Interior Design Terminology

Interior Design
Terminology
Quick Reference
The vocabulary you need to sound like you know what you’re doing — in crits, in studios, with
clients and in writing.

Every profession has a vocabulary. Interior design has several: the vocabulary of space, of drawing, of
materials, of light, of colour, of history and of construction. Students who use this vocabulary correctly
and confidently are heard differently in crits and in studios. Students who do not use it are assumed to
be earlier in their learning than they may actually be.
This guide is organised by subject area so you can find the terms relevant to the task you are working
on. Each term includes what it actually means, how to use it in a sentence, and — where relevant —
what it is commonly confused with. Keep this open during crits