Today, as more Western Australians place greater emphasis on Interior Design than ever before, there are still those who hold to the view, hiring an Interior Designer is extravagance and at worst a waste of money. To them Interior Design is the notion of selecting fashionable colors for the sake of being artistic and creating impractical designs, only good for gracing the pages of lifestyle magazines.
What is your view? - Is Interior Design a whim or a science? Is it a reality or just a romantic notion?
It matters to your psyche
Why do certain houses or public buildings, make you feel so underwhelmed and uncomfortable to the point you want to get out of there immediately and never come back, whilst others make you happy, inspired and positive, so that you are drawn to them regularly? Although most are aware of how certain spaces make them feel, do they know why? What is the power that makes inanimate space exert such influence on us, making us feel as if we live a dream or a nightmare?
Simply put, it is the arrangement or manipulation, or space. The general term for space manipulation or design is Spatial Design, or as more commonly known, Interior Design, which is specific to designing enclosed spaces.
Our subconscious mind collects information about a room's volume, proportion, light, positive and negative space, as well as surface treatments and makes assessments about it, based on survival, past experiences, expectations and personality. So despite considering yourself totally divorced and disinterested in matters of Interior Design, it matters to your very psyche!
Spatial Design doesn't just affect feelings but also behaviors
Researcher Roger Barker was the first to develop and prove the theory of social settings influencing behavior. He noted: “In a store, people assume their roles as customers. In school and church, proper behavior somehow already resides coded in the place. ”
This is why design professionals use anthropology and environmental psychology, in architecture and product design, to holistically enhance or create human environments and to encourage certain behaviors.
In light of the evidence, it is obvious Interior Design is not about prettiness nor is it an extravagance. It affects our emotions our behavior and even our well being. It is both a need and compulsion for any of us who live work and play in enclosed environments!
Art and Science
Consequently, Interior Design can be defined as the art and science of arranging a space in a way that fulfills the aesthetic, and physical needs of its occupants whilst being conducive to their activities and well being.
Awareness of the ability of improved enclosed environments to create positive changes in people's lives has placed a focus on developing solutions to improve the living spaces of the ever-growing elderly population. Additionally, establishments designed to consider health and accessibility issues, rely on the help of specialized designers to address these. Interestingly retail stores, and many other commercial venues take advantage of the power to manipulate the mood and behavior of customers, spectators, gamblers and travelers, by creating a certain ambience conducive to specific behaviors, with favorable results.
Space Design Universe
Even the vast space we call universe, benefited from some good Spatial Design. For those of us who remember ….. in its early days, the vast space was chaos filled with gases and particles. Then with a Spatial Design, of astronomical proportions, a make-over was successfully implemented where space received a large format fit-out, walls painted black and funky luminaries were installed! Now people are queuing up to visit… Frivolity aside the point is, in the absence of Design Chaos rules!
Chaos is unsettling, unsightly, uncomfortable, stressful not to mention hazardous. Design is conducive to beauty, harmony, order, tranquility, productivity, success and well being!
So how would you answer? - Interior ( Spatial ) Design - who needs it?
