Lee Dobbins asked:


When designing your new kitchen no longer do you have to rely on pen and paper instead there are a number of different kitchen design software programs that you could easily utilize. These software programs allow you to design your own kitchen in the comfort of your own home and then provide you with a virtual look of how the completed project will be.

Many of the kitchen design software programs that are now available allow you to add colour, lighting, furniture and anything that you need to design what you would like. Also the best part about these programs is that they usually have catalog products from manufacturers and designers which you are able to choose from and include in your design. There is in fact some software programs which have been particularly made for designing kitchens with such as 20-20 Design, Kitchen Design Software and AutoKitchen Pro.

However 20-20 Design is now recognized worldwide and this program allows you full colour, three dimensional and photo like renderings and which allows designers to achieve realistic kitchen environments from every angle possible with the added possibility to zoom in on any section of the kitchen that they want.

The benefit of having a kitchen design software program is that you lets you plan and design your kitchen before you begin building it. Such software will let you choose the type of kitchen furniture, fittings and fixtures (sinks etc.,) as well as flooring that you may require for your kitchen. The benefit also allows the user of the program to be able to visualize the kitchen before the building process begins.

Another good software program to consider is AutoKitchen Pro which is a stand alone program and includes the Auto CAD OEM engine. This software includes universal cabinet catalogs along with a catalog editor which allows you to make alterations to the height, materials, cabinet frames and other features of any cabinets that you are interested in. This software programs has over 150 cabinet door styles as well as more than 100 knobs and handles in it.

With any kitchen design software that you use it is meant to give you an idea of how your kitchen will look if you were to choose a certain colour, fittings and appliances. Plus it saves you money as you will be able to see what the finished kitchen will look like prior to you actually building it. You can avoid costly mistakes that you might make if you were to try to piece the kitchen together as you go. Even for the smallest of kitchen jobs, planning ahead of time can really save you and can insure you get a kitchen that looks exactly the way you want it to.

InteriorDesigner asked:


Interior Design is a relatively young and rapidly growing industry but is origins are dated back to the 1720s in Western Europe.

In the beginning Interior Design was performed by men capable of performing various tasks due to the fact that these men had to take charge of a whole interior, selecting the furniture, hanging paintings and even taking care of the internal architecture, William Kent as history painter at the time is often cited as the first interior designer in history.

Enough history for now, as mentioned earlier the interior design industry in growing rapidly and figures are rising every year. In the US the interior design industry had revenue of $11,108 million in 2007 with a revenue growth of .6% with over 80 thousand establishments and more than 70 thousand enterprises recorded.

In order to become a professional interior designer you will have to do one of many interior design courses available and specialize in one or more particular interior design disciplines, such as commercial and residential design.

Other disciplines include: function, structure, specialized performance, special groups needs, computer technology, craft skills, social disciplines, professional disciplines, aesthetic disciplines and cultural disciplines.

Interior decoration has become so popular that there are many television programs about it, in the UK there are two popular ones, one is BBC’s Changing Rooms and the other is Channel 4′s Selling Houses, these programs feature the works of two famous interior designers, Linda Barker and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen.

In the USA there many TV programs about interior design and interior decoration, the TLC Network airs a popular program called Trading Spaces, a show with a format similar to the UK program Changing Rooms. In addition, both Home & Garden Television (HGTV) and the Discovery Home networks also televise many programs about interior design and decorating, featuring the works of a variety of interior designers, decorators and home improvement experts in a myriad of projects.

Innes Desborough asked:


One of the most effective ways for an interior designer to sell his or her services is through the use of a portfolio. An interior designer portfolio showcases a designer’s best work in a way that appeals to the client. It puts together some of the finest designs and solutions that a designer has come up with during the process of his or her career and for this reason, almost works like a self-portrait.

Interior designer portfolios used to be portable cases or files holding samples of the designer’s work. In other words, they were essentially paper products. Now however, interior designers increasingly use a combination of paper folders or portable cases and the internet to display their portfolios.

A good interior designer portfolio typically has a series of samples of the designer’s work in a logical sequence beginning from a simple design and then moving on to more complex designs. Some interior designer portfolios also display ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures enabling the client to see firsthand the kind of work that the designer is capable of. Quite a few interior designer portfolios also include detailed descriptions of the design elements used in the room as displayed on the portfolio. Some portfolios are arranged in terms of styles, e.g., ‘modern contemporary’, ‘traditional country’, ‘relaxed sophistication’, ‘romantic’ and so on whilst others are arranged in terms of utility like bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.

Another interesting way by which interior designer portfolios are arranged is in terms of preferences for certain country or regional living styles, such as; Italian, French, Asian, Colonial, and Mediterranean. It is also seen that some portfolios mix and match such arrangements to provide a brief but comprehensive overview.  A few portfolios add brief descriptions of the design and the overall look and feel of the rooms and the house after the design.

The entire review of the portfolio as presented by the designer to the client generally takes about 10 minutes. The layout and presentation is planned in such a way that the client takes an immediate interest in the skills of the designer. Many portfolios have been reproduced in a different format from the original work for portability. These may include photographs and electronic images.

Interior designer portfolios may also have information about the company or the individual together with contact information including telephone numbers, addresses, email and website information.

Since the space restrictions on the internet are much less, there is far more scope for displaying the designer’s creativity on the web. A larger number of photographic samples of the designer or firm can be included. A number of websites also list client testimonials to lend credibility to the website.

Some of the best interior design specialists in South Wales specialize in Interior Architectural Design and Home Remodeling.