The Home of Ideas

Interior design is a practice concerned with anything that is founded inside of a space – walls, windows, doors, textures, light, furnishings and furniture. All of these elements are used by interior designers to develop the most functional space for a building's users.

People need space and equipment to make home life convenient and equally important. They need opportunity to express their own preferences and ideals of beauty.

The main principle of design of a modern house is the absence of any concrete style, a mixture of styles, an eclectic approach.

An interior designer is a person who designs interiors around contemporary family needs. “The Home of Ideas” meets our needs directly and takes advantage of technological progress. There is common practice of beginning home interior design or furniture selection by choosing a “style” on the basis of appearance alone.

Thoughtful planning leads to success. The needs of persons are carefully considered as the first step in planning of attractive environment for living. They need space for a great number of activities and a place to eat and sleep. Designers prepare many preliminary sketches or diagrams to illustrate the vision of interior space. Last come the refinement of the best sketches. Many designers use computer-aided design (CAD) tools to create and better visualize the final product. The occupants’ activities and needs are analyzed, and then the space is zoned and furnished so that the several activities have logical, well-equipped centers. These centers are sensibly located.

In every room, the interior architectureis a determining factor. The furniture group becomes a visual and a focal point for the whole room. The living room is probably the most important “public” and the best decorated place in our home.

Whether the room is large or small, furniture should reflect the same feeling. The furniture in the living room is related to its background and to the space it occupies. This is a result of planning interior space for furniture, then selecting appropriate pieces and placing them well. A great variety of accessories can be chosen to create decorative elements, to suit your taste and to please the people who to come to your place.

The bedroom is the most important private place in the home. That is why you should design and decorate your bedroom with only your taste to guide you. Each object expresses a purpose and material. There is a basic unifying idea of frank simplicity expressed in the uncomplicated shapes and many plain surfaces.

The elements of design (space, line, shape, texture, light, colour and pattern) and the principles of design (scale and proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis and harmony) form the foundation for all design. The organization of these elements and principles including colour and light helps to ensure a quality design. These elements help the designer to create an interior that is physically and psychologically comfortable and attractive.

IV Answer the questions:

1. What elements are used by interior designers to develop the most functional space?

2. What do people need in apartments?

3. What is the main principle of design of a modern house?

4. Why is the Home of Ideas called modern?

5. What were the first steps in planning the Home of Ideas?

6. What does the organization of furniture groups demonstrate?

7. Does the furniture group become a visual, focal point for the whole room and why?

8. Does the organization of design elements and design principles help to ensure a quality design?

V Complete the sentences with the words from the text:

1. The elements of design are used by interior designers to develop the... for a building's users.

2. People need space and equipment … convenient and important.

3. The occupants’ activities and needs are analyzed, and then the … so that the several activities have logical, well-equipped centers.

4. The … becomes a visual, focal point for the whole room.

5. A great variety of accessories can be chosen to create … of the living room.

6. Each object expresses ….

VI Find the English equivalents to the words:

удосконалення, радувати, зручний, важливий, стиль, перевага, ескіз, розміщати, гармонія, прикрашати, сучасні потреби

VII Make up the sentences with the terms:

interior designer, attention, common practice, furniture groups, occupants’ activities, well-equipped centers, shape, eclectic approach, focal point, decorated place, introductory step

VIII Give definitions to the words:

concern, interior architecture, functional space, refinement, rhythm, preferences, preliminary sketches, furnishing, reflect, elements, principles

IX Translate into English:

1. Людям потрібен простір та обладнання, щоб зробити домашнє життя зручним.

2. Головний принцип дизайну сучасного житла – вiдсутнiсть прив’язки до конкретного стилю – еклектика.

3. На першому кроці планування привабливого помешкання дизайнерами дбайливо враховуються потреби людей.

4. Багато дизайнерів використовують комп’ютер у своїй роботі.

5. Меблі – це домінуючий фактор у кожній кімнаті.

6. Організація елементів та принципів дизайну допомагає забезпечити якість дизайну.

X Speak on the topic using the following words and word-combinations:

interior design, concern, functional space, furniture, activities, convenient, concrete style, eclectic approach, family needs, technological progress, thoughtful planning, attractive environment, basic principles, well-equipped centers, furniture group, monotony, design elements and principles

TEXT B

I Read and remember:

1. subtle незначний