FURNITURE

AR12-63: INTERIOR DESIGN AND DETAILING PRAJITHA T K

WHILE WALLS, FLOORS,
CEILINGS, WINDOWS, AND
DOORS ARE ESTABLISHED IN
THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
OF A BUILDING, THE
SELECTION AND
ARRANGEMENT OF MOVABLE
INTERIOR ELEMENTS -
FURNITURE, WINDOW
TREATMENTS, AND
ACCESSORIES - ARE MAJOR
TASKS OF INTERIOR DESIGN

FURNISHINGS MAKE
INTERIORS HABITABLE BY
PROVIDING COMFORT AND
UTILITY IN THE TASKS AND
ACTIVITIES WE UNDERTAKE.

FURNITURE
INTERIOR DESIGNERS COMMONLY
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL
AND COMMERCIAL FURNISHINGS

FURNISHINGS PURCHASED FOR

OFFICES UNDER FURNITURE,
FURNISHINGS, AND EQUIPMENT
(FF&E) CONTRACTS, SUCH AS
MODULAR PARTITION SYSTEMS,
CHAIRS, AND DESKS, ARE SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS CONTRACT
FURNISHINGS

THE DISTINCTION MAY BE ONE OF

STYLE, DURABILITY, OR FIRE
RESISTANCE

SOME PIECES SERVE EQUALLY WELL IN

EITHER RESIDENTIAL OR BUSINESS
SETTINGS

FURNITURE
SPACES OPEN TO USE BY THE
PUBLIC USUALLY HAVE MORE
STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS
FOR FIRE SAFETY

REQUIREMENTS FOR
ACCESSIBILITY ALSO AFFECT
FURNISHINGS IN PUBLIC
SPACES AND AT WORK

FACILITIES THAT RECEIVE

INTENSIVE USE, SUCH AS
CLASSROOMS, HEALTHCARE
FACILITIES, AND
RESTAURANTS, REQUIRE VERY
DURABLE AND WELL-
CONSTRUCTED FURNISHINGS

FURNITURE
IN ADDITION TO
FULFILLING SPECIFIC
FUNCTIONS, FURNITURE
CONTRIBUTES TO THE
VISUAL CHARACTER OF
INTERIOR SETTINGS

THE FORM, LINES,

COLOR, TEXTURE, AND
SCALE OF INDIVIDUAL
PIECES, AS WELL AS
THEIR SPATIAL
ORGANIZATION, PLAY
A MAJOR ROLE IN
ESTABLISHING THE
EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES
OF A ROOM

FURNITURE
FURNITURE
FURNITURE
FURNITURE
FURNITURE
 MANY DESIGNS MIX
FURNITURE FROM DIFFERENT
HISTORICAL PERIODS WITH
CONTEMPORARY PIECES

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL

REFERENCES EXTEND TO
FURNITURE ARRANGEMENTS
AND THE SELECTION OF
FINISHES AND ACCESSORIES
AS WELL AS TO PIECES OF
FURNITURE.

FURNITURE
MANY DESIGNS MIX
FURNITURE FROM
DIFFERENT HISTORICAL
PERIODS WITH
CONTEMPORARY
PIECES

HISTORICAL AND
CULTURAL REFERENCES
EXTEND TO FURNITURE
ARRANGEMENTS AND
THE SELECTION OF
FINISHES AND
ACCESSORIES AS WELL
AS TO PIECES OF
FURNITURE.

FURNITURE
ANTIQUE
FURNITURE IS
GENERALLY
RECOGNIZED AS
BEING AT LEAST
ONE HUNDRED
YEARS OLD

ANTIQUES ARE
OFTEN IDENTIFIED
WITH MAJOR
CULTURES,
PERIODS,
COUNTRIES, OR
INDIVIDUALS

FURNITURE
MODERN FURNITURE REFERS TO PIECES PRODUCED IN THE LATE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURY BY DESIGNERS INCLUDING
MICHAEL THONET, CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH, AND THE CRAFTSMEN OF THE BAUHAUS MOVEMENT

FURNITURE
MODERN FURNITURE REFERS TO PIECES PRODUCED IN THE LATE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURY BY DESIGNERS INCLUDING
MICHAEL THONET, CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH, AND THE CRAFTSMEN OF THE BAUHAUS MOVEMENT

FURNITURE
 LE CORBUSIER TORSTEIN FLATOY ARNE JACOBSEN

FURNITURE
 FRANK GEHRY
MIES VAN DER ROHE

FURNITURE
 CHARLES EAMES

FURNITURE
CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE ENCOMPASSES PIECES PRODUCED TODAY BY WORKING DESIGNERS.

FURNITURE
ERGONOMICS IS THE APPLICATION
OF HUMAN FACTORS TO DESIGN

OUR BODIES WILL TELL US IF A CHAIR

IS UNCOMFORTABLE OR IF A TABLE IS
TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW FOR OUR
USE

TO PROVIDE UTILITY AND COMFORT

IN THE EXECUTION OF OUR TASKS,
FURNITURE SHOULD BE DESIGNED
FIRST TO RESPOND OR CORRESPOND
TO OUR DIMENSIONS, THE
CLEARANCES REQUIRED BY OUR
PATTERNS OF MOVEMENT, AND THE
NATURE OF THE ACTIVITY WE ARE
ENGAGED IN

FURNITURE
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A FURNITURE ELEMENT MAY DEPEND ON ITS CORRECT USE - ON OUR LEARNING HOW TO USE IT

FURNITURE
THE APPROPRIATE DIMENSIONS FOR A CHAIR ARE DETERMINED NOT ONLY BY THE DIMENSIONS OF THE HUMAN BODY AND
THE CHAIR’S PROPOSED USE, BUT ALSO BY CULTURAL FACTORS AND MATTERS OF SCALE AND STYLE. A RELATIVELY
UNCOMFORTABLE, SMALL, HARD CHAIR MAY ENCOURAGE THE CUSTOMERS IN A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT TO MOVE ON. A
DEEPLY UPHOLSTERED LOUNGE CHAIR INVITES THE USER TO RELAX.

FURNITURE
CHAIRS FOR OLDER USERS AND PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY PROBLEMS SHOULD HAVE STURDY ARMS, RELATIVELY HIGH SEATS, AND
STABLE BASES. BARIATRIC SEATING ACCOMMODATES VERY LARGE PEOPLE, AND MAY PERHAPS ALSO BE SHARED BY AN ADULT
AND A CHILD. CHILDREN’S FURNITURE HAS ITS OWN DIMENSIONAL CONSTRAINTS.

FURNITURE
THE WAY FURNITURE IS ARRANGED IN A ROOM
WILL AFFECT HOW THE SPACE IS USED AND
PERCEIVED

FURNITURE CAN SIMPLY BE PLACED AS

SCULPTURAL OBJECTS IN SPACE

MORE OFTEN, FURNITURE IS ORGANIZED INTO

FUNCTIONAL GROUPINGS

THESE GROUPINGS, IN TURN, CAN BE

ARRANGED TO ORGANIZE AND STRUCTURE
SPACE

MOST FURNITURE CONSISTS OF INDIVIDUAL OR

UNIT PIECES THAT ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY IN
THEIR ARRANGEMENT

THE PIECES ARE TYPICALLY MOVABLE AND MAY

CONSIST OF VARIOUS SPECIALIZED ELEMENTS
AS WELL AS A MIX OF FORMS AND STYLES

FURNITURE
BUILT-IN ARRANGEMENTS OF FURNITURE, ON THE OTHER HAND, HELP RETAIN MORE OPEN SPACE
THERE IS GENERALLY MORE CONTINUITY OF FORM AMONG THE FURNITURE ELEMENTS WITH FEWER GAPS BETWEEN THEM

FURNITURE
MODULAR UNITS COMBINE THE UNIFIED APPEARANCE OF BUILT-IN FURNITURE WITH THE FLEXIBILITY AND MOVABILITY OF
INDIVIDUAL UNIT PIECES

FURNITURE
FURNITURE MAY BE CONSTRUCTED OF WOOD, METAL, OR PLASTIC AND OTHER SYNTHETIC MATERIALS. EACH MATERIAL HAS
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED IN FURNITURE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IF A PIECE IS TO BE
STRONG, STABLE, AND DURABLE IN USE.

FURNITURE
THE DIRECTION OF ITS GRAIN DETERMINES HOW WOOD IS USED AND JOINED. WOOD IS STRONG WHEN COMPRESSED WITH
THE GRAIN, BUT CAN BE DENTED OR CRUSHED WHEN LOADED PERPENDICULAR TO THE GRAIN. WOOD EXPANDS AND
CONTRACTS ACROSS ITS GRAIN WITH CHANGES IN MOISTURE CONTENT

FURNITURE: WOOD
PLYWOOD SHEETS CONSIST OF AN ODD NUMBER OF PLIES (THIN SHEETS) LAYERED AT RIGHT ANGLES IN GRAIN DIRECTION TO
EACH OTHER, GIVING STRENGTH IN TWO DIRECTIONS. IN ADDITION, THE QUALITY OF THE FACE VENEER CAN BE CONTROLLED
TO INCREASE STRENGTH IN THE OUTER LAYERS, WHERE STRESSES ARE GREATEST.

FURNITURE: WOOD
PARTICLEBOARD IS MADE BY BONDING SMALL WOOD PARTICLES UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE. IT IS COMMONLY USED AS A
CORE MATERIAL FOR DECORATIVE PANELS AND CABINETWORK.

FURNITURE: WOOD
FURNITURE: WOOD
METAL IS STRONG BOTH IN COMPRESSION AND TENSION, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE A STRONG GRAIN DIRECTION.
METAL IS DUCTILE (CAPABLE OF BEING DRAWN INTO WIRE AND HAMMERED THIN). THESE FACTORS, ALONG WITH A HIGH
STRENGTH-TO-WEIGHT RATIO, ENABLE METAL TO HAVE RELATIVELY THIN CROSS SECTIONS AND TO BE CURVED OR BENT IN
FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION. METAL CAN BE SCREWED, BOLTED, RIVETED, OR WELDED.

FURNITURE: METAL
PLASTIC IS A UNIQUE MATERIAL IN THE WAYS IT CAN BE SHAPED, FORMED, TEXTURED, COLORED, AND USED. WHILE NOT AS
STRONG AS WOOD OR METAL, PLASTIC CAN BE STRENGTHENED WITH GLASS FIBER. MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, IT CAN BE EASILY
SHAPED INTO STRUCTURALLY STABLE AND RIGID FORMS. PLASTIC FURNITURE OFTEN CONSISTS OF A SINGLE PIECE WITHOUT
JOINTS OR CONNECTIONS, AND FURNITURE MADE FROM OTHER MATERIALS FREQUENTLY CONTAINS PLASTIC PARTS.

FURNITURE: PLASTIC
COTTON: Plant fiber with low elasticity and resiliency. Combustible and
LINEN: Derived from stalk of the flax plant. Extremely
wrinkles easily. Primarily residential use. strong, tends to be brittle, wrinkles easily. Commercial
and residential use.
UPHOLSTERY FABRICS SHOULD BE SELECTED TO WITHSTAND THE NORMAL WEAR OF THEIR INTENDED USE. COMMERCIAL-
GRADE FABRICS ARE LABELED FOR WEAR, SUN, AND FIRE RESISTANCE.

FURNITURE: UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

RAMIE: Very strong, lustrous natural fiber. Stiff, brittle, non-elastic. Often SILK: Produced by silk moths. Strongest natural fiber,
blended with linen and cotton for commercial and residential use. resistant to solvents but degenerates in sunlight.
Typically, only residential use.

FURNITURE: UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

RAYON: Manufactured from wood pulp. Viscose rayon blends well with ACRYLIC: Mimics silk or wool. Accepts dyes well, may
other fibers and takes dyes well. Commercial and residential pill. Outdoor use.
use.

FURNITURE: UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

VINYL: Simulates leather or suede. Durable, easy to clean. Not POLYESTER: Wrinkle resistant, abrasion resistant,
sustainable material. Residential and commercial use. dimensional stability, crease resistant. Commercial use.

FURNITURE: UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

Armchairs: Intended for relaxing, conversation, or reading. Fully upholstered; constructed of wood, plastic, steel, or a combination
of materials.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Side chairs: Usually lighter and smaller than armchairs; upright backs for dining and studying.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Lounge chairs: For relaxing in a semi reclining position, often adjustable. Should be easy to get into and out of, neither too low nor
too soft; should provide proper back support.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Sofa: Designed for seating of more than two people. Generally upholstered; curved, straight, or angled; with or without
arms.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Loveseat: A small sofa with only two seating positions.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Sectional: A sofa divided into separate parts that may be used in various configurations.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Sleeper: A sofa designed to be transformed into a bed.

FURNITURE: RESIDENTIAL SEATING _ CHAIRS

Desk chairs: Designed to be flexible and mobile. Swivel Executive chairs: Often designed as status symbols, these
mechanism, rolling casters, arms. allow the user to lean back from the desk. Swivel mechanism.
Not appropriate for extended computer use.

FURNITURE: COMMERCIAL SEATING

Side chairs: Intended for office visitors or short term Stacking and folding chairs: Used for large gatherings of people or as
use. Usually small in scale and often armless. auxiliary seating. Lightweight and modular, often made of steel, aluminum, or
plastic. Some are available with arms and with padded seats and backs;
some have coupling devices for use in rows.

FURNITURE: COMMERCIAL SEATING

Restaurant chairs: Must be durably constructed; comfort level Stools: Should be selected for stability and ease of movement as
is usually selected to match intended service style. Chairs with well as for appearance.
arms must be coordinated with tabletop heights. Chair size
may affect seating patterns.

FURNITURE: COMMERCIAL SEATING

Sofas: Arranged in L-shapes or U-shapes for conversation Booths: Commonly designed for two to four persons; larger
groups in lobbies, large private offices, waiting areas. booths and U-shaped or circular configurations present access
Strangers generally sit at opposite ends, leaving center seat problems for central seats. Usually upholstered
empty.

FURNITURE: COMMERCIAL SEATING

Banquettes: Long, usually upholstered seats facing multiple Fixed seating: Used in auditoriums, lecture halls. Provides
tables with chairs opposite, allowing tables to be moved along acoustic absorption as well as seating. Fire safety requirements
their length and clustered to accommodate varying sizes of for materials and arrangements.
groups.

FURNITURE: COMMERCIAL SEATING

 TABLES ARE ESSENTIALLY FLAT,
HORIZONTAL SURFACES,
SUPPORTED OFF THE FLOOR, AND
USED FOR DINING, WORKING,
STORAGE, AND DISPLAY.

TABLETOPS CAN BE OF WOOD,

GLASS, PLASTIC, STONE, METAL, TILE,
OR CONCRETE.

THE SURFACE FINISH SHOULD BE

DURABLE AND HAVE GOOD
WEARING QUALITIES.

THE SURFACE COLOR AND TEXTURE

SHOULD HAVE THE PROPER LIGHT
REFLECTANCE FOR THE INTENDED
VISUAL TASK.

FURNITURE: TABLES
 TABLETOPS CAN BE
SUPPORTED WITH LEGS,
TRESTLES, SOLID BASES, OR
CABINETS.

THEY CAN ALSO SWING

OUT OR DOWN FROM
WALL STORAGE UNITS AND
BE SUPPORTED BY FOLDING
LEGS OR BRACKETS.

TABLE BASES SHOULD

RELATE IN SCALE AND SIZE
TO THE TABLETOP TO
PROVIDE ADEQUATE
SUPPORT AND STABILITY.

FURNITURE: TABLES
FURNITURE: TABLES
FURNITURE: TABLES
Dining tables: Selected for style, number of seats (with Occasional tables: Coffee tables are designed to hold books,
optional leaves for expansion), and fit in room. Both magazines, and beverages in front of a sofa. End tables provide
custom and manufactured designs are available. surfaces for a lamp and other accessories next to a seat. Other
small tables hold accessories and help to balance the room’s décor.

FURNITURE: TABLES
Restaurant tables: Selected for durability, style, number of seats, and fit in Conference tables: Large single tables with many
space. Center post support; tabletops can be custom or stock. Rectangular seats, or smaller tables designed to be reconfigured
tables for two can be combined for larger parties, circular tables are often for conference and seminar rooms. Selected for
used for large groups, and square tables can be oriented on diagonal. capacity, flexibility, and appearance.

FURNITURE: TABLES
Boardroom tables: Large tables designed for prestige and style. Hotel guest room tables and desks: Similar to residential
May have built-in data and communications equipment. pieces in style, but with commercial quality for durability.

FURNITURE: TABLES
DESIGNERS OFTEN REFER TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S WORK AREA— COMPRISING A DESK, CHAIR, COMPUTER AND RELATED
EQUIPMENT, AND STORAGE AS WELL—AS A WORKSTATION.
THE DESK AND ADJACENT HORIZONTAL SURFACES ARE CALLED WORK SURFACES.

FURNITURE: WORKSTATIONS
BEDS CONSIST OF TWO BASIC
COMPONENTS: THE MATTRESS OR
MATTRESS SET AND THE BASE OR
SUPPORT FRAME. THERE ARE VARIOUS
TYPES OF MATTRESSES, EACH MADE IN
ITS OWN WAY TO RESPOND TO AND
SUPPORT THE USER’S BODY SHAPE AND
WEIGHT.

INTERIOR DESIGNERS ARE INVOLVED IN

THE SELECTION OF THE BASE OR BED
FRAME, HEADBOARD, FOOTBOARD,
CANOPY, ASSOCIATED TABLES, STORAGE
PIECES, LIGHTING, AND ELECTRONIC
CONTROLS.

THE DESIGNER MAY ALSO SPECIFY BED

LINENS AND COVERS AND OTHER ROOM
FURNISHINGS.

FURNITURE: BED
A bed can rest on a platform base, emphasizing the A bed built into a corner or alcove takes up less floor space,
horizontality of the setting. but it may be difficult to make.

FURNITURE: BED
A bed can be integrated into a wall storage system at the Bunk beds utilize vertical space to stack sleeping levels.
head or foot of the bed, or both. Storage and desk surfaces can also be integrated into
the system.

FURNITURE: BED
FURNITURE: BED
FURNITURE: BEDROOM FURNITURES