocated to Los Angeles with his family in 1947 where he associated with contemporary artists. He graduated from the University of South California in 1954 where he earned his undergraduate degree in architecture. Frank Gehry worked with firms such as Luckman associates, Pereira as well as Victor Gruen.

In 1962, Frank Gehry opened a small office in Santa Monica where his scope grew to include office buildings, libraries, furniture and exhibition designs to mention a few. Sophisticated computer software introduction facilitated his translation from model work to built form. Having over 140 employees, Frank Gehry and Associates covers several different countries such as Switzerland, Spain, Germany, France, the United States Scotland, and Japan among others.

Frank Gehry’s architectural practice has had a lot of impact on his furniture designs. His furniture designs are fairly cheaper compared to other furniture designers. Frank Gehry is able to produce furniture that is not only functional but striking as well, from basic materials manipulated in very unconventional ways.

Between 1969 to 1973, Frank Gehry created his first designs called Easy Edges, from simple corrugated cardboard materials that have turned out to be his favourite material for his models. Frank Gehry began manipulating cardboard sheets when he found out that the cardboard gained exponential strength when layered.

Frank Gehry manipulated the basic cardboard materials into curvilinear, graceful tables and chairs. His finished products were not only striking but immeasurably durable as well. Between 1979 to 1982, Frank Gehry introduced the experimental edges, which were much bulkier cardboard pieces that had improvisational shaggy edges as well as featuring a rough appearance.

Frank Gehry created larger volumes of the furniture by using thick corrugated cardboard with pronounced texture, as well as altering their density by combining sheets of different widths within a single form. Frank Gehry created the undulating line as well as slight ripples by intentionally misaligning their stacks.

In 1992, Frank Gehry manufactured the Bent Wood Furniture design, whose initial prototypes that were meant for Knoll had serpentine lines of the initial Easy Edge collection. The Bent Wood Furniture material as well as the structural support were inspired by the seamless integrated bushel basket.

Frank Gehry was given an opportunity to conduct an intense investigation of the maple wood as well as its production process at a workshop that was right next to his office. Four chairs, two tables as well as one ottoman were marketed out of the 120 prototypes that were developed from the investigation.

By using unorthodox materials such as corrugated metals, cardboard as well as chain links to make most of his trademark furniture, it earned Frank Gehry the nickname iconoclast. The nickname referred to his interest in the expressive potential of materials for his furniture, as well as the work of several contemporary artists who happened to be his close friends.

The Content Group asked:


You want to redesign your home, but you have no idea where to start. In the days before technology, you would have to take pictures of the rooms that you were redesigning, and then take those pictures with you to various department or furniture stores so that you could have a clear mental picture of how the furniture would look in your home.

The same was applicable when you were choosing the colors of the rooms in your home. You had to go to the paint or home improvement stores, and get paint swatches to place in the room or rooms that you were painting to see how the color would look. You wished at the time that there was an easier, more convenient way to figure out what would look best in your home. Now that is an option with interior design software!

About Interior Design Software

Many people think that interior design software is something that must be purchased wherever specialized computer software is sold. While this is not incorrect, at the same time there is software that can help you available directly through the internet. For example, if you are looking to purchase furniture from a certain furniture store, and that furniture store has a website, the site might have an option that allows you to see what certain furniture pieces might look like in your home. All you have to do is upload a picture of the room to the site for the software to work.

Many paint stores also have the option via their websites. Think about how much easier it will be to, with a click of a button, figure out if a color will work, all from the comfort of your home! Some of the software through these websites is quite advanced, so that you can see how the color will look at certain points of the day.

Of course, you also have the option of buying specialized interior design software -the kind that many professionals use. However, if you are not well-versed in computer software, you will have to have patience, because this software has many different aspects to it that you will need to learn. For example, if you are looking for certain patterns or colors, this software can to only help you find them, but you can also customize the look of the room! It is like having a mental picture tangibly available for all to see!

Keep in mind that the cost of interior design software can be expensive, the cost increasing in proportion to the amount of features that the software has. As to where this kind of software can be found, be sure to search the internet for reputable design websites that offer the software as part of their inventory. You are sure to find the right kind with the proper research. http://www.snslamps.com

Josh Neumann asked:


Believe it or not, your kitchen lighting design is one of the most important components to your overall kitchen look and feel, but it’s something all too many people don’t pay nearly enough attention to. Depending on the kind of kitchen you want, your lighting design can make all the difference in your interior design being a success or failure.

Unfortunately, many people spend literally thousands of dollars to have their kitchen redesigned. They go to many different stores, use free kitchen design software and kitchen design online websites, get thousands of kitchen design ideas, and spend days picking out their cabinets, wall color, floor design, drawers and appliances.

However, they generally forget about the incredible difference that lighting can make. Without the right lighting, all your design efforts will be useless.

Many people end their long days after work by working in a cellar like kitchen with minimum lightening. Kitchen lighting design is going to save you from such poor working conditions.

Choose a bright paint for your kitchen walls and a light color floor as a fact bright color emits light and dark absorbs it. Divide your kitchen into a working area and seating area.

Your working area or task area should be well illuminated and your seating area should have pleasant lighting. Task areas can be over the cook top, over your sink or countertop where you cut vegetables.

Fluorescent tubes or shadow less tubes are best suited in these areas as they give ample amount of light needed for cooking, cleaning and reading out from recipes. Hanging pendent style lights and under cabinet lighting can be fixed as well.

Someone seated in one of your dining chairs could be admiring your clean china and crystal glasses inside a glass cupboard in accent lighting. Collectible porcelain or artwork anything you want to show off will not find any place better than this cupboard with your accent lighting effect.

Feature yourself seated to have dinner. You would definitely not want a tube burning brightly over your head. You need ambient lighting or pleasant lighting. There are varieties to choose from. Different colored lightings or shadow lights can be used for this place. Welcoming guests in your dining area in such a light would be brilliant.

Try keeping the window open for daylight in your kitchen. If you have placed a potted palm or fern in your kitchen a little bit of sunlight would do wonders for your plants. Finally, if at all possible, implement as many windows into your kitchen as possible, because the more windows, the more natural light you let in, which is obviously the best kind of light available.

Kitchen lighting is not just about necessity. It is about comfort, radiance and efficiency. Most likely, you probably want your kitchen to have as bright and cheerful a look as possible, but this just isn’t possible without a good lighting.

Hopefully this information will give you some ideas to implement for your kitchen and give it the look and feel you want. With kitchen lighting design in place you are in for a bright time ahead.

Sarah H asked:


For many people the bedroom is a sanctuary. It is the first place they see when they wake up and the last place they see before they fall asleep. It’s also the place in which you spend about a third of your life and for this reason bedroom designs are very important. Bedroom designs help you make the most of your space. It’s what makes you feel comfortable in your room and helps you relax every time you enter your own private space. In short bedroom designs you choose should be pleasing to your spirit. So if you really want your bedroom to be a heaven for you then you need to start with a bedroom design.

Bedroom designs take the dull and boring white wall space that you sleep in out of your bedroom by creating a truly unique comfortable yet functional and visually appealing space. And it is truly unique since your bedroom can be as creative as you can be! Best of all it’s something you can do yourself so that you get exactly what you want and the fulfillment of knowing that you created a space that you absolutely adore.

Calling in the experts or a few extra helping hands can also be done, depending on how drastic a change you are making in your room and it also helps to have the input of others, especially those who are skilled in the area of décor and design. But your budget, time and overall style will determine this, so don’t fret and in any case you can turn a regular bedroom into a fantastic bedroom easier than you thought! It truly can be a very rewarding task before, during and after the project is done and over with.

Ideas for bedroom designs can come from literally and virtually anywhere. A movie, a setting from a book, history or even a friend’s home can give you the inspiration you need to get your bedroom design going all you have to do is keep an observant eye open. Some of these can be combined as you may find a colour scheme in one place and furniture ideas in another!

It is useful to get up to date also since many people still tend to think of a bedroom as a printed floral paper homely place or decorating by only adding pictures to the walls. It’s time to think a bit brighter and more creative because bedrooms today can very affordably be outfitted with style and elegance depending on your personal preference. Try a little romance on for size if you are a newly wed couple, or perhaps a contemporary new bedroom is what you may need to deviate from granny’s bedroom style.

When it comes to designing your bedroom the sky truly is the limit. With so many styles, types of furniture, designs and colours to choose from there is no telling what your creative mind could come up with! Just make sure that your needs are taken into account so that the room is also functional and if you happen to share a bedroom, especially with a significant other, it is best to make the project a collaboratory effort. If the family works on a bedroom design together, nothing but a good time and satisfaction of doing it together will come of it.

There are a million different designs to choose from and there is surely something that you and your family can find in the range so that everybody is happy. Remember comfort and functionality are key concepts to bear in mind but there is no reason why these shouldn’t also be visually appealing!

It really helps if your designs are based around colors, textures, fabrics and objects that make you feel calm, serene and secure and don’t forget to incorporate those things like art, photographs and personal mementos that are most dear to you!

Holly Brown asked:


Interior designer or interior decorator.

What is the difference, for both professions you can go to school and earn some type of degree. Both provide decent paying jobs. They both also have a huge amount of creativity involved with them. So what is the difference?

Well an Interior decorator learns the following things.

Applying wallpaper,

painting walls and other surfaces,

choosing furniture and fittings,

Draft floor plans

Accessories.

Interior designers

Do all of the above and…

Design based on the environmental feel of the room

They can knock down walls.

They can design complete homes, up to a set number of feet.

They have a backround in architecture and know some engineering

They have knowledge of constructions codes.

Interior design in the US is not always regulated by the state, though many states do require a person calling themselves an Interior Designer to have schooling and go though other processes and test. Other states do not require anything and allow someone who has a knack for decorating to call themselves an Interior designer.

What are the problems with this. One could be you have an inexperienced person who has never taken classes or looked at a code book coming into your home or office and designing it. This could result in non-commercial grade items going into a building that is commercial. Such as a hotel getting fabric that is not commercial grade therefore instead of the hotel taking 3 hours to burn to the ground in a fire, it many only take one. Commercial grade fabrics and other items usually have a higher standard for fire safety.

There are some decorators who have been doing this for a while and they do know these codes and the differences in commercial and residential materials. Do your homework before you hire a designer if you live in an area that does not regulate them.

For more information on design visit my blog

ABC’s of Fine Design

Lee Dobbins asked:


When designing your new kitchen no longer do you have to rely on pen and paper instead there are a number of different kitchen design software programs that you could easily utilize. These software programs allow you to design your own kitchen in the comfort of your own home and then provide you with a virtual look of how the completed project will be.

Many of the kitchen design software programs that are now available allow you to add colour, lighting, furniture and anything that you need to design what you would like. Also the best part about these programs is that they usually have catalog products from manufacturers and designers which you are able to choose from and include in your design. There is in fact some software programs which have been particularly made for designing kitchens with such as 20-20 Design, Kitchen Design Software and AutoKitchen Pro.

However 20-20 Design is now recognized worldwide and this program allows you full colour, three dimensional and photo like renderings and which allows designers to achieve realistic kitchen environments from every angle possible with the added possibility to zoom in on any section of the kitchen that they want.

The benefit of having a kitchen design software program is that you lets you plan and design your kitchen before you begin building it. Such software will let you choose the type of kitchen furniture, fittings and fixtures (sinks etc.,) as well as flooring that you may require for your kitchen. The benefit also allows the user of the program to be able to visualize the kitchen before the building process begins.

Another good software program to consider is AutoKitchen Pro which is a stand alone program and includes the Auto CAD OEM engine. This software includes universal cabinet catalogs along with a catalog editor which allows you to make alterations to the height, materials, cabinet frames and other features of any cabinets that you are interested in. This software programs has over 150 cabinet door styles as well as more than 100 knobs and handles in it.

With any kitchen design software that you use it is meant to give you an idea of how your kitchen will look if you were to choose a certain colour, fittings and appliances. Plus it saves you money as you will be able to see what the finished kitchen will look like prior to you actually building it. You can avoid costly mistakes that you might make if you were to try to piece the kitchen together as you go. Even for the smallest of kitchen jobs, planning ahead of time can really save you and can insure you get a kitchen that looks exactly the way you want it to.

Jessica Whittaker asked:


Furniture designers like Hans J. Wegner ones said “A chair is to have no backside. It should be beautiful from all sides and angles.”

Some of the most beautiful and luxurious furniture ever to be produced has come out of Denmark. The country seems to breed some of the most innovative furniture designing minds ever and the entire world can bask in the luxury that these men and women produce. Simple lines and minimalist style that didn’t lose functionality was the type of furniture that Hans J. Wegner preferred to design.

Born April 2, 1914 to a cobbler and his wife, Wegner worked as a carpenter’s child apprentice from a very young age. He served the mandatory military time the country of Denmark required before going on to a technical college and then the School of Arts and Crafts. He followed this with time at the Architectural Academy in Copenhagen and even his earliest furniture designs – no doubt done for his college classes – show the minimalist style he became known for. One of his first designs was an armchair with sloping armrests that reminds you of relaxed wrists. His approach to furniture design was by “stripping the old chairs of their outer style and letting them appear in their pure construction.”

A highly intelligent designer who understood the value of networking in the late 1930s and 1940s, Wegner attended many shows during his college years. When he graduated from college, he was hired by Arne Jacobsen, another well known Danish furniture designer, at the drawing office and his very assignment was to draw the furniture for the new city hall building in Aarhus that Jacobsen would design. He went on to start his own company and partnered with Borge Mogensen and Erik Kold to draw furniture for the Danish grocery store chain FDB. This furniture – inexpensive but of high quality – eventually made its way into the international market.

As Wegner’s designs took hold around the world, he started working with PP Mobler, the company that still produces his designs today and who he almost exclusively designed for in later years. His famous Hoop Chair that was designed in 1965 was produced by Mobler in 1985, completely crafted in wood and not with the steel base Wegner originally intended. Additionally, Wegner designed for Johannes Hansen, Carl Handen & Son, Fritz Hansen, Getama, Fredericia Stolefabrik and many more over the years. It was only within the last ten years of Wegner’s life that he stopped designing furniture and in the 93 years Wegner was alive, he designed over 500 chairs.

Wegner passed away January 26, 2007 and his furniture is still available on the market today. He won almost every major design honor and award throughout his career and was made honorary Royal designer for industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London, England. Many of Wegner’s pieces can be found in museums all over the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, NY, America, and Die Neue Samlung, Munich, Germany, and twenty other museums.