This informative and attractive book will provide education and inspiration for design professionals and students alike. Materials for Inspirational Design provides today's designer with a myriad of material possibilities. The book introduces the properties of wood, metal, glass, ceramics and plastic, all in an informative and inspirational format. The book covers a wide range of information its inclusion of both everyday, familiar products and those that are new, exciting and unexpected. The book is highly informative in that each application is introduced with detailed authorial comment, and numerous interviews with the designers and manufacturers are also included. The book covers a wide range of areas, exploring the application of materials in architecture, interior design, product design, furniture design, fashion and applied arts, all combined with solid technical information.

Over the last ten years there has been a huge growth in the area of materials for design, but most books on this subject deal with advanced, semi-formed materials (that is, materials sold as sheet, rod, tube, etc.). This book provides much-needed information on the raw materials, and the low-down on how these can be used. Organized into three sections embracing grown, oil-based and mined materials, each entry includes information on key features, typical applications, production processes and sustainability issues. This fact-packed book will allow professional designers and students from a range of disciplines to understand in simple, exciting, visual terms the different qualities and features of materials.

There currently exists an abundance of materials selection advice for designers suited to solving technical product requirements. In contrast, a stark gap can be found in current literature that articulates the very real personal, social, cultural and economic connections between materials and the design of the material world. In Materials Experience: Fundamentals of Materials and Design, thirty-four of the leading academicians and experts, alongside 8 professional designers, have come together for the first time to offer their expertise and insights on a number of topics common to materials and product design. The result is a very readable and varied panorama on the world of materials and product design as it currently stands. - Contributions by many of the most prominent materials experts and designers in the field today, with a foreword by Mike Ashby - The book is organized into 4 main themes: sustainability, user interaction, technology and selection - Between chapters, you will find the results of interviews conducted with internationally known designers - These 'designer perspectives' will provide a 'time out' from the academic articles, with emphasis placed on fascinating insights, product examples and visuals

The choice of materials is critical to the success of an interior. This book examines every aspect of the the use of materials in interior design, from initial concept and selection to visual representation and practical application. Following a brief introduction, the first five sections offer historical context and detailed guidance on selection, application, representation, communication, and sources, while the sixth and final section features case studies by international interior designers. The book includes useful step-by-step sequences, information on properties and sustainability, and a list of resources, online archives and sample libraries. It is an invaluable practical and inspirational guide for interior design students.

The book is a manual and introduction to a range of glass materials, applications and processes. It offers contemporary examples of glass in its various incarnations, from the highly decorative to the microscopic and purely physical uses.

There are many ways in which a product can be manufactured but most designers know only a handful of techniques. Informative and incredibly easy to use, this bestselling book discusses more than a hundred production methods in detail. Making It appeals not only to product designers but also to interior, furniture, and graphic designers who need access to a range of production methods, as well as to all students of design. This expanded edition includes nine new processes and an all-new section of over 40 finishing techniques.

Showcasing travel photographs by more than 150 of America’s top architects and designers, Travel by Design is an inspiring guide to the power of travel to shape and expand our world. Travel by Design reminds us of the beauty and importance of travel, with images of more than 100 locations in 60 countries, from exotic destinations and global cities to adventure travels and all-American escapes. More than 350 photographs take readers on a global journey through cityscapes, ancient civilizations, luxurious resorts, and stunning natural wonders, all seen through the discerning and artistic eyes of today’s leading creative talents. The images are sure to inspire dreams of escape, and the 40 pages of insider resources—from favorite hotels and restaurants to secret shopping sources and must-see monuments—will make planning future trips reassuring and easy.

Whether you're remodeling your house, redesigning your apartment or just looking for a book of design ideas, Japan Home is a beautiful and indispensable resource full of practical information, shopping resources and inspiration. Japanese interior design has long been renowned for its spare beauty, utility and grace. Today, more and more people outside Japan are incorporating Japanese features in their homes and gardens as they come to appreciate the way in which materials, colors, patterns and shapes are interwoven in a uniquely light and evocative way. Japan Home, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos and packed with practical information, is the perfect source for anyone eager to find ways to decorate or enhance their home with that special Japanese flair. The authors explore ways to create typical Japanese spaces both inside and outside the home that are tranquil yet dramatic, understated yet elegant. All designs are enriched with the distinct Japanese aesthetic.

This fabulously illustrated book offers a rich and unique introduction to wood. A range of projects, products, and processes are featured to demonstrate some of the extraordinary possibilities of wood and to challenge the boundaries of traditional applications. It includes everyday, familiar, and iconic products, along with those that are new, exciting and unexpected. Applications covered include architecture, interior design, product design, furniture design and more. Each product is introduced with authorial comment, interviews with the designers and manufacturers, and solid technical information, making this a uniquely attractive and practical book for designers.

From plastics with the strength and durability of metal, to mass-produced skins, sensuous plastics, and rental DVDs that expire 48 hours after you've opened the packaging, this title offers a fascinating insight into the most innovative and unusual plastics for designers and manufacturers throughout the world.