FACTORS THAT GOVERN THE SELECTION OF MATERIALS IN THE INTERIOR DESIGN PROCESS
As interior designers, we design spaces not for functionality alone. The materials we use affect the user's perception and integration into the surroundings and the ease of movement in the space. If the client requests a feeling of warmth, for example, wood floors, which are perceived as warm, would be more appropriate than porcelain tiles, which can be perceived as cold. In this instance, it is perception as opposed to actual temperature. Specific factors govern the selection of materials as design elements, from the aesthetic and artistic to the functional, technical, economic and environmental. The designer must consider each while still accounting for the client's ...
