A common mistake is to choose a pattern that is either too dark or too fussy. Be sure to consider both the lighting and the size of the area you are decorating. If you are not certain what pattern to choose, opt for one with an off-white background and colours subtly contrasting or complementing the colours in the room. Balance is all important. Too little variety of colour, tone, pattern, or texture and the room may seem life- less. Too much, and it can look chaotic. If you already have a neutral colour scheme, then you have the scope to balance it with a variety of rich patterns. But if you have heavily patterned, richly coloured curtains, consider a plain wallcovering in a muted tone of the predominant colour in the pattern. Right A limited range of colours, predominantly blue and red – prevent the pattern in this room from becoming overpowering. The stark plainness of the upper walls and ceiling is an effective balance.
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Painting tone and color work together in interior designing and decoration
These elements can work together, resonate in tone, or vibrate with their difference. Whether you select one style or create happy mix, every single element that you place in a room relates to each other and interacts. These choices create an atmosphere that is uniquely your own. Below The paint-work of this hand detail skirting board and door frame creates a strong country feel to this room. Below Bold patterns in fabrics and [urnisbings are used, to dramatic effect, in this vibrant colour range. Above This distinctive floor, painting is influenced by the strong patterns and colours of In our everyday lives, brilliant colours are available at every turn. Part of the experience of visiting other countries is in viewing the colours of the landscape and buildings that we see there.
These colours define a nation, and can differentiate north from south, as in France and the United States. When visiting New England, no one can fail to be charmed by the array of brown-red barns and pale blue, grey and ochre painted houses. In Mexico, the colours are lively and extrovert combinations of vivid earth reds and yellows juxtaposed with brilliant greens and vibrant pinks and blues. On European soil the stunning, dusky earthy pinks of Italy have long been an inspiration to many, while in Greece, Spain and Portugal there are dazzling buildings painted in limewash white, often with a touch of clear blue. All countries use earth colours, especially oxide reds and yellow ochres, which have always been cheap and plentiful. These colour tones differ slightly from one country to the next – sometimes being warmer or deeper. Today, the interest in historical colour has been revived, with the help of historians, conservationists and artists who advocate and realise the need to understand the authentic colours of the past world.
Choosing patterns Like colour, the pattern can serve many functions. Patterned wallcoverings can be a focal point or a backdrop, or they can alter the apparent dimensions of a room. In addition, patterns are more effective than plain surfaces in disguising an odd-shaped room or covering uneven walls. Patterned fabrics can give a new lease of life to old upholstery, and patterned rugs and curtains can be stylish and sophisticated. When choosing, you need to consider how effectively a large area of the pattern will complement or contrast with your existing colour schemes. Patterns influence the mood of a room, much like colours do, so start by considering the function of the room. Large, bold patterns – like deep, rich colours – are intense and active, and work best as focal points in large living areas. Small, subtle patterns – like pale, neutral colours – offer a less-challenging backdrop. You will also need to consider the basic colour scheme with which the pattern will contrast or harmonise. If the pattern is fairly small, it will take on the appearance of a single tone when seen from a distance. You can then use the principles of colour matching to decide if it works with the rest of the decor.
Lighting effects and arrangement in interior designing and decoration
The simple on/off switch – usually operating with a rocker action – is wired into a lighting circuit to control one or more room lights. Plate switches have one, two, or more individual switches, known as gangs. The basic switch with just two wiring terminals provides “one-way” switching – making it the only control point for the light it serves. A switch with three terminals can be wired for two-way switching -linked to another switch to allow lights to be controlled from either switch. Socket outlets are available as singles, doubles, and triples and, switched or unswitched. The faceplates may have neon indicators to show if the power is on. Fused connection units are used to provide a permanent flex connection for large, fixed appliances. From left to right 1 Cable and pipe detector 2 Insulation tape 3 Wire cutterslstrippers for differing conductor sizes 4 Electrical screwdriver 5 Connector blocks 6 Cable clips 7 Circuit tester for tracing faults 8 Plug fuses 9 Fuse wire • • G e e Wire types and appropriate uses Flex – for connecting appli- ances to the wiring – has either two or three conductors, all e insulated: brown for live, blue for neutral, and green-yellow for earth. Two-core flex is for wiring appliances without an earth terminal, such as non- metallic light fittings. Always use three-core flex where an earth connection is required. From top 1 Bell wire 2 Flat 2- core flex 3 Round 2-core flex 4 Fabric/rubber-covered 3-core flex 53-core flex
How wiring works nowing how electricity works makes understanding your wiring system easier. In a sense, electricity flows between two points, like water through a pipe. The force of flowing water can provide the power to make things work- to turn a waterwheel, for example. So does electricity, creating light and heat when it passes through a lamp, or rotation in an electric motor. In each case, what causes the flow is a difference in pressure between the two points. Electricity can provide power only if it has a circuit to flow around. In the home, the circuit starts at the incoming supply cable, which contains two conducting cores. Think of the electricity as entering your home via the “live” core and leaving via the “neutral”, or phase, core. Each wiring circuit is tapped off the incoming supply, and reconnected to the returning neutral core when its work is done. Electricity can escape from its circuit, so if you touch a live conductor electricity passes through your body to earth. This is why the wiring system is connected to earth, so that current can flow away safely if anything goes wrong. :
Basic Circuits: lighting Lighting circuits are wired radially, the 1 rnrn? cable starting at the 5-amp fuse or miniature circuit breaker fMCB), running to each lighting point and terminating at the most remote one. There are two wiring systems: Loop-in circuits The cable loops from one lighting point to the next, with each switch cable wired into its ceiling rose or fitting. Roses have three sets of terminals. The live cores on the circuit and switch cables all connect to the centre bank. The circuit cables’ neutral cores go to one of the outside terminals, as does the neutral core of the flex to the light fitting. The neutral core of the switch cable ftagged with red tape for identification) is connected to the other outside terminal, as is the live flex core, so that operating the switch breaks the flow of current to the light but does not interrupt the supply to the next rose in the circuit. There is a separate fourth terminal for the earth cores of both cables. Junction-box circuits The cable runs from box to box, at each one connecting to the light, with another cable running to the switch. Each box contains four terminals, wired as in a loop-in rose: the circuit and switch cable live cores to the first terminal, the switch neutral and light cable live cores to the second, the remaining neutrals to the third and the earths to the fourth. Spurs Both loop-in and junction-box circuits may have spurs, often to feed remote lighting points.
Electrical accessories in interior designing and decoration
Jaw-type cord grips clamp on to the flex as the plug is closed up. They are simpler and more reliable than the bar- type cord grip. • Round-pin plugs, now rarely used fa unring system with round-pin sockets is probably in urgent need of replacement), usually have no fuse. • Most plugs are fitted with a bar- type cord grip. It is worth checking that these grips remain secure, as they can become loose. Some plugs are made for easy wiring, and are fitted with snap-down terminals instead of screw-down ones, which need a screwdriver. Extending flex Ideally, every electrical appliance should have a / continuous flex long enough to reach from appliance to socket. But in some situations you will want a longer flex without having to fit a completely new length to the appliance, or using an extension reel. In this case you need to join an extra length of flex to the existing one, using a special flex connector. One-part connectors are ideal for flexes that will stay in one position – supplying a standard lamp, for example.
Two-part connectors are better for portable appliances such as vacuum cleaners or powered garden tools, where you do not want to store the extra flex on the appliance. With this type, always connect the part with the pins to the flex running to the appliance. For other appliances, extend flex permanently with a one-piece connector. T iring a pendent light lex also connects pendent lampholders to heir ceiling roses. Use round PVC-sheathed we-core O.Smm2 flex without an earth, nless the lampholder is metallic, when hree-core flex with an earth must be used. For lampshades weighing more than 2kg f4Xlb), fit O.7Smm2 flex instead. Within the ceiling rose, strip back the insulation on the flex cores to allow them to be connected to the switch live and circuit neutral terminals, and loop each core over the support hook to prevent any strain on the connections.
At the lampholder, again carefully strip the cores, connect them to the lampholder terminals and loop them over the support hooks. Remember to thread the flex through the rose and lampholder cover before making the final connections. Luminaire support couplers These are special plug-and-socket connect- ors that take the place of the conventional ceiling rose. The flex from the pendent lampholder is wired to a specially designed plug that engages in the ceiling-mounted socket. This means the light can be “unplugged” at any time and taken down very easily for cleaning or repair, for example, or when the room is being redecorated. The circuit cables are connected to the socket part of the coupler in the same way as for a ceiling rose. Stripping cable sheathing OTO strip cable sheathing, either slit it with a knife or grip the earth core with pliers and pull this to split the Pvc.
Increasing productivity through smart office design in interior desigining and decoration
Increasing productivity through smart office design.
Employees are a company’s asset and the company has to make sure its employees work to the best of their abilities for optimized productivity. Along with employee incentives, and efficient management, office space design also plays a major factor in increasing productivity.
Physical work environment has a psychological impact on the employees affecting their mood, behaviour and thoughts which in turn will affect their overall performance. Management, along with architects and interior designers have realized this and are taking it into consideration while designing and constructing office spaces. Good designs boost creativity and productivity and hence a well-designed environment is as essential as a functional one.
Many factors have to be considered when designing an office. Some of them are listed below.
1. Space Layout
Overall space plan has a pronounced effect on the functioning and psychology of an employee. Office space planning is similar to urban planning in that people need public and private spaces for its proper functioning. Thus an office space layout should have public and private meeting areas, private offices and compariatively public ones, and passageways to allow easy passage through hallways.
Urban planning model aids office productivity because employees like office assistants prefer to be seated close to passageways so that they are easily accessible to their supervisors. On the other hand, the supervisors would prefer closed rooms where they can conduct private meetings or be able to work with utmost concentration. Trend among specific type of companies is the CEO sitting in open space among other employees to be more accessible.
When designing an office, there should be a balance between how well the employees can interact in open spaces as well as the provision to work in privacy. Thus one needs to consider the requirements of job of all the staff while designing an office layout. Depending on a person’s role in the company, the space allotted to him must vary. For example, a person with a creative role like an HR manager or a team leader should not be provided with a corner cubicle because he/she needs to have constant communication with his/her team. For those who need to be on confidential phone conversations from time to time, like a sales person, or conduct meetings in private, an open space is not an option. Whether the office spaces has more private offices or more cubicles, it is desirable to have specific rooms for coffee breaks and a separate space for office equipments, that are away from these main workstations. This way, the staff members will not be bothered.
2. Lighting
For increased productivity, proper access to daylight and artificial lighting should be there. Bad lighting conditions can lead to headaches, eye strain and irritation. Dark spaces can have negative psychological effects and affect the mood of employees which in turn will affect productivity. Employees should have access to control the lighting for them to so that the light can be adjusted to their needs and preferences. Though proper artificial lighting can increase functionality, natural daylight is preferred and hence designers should make sure that natural daylight is used to light up the place during day time instead of using artificial lighting for the same. For maximizing the entry of natural light into the office, open plan layouts that make use of glass panels or low cubic panels may be used. Skylights are a good alternative when windows can’t be used.
3. Noise
Noisy work environments, without doubt, adversely affect the productivity. Noise increases stress and reduces concentration level. There are design tricks that can tackle this problem. Basic key to proper sound absorption is using correct materials in correct locations. For example, in the case where the ceiling height is low, ceiling tiles should be applied. When the ceiling is high, try other methods like using fabric banners to line the walls or acoustic wall panels to prevent the sound from bouncing off of drywalls. Using super absorbent materials at the level of mouth will prevent voices from travelling far. Another technique is to create white noise, a monotone background sound. Strategic placing of fans and air conditioners, use of water fountains etc are some ways in which this can be achieved.
An attractive office space, without doubt, increases productivity, creativity and overall morale of employees. Office spaces with good designs tend to attract and keep employees for a longer period than the unattractive ones and is also a factor affecting job satisfaction. Although there are companies that consider investing money on office space designing as a waste, 9 out of 10 employees feel that their attitude towards work is affected by the quality of work environment. Hence it is hight time employers found good design solutions to increase productivity.
Basics of soundproofing dry walls in interior designing and decoration
Basics of soundproofing dry walls
Do you live close to busy roads? disturbed by external traffic noise? then you need soundproofing,
Do you not want your neighbor to hear your private conversations? then you certainly need soundproofing.
Soundproofing is the ultimate solution to your acoustical troubles.
Soundproofing includes methods with which sound or noise in a room to meet various needs. It usually includes blocking any sound from entering or leaving the room as well as reduce reverberations in the room that can cause echoes, or muffled and unclear voices. One of the ways through which this can be achieved is by soundproofing the walls.
STC rating denotes the ability of a material to resist the passing of sound through them. The more the STC rating, the better acoustical properties the material possess.
Drywall has low STC rating which means that its ability to block sound from entering or leaving a room is low. Also, sound waves hit drywall and bounce off of the wall, reverberating across the room interfering with the sound waves. Hence we can say that drywall has poor acoustical properties and we should implement ways to improve the same for soundproofing any room that needs privacy, be it a mini home theater or your bedroom, or simply to block any external noise from entering your room and disturbing you.
Let us discuss some ways with which the acoustical properties of a drywall can be improved.
1. Increase wall thickness
2. The principle behind enhanced acoustical properties of a material with more mass is that sound transmits through a medium through vibration of particles. When the mass of a material increases, it will be difficult for it to vibrate and hence, only less noise will be transmitted. Mass loading method involves adding mass-loaded vinyl. Sheets of heavy vinyl can be installed between studs and dry walls to increase the mass of the drywall. Employing ass-loaded vinyl will give good soundproofing results but installing it is labor intensive with high labor cost, and needs a combination of materials. Thus it is an unattractive option since it is highly error prone when we one tries to install it on their own.
4. Soundproof dry walls panels have high STC rating and ensure good soundproofing. For 100% soundproofing, the space between panels should be vacuum but it is absolutely impossible for manufacturers to achieve that and hence no acoustic panel is 100% soundproof. But soundproof panels can be easily installed and are available.
Materials with high STC rating can be used for soundproofing dry walls
6. Visco-elastic soundproofing
Visco-elastic soundproofing is the newest technology in the field of soundproofing. Visco-elastic materials have both viscous and elastic properties. When sound waves hit these materials, they are deformed and slowly goes back to their true form. Thus the energy of the sound waves is dissipated by the contraction and expansion process and converted into thermal energy. In constrained layer viscoelastic damping, a thin layer of visco-elastic material is sandwiched between two rigid surfaces, in this case dry walls. When sound wave hits the first drywall, the particles vibrate and the energy will be transmitted through it. But when these vibrations reach the visco-elastic material, the energy is dissipated and only very little energy is transmitted to the second layer. This is how soundproofing is achieved by the use of visco-elastic materials.
In terms of quality and cost, soundproofing dry walls is the most preferred ways of achieving soundproofing.
Interior game offers free soundproofing lessons and tips for the required people.
Basics of sound proofing your interiors
Basics of sound proofing interiors
Does your new office seem too loud for you liking?
Is the new mini studio you set up in your home suiting your preferences?
If your answer to these question is not a firm yes, it is about time you started thinking about sound proofing.
This article will give you an insight about the basics of sound proofing your interior. The purpose of sound proofing is to block any sound from a defined space or to prevent any sound from getting out. Before embarking on any sound proofing project there are three facts that you need to familiarize with.
They are listed below.
1. Sounds needs a medium to travel. The shorter the medium the louder the sound. This point is supported by the fact that sound waves when travelling through a medium suffers attenuation.
2. Sound Transmission Class (STC) is a measure of the ability of a material to resist the transmission of sound with in the frequency range 125 – 4000 Hz, through it. STC ratings fall within the range 26-80. The higher the rating the better the material’s resistance. The STC rating of a basic insulated 2×4 wall on each side is 35-38. For steel studs it is 42-45. The STC rating for a concrete sub-floor of six inches is 52-53.
A good level of isolation for walls and ceilings is above 50. Even higher rating denotes high level of isolation. Single pane glass materials have the lowest STC rating and 8 inches wall dry walls on either side has the highest STC rating, 72. Heavier the walls, the better the ability to stop sound. That is, a 10 inches wall can stop sound better than a one inch wall.
3. Sound can be reduced by damping. Several acoustic materials are available for damping.
Considering these facts, we can conclude that sound proofing can be achieved by adding mass to the materials, adding space, and by introducing materials that can absorb within the partitions. Considering sound proofing during the construction and design stage is economical. Another option is to build a new wall with absorptive materials after tearing down the existing wall, if possible. A third option available is adding another material to the dry wall and later covering it with another dry wall. This covers both adding mass and adding materials for sound proofing.
Another factor that is as important as the sound proofing technique is finding the source or the cause of sound. In homes, windows are one of the major ways through which sound enters the room. Windows are made up of glasses or woods or a combination of both. As we have already mentioned, thin glass panes have low STC rating which means their ability to block sound is poor. Or alternatively, sound can also enter if there is a gap between the window and the wall. Without realizing this, even if you soundproof walls very efficiently, sound will enter the room and all your hard work would be for nothing. Thus along with soundproofing walls, you have to also take care of such ways through which sound can enter the room.
‘Interior game’ is one of the leading companies in the field of soundproofing with over 25 years of experience. ‘Interior game’ can help you have a better understanding of soundproofing techniques. Visit http://www.interiorgame.info for more details and queries.
3 Major Benefits of Effective Noise Control in a Manufacturing Environment
3 Major Benefits of Effective Noise Control in a Manufacturing Environment
The term noise control refers to the mitigation or elimination of undesirable sound in the space under consideration. There are several key benefits of reducing the effects of this type of noise. This is all the more important and true in the case of manufacturing industries where high noise levels can have negative impact on the quality and efficiency of operations of both humans and machines. In order to avoid this affected business units must search for effective methods to reduce the, physical, environmental, and psychological effect of this unwelcome by-product of the process of manufacture. The three methods are as follows:
1. Improve Quality Control
The first important reason for implementing noise control in a manufacturing environment is that too much of noise can affect the quality standards within the unit negatively. Excessive unwanted noise can create harmful levels of vibrations causing wrong data to be recorded and reduce the sensitivity of precision equipment. The inaccurate data recorded can interfere with the manufacturing process and can change or even damage the real outcome. Therefore, it is important that the environment must be freed from that excess noise to ensure the proper working of the machinery and operating systems.
2. Improve Health and Well-Being
Workers getting exposed to too much of high noise continuously can have serious health problems. Some of the health issues associated with exposure to high noise are tinnitus (or ringing in the ears), chronic headache, and temporary or permanent loss of hearing. Still more disturbing fact is that constant and too long exposure to high noise level has been found to be the reason for considerable increases in stress levels as well as systolic blood pressure. Research has also proved that over a period of time, those exposed to high levels of uncontrolled noise in the work place can be victims of have high negative consequences on their overall health which will also affect the quality of life. Luckily, controlling exposure to this environment and wearing ear protection gadgets can mitigate and even reverse these effects in some cases.
3. Reduce Costs to the Employer
Besides causing serious health problems for those workers who are exposed to uncontrolled noise at work places, employers also face challenges like absenteeism due to employee sick days, higher health premiums and loss of productivity. Also, increased noise levels can lead to work place accidents and injuries due to masking of warning signals and signs. This may force the employers by law to devise and implement safety measures by effective solutions for noise control. Notwithstanding the mandate by law, it will be wiser for the employer to put into place effective noise control methods. It will further boost the employees’ morale.
Noise in a manufacturing setting is unavoidable. But, employers can initiate steps to control the negative impact created by high noise levels by implementing of good noise control methods.
10 Tips for Choosing Acoustical Flooring
10 Tips for Choosing Acoustical Flooring
The step one is to identify what your sound control requirements are. You may have a washing machine that is making too much of noise that you want to control. May be you want to set up a music room or construct a home theater. If you can decide what you expect from your flooring then it is easy to choose the right materials and process.
It is presumed that you already know in which room you want the floating acoustic flooring. If it is for your kitchen then the flooring should have more resilience than if it is for the home theater where there is no much traffic.
It will be helpful if you know the type of sound that you are aiming to control. The sound of a conversation and music are airborne sounds. A sound caused by some object hitting or impacting against another object is an impact sound. Examples of impact sound are footsteps, playing drums or the spinning of a washing machine.
It is necessary to know the flanking path taken by the sound, as it traverses through floors, walls, and ceilings so that you can devise the methods to control the effects by providing appropriate sound insulation.
Before you install any sound control methods, it is necessary for you to know whether it is for a new building or for a building being renovated because, the legal requirements differ for sound control products.
Some of the materials for acoustic flooring can be used only for new buildings. There are others for rebuilding and yet few for both applications. Therefore be careful in choosing the right products as otherwise you may end up spending more than you can afford.
The next item are the right accessories. They are very important too. Among the accessories that you will need for fixing acoustic flooring are joists, adhesive, sealants and wire mesh. They are needed not only for fixing the flooring, but also for improving the sound control
You must be familiar with the applicable building regulations for floorings and ensure that your acoustic floor is inspected and certified by the authorized inspector for buildings. This is particularly important if the flooring forms part of a new hotel or a housing development scheme.
Instead of having your project inspected by the authorized officials, you may prefer to choose only the acoustic flooring materials that satisfy the strict specifications for such products. Since such materials that meet the regulations are certified to be meeting the standards laid down for building materials, they need not be inspected.
Finally, if you are not confident enough to proceed on your own, it is better that you hire an experienced and reputed contractor for your acoustic flooring job. There are also expert sound insulation firms who can guide you to achieve your objective.
A Beginner’s Guide to Soundproofing and Building Acoustics
A Beginner’s Guide to Soundproofing & Building Acoustics
Sound is of two different types; airborne sound and impact sound. They both vary from each other in terms of the way they travel around the spaces and rooms of a building or your house.
What is impact sound?
The noise created when there is contact (impact) of one object with another is impact sound. Usually this may be the sound of hammers on walls or footsteps on floorboards for example. Sound vibrations are created due to these impacts that can pass between walls and floors from one room to another.
How can you reduce impact sound?
Even with a wall that insulates solid airborne sound, through a concrete floor impact sound can pass from one room to another. It is very invasive and once it has started is difficult to control. For controlling or reducing the sound it has to be stopped from taking place at source. This implies suitable soundproofing materials have to be applied to your walls, floors, and ceilings.
What is airborne sound?
The travel of sound waves around an internal space or room causes airborne sound. It can rebound from the surrounding walls, floors, and ceilings causing these surfaces to vibrate that will then radiate these sound waves again to other areas inside the ‘receiver space’.
How can you insulate against airborne sound?
Usually the condition of windows, doors, sockets fitted poorly, or any cracks in a wall will significantly decrease its airborne sounds insulation. For reducing the loudness or amount of this noise it needs to be insulated using soundproofing materials appropriately on your walls, floors, and ceilings.
How do you deal with nuisance noise?
Big, open plan spaces in your office or home are not usually best positioned to address the degrees of undesirable noise that we are surrounded by at times. Animal noises, people shouting, low flying aircraft, and other invasive sounds can usually disturb concentration in the workplace and quiet and peace at home.
Rooms which are subjected to echoes (or sound reverberation) are normally huge and their wall surfaces are not capable of absorbing enough of the sound, consequently bouncing it back across the space in the room. To decrease the loudness or amount of this sound it needs to be absorbed with proper soundproofing materials on your ceilings or floors.
How do you control noise?
Before soundproofing a building is considered the methods and quality of building construction is worth considering.
The two main ways of reducing and controlling noise are:
Increasing Mass – The more mass a wall or floor has it will be made to vibrate with less sound. The general thumb rule is 5 decibels will be reduced in the sound transmission when the mass is doubled.
Additional Layers – Addition of many layers to the wall or floor construction can improve the noise control greatly. Every layer will be comprised of soundproofing materials, separated slightly for reducing transfer of airborne and impact noise.