Interior Design Specialization: Materials, Lighting, and Color

You'll discover our most recent influences. From the rebellious creative thinking of Think Punk to the visual inspiration of Brain Pickings, we explore sources that challenge the established. We also analyze the impact of light, art, and design on our process, as well as tools like Let's Flow to boost creativity in projects.

Inspiration / Wanna

15m

Module 2

Transform spaces with purpose with Ana García, co-founder of Nook Architects! In this course, you'll learn to design custom renovation projects for homes and workspaces, taking care of every detail from start to finish. Ana will guide you from understanding the client's needs to choosing materials, lighting, and colors to create functional and inspiring spaces.

20 lessons (1h 32m)

What will we do in the module?

In this lesson, I'll explain the House of Mirrors project. We'll explore how we approached the renovation, starting with our first contact with the client and the space. I'll share our reflections on how social and technological changes affect the spaces we inhabit and how we've captured them in our work. Afterward, I'll show you the project development process and share our working documents. Finally, I'll encourage you to create your own renovation proposal for the home of your choice.

Approach to interior design

In this lesson, I'll explain what interior design means to us, understanding it as an inseparable discipline from architecture.

How social changes influence spaces

Let's analyze how social, family, and technological aspects are transforming the spaces we live in. I'll talk about the changes in housing over the past few decades and encourage you to blur the lines between work and leisure, office and home, and indoors and outdoors.

Measurements and proportion

In this lesson, you'll learn about architectural dimensions. Rooms should be organized according to their intended uses. We'll see how the proportion of spaces should not only be conveyed in the floor plan, but also reflected in the use of heights.

Materials

I'll explain the selection criteria for the main materials we use in our projects. I'll explain their basic characteristics so you can choose them based on the intended function or environment.

Lightning

Let's learn some basic concepts about how to illuminate spaces according to their intended functions. You'll learn how to define and complete spaces with well-chosen lighting.

Furniture

In this lesson, I'll emphasize the importance of choosing furniture from the initial stages of the project. You'll learn how to combine the most relevant pieces with the fixed cabinetry and small storage options you've proposed. We'll see how these objects shape the space, both materially and formally.

Customer

During this lesson, I'll emphasize the importance of knowing the client. I'll explain how we approach the people for whom we'll design homes. I'll also provide you with a questionnaire that includes the questions you need to successfully complete the client's brief.

Charge

After defining the client profile, I will emphasize the importance of understanding the nature of the assignment and the motivation behind it.

Space

Here I'll explain the key points for approaching the space where the project will be carried out. I'll emphasize the importance of carefully analyzing the initial factors that may influence the decision-making process for the proposal.

Sketches

In this phase, I'll teach you how to interpret all the initial information we have and use it to develop your first ideas. I'll encourage you to develop your initial sketches using any medium you choose, from paper and pencil to 3D rendering software.

Functional and spatial organization chart

In this lesson, we'll outline an organizational chart of the spaces that will make up the new home, based on their hierarchy. From here, you'll see our initial layouts in the form of sketches and the various preliminary project proposals.

Definition of the proposal

The objective of this lesson will be to capture all of the above in one or more proposals that will be presented to the client. We'll look at several examples of preliminary design options that were rejected in favor of the version the client chose to formalize their home.

Materiality

I'll explain how, from the initial phase, you should be clear about which elements will define the project's materiality. I'll show you examples where the preexisting features of the space we decided to retain interact with the new additions.

Preparation of detailed plans

The client has already approved the preliminary design proposal. Next, I'll explain how to detail the project to obtain graphic documentation that will enable the execution of the work. We'll look at how to delve deeper into those rooms that require more precise materials and details, such as the bathrooms, kitchen, and custom furniture.

In this lesson, we'll learn how to transfer information from graphic documents, plans, sketches, and 3D views into written chapters to create a controlled budget that allows you to carry out the project exactly as you imagined.

Drafting budget items

Processing of construction permits

I'll briefly explain how to determine which type of building permit you should apply for, depending on the level of intervention in the space and the authority responsible for each project. I'll give you some tips to ensure your proposed project is feasible.

Construction process

In this lesson, I'll explain how to plan down to the last detail to avoid unforeseen events that could affect your schedule and budget. I'll also give you tips on how to handle some unforeseen events during a renovation and provide you with a project tracking template.

Final and acceptance of the work

At this point, everything will be ready for the client to accept the project and manage its quality control. I'll explain how to carry out a thorough inspection to ensure everything is working properly.

Project publication

Finally, I'll emphasize the importance of preparing a good promotional package for your completed work that conveys the essence of the project and is attractive to both distribution channels and potential clients. We'll share with you the making of some of our first events to showcase our work.

Module 3

Immerse yourself in the world of color and light with Miriam Alía, whose passion for interior design transforms every space into a vibrant experience. In this course, you'll discover her method for creating energetic environments, exploring color combinations, textures, and light. Learn to organize your ideas and bring unique spaces to life with their own unique identity.

10 lessons (1h 16m)

What will we do in the module?

In this lesson, I'll tell you what we'll be doing in the module and introduce you to the world of interior design through color. We'll start with a bit of theory where I'll explain the psychology of color from my perspective and experience. I'll also introduce you to those moments and influences that have undoubtedly shaped my way of designing and understanding color and life.

For tastes, primary, secondary and tertiary colors

In this lesson, I'll teach you how colors begin to form through primary colors—those that cannot be obtained by mixing other colors.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no: color combination

You'll learn how to creatively select and organize colors into harmonious combinations based on the color theory we've covered, and I'll give you tips on how to combine them.

Color fever and its psychology

You'll see the classification of colors according to their temperature (warm, cool, and neutral). These groups of warm and cool colors, differentiated by their subjective temperature, are attributed a series of psychological associations and visual effects that contrast and complement each other.

3D Color and Interior Design

In this lesson, you'll learn some guidelines to follow when applying color to an interior.

Shaping ideas and emotions: mood boards

You'll learn how to organize your ideas, find references, and choose the right materials, colors, and textures that best fit your project, as well as special pieces. We'll use mood boards to do this.

The importance of materials

In this lesson, we'll review all the materials we'll need to create our mood board.

To be able to create you have to know how to listen

In this lesson, I'll teach you all the points you need to emphasize and pay close attention to before you start designing.

Know and connect with the space

We'll get to know the space, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, create a color palette based on everything we've learned (please remember that colors change with the light), and start looking for materials and special pieces.

Inspiration and mood boards

Now that we've connected with the client, we know their tastes and needs, we've become familiar with the space and fallen in love with it, we've created the color palette and selected special pieces, we'll begin to capture and organize all this information on our mood board. LET'S GET TO WORK!

Module 4

Turn every space into a unique experience with Ana Hernández, creative director of Masquespacio. In this course, you'll learn how to choose and combine materials, textures, and colors to tell the story behind your design. Discover how small details can transform a space and bring your project to life with personality and emotion.

18 lessons (3h 8m)

Observe and understand your materials

In this lesson, we'll look at different materials and explain what each one conveys. You'll learn to observe them, touch them, and understand their different uses and meanings to help you distinguish each one.

Textures, shine and touch

Now let's distinguish materials by their appearance. You'll see the different textures, shine, and feel of each one.

Price, durability and maintenance

After understanding the significance of each material's aesthetic, I'll now present some examples of materials based on their price, durability, and maintenance. You'll learn to identify which material is best for each type of project, as each is unique.

Industrial or artisan materials

Next, I'll tell you how to distinguish between industrial and artisanal materials. We'll also discuss when it's better to use industrial materials and when it's better to use artisanal materials, and we'll analyze the pros and cons of each.

The color of the materials 1

Color applied to different materials changes their tones and the messages they convey, as does the light they're projected with. In this lesson, you'll learn to understand the differences depending on where the color is applied.

We continue to delve into the characteristics of materials based on their color.

The color of materials 2

Transmit a message according to each combination

Have you ever considered that each combination can create a different aesthetic? Do you want to portray a luxurious image, a healthy image, or a transgressive one? In this lesson, I'll show you how each material goes from having an individual meaning to becoming part of an overall visual style. Combine them and create your own!

Analysis of trends in material combinations

Now that you understand that combining materials conveys different messages, let's analyze different sources of inspiration in order to represent current trends.

Future trends in material combinations

After exploring current trends, we'll look for sources of inspiration outside of general design. We'll explore nature and craftsmanship to help you create your own unique combinations.

Techniques for setting up a mood board 1

Now we're going to look at three different ways to create a mood board, from the classic method to one that adds more details to the mood board to give the presentation more life.

19m

Techniques for setting up a mood board 2

We continue to look at different ways to create our mood board.

Customer analysis

A new client has just joined us. During the first working session, we sat down with them to understand their needs and what elements we could find that connect with their project to create a concept. Now, we invite you to choose your project, either using a real client or choosing a personal space.

Selected materials and possible combinations for the project

After understanding the client, we begin to evaluate different materials presented to us during our research in the first lesson of this unit. I'll explain why some materials are chosen or discarded.

Strategy typology: according to emotions, storytelling or lifestyle

Now, through some real-life projects, I'll share strategies for selecting materials. This can range, for example, from a project where the objective is purely emotional to one where you want to represent a lifestyle.

Strategy typology: according to economy or craftsmanship

We're going to do the same thing as in the previous lesson, but now we'll use a strategy based on a project with a limited budget and two others where craftsmanship is used.

Mood board

It's time to create your final mood board. Here I show you how we applied the criteria above to arrive at our final mood board.

14m

Presentation of the mood board to the client

After learning how to create a materials mood board, it's now time to present it to the client. Here, you'll see how your mood board is the perfect tool to convince the client of your design.

Future trends

We conclude with a brief review of the new materials that are coming to interior design projects.

Module 5

Discover the power of light in interior design with Mónica Vega, founder of LumLum. In this course, you'll learn how to create welcoming and functional environments by choosing the ideal lighting for every corner of your home. With her advice, you'll design a lighting scene that reflects your vision and transforms any space into a unique experience.

9 lessons (1h 5m)

Direct light

Direct lighting is what we use for precision tasks. I'll start by explaining what it is and what we use it for.

Indirect light

Indirect lighting brings life and softness to spaces, and it's usually diffused. Join me in this lesson to learn all about it.

Architectural and decorative luminaires

Now I'll tell you what an architectural luminaire is, what type of lighting it's used for, and how to use it to achieve the results we want.

The kitchen: the heart of the home

I'll share my process for designing kitchen lighting. I'll also give you tips for creating beautiful lighting without sacrificing functionality.

Lounge and dining room: many activities, one space

Now I'll share with you how we lit the living room area. In the project example, the kitchen and living room are part of the same space, so they should have continuity.

Room: the rest area

Where do you spend the most time in your home? In this lesson, you'll learn how to illuminate the most important relaxation area: your bedroom.

The toilet: the most intimate and least used area

You'll learn how to illuminate the bathroom, one of the areas where we relax and, typically, we give the least attention to when designing.

What is a control system?

In this lesson, I'll teach you what a control system is and how we use it in lighting design. Remember, the most important thing is the lighting strategy we use.

Creating a scene

To create a lighting scene, you must consider the activities to be carried out in each location. In this lesson, I'll work with the kitchen as an example.

In this lesson, we'll talk about 2060 The Newton Hostel, the course's project guide, and introduce you to the final project you'll need to create.

Module 6

Design spaces with soul alongside the Wanna team, where strategy and creativity merge to tell unique stories. In this course, you'll learn to interpret a brief, develop creative concepts, and bring moving projects to life through interior design. By the end, you'll be ready to create a space with its own identity, whether for yourself or a client.

16 lessons (2h 18m)

2060 The Newton Hostel

Brief: what it is and how to do it

Next, we'll reflect on the brief and the attitude we should have toward it as creatives. We'll share with you the keys to creating a brief that allows you to gather as much information as possible to develop your project.

The debrief and its conclusions

Now we'll talk about the debrief and how to construct it with questions. We'll also give you some tips for successfully presenting your conclusions.

What is a creative concept?

Every creative has their own definition of what a concept is. Let's review some of them and share our own definition with you.

What is the purpose of the creative concept?

The creative concept applied to interior design allows you to create a unique, coherent, and powerful space, among other things. And that's what we'll cover in this lesson.

How to create your creative concept?

Now we're going to share with you the keys to our creative conceptualization process starting with 2060 The Newton Hostel. We'll also tell you the questions you should ask yourself to determine if you're dealing with a powerful concept.

In this lesson, you'll discover why it's important to implement your creative concept in space and how to do it from the macro to the micro.

From macro to micro

The concept and the color

Next, we'll explain how you can define your color palette based on your creative concept.

The concept and the materials

Now we'll tell you how you can select the materials for your space, always aligned with your creative concept.

The concept and the lighting

Light accompanies us at all times. In this lesson, we'll teach you how to work lighting into your creative concept.

The concept, the furniture and the decoration

Furniture and decorative objects can also enhance your creative ideas. In this lesson, we'll show you how to choose them.

The conceptual sensory experience

The final step in implementing your concept in your space is to create an experience that appeals to the senses. We'll teach you how to use your senses to your advantage!

The concept and the storytelling

In this lesson, you'll discover how you can bring your creative concept to life and explain it in your space through storytelling.