Design Styles Essentials - Best Interior and lifestyle design ideas          

Design Essentials

Designing your living or working space is an exciting and fun, but often daugnting task.

How to pull all those ideas together in a cohesive style. A style that is you, a space where you can live, work, laugh and play. There may not be one 'golden key' to unlock all your creativity, but there are some great resources at your finger tips. At artSparx we're commited to providing the support and resources to help you turn your dreams into reality.


Interior design and decorative arts are two closely related fields that focus on creating visually appealing and functional spaces.

While they share similarities, they also have distinct differences in their design essentials. Let's explore the main design essentials of interior design and compare them with the main design essentials of the decorative arts.

Interior Design Essentials
Design Essentials of Interior Design

Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a space to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing and functional environment for the people using it. The main design essentials of interior design include:

Space planning: This is the foundation of interior design, involving the arrangement and organization of furniture, fixtures, and other elements within a space to optimize its functionality and flow. Space planning considers factors such as traffic patterns, ergonomics, and spatial relationships between different areas of a room or space.

Color scheme: Color plays a crucial role in interior design, as it can greatly impact the mood, ambiance, and visual appeal of a space. A well-thought-out color scheme involves selecting appropriate colors for walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, and accessories that harmonize and create a cohesive look and feel.

Texture and pattern: Texture and pattern add visual interest and depth to a space. Interior designers carefully choose and incorporate different textures and patterns through materials, finishes, fabrics, and accessories to create a visually appealing environment. Texture and pattern also add tactile and sensory experiences to a space.

Lighting: Lighting is a critical element of interior design, as it affects the mood, functionality, and visual perception of a space. Interior designers consider natural and artificial lighting sources, as well as the placement of light fixtures to create an appropriate and balanced lighting scheme that enhances the space's overall aesthetic and functionality.

Furniture and fixtures: The selection, arrangement, and style of furniture and fixtures greatly impact the functionality, comfort, and aesthetic appeal of a space. Interior designers carefully choose furniture and fixtures that fit the space's scale, function, and style, while also considering factors such as comfort, durability, and sustainability.


Decorative Art Design Essentials
Design Essentials of Decorative Arts

On the other hand, decorative arts refer to the creation of aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing objects that are used to decorate spaces. The main design essentials of decorative arts include:

Form and shape: The form and shape of decorative objects, such as vases, sculptures, and art pieces, are essential design elements. Decorative artists carefully consider the form and shape of their creations, whether it be abstract or representational, to create visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing objects.

Material and craftsmanship: The choice of materials and the level of craftsmanship in decorative arts are crucial design considerations. Decorative artists often work with a variety of materials, such as wood, metal, glass, ceramics, and textiles, and employ different techniques and craftsmanship to create intricate and exquisite objects.

Ornamentation and detail: Decorative arts are known for their ornamental and detailed elements, such as carvings, engravings, etchings, and embellishments. These decorative details are carefully crafted to add visual interest and intricacy to the objects, enhancing their aesthetic appeal.

Style and aesthetics: Decorative arts encompass a wide range of styles and aesthetics, from traditional to contemporary, minimalistic to ornate. Decorative artists often draw inspiration from various cultural, historical, and artistic references to create unique and distinctive objects that reflect their individual style and aesthetic vision.

Context and placement: The context and placement of decorative objects within a space are also important design considerations. Decorative artists often create objects with specific functions or purposes in mind, such as a centerpiece for a dining table or a wall art for a living room. The placement of these objects within a space greatly affects their visual impact and overall aesthetic.



While interior design and decorative arts share some similarities in their focus on aesthetics and visual appeal, they also have distinct differences in their main design essentials. Interior design primarily focuses on space planning, color schemes, texture and pattern, lighting, and furniture and fixtures, while decorative arts focus on form and shape, material and craftsmanship, ornamentation and detail, style and aesthetics, and context and placement of objects. While both fields contribute to creating visually appealing spaces, they have unique considerations and approaches in their design essentials.


artSparx Design Portals

Building a strong design foundation will create the framework for your success.

We've created 6 essential design portals to help quide you on your pathway to success. Explore at your own pace. Focus on one section, or absorb them all. There is no 'one' way to design. Just be true to your feelings, rely on your instincts, build the proper tool kit through exploration, learning and 'getting your hands dirty', and your passions will spill into the world around you.

Design Styles

Tuscan

Elements of Style

Piecing it Together

Color Design

Understanding Color

Decorative Effects

Faux Fun

Step-by-Step

Think it...Make it!

Skills to Master

Build it...Fix it!


Design Styles - Plan where you want to play: Exploring differnet styles of design, whether its historic, geographic or thematic, helps you understand what feels right for you. No point in investing in a beautiful place if you and your family don't feel comfortable living in it.

Elements of Style - How will your spaces be used? What are the key features you are looking for. Will the room be a social or private space. Hardwood or carpet, what type of furniture and lighting is most appropriate? Understanding the function of the space allows you to thoughfully expore the elements that combine in a room to realize your personal style.

Color Design - Designing with Color. Using color takes a good eye, a little know how, and a creative imagination. At artSparx we've developed a color program that will help you solve all your color challenges.

Decorative Effects - Making your style your own is more than choosing the right furniture or throw pillow. Exploring the flea markets or your grandmothers attic is where you'll find some of the best stuff. Make it your own!.

Step-by-Step turorials - Now that you got this design thing down, branch out. Share what you can do by creating new and amazing things that help other find their style.

Skills to Master - Your tools are your strength. Be it knowledge, experience or basic ingenuity, the artSparx 'Skils to Master' helps lay the foundation for all you create.




Oil Gilding Video Tutorial

Quick Dry oil size gilding. This detailed demonstration shows you how to apply genuine gold, Silver, imitation gold, aluminum and copper leaf to objects and furniture using the classic 3 hour oil size method. Brought to you by the folks at gildedplanet.com, you'll learn about types of adhesive, testing for 'tack' and drying rates, easy leaf application tips and cleaning and burnishing the leaf.


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