What Is Interior Design (And Why Can It Really Make You Feel Better)?

If you don't like a specific musical style, the theater bores you, or you're not attracted to works of art, you can almost always avoid them. Architecture, however, is different. A poorly thought-out project will affect the lives of many people consistently and for a long time. With interiors, this effect is even more amplified. Humanity is spending more and more time indoors, which directly impacts our well-being and health. In periods of compulsory retirement, as in the current pandemic of Covid-19, we gain a sense of how important interior spaces are for our well-being and even for the prevention of diseases. Designing an indoor environment is a huge responsibility for a professional. An interior designer must plan, research, coordinate, and manage these projects to obtain an adequately healthy and aesthetically pleasing environment for the people who use the space. But what, in fact, is interior design?

Not infrequently, interior design is confused with decoration - a misconception that comes loaded with a number of prejudices and misunderstandings. The choice of coverings, colors, and finishes is, in fact, one important aspect of interior design.

First, it is essential to understand user behaviors and desires to create functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces. The organization of movement is a starting point, which can be achieved through basic layout manipulation. This division of space can be accomplished through walls, but also through furniture and even objects. At the same time, interior design must pay attention to comfort conditions (whether thermal, lighting or acoustic), as well as ergonomics, which dictates the best dimensions for furniture and objects. Finally, the specification of coatings and materials constitutes the most visible and superficial part of interior design, but is no less important. This final touch composes the face of the project, transmitting the designer's vision as well as the desires and needs of the users.