Interior Motives

Interior design trends support structural integrity, ease of maintenance, occupant well-being, and a wide variety of aesthetic choices for today’s built environment

While a building’s exterior provides that all-important first impression, it is really the interior at the heart of the human experience—the space where people live, work, play, relax, learn, and heal. Which products provide variety in colors and textures? How can we balance structural integrity with a desired aesthetic and occupant well-being? What role does nature have in current interior design decisions? This course will answer these questions and more as it delves into the world of interior design to help architects and designers keep up with what’s next on the interior horizon—from biophilic design strategies and updated interior wall systems to metal trim and innovative glass.

The Practice of Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is a therapeutic way of designing our homes, work, health-care, hospitality and learning spaces. Bringing nature into a space has been proven to contribute to stress reduction, enhanced creativity and clarity of thought, expedited healing, improved emotional and physical well-being, and increased productivity in learning and work settings.

Biophilic design has been practiced unknowingly for generations. More recently, it has become a well-practiced and more defined design trend for interior spaces. Interior designers and architects are tasked with creating environments that are structurally sound as well as benefit the mental and physical well-being of the individuals who will be spending their time in such environments. From wall colors and patterns to introducing natural light and views of the outdoors, details make the difference.

Interior Wall Protection and Design: Biophilia and Beyond

Interior wall protection not only contributes to LEED v4 points for sustainability, but it also benefits those who come in contact with the material visually as a biophilic design element, thereby fostering everyday well-being for building occupants.

Whether following biophilic design strategies or some other design directive, designers tend to ask how easy it is to get their unique design into a space. With the capability of custom printing on interior wall protection, there are endless possibilities for how a space can be made to look and feel, thus answering the designers’ question that, yes, they can create a unique space unlike any other and leave their own stamp on it.

Protection for interior surfaces is necessary and a fact of life. With recent advances, selecting the right wall-protection solutions to protect your project’s interior while providing a pleasing aesthetic is fully achievable.

Types of Wall Protection

High-impact wall coverings are available in many thicknesses. At their best, high-impact wall coverings stand up to scrapes, scuffs, and damage caused by humans and machinery in high-traffic areas. Manufacturers offer products in a range of colors, textures, and simulated patterns, allowing designers to create virtually endless options. If the combination of standard colors, textures, and patterns aren’t unique enough, there are products available that allow customization so that almost any image or messaging can be printed (often behind a clear rigid sheet) for a truly unique look. In addition to the myriad design options, the contemporary texture of the rigid sheet allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. Look for products that are environmentally friendly—for example, PVC-free and contain no halogens or other known persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs). Also, products should be tested to the Standards Council of Canada CAN/ULC-S102.02 standard, and be UL Class A/1 fire rated and labeled to ensure eco-friendly and safe choices.

Easily installed wall panel systems provide a needed solution for many spaces. Recent functional and aesthetic improvements in the market allow the use of certain wall panels in a variety of spaces with protective and decorative needs. In certain cases, the panels can be coordinated with the colors and patterns of the specified wall coverings. A variety of wall panel configurations, edge, and trim options can be incorporated into virtually any design, and they can be permanently adhered to the wall or installed with innovative snap systems, which can allow for easy removal or replacement of individual panels.

Wall Coverings and Panels: Design and Performance

The goal of high-impact wall coverings and custom wall panels is to enhance the design of a space by offering a number of capabilities, including the ability to incorporate large-format graphics, unique applications, collaborative design, multifunctional panels, and custom printing. In terms of biophilic design, when the right elements are in place, these products make successful biophilic design possible by bringing nature indoors with choices that feature such designs as simulated wood patterns and nature imagery.

Wall protection now comes in unlimited visual freedom, with products that offer architects, interior designers, and owners the ability to use large-format graphics, photography, and messaging safely embedded behind durable sheet, creating stunning interiors without the worry of damage. According to Richelle Cellini, visualization specialist at Construction Specialties, “Specifying customized wall-protection products gives the A&D community the ability to use photographs, designs, and illustrations by bringing the surrounding outdoors in. Whether that be using local agriculture, individuals, or architecture, the latest wall coverings and panels can be used to digitally capture these elements and preserve them on the wall for the users to enjoy, recognize, and honor for the lasting lifetime of the product.”

Innovative Wall Surfacing with Trim

Regardless of the building type, among the first surfaces that people experience in an interior space are the walls. They can be as simple and understated as white painted gypsum board or as elaborate and detailed as a designer’s imagination allows.

All the while, interior walls need to be easy to maintain and clean over the life of the building. With this in mind, many interior designers lean toward a simpler, more elegant wall surface solution with a clean, modern look and minimalistic details. Others select certain walls to feature added detailing and trim to create a total aesthetic. Achieving any of these looks typically involves panels of some sort, such as gypsum board or other rigid materials with reveals or trim around the edges. That trim can be metal, wood, or other suitable choices to frame and accentuate a wall surface while protecting and aligning the panels.

Benefits of Extruded Aluminum

Material performance and sustainability are two top requirements in modern interior design. This applies to everything from design to materials, and in the case of trim, extruded aluminum is one of the top materials. Not only does aluminum have numerous sustainability features, but it also has performance characteristics that make it an affordable choice for interior projects.

Extruded aluminum is frequently referred to as the “miracle metal” because it has such an extensive list of favorable properties, including physical and health characteristics (it is durable, doesn’t rust, poses no health or physical hazards, and is fire resistant and noncombustible). Furthermore, when used for interior architectural purposes, aluminum trim can withstand daily use and long-term wear and tear better than most other materials, as well as being lightweight and easy to install.

All this, combined with its sustainability features (aluminum products can help earn LEED v4 certification) and versatile aesthetic and design, make extruded aluminum ideal for many building applications.

Aluminum Trim Pieces

In fact, one increasingly popular method of dealing with finish panels on wall surfaces is the inclusion of manufactured trim pieces made of aluminum. Products are readily available that are designed to be used with drywall, panels, or in conjunction with wrapped surface finishes, such as fabric or vinyl wall coverings. They are available in a variety of traditional, contemporary, and modern looks to create subdued or emphatic three-dimensional appearances. As noted, since aluminum is highly durable, recyclable, lightweight, and noncombustible, it is a popular and logical choice for interior trim of this type. Its strength helps provide wall protection when used for corners and other areas that need some reinforcement. In that sense, it is a good example of a well-known material that can be used in innovative ways for interior designs.

In addition to standard products, custom profiles can be made to not only accommodate particular styles but also to hold other materials, such as glass, tile, or panels in a variety of thicknesses. Some manufacturers offer customized service and designs to architects and will readily meet to discuss design ideas and solutions. This service is not only centered on aesthetic issues but also on technical and performance issues of the trim related to its ability to hold up over time. The results can be profiles that are project specific or part of a mass-production selection, such as aluminum extrusions of simple reveals and transitions to improve and enhance drywall surfaces. It can also include new shapes and forms that introduce the appearance of fine-crafted metal integrated with drywall and panelized surfaces. Part of the beauty of aluminum extrusions is that they are very economical, meaning that they can more easily be incorporated into projects.

The unique design possibilities of this trim approach can create clean lines, shadow lines, or reveals that make a wall surface stand out as part of an interior space. It is also possible to create rounded corners, smooth transitions, or other shapes that enhance the overall design of the space in ways that wouldn’t be possible with traditional wall-surfacing techniques. Economical aluminum trims are available in a primed finish for painting in the field or prefinished in common anodized aluminum colors, such as clear, champagne, bronze, and black.

Wayne Braun, an interior designer with a leading firm in Houston, has worked with manufacturers on designs of this type and created some very successful interiors in the process. He notes, “The manufacturer has introduced the appearance of fine metal craft integrated with drywall and panelized surfaces at a fraction of the cost of having custom metalwork designed, detailed, and fabricated for a project.” Needless to say, it is easy to see why his firm is able to continue to innovate with this wall surface and trim approach.

Designers like Braun have also found that to be fully successful, a design needs to address all of the conditions and details of wall surfaces. That includes the wall base, corners, top edge, and any openings or variations. In that regard, they find that working with a single manufacturer who can provide all of the needed trim pieces in a coordinated system is a big key to success. Maybe just as importantly, being able to work out the details using a consistent and proven system means that innovation is possible without taking on undue design risk.

Extruded Aluminum Trim Gaining Popularity for Interiors

While extruded aluminum trim has become a popular material for a building’s exterior—usually as cladding or a facade—it is also increasingly being used indoors to change the face of drywall construction. Extruded aluminum trim provides a high-quality, practical material that can be used to create a featured design and focus in a space. The variety of shapes, forms, and profiles provides designers with a material that has the appearance of fine metal craft and can be seamlessly integrated with drywall and panelized surfaces for significantly less than custom metalwork. Moreover, extruded aluminum trim is easy to install. It provides a clean look and works well with modern designs.

To this point, Dan Brunn of Dan Brunn Architecture was looking for the perfect finishing solution for all of the firm’s modern building needs, such as work done on Bridge House in Los Angeles. He says, “I love the unique extrusions to create light pockets and that perfect reveal.”

Interior Glass: Form and Function

The right interior glass creates value for architects and designers by offering capabilities ordinary glass doesn’t—from clarity and light control via low-iron glass to privacy and security via acid-etch glass. A question many architects and designers have is: How do I incorporate glass into my space and still provide privacy?

Architects and designers know that glass has value beyond aesthetics. Numerous studies have demonstrated how much better we function when we have access to natural light and views to the outside, furthering the idea discussed earlier related to biophilia. Incorporating interior glass means many occupants enjoy that benefit, not just the people on the perimeter.

Additionally, interior glass creates a more collaborative, engaging environment where people can maintain a visual, social connection. It also provides a blank canvas to paint/create inspiration and add color or texture, via back-painted glass or company branding, without blocking off spaces or limiting the footprint.

If a building exterior is made up of high-performance, low-E coated glass, the light that’s coming into interior spaces brings added value because the solar heat gain is better controlled. That means the natural light passing through strategically located interior glass is not going to bring unwanted heat gain or excessive glare.

Open office plans continue to be very popular; however, architects and designers can create the best of both worlds—open and private—by customizing the space. The right coated, painted, or acid-etched glass could be the perfect answer to keep the open feel and view while incorporating privacy elements via partitions that can incorporate laminated glass to reduce noise distractions or silkscreen gradient patterns that provide a good mix of light and privacy.

Types of Glass Products to Bring in the Light

Different types of glass products serve different purposes in terms of design and performance.

Clear low-iron glass on walls, partitions, tables, stairs, and more allows architects and designers to create spaces that pull light through interiors with exceptional clarity. The latest clear low-iron glass offers very high light transmission and appears color-neutral clear to the edge, reducing the green tint that often accompanies standard glass formulations.

Designers and architects choose this type of glass to flood interiors with natural light and create spaces that feel bright, open, and boundless. Applications are many, including frameless enclosures, walls and partitions, entranceways, display cases, tables, railings, and more—anywhere neutral color and clarity count.

Tom Daly, owner of Oasis Shower Doors, New England’s largest shower door company, says, “Low-iron glass allows natural light to pass through with remarkable clarity and brilliance that is perfect for shower applications, retail, and hospitality settings. Customers want true color transmission without the green tint from standard glass.”

Expanding on this, Sarah Wansack, interiors segment manager, Guardian Glass, says, “Low-iron glass is increasing in use for frameless applications such as shower enclosures and office partitions. It helps create uninterrupted views in office design and reduces the greenish cast of standard float glass for enhanced clarity. We’re also seeing more acid-etched glass in those applications when more privacy is required. Acid-etched glass is a happy medium, keeping the look and allowing for even dispersion of light—spaces seem to glow from within, especially when using low-iron glass—while adding some separation. This product is also durable and fingerprint resistant, an added bonus for upkeep.”

Specialized finishes , such as a satin-smooth, translucent finish used on clear glass, can bring brighter translucence to acid-etched glass for interior applications, obscuring the view through the glass while maintaining a high level of light transmittance, providing beauty, light, and privacy in one solution. By providing visual and tactile interest, and offering privacy while still welcoming abundant light, architects and designers may choose this type of finish to create unforgettable settings, and once installed, it should ideally retain its elegance and ease of care. One manufacturer’s proprietary product offers higher light transmission, more uniform light diffusion, and superior color neutrality via low-iron glass. Because it has a silky-smooth surface that resists smudges and fingerprints, this finish is easy to maintain using standard, nonabrasive products. The product can be cut-to-size, bent, screen printed, and fabricated for commercial exteriors.

Architects and designers use this type of specialized finish to make visually striking and memorable doors and moveable walls, partitions and panel systems, tabletops, stairways, shower enclosures, windows, and more. It brings depth and sophistication while incorporating privacy with light in a variety of commercial applications, including offices, retail settings, hospitality, and health-care environments. Use it on its own as a monolithic glass, or it can be fabricated into an insulated glass unit that includes performance glazing for added thermal insulation or solar control. Among the features to look for include its ability to be cut to size, heat treated, bent, screen printed, laminated, drilled, notched, and polished.

Decorative coated glass is another glass product available on the market that was created using a proprietary coating system and is a high-opacity, smooth glass with a uniform finish ideal for back-painted applications in the workplace, ranging from whiteboards to backsplashes. Both durable and eye-catching, its tempered quality ensures it can define spaces for years to come.

Other Interior Glass: Laminated Glass

Laminated glass in another choice. Its benefits include its ability to block harmful ultraviolet rays, which protects home, office furnishings, and artwork from fading and damage. You can use an accent color as a design statement or to delineate an area or function of a space using laminated glass.

Laminated glass can control sound, reducing interior noise levels and keeping inside conversations private. Laminated glass can also enhance the acoustic properties of a room, reducing echoes, improving sound quality, and insulating against sound passing through walls to prevent noisy outside environments from disturbing occupants.

Conclusion

With recent statistics asserting that we spend approximately 87 percent of our time indoors, it is no surprise that great attention is being paid to creating interior spaces that will enhance our everyday lives. Manufacturers are paying attention, and now more than ever, they are making great strides in developing new, advanced products that can boost the look, feel, and performance of the indoor environment—everywhere from single-family homes, multifamily dwellings, workplaces, health-care facilities, schools—you name it.

As we’ve seen, interior design strategies can take many shapes and forms, and the next big thing is always on the horizon. From bringing nature into the mix or enhancing protective properties to experimenting with colors, textures, patterns, and light, there really is no limit to the possibilities for enhancing occupant satisfaction and building performance. The innovative products and systems examined in this course are just a few examples of the latest solutions available to help architects and designers find creative ways to take their interior projects to the next level.