How is trigonometry used in interior design?

Trigonometry is a type of math that focuses on triangles, right triangles particularly. It consists of the
relationship between the angles and sides of a triangle. One might be curious as to how this would be
needed in Interior Design, and while you might not use it very often, it can become very beneifical to
have trigonometry knowledge when designing.

Such an instance that could arise causing you to use trigonometry would be when arranging furniture
at the proper angle. An example: Suppose you have a reading lamp beside your favorite chair. In
order to sit comfortably and read without the light blinding you in the face, etc, the angle of the light,
and the chair can make a world of difference. The lamp height and angle should allow the light to go
across your shoulder ending on the book in your hand. To get the right angle, you might have to
measure the table's height, and the distance from the floor to say your ear, while you are sitting down.
Geometry Used in Interior Design, Hangings Geometry wall, just to design a tapestry design. Angle, rooms, design,
and all measures are part of the geometry, and all play an important role in this field of interior design. In addition to
the height of the garment, which could also endanger the ground who are willing, a rectangle, diamond or circular
shape.
Geometry Used in Interior Design, Layouts Geometry space concepts can be as simple as a decoration in a square
or circle, or more involved when the hexagonal windows and a view that should be included in the design of the room.
Setting up an animation at an angle in a corner is an example of the use of geometry. Angles must be measured, and
space and distance are observed. In addition, drawings are linear designs separate areas of the room.
Geometry Used in Interior Design, Symmetry Choosing furniture and decoration of a room includes the geometry
and determine the space and symmetry are needed to make each element of an entire room. Height, width, volume,
angles all this must be considered in order to create a warm aesthetic. Interior designers can observe all these
areas and draw your thoughts geometric decoration to complete drawings.

Arranging Furniture
Have you ever noticed how sometimes you walk into a room and something doesnt feel quite right?
Theres a disturbance in The Force, but its often hard to pinpoint the source of your discomfort. Well,
over time, we absorb a lot of visual information that we use to develop a framework for assessing color,
proportion, perspective and space on a subconscious level. When we enter environments that conflict with
those ideas, we experience tension. In psychology, its referred to as cognitive dissonance, which differs
from personal taste in that dissimilar styles can still adhere to common idea of visual harmony. We might
not like someone elses style, but it can still work in a room.
Got it? Me neither. Im totally confused, so Id better simplify things. There are many obvious and subtle
considerations to ensure that your room is functionally and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, arranging
sofas, chairs, tables, lamps and other furnishings should be planned, rather than haphazard. Arranging
furniture properly can improve the traffic flow and organization of a room, while helping to highlight
whatever aspect of the room is most important to you. For the sake of sanity, well forget about Feng Shui,
which has its own esoteric perspective on interior design, and focus on a few concrete things.
Measuring Up Floor Plan
First, we have to figure out how much space we have and how much room our stuff needs. Draw up a floor
plan of the room and be sure to note the location, heights and widths of doors, windows, heaters, electrical
outlets and switches. Use lined graph paper to help ensure that your scaled drawing is as accurate as
possible. A quarter to a half-inch per actual foot is a pretty good scale to use. Next, measure each piece of
furniture that you plan to use in the room. Focus your attention on the largest and most important pieces.
Draw a basic outline of each table, sofa, bed, desk, chair, lamp, TV and dresser on different colors of
construction paper. Use the same scale as your floor plan, so that you can see how much relative space you
have. Label them and cut them out.
The Three Fs Function, Focal Point and Flow Considerations
Function What kind of room is it? Arranging furniture in a dining room is much different than in a
living room, bedroom or office. Does the room need to accommodate a lot of people or just a few?
Focal Point What do you want to emphasize? If you have a big bay window that looks out over a scenic
vista, perhaps you want to highlight the view. Maybe your pride and joy is a majestic decorative fireplace.
Orient your furniture to direct attention to the focal point. If viewing a widescreen HD television is
important to you, the optimal distance between the TV set and any seating is roughly three times the size
of the screen.
Flow Can people move easily from place to place? Notice at how people enter and exit the room, and
how doors open and close. Cluttered pathways can make you feel like youre in a pinball machine, so avoid
placing large pieces of furniture in the natural lane of traffic if at all possible. Allow at least 3 feet of open
space for your primary traffic routes

Placing Furniture
First, place the larger pieces of furniture (e.g. couch, loveseat, desk or bed) facing the focal point. To
ensure a cozier, more intimate setting, move seating in from the walls, placing pieces within 8 feet of one
another. Angling a few pieces of furniture can give a softer, more casual feel to a room, while geometric
alignment conveys a sense of formality and seriousness. Sofas and chaise lounges make great dividers, if
you need to separate areas of a room.
Next, arrange related pieces (e.g. tables and chairs) accordingly. Place tables within easy reach of all
chairs and make sure that coffee tables allow 14-18 inches of legroom. In dining rooms, be sure to account
for the fact that people will need to pull their chairs out from the table before they are seated and that
someone may need to walk behind the chair.
Last, add accents to make your room more functional or aesthetically pleasing. Shelves, table
lamps and floor lampsimprove storage and general visibility, while wall art and rugs add to the ambiance
of room. Accents also help you direct how peoples eyes move up and down as they scan the room. You can
balance a room by placing furniture of similar height (with or without accents) across from each other.
Optimizing Space
The smaller the room, the more concerned you should be about using the available space efficiently.
People who favor a Spartan dcor have a distinct advantage over those with luxurious tastes - the less stuff
you have, the easier it is to accommodate. Additionally, multifunctional furniture can provide invaluable
benefits. Futons are ideal for small apartments, since they serve two functions - sleeping and
seating. Ottomans, tables and beds with hidden storage compartments help keep a room uncluttered and
stylish at the same time. And dont forget about vertical space.
Shelving provides a home for books, photos and other accents, while wall or ceiling-mounted racks can
store bikes and save precious floor space. Wall mirrors can give the illusion of a larger room and alleviate
claustrophobic feelings, especially if there are few window treatments (e.g. curtains or blinds). The
brighter the room is, either from natural or artificial light, the more open the room will appear.
Styling it Up
This is where its really up to your own sense of dcor. Metal, stone and straight edges convey a rigid, but
orderly feel, while woods and curves are softer and more casual. Solid colors tend to complement, while
complex patterns draw attention. Its okay to mix contemporary furniture with traditional, but look for
items that can complement each other through shape, color or texture.
Arranging furniture is more of an art than a science, so try a few different arrangements on your paper
floor plan before attempting the real thing. Its a lot easier moving a paper sleeper sofa than a real one.
Modular furniture (e.g. sectional sofas and stackablestorage units) allows for an endless array of

arrangement possibilities and provides a cohesive look. Keeping in mind the concepts outlined above
should help you avoid major problems and enhance the feel of any room.
Fabrics and formulas

Interior design programmes have long been a staple of daytime TV, and their popularity has lead to an
increased demand for designers. To succeed as an interior designer you need to be creative and have a
good sense of style, but you also wont get far without some maths.
Nearly every aspect of interior design requires mathematical thinking. Can you coat a whole room with
just one can of paint? Do you have enough material for a new set of curtains? Answering these questions
is simple when you understand geometry and measurement.
Paint by numbers
Painting a room is easy just grab a brush and get to work. A little more thought is needed if you want to
do the job properly though. An interior designer must calculate the exact amount of paint they need to
use. Otherwise, they might buy too much and waste money, or not buy enough and run out! One litre of
paint will cover around 10 square metres, so designers use this conversion rate to work out how much
they need.
Suppose you wanted to paint the walls and ceiling of a room. You would
first need to work out the total surface area of the room, excluding the
floor. Thats not too difficult if the room is a cuboid, but most are
irregularly shaped. You can use geometry to carve these shapes up in
to ones that are more basic, making them easier to manage. If a room
has curved walls, knowing how to calculate the surface area of cylinder
will come in handy too.
What about the doors and windows? You also have to work out the area
for those, and subtract them from your total. Not every surface is a
simple rectangle either. Windows can be round and doors can be
sloped, meaning you have to use the formulae for the areas of a circle and triangle. When it comes to
painting, calculations are just as important as picking colours.

Is it curtains for you?

Interior designers must be able to size up a room as
soon as they enter. This means designers need to
know how to make accurate size estimations in order
to get to work as
soon as possible.
Imagine that a client wants a new set of curtains for their living room.
While they excitedly talk fabric patterns, youre estimating the size of
the windows, how much material youll need, and what the cost will be.
With a rough figure in your head, youre ready to go straight away.
Thats much more impressive than messing about with a tape measure.
Made to measure
TV programmes suggest that a room can be transformed in a matter of minutes with just a few licks of
paint and a couple of cushions. In reality, interior designers must be able to make both quick estimates
and detailed calculations in order to please their clients. Designers also often run their own businesses,
so need to have a good head for figures if they want to make money. There are courses available that
teach interior design, and a maths GCSE is often an advantage when applying. Interior design can be a
fun and rewarding career choice, as long as you have the mathematical skills to do it.