Design Essentials

Designing your space is exciting and fun, but can be daunting.

Pulling all your ideas together in a cohesive style is a challenge. At artSparx, we provide support and resources to help you turn your dreams into reality.


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

They share similarities but also have distinct differences. Let's explore the main design essentials of interior design and compare them with those of decorative arts.

Interior Design Essentials
Design Essentials of Interior Design

Interior design enhances the interior of a space to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing and functional environment. Key essentials include:

  • Space planning: Arrangement of furniture and fixtures to optimize functionality and flow, considering traffic patterns, ergonomics, and spatial relationships.
  • Color scheme: Selecting appropriate colors to create a cohesive look and feel that impacts mood and ambiance.
  • Texture and pattern: Adding visual interest and depth through materials, finishes, fabrics, and accessories.
  • Lighting: Considering natural and artificial light sources to enhance the space's aesthetic and functionality.
  • Furniture and fixtures: Choosing and arranging furniture and fixtures to fit the space's scale, function, and style.

Decorative Art Design Essentials
Design Essentials of Decorative Arts

Decorative arts focus on creating visually appealing objects used to decorate spaces. Key essentials include:

  • Form and shape: Consideration of form and shape in creating visually appealing objects.
  • Material and craftsmanship: Choice of materials and level of craftsmanship in creating intricate and exquisite objects.
  • Ornamentation and detail: Crafting decorative details to add visual interest and intricacy.
  • Style and aesthetics: Drawing inspiration from various cultural, historical, and artistic references to create unique objects.
  • Context and placement: Creating objects with specific functions and placing them within a space to enhance visual impact.

Interior design and decorative arts share a focus on aesthetics and visual appeal but have distinct design essentials. Interior design emphasizes space planning, color schemes, texture and pattern, lighting, and furniture and fixtures. Decorative arts focus on form and shape, material and craftsmanship, ornamentation and detail, style and aesthetics, and context and placement.


artSparx Design Portals

Build a strong design foundation for success.

Explore our 6 essential design portals at your own pace. Focus on one section or absorb them all. Design is personal, so be true to your instincts, build the proper toolkit, and let your passions 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 different styles of design 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? Understanding the function of the space allows you to thoughtfully explore 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 grandmother's attic is where you'll find some of the best stuff. Make it your own!

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

Skills to Master - Your tools are your strength. Be it knowledge, experience, or basic ingenuity, the artSparx 'Skills 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. Learn about types of adhesive, testing for 'tack' and drying rates, easy leaf application tips, and cleaning and burnishing the leaf.


parchment paint effect

Pre-mixed Glazes

Ready, set, GO!

Get started with these premixed glazes. Select one of our pre-mixed glaze colors or create your own. We custom mix any color from all major paint manufacturers. Just pick your own color from any swatch book and let us know the paint name and number, and we'll send you the right glaze - interior or exterior - custom matched to your liking.

Create classic effects such as colorwashing, dragging, striee, antiquing effects, furniture effects, and much more!

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premixed color glaze for faux finishing


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