INTERIOR DEZINE ARTICLES

WALLPAPER TYPES
Lining Paper
This is a single layer of plain paper, which is used for good surface
preparation. It evens the porosity of a surface and can strengthen a
substrate.
Pre-Pasted Paper
Pre or ready-pasted papers have a coat of adhesive applied during the
manufacturing process. The adhesive is reactivated for application by being
passed through water in a water trough before hanging.
Simplex
A simple type of wall hanging. A single thickness of paper with a design
printed on the face.
Vinyl
This is pure vinyl, which is laminated to a paper or linen backing. It can be
used anywhere and is well suited to service areas as it is washable and easy
to clean.
Vinyl Coated
Paper with a vinyl or acrylic coating to the face. Either type of finish is
extremely hard wearing.
Duplex
Two sheets of paper, which are bonded or laminated together.
Anaglypta
This is a very heavily embossed type of duplex paper. (From the Greek Ana
Relief Glypta Cameo). It must be painted after being hung and is used on
walls as well as ceiling. It is not recommended for use in service areas.
Metallic
Also called foils, these papers have a large percentage of metal on the
surface, predominately Aluminium or powdered metals can be added to the
ground paper.
Embossed
The design side of the paper is raised and the reverse side is hollow.
Hessian
Closely woven Hessian (Hemp or Jute) is stuck to a heavy paper backing.
Grass Cloth
Made with the fibers of a honeysuckle vine being attached to a paper
backing.
Printed Papers
There are two forms, ground and pulp. Ground papers are coated with
paint before they are printed. Pulp is where the pattern is printed directly
on the natural colour of the paper. Some decorative Ground Papers to
follow.
Flock
This has a luxurious velvet feel. It is made by dusting powdered silk, wool
or flock onto a tacky patterned surface paper, creating a piled effect and is
back in fashion after a long break.
Chintz
Patterns are made to imitate cotton chintz forms.
Jaspe
Printed linear veins of inter mingling colors.
Satin
A sheen is achieved on the paper from polishing or glazing the ground
before putting the design on it.
Satinette
A sheen is achieved by adding mica into the ground.
Moire
These have a satin or satinette ground and have a finely engraved
embossing.
Gravure
The pattern of this paper is applied to the surface with rollers; a
photographic process has produced the pattern.
Mural
These depict a scene or landscape. They are often made of several lengths.
TIMBER FLOORING
Timber Floor Finishes
Different Types of Timber Flooring
Timber Blocks
These are usually made of a hardwood species laid on a screed of concrete.
They are laid in a herringbone or brick bond and basket pattern. They
require a dry and stable atmosphere. The blocks are jointed with tongue
and grove edges and fixed with an adhesive.
Floorboards
These make up part of the construction of some houses; timber tongue and
groove floorboards are fixed with nails to the floor joists. With the
increased use of concrete substrate floors, a timber floorboard finish can be
achieved by fixing battens into a concrete screed. Uplifting carpet and
finding timber floorboards is a great coup as sanded and polished they
provide a simple form of redecoration.
Parquet
This is used mainly for high quality domestic projects. It is available in
square panels that hold all the timber pieces together. It is fixed by gluing
to the base substrate, which is required to be level and free of lumps. The
style of parquet is usually three fingers of timber facing vertical with three
adjacent facing horizontal and so on. They are available with a prefinished
coated surface or raw and require a polyurethane coating finish.
Chipboard
This is made of chips of timber combined with urea formaldehyde resins
bonded to form a board. It is fixed by nailing to timber joists. It is a cheap
product with a moderate wearability. Its surface looks like cork when it is
sealed.
Plywood
Plywood is made up of thin layers or plies of timber that get bonded
together. Layers are laid face to face but each adjacent layer the grain runs
in the opposite direction, which provides strength to the board making it
stiffer and stronger than solid timber of the same thickness. It has a
moderate wear factor as a floor product. It is nailed or glued to timber floor
joists. A finishing coat would be required to seal the floor and protect it
from spills, damage and wear.
Hardboard
Hardboard is made from soft wood pulp and is a cheap product. Generally
used as a base for other flooring. It can be painted and sealed but it is not
very durable long term.
DECORATING PAINT EFFECTS
What are Interior Decorating Paint Effects and Faux Finishes?
Decorative painting has been a very popular form of decoration that comes
in and out of interior decorating fashion in waves.
With country themed interiors is seems to stay steady and the use of
stencilling, color washing and marbling staying popular and working well
as decorative detail.
The colorways used are also fashion orientated, I remember seeing loads of
rag rolling in pastel colors when I first started out in interior design.
It was a really popular form of adding texture and color to walls and lets
face it much easier and more fun for the DIY’er than hanging wallpaper.
There are many different types of decorative painting or paint effects; these
can be grouped into two categories.
Decorative Paint Finishes
Decorative paint finishes are a form of changing the look and texture of a
substrate by use of paint and often glazes or scumbles. I.e. dragging,
combing, sponging.
Faux Finishes
Faux finishes are a form of imitating existing finishes onto our existing
substrate. i.e. tortoise shelling, marbling, graining.
The following mediums are used for decorative painting techniques.
Scumble
Scumble is a translucent colored medium, which is applied over a dry
substrate of a different color. While the scumble is wet, it is manipulated to
reveal portions of the substrate color. It’s requirements are that it must
remain open long enough to be worked. It should retain its shape when
worked and not flow out and it must be clear coated to provide protection
and durability.
Glaze
Glaze is a translucent coating, which is used to modify or enrich the work
done previously with your scumble. It’s requirements are that it must
remain open long enough for it to be worked. It should retain its shape
when worked and not flow out and it must be clear coated to provide
protection and durability.
So essentially the only difference between these two products is the order in
which they are applied.
Different Types of Faux Finishes
Verdi Gris
Verdi Gris is the color that copper and bronze turn with age and
unprotected exposure to the elements. It is a blue green shade and it is
replicated in a paint effect.
Graining
Graining is the art of imitating natural timber graining. It is achieved by
using a brush or comb to pull through the translucent glaze, which has been
applied over a base coat. This creates a general grain, more ambitious
imitations can be achieved, creating figured timber, knots and different
sawn cut timbers, by drawing into the glaze.
Marbling
Marbling is the imitation of the natural product of marble often called faux
marble. It is achieved by commencing with a base coat, painting on veins of
various shades, dabbing and softening the painting, dry brushing to blur
the effect, touching up and adding the required colored dabs, then applying
varnish to seal it, when almost dry French chalk is sprinkled over it and
polished to create the same sheen as marble.
There are two forms of marbling, the one mentioned above sometimes
called marbelizing, which is an interpretation of marble or making an exact
copy of the real thing, which is very time, and labor intensive.
Tortoise Shelling
Tortise Shelling is the art of imitating tortoiseshell. It is achieved by
working with wet varnish and adding the desired colours, these spread and
are lightly brushed to create the desired markings. It is used for painting
woodwork and occasionally walls.
Bambooing
Bambooing is the imitation of bamboo is achieved by painting turned or
carved wood to copy the bamboo knots and grain, then decorating it. It was
popular during the eighteenth century. It is often used to change the look of
an old piece of furniture.
Stenciling – a form of Decorative Painting for Home Interior
Design and Decorating
Stenciling
Stenciling is a form of decoration a way of adding color and pattern to
surfaces. It means to produce a design by means of a stencil. A stencil is an
impervious material perforated with a design or lettering through which a
substance can be forced onto the surface behind. (Stencil plate)
A stencil must be strong and robust as the designs often entail a great deal
of repetition. Paint is dabbed over the stencil with a stencil brush which
provides a stippled effect and ensures that the design doesn’t run though at
the edges because of too much paint.
Stencils can be classed into four main groups:
Feature Stencil
Border Stencil
Corner Stencil
Lettering Stencil
Some stenciling terms:
• Positive Stencil – The paint is passed through the voids in the stencil
plate to produce the design.
• Negative Stencil – The paint is passed through the voids that
surround the design.
• Ties – These hold the stencils together.
• Register Marks – These are marks that align the stencil for its
repetition. They can be marks that are removable (i.e. pencil) or part of
the design overlap.
• Guidelines – These are usually a chalk snap line on the surface so the
height of the stencil can be aligned.
WOOD CHARACTERISTICS
Timber and Wood Characteristics and Natural Deviations
Timber and Wood Natural Deviations
The terms for the different deviations are:
Straight Grain – the cells run in a straight direction
Diagonal Grain – the cells follow a sloping direction
Interlocked Grain – the layers of wood slope alternately in different
directions i.e. slope one way in a series of rings then reverse their slope in
the next growth ring.
Wavy Grain – the cells run in a regular pattern of waves. It is difficult to
plane and produces “fiddle back” figure.
Cross Grain – The fibers do not run parallel with the length of the piece of
timber.
Silver Grain – is fine pale grey shiny flecks of wood ray seen in quarter-
sawn oak or beech.
Wavy Grain
Ribbon Grain, Stripe Figure, Roe Figure – is alternating dark and
light strips in a quartered timber formed by the different reflections of light
on the interlocked grain.
Figure
Seen on the surface of dressed timber, figure is the name given to pattern or
colour markings of the timber, providing one of the most valuable
properties of timber.
One factor or a combination of several can cause figure.
a) The arrangement and direction of cells such as grain and irregularities
effect figure. Ribbon Stripe is produced by interlocked grain; fiddleback
figure is produced by wavy grain, and cross-grained timber produces a
figure with light and dark patches.
b) Variations in color of Springwood and Summerwood will often produce
stripes of different colors.
c) Knots and other growth irregularities produce beautiful figure. A burr or
a burl is a lumpy growth on the side of a tree, it produces a confused figure.
Maple produces a bird’s eye figure caused by pits in the surface of the wood
being filled with bark then again being covered by growth.
d) The method of conversion of the tree in to the boards will affect figure.
Flat sawn boards produce figure revealing growth rings, quarter-sawn
blocks show the medullary rays, this method works well to show figure in
woods with predominant rays. This figure is called silver grain and is often
a feature in Oak.
Working Qualities
“Easy to Work” timbers, either by hand or machine means that the timber
planes or cuts easily without blunting the tools or requiring much force.
Most softwoods are “easy to work” and most tough timbers can be quite
difficult.
SPECIAL TYPES OF PAINT
Special Types of Paint for Interior Design and Decorating
Anti-Fungus Paint
These paints contain toxic compounds, which kill any fungi attempting to
feed from it. Some paint have a fungicide added to them, these sometimes
do not last the duration of the paint films life.
Fire Retardant Paint – Intumescent
This type of paint works as heat causes the paint to swell on the painted
substrate, which forms a barrier insulating the surface from the
flames. Other forms incorporate materials for example chlorinated paraffin
or chlorinated rubber which on application of heat they fuse together
preventing combustion.
Relief Texture Paint
These are often a heavy plaster like texture, which on application provide a
rough finish. They can be carved or moulded to make decorative elements
such as borders and motifs. It generally comes as a powdered form,
containing plaster, clay, mica and is mixed with water to the correct
consistency required.
Heat Resistant Paint
Oil -Modified Alkyd Paints are suitable for application to surfaces on which
their temperatures could reach 100°C. Light paint colors could discolor at
this temperature though. There are other forms of paint that can withstand
higher temperatures; all these paints generally contain Aluminium powder.
Multicolored Finish Paint
These paints contain combinations of colored globules, which on
application to a surface by a spraying method form a flecked or speckled
effect coating. This type of finish has good adhesion, is very durable and
washable. It is ideal for the use in schools, large institutions and hospitals
as it can be easily repaired on a patch basis, and is cost effective in these
situations, saving the need to repaint entire walls.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARPET
Different Types of Carpet used for Home Interior Design and
Decoration
Find the different types of carpet available for using in home interior
decoration and design. Get an idea of what they are made of, their uses and
where they will perform best.
Wilton
Wilton previously mentioned, this is a woven cut, looped or cut and looped
pile carpet. The yarn is woven continuously, which limits the number of
colors on the loom. Patterned Wiltons are available but the majority are
plain with a smooth luxurious feel. It is available in broadloom and narrow
width.
Axminster
Axminster as we have mentioned is a woven cut pile carpet generally with a
pattern. The quality is dependant on the fiber content and the weight. The
height of the pile can be specified from short to shaggy. It is available in
broadloom and narrow width.
Tufted
It consists of hundreds of needles, which thread the yarn through the
backing (jute or polypropylene), which forms loops or tufts to the required
length. The backing is then given a layer of adhesive coating to fix the tufts
in position; another layer of backing is then fixed for added strength. It is
available in broadloom or narrow width.
Cord
Manufactured in a similar fashion to Wilton, but to produce its corduroy
look, the pile is left uncut. Cords are mostly made of man-made fibers. Hair
cords, made from animal hair can be produced and are very hard wearing.
Indian
This is handmade carpet in an off-white color. The pile is looped and
knitted into the backing. Quality carpets are very hard wearing. It is
available in rug form or broadloom.
Needle Punch
This is a carpet without a pile. It is constructed by needle punching and
entangling a fiber mixture through the backing fabric. The backing is then
covered in an acrylic resin to hold it all in place. Fibers used, nylon, jute,
and polypropylene. New methods of manufacture are always evolving –
such as a welding method, fusing the back and eliminating the need for a
resin adhesive.
Sisal Carpeting
It is cheap and hardwearing, woven from spun cord product, which has a
coarse feel underfoot. It has become popular and is now available in
numerous colors and designs. To enhance its durability an underlay is
recommended. The tighter the weave, the better the quality.
Carpet Tiles
These are very popular, especially in commercial situations as they are easy
to lay and easy to repair. They are available in woven, tufted and cord in an
endless variety of colors, designs and fibers. They can be laid to create a
design by quarter turning a same patterned tile or alternating different
colors and designs. They are generally loose laid which gives them the
versatility of lifting, cleaning or replacing a damaged tile.
Coir (Coconut) Matting
Everyone has seen this product. It generally lies at the front door as a
doormat and is a thick and spiky fiber. It is often used in mat wells of
commercial buildings. Coir matting is the better quality product than
coconut matting and is available in carpet width; it is usually produced in
its natural coloring.
Rush, Seagrass and Maize
These are natural materials woven into squares and sewn together to form
mats. They are ideal for temporary flooring.
Shag Pile
This is a loosely woven carpet with a long cut pile, very popular in the
1970’s. Used mainly as a decorative carpet, as it has a long coarse messy
look that is not practical for a whole house, especially high traffic areas and
stairs. It has come back into fashion for those who dare go there.
Berber
Originating from North Africa, the process of hand spun, undyed wool yarn
hand weaving. It has been imitated on a commercial basis and now the
name Berber provides a homespun natural feel and colored carpet.
Saxony
This carpet has a shorter pile and closer weave than shag pile. It is a dense
cut pile carpet with heavily treated yarns, ensuring that each tuft of yarn
can be seen.
Frise (or Hard Twist)
To create a highly textured cut pile effect, frise uses a tightly twisted yarn.
Velour
This carpet has a velvet like surface texture that is achieved by having a
uniformly cut pile.
Plush
This carpet has a cut pile that has the entire tuft ends blended together to
provide an even finish.
Table 1.1. Social evolution of the amusement-scape
 Pre-modern Modern Late-modern

Social characteristics
Dominant place Rural Town City
Production base Agrarian Industrial Service/symbolic
Orchestration Church/monarchy Company/state Corporation/media
State formation Colonial Nation Transnational
Bridging voice Tradition/church Reformer/sponsor Advertiser
Relations Communal Impersonal Corporation with face
Identity Birth/craft Production Consumption/pleasure
Market Local National Global
Communication Oral Mass-mediated Promotional culture
Group Family/guild Class Fragment/other
Self Animistic Individual Cultural subject
Power Force Alienation Hegemony
Characteristics of the recreational scenario
Form Fair Amusement park Theme park
Primary case Saint Bartholomew's Coney Island, Walt Disney World
Fair, London New York Resort, Florida
Place Street Seaside Suburb
Boundary Open Semi-open Enclosed
Time Religious calendar Seasonal Year-round
Motivation Religious festival/ Profit/civilizing/ Dividends/jobs/pleasure
exchange of goods amusement
Purpose Expression Education/culture Entertainment
Audience Pilgrim/peasant Working class Middle class
Orchestration Community Monopoly Oligopoly
Transport Foot/horses Trolleybus Car/plane
Mode Allegory Fact Hyperreality/simulacra
Product Made by Made for Consumer/promotion
Mocks Church/monarchy Genteel culture Everyday/technology
Animal symbol Pig Elephant Mouse
Chronology 1500-1850 1850-1960 As of 1 960