Interior Design
Exhibition Text
During my internship at HGA, they had me turn an existing space into a studio apartment through Sketchup. I was given a chance to design a space to my own liking. For my studio apartment, I chose to go with an art nouveau style based off of Alphonse Mucha. The colors of the space reflect Mucha's work and creates a space that is also sustainable since art nouveau takes inspiration from the natural world.
Inspiration
Artist in Focus: Alphonse Mucha
For my inspiration, I was looking at how to make living spaces sustainable since that is something that I want to do when designing spaces in the future. When I thought about ways that I could introduce an art style with this idea, I thought of art nouveau, so I began to look at different aspects of art nouveau (listed to the right). This art style was something that I was very interest in specifically, Alphonse Mucha's work.
Mucha's art style was focused on femininity and his work consisted of colors that reflected that. In addition to the subject being a woman in a dress with floral themes, there are also organic shapes which are known to be feminine because of the curves it has. This was something I wanted in my work. To add on, earthy colors along with pinks and reds is what he tended to use in his work. I knew that I wanted his work to create a foundation for the rest of my inspiration. This meant that I would find pieces of art nouveau architecture and interior design that reflected Mucha's work and color palettes. SustainabilityIn addition to Mucha's work, I worked to make sure that there were some elements of the apartment that were sustainable. Aspects of sustainability can be found in the picture to the right.
My intentions of minimizing endangerment to flora and fauna were seen in me trying to bring groups of monarchs together near this space so that their chances of populating would be higher. This would be done by bringing in flowers that are native to Wisconsin that also attract monarchs since they're pollinators, providing a reason to keep them around since it'd benefit local farmers and the fauna surrounding the area. Another good thing about these flowers is that you don't have to water them since they are drought resistant, making them suitable for an area like Milwaukee where it can go weeks without rain. |
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Planning
In order to think about what this space could look like, me and the other intern that was working with me had to measure the spaces since this was an existing space that they had us working with. Once the sight measurements were done, we began to start drafting our floor plans of the space we wanted to create while keeping in mind what some of the requirements for the space were. To do this, we estimated what the room would look like based on the measurements we took and create the floor plan to start our bubble diagrams.
This approach to planning was introduced to us when we were trying to imagine our space and didn't want anything to be too detailed. To make bubble diagrams, all we needed was the floor plan and a bit of patience as this process took us a while when we were working on what different living spaces we wanted and where they were going to be. When I was creating the bubble diagrams, something that I had to keep in mind was flow and how I would naturally want to move around in that space. |
Next, I began to finalize my inspiration for how I wanted the space to look like and created a material collage in order to further let the people who reviewed my work a better understanding of what the space would feel and look like. I also decided to include the actual pictures of the aspects of the apartment that would be sustainable since it was part of the inspiration.
With these things in mind, I was ready to start creating the space in the software and use these elements and inspiration in the process. |
Process and Experimentation
To start off my process, I looked back at the notes of measurements of the site and began to transfer them into the software "Sketchup". I made walls that aligned with the measurements I took. To do this, I had to create each individual rectangle for the width and length of the wall and raising them up using the pull tool on the software’s options.
Once this was done, I had to create the pillar and opening for the doors within the existing space which included the janitorial closet and the “bathroom” which was previously a kitchen. (The bathroom wasn't required to be rendered due to the amount of time we had to do the project). To do this, I made sure to look at my notes and transfer the measurements into the digital model to make the placement of the doors accurate to real life.
This is also when I decided that I should start adding color to the model. I took the color palette I had for inspiration and got to making my walls. This is when experimenting with different tones happened. |
Next, I began looking for furniture that would make the space look similar to art nouveau interior design that I saw. My main focus was the room divider and incorporating the color scheme that I had in my mood board. Since trying to find room dividers that were in the art nouveau style was difficult, I began searching in the 3D Warehouse that the program had and began looking at models that were made before to take inspiration from. Eventually, I came across this tea shop model and it had a room divider that was perfect for the style I was looking for. I added it into my own model and began to make the color to my liking.
In addition to this, I had to make a collection of the
In addition to this, I had to make a collection of the
Critique
Alphonse Mucha and Art Nouveau Alexandra Medina-Serna
Compare
Mucha's work is reflected in mine by the way we use similar color palettes and take inspiration from the natural world. Mucha’s work also had organic shapes and lines and feminine themes to his work, as did mine. The organic shapes in his pieces were made through the organic materials he included in his lithographs like flowers, I did that was well through stain glass by the entrance and reading nook, as well as the room divider between the kitchen and the living room. The liveliness of our art is similar as well, as we both used plants in our designs and emphasized them throughout the work. He made it the background for his piece Rêverie but still made sure to show that it was an important part of the piece that hooked the viewers. This was done in my work through the various themes of plants inside the building and outside as well. This was done either through an actual plant or the impression of one, like with the stained-glass window at the entrance of the apartment. As for the art movement of art nouveau in architecture itself, I included every aspect that I listed into the rendering.
Contrast
Although Mucha’s work and mine are similar, there are some differences. This includes our methods of creating our work, as the materials are different. He used lithographs meanwhile I used a CAD software. He had to work on something physical while my work was digital. Another difference between the work is the subject matter, as his works were used as posters while mine was a mock pitch for a studio apartment. This alludes to the idea that my work was three dimensional meanwhile his was two dimensional. In addition to that, this means that my work was more geometric than Mucha's as the lines throughout the rendering had to have at least 4 walls that were at 90-degree angles.
Reflection
I think that this opportunity gave me the resources to start thinking about my future career and gave me confidence in knowing that I will be pursuing interior design or architecture in the future. I applied skills that I learned from the first time I used Sketchup, which was during a project with MIAD and for this being my second time using the software, I think I did very well. I hadn't really put much effort into an actual rendering of a building like this before and having the opportunity to made me very hopeful for the future. While I do think that art nouveau is a beautiful architectural style, I think that I want to focus on Post Modernism more. I love the amount of personality I was able to give the space but finding pieces of furniture that fit the style I was going for was a struggle at times. For the software itself, Sketchup is very user friendly compared to another software that was introduced to us called Revit. Revit is the program that architects at HGA use and was much more complicated than Sketchup. I prefer working on Sketchup since I had experience with it before. I wish we would've had more time to complete this project, but we only had two weeks of working allotted to us. If I had more time, I would've wanted to work on getting to know how to use Revit. I find this experience extremely helpful to me as it gave me even more experience with a CAD software. I definitely want to continue making designs with this program in the future.
Connection to the ACT
1. Clearly explain how you can identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your work.
Alphonse Mucha's lithograph impacted my work through color palettes and feminine visuals. The design of the studio apartment reflects Mucha's work through organic shapes and lively use of line.
2. What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The topic of my inspiration is creating a feminine space that is connected to sustainable living.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I concluded that Alphonse Mucha had such a high presence in art nouveau that his work would be the first to pop up when you search for art nouveau work.
4. What is the central theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme of my inspiration was organic materials. The reason I chose art nouveau art for this was because of my interest in sustainability.
5. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I knew that I was going to come across Alphonse Mucha while looking for art nouveau work and would use his work as inspiration.
Alphonse Mucha's lithograph impacted my work through color palettes and feminine visuals. The design of the studio apartment reflects Mucha's work through organic shapes and lively use of line.
2. What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The topic of my inspiration is creating a feminine space that is connected to sustainable living.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I concluded that Alphonse Mucha had such a high presence in art nouveau that his work would be the first to pop up when you search for art nouveau work.
4. What is the central theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme of my inspiration was organic materials. The reason I chose art nouveau art for this was because of my interest in sustainability.
5. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I knew that I was going to come across Alphonse Mucha while looking for art nouveau work and would use his work as inspiration.
MLA Citations
Interiordes, and Interiordes. “What Is Art Nouveau in Interior Design?” Interior Design Schools - Your Place for Interior Design Education, 5 Nov. 2022, interiordesignedu.org/art-nouveau.
Dima, Andreea. “Art Nouveau Interior Design With Its Style, Decor and Colors.” Impressive Interior Design, Apr. 2023, www.impressiveinteriordesign.com/art-nouveau-interior-design-style-decor-colors.
“Antique Art Nouveau ‘Tulips’ Stained Glass Window Sash Circa 1890 - Pink, Green, Amber.” Historic Houseparts, Inc., www.historichouseparts.com/antique-art-nouveau-tulips-stained-glass-window-sash-circa-1890-pink-green-amber-1.html.
“The Times of the Day – Evening Contemplation - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-evening-contemplation-alphonse-mucha/FgFcPTjcBQ4bNw.
“The Times of the Day – Brightness of Day - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-brightness-of-day-alphonse-mucha/rwEpxjpMu1Z0Iw.
“The Times of the Day – Morning Awakening - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-morning-awakening-alphonse-mucha/WgEc-3Botvqf7g.
“The Times of the Day – Night’s Rest - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-night%E2%80%99s-rest-alphonse-mucha/QQGbEg3r4uyY8Q.
Dima, Andreea. “Art Nouveau Interior Design With Its Style, Decor and Colors.” Impressive Interior Design, Apr. 2023, www.impressiveinteriordesign.com/art-nouveau-interior-design-style-decor-colors.
“Antique Art Nouveau ‘Tulips’ Stained Glass Window Sash Circa 1890 - Pink, Green, Amber.” Historic Houseparts, Inc., www.historichouseparts.com/antique-art-nouveau-tulips-stained-glass-window-sash-circa-1890-pink-green-amber-1.html.
“The Times of the Day – Evening Contemplation - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-evening-contemplation-alphonse-mucha/FgFcPTjcBQ4bNw.
“The Times of the Day – Brightness of Day - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-brightness-of-day-alphonse-mucha/rwEpxjpMu1Z0Iw.
“The Times of the Day – Morning Awakening - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-morning-awakening-alphonse-mucha/WgEc-3Botvqf7g.
“The Times of the Day – Night’s Rest - Alphonse Mucha - Google Arts and Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-times-of-the-day-%E2%80%93-night%E2%80%99s-rest-alphonse-mucha/QQGbEg3r4uyY8Q.