FURNISHINGS

ARCHITECTURAL INTERIOR: LESSON 2

by arch. abby rustique

FURNISHINGS | PART I
FURNISHINGS
Residential Furnishings
Commercial Furnishings
FURNISHINGS
FURNISHINGS
FURNISHINGS
FURNISHINGS
ERGONOMIC
Our perception of comfort is
conditioned by the nature of the
task or activity being performed,
its duration, and other
circumstantial factors such as the
quality of lighting, and even our
state of mind.

At times, the effectiveness of a

furniture element may depend on
its correct useon our learning
how to use it.
SEATING POSITION
FURNITURE LAYOUT
FURNITURE LAYOUT
The way furniture is arranged in a room will affect how the
space is used and perceived.
Furniture can simply be placed as sculptural objects in space.
Furniture is organized into functional groupings.
These groupings, in turn, can be arranged to organize and
structure space.
FURNITURE LAYOUT
Most furniture consists of individual or unit pieces that allow
for flexibility in their arrangement.
The pieces are typically movable and may consist of various
specialized elements as well as a mix of forms and styles.
FURNITURE LAYOUT
BUILT-IN ARRANGEMENT
Help retain more open space.
There is generally more continuity of form among the
furniture elements with fewer gaps between them.
FURNITURE LAYOUT
MODULAR
Modular units combine the unified appearance of built-in
furniture with the flexibility and movability of individual unit
pieces.
FURNITURE LAYOUT

BUILT-IN ARRANGEMENT MODULAR

FURNITURE MATERIALS
Furniture may be constructed of wood, metal, or plastic and
other synthetic materials. Each material has strengths and
weaknesses that should be recognized in furniture design and
construction if a piece is to be strong, stable, and durable in use.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
Furniture may be constructed of wood, metal, or plastic and
other synthetic materials. Each material has strengths and
weaknesses that should be recognized in furniture design and
construction if a piece is to be strong, stable, and durable in use.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
WOOD
The direction of its grain determines how wood is used and
joined.
Wood is strong when compressed with the grain, but can be
dented or crushed when loaded perpendicular to the grain.
In tension, wood can be pulled in the direction of its grain, but
will split when pulled at a right angle to the grain.
Wood is weakest in shear along its grain.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
WOOD
Wood expands and contracts across its grain with changes in
moisture content.
All these factors bear on the way wood is configured and
joined in furniture construction.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
TYPES OF WOOD
Plywood sheets consist of an odd number of plies (thin sheets)
layered at right angles in grain direction to each other, giving
strength in two directions.
Particleboard is made by bonding small wood particles under
heat and pressure. It is commonly used as a core material for
decorative panels and cabinetwork.
FURNITURE MATERIALS : WOOD
FURNITURE MATERIALS : PLASTIC | STEEL
FURNITURE MATERIALS
METAL/STEEL
Like wood, metal is strong both in compression and tension,
but it does not have a strong grain direction.
Metal is ductile (capable of being drawn into wire and
hammered thin).
High strength-to-weight ratio
Enable to have a relatively thin cross sections and to be curved
or bent in furniture construction.
Metal can be screwed, bolted, riveted, or welded.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
PLASTIC
Plastic is a unique material in the ways it can be shaped,
formed, textured, colored, and used.
Not as strong as wood or metal, plastic can be strengthened
with glass fiber.
Can be easily shaped into structurally stable and rigid forms.
Plastic furniture often consists of a single piece without joints
or connections, and furniture made from other materials
frequently contains plastic parts.
FURNITURE MATERIALS :
TEXTILES|ELASTOMER|SYNTHETIC FIBERS
FURNITURE MATERIALS
SYNTHETIC FIBERS & ELASTOMERS
New textiles combining synthetic fibers and elastomers offer
strength with flexibility.
Has the property of returning to their original shape after
being stretched.
These new materials are stimulating the design of furniture
that supports the body without compressing tissues and
nerves.
FURNITURE MATERIALS
Many pieces of furniture combine a variety of materials,
including chairs with wood or metal frames and fabric or
plastic seats and backs, dressers with mirrors, and tables with
glass tops.
Upholstered furniture adds a layer of fabric-covered
cushioning to a firmer frame, for comfort and appearance.
Some chairs and other furniture are being designed for
disassembly and recycling of parts.
SEATING
SEATING
Seating should be designed to support the weight and shape
of the user comfortably.

The appropriate dimensions for a chair are determined not

only by the dimensions of the human body and the chairs
proposed use, but also by cultural factors and matters of scale
and style.
SEATING
A relatively uncomfortable, small, hard chair may encourage
the customers in a fastfood restaurant to move on.
A deeply upholstered lounge chair invites the user to relax.

The comfort factor is also affected by the nature of the

activity the user might be engaged in. There are different
types of chairs and seating for different uses.
SEATING
ERGONOMIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Especially important for chairs intended for long periods of
use use, such as computer desk chairs.
Adjustable heights and back supports allow different users to
customize their chairs fit.

Poorly designed seating is a major cause of health problems

among sedentary workers.
GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
SEATING
CHAIRS FOR DIFFERENT USERS

Chairs for older users and people with mobility problems

should have sturdy arms, relatively high seats, and stable
bases.
Bariatric seating accommodates very large people, and may
perhaps also be shared by an adult and a child.
Childrens furniture has its own dimensional constraints.
GENERAL
PURPOSE CHAIR
UPHOLSTERY FABRICS
UPHOLSTERY FABRICS
Upholstery fabrics should be selected to withstand the normal
wear of their intended use.
Commercial-grade fabrics are labeled for wear, sun, and fire
resistance.
OFFICE CHAIR
EASY CHAIR
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
COTTON
Plant fiber with low elasticity and resiliency.
Combustible and wrinkles easily.
Primarily residential use.
LINEN
Derived from stalk of the flax plant.
Extremely strong, tends to be brittle, wrinkles easily.
Commercial and residential use.
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
RAMIE
Very strong, lustrous natural fiber.
Stiff, brittle, nonelastic.
Often blended with linen and cotton for commercial and
residential use.
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
SILK
Produced by silk moths.
Strongest natural fiber, resistant to solvents but degenerates
in sunlight.
Typically, only residential use.
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
RAYON
Manufactured from wood pulp.
Viscose rayon blends well with other fibers and takes dyes
well.
Commercial and residential use.
ACRYLIC
Mimics silk or wool.
Accepts dyes well, may pill.
Outdoor use.
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
VINYL
Simulates leather or suede.
Durable, easy to clean.
Not sustainable material.
Residential and commercial use.
UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS
POLYESTER
Wrinkle resistant, abrasion resistant, dimensional stability,
crease resistant.
Commercial use.
SPECIAL FABRICS
Elastomeric fibers (spandex) return to their original shapes
after being stretched.
Commercial use.
UPHOLSTERY FABRICS
CRYPTON
A process for treating a variety of fabrics, such as cotton, linen,
silk, wool, acrylic, rayon and polyester, to make them highly
durable, stain- and moistureresistant.
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL SEATING
ARMCHAIRS
Intended for relaxing, conversation, or reading.
Fully upholstered.
Constructed of wood, plastic, steel, or a combination of
materials.
TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL SEATING
SIDE CHAIRS
Usually lighter and smaller than armchairs
Upright backs for dining and studying.
LOUNGE CHAIRS
For relaxing in a semi-reclining position, often adjustable.
Should be easy to get into and out of, neither too low nor too
soft
Should provide proper back support.
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL SEATING
SOFA
Designed for seating of more than two people.
Generally upholstered.
Curved, straight, or angled.
With or without arms.
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL SEATING
LOVESEAT
A small sofa with only two seating positions.

SECTIONAL
A sofa divided into separate parts that may be used in various
configurations.

SLEEPER
A sofa designed to be transformed into a bed.
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
RESIDENTIAL SEATING
COMMERSIAL SEATING
COMMERCIAL SEATING
Commercial seating must be durably constructed to support
workers without stress throughout the workday.
Seating should not be selected solely on the basis of the users
status within the company or enterprise, but rather selected
to accommodate the size of the individual user and to provide
proper support for the type of activity envisioned.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
ARMCHAIR
Designed to be flexible and mobile.
Swivel mechanism, rolling casters, arms.
EXECUTIVE CHAIRS
Often designed as status symbols, these allow the user to lean
back from the desk.
Swivel mechanism.
Not appropriate for extended computer use.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
SIDE CHAIRS
Intended for office visitors or short term use.
Usually small in scale and often armless.

STOOLS
Should be selected for stability and ease of movement as well
as for appearance.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
STACKING & FOLDING CHAIRS
Used for large gatherings of people or as auxiliary seating.
Lightweight and modular, often made of steel, aluminum, or
plastic.
Some are available with arms and with padded seats and
backs.
Some have coupling devices for use in rows.
COMMERCIAL SEATING
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
RESTAURANT CHAIRS
Must be durably constructed.
Comfort level is usually selected to match intended service
style.
Chairs with arms must be coordinated with tabletop heights.
Chair size may affect seating patterns.
COMMERCIAL SEATING
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
SOFAS
Arranged in L-shapes or U-
shapes for conversation
groups in lobbies, large
private offices, waiting areas.
Strangers generally sit at
opposite ends, leaving center
seat empty.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
MODULAR OR SECTIONAL
SEATING
Available armless, with left or
right arm only, or as corner
piece.
Modular seating also refers to
seating with a continuous
base to which individual seats
are attached.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
LOVESEATS
Useful in smaller private offices where they can be used for
naps.
BOOTHS
Commonly designed for two to four persons.
Larger booths and U-shaped or circular configurations present
access problems for central seats.
Usually upholstered.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
BANQUETTES
Long, usually upholstered
seats facing multiple tables
with chairs opposite,
allowing tables to be moved
along their length and
clustered to accommodate
varying sizes of groups.
TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SEATING
FIXED SEATING
Used in auditoriums, lecture
halls.
Provides acoustic absorption
as well as seating.
Fire safety requirements for
materials and arrangements.