Construction of The Empire State Building

By:Fiona Wright, SITE

The 1453-foot, 103-story Empire State Building came to be a project because General Motors executive John J. Raskob wanted to beat his arch-rival in creating the tallest building in the world.

Excavation for the building began in January 1930 and just two months later the construction of the building started. The schedule on this project was as adventurous as the design. The architects planned that the project would be completed in only eighteen months. The contractor employed for the project was general contractors Starrett Brothers and Eken, who put in a bold bid to win the job.

Not only did they promise that they could get the job done on time, but they announced that they would purchase custom-fitted equipment to fulfil the contract. Their opinion was that this would cost less than renting second hand equipment and would be more efficient. The investment group agreed with them.

The supplies for the building had to be made at the plants in as close to finished state as possible, to minimize preparatory work needed at the site. The companies they hired had to be dependable, able to provide quality work, and willing to adhere to the allotted timetable. Time had to be scheduled nearly to the minute.

The schedule dictated that each section of the building process overlapped - not a moment was to be wasted. Planning started immediately and a fast-track construction approach was adopted, which is common place in the United States today. This technique involves starting the construction process before the designs are fully completed in order to reduce delays and inflation costs.

Demolishing the existing building on the site and laying the foundations simultaneously helped to save time too. Time was also saved by making the process of moving materials more efficient. A railway was built at the construction site to move materials quickly: each cart held eight times more than a wheelbarrow.

While the outside of the building was being constructed, electricians and plumbers began installing the internal necessities of the building. The building was being erected at a rate of four and a half storeys a week! The project became a model of efficiency.

The Empire State Building took a total of one year and 45days to complete. It was completed under budget - by $18.3million - and ahead of schedule - by three months. American project management still uses the same principles as this project from the 1920s does. The emphasis was on speed as it still is in America.

Interior Design - Give Your Bathroom a Neat and Fresh Look

By:Derek Farley, SITE

Considering the interior design of a bathroom is a must even though we do not tend to give much importance to it while renovating our homes or building a new home. Designing of bathrooms is very important as this is the room that is used at the start and at the end of the day. Hence, it has a lot of potential to influence your mood. A bath can help you get a fresh start to the day and it can also help in getting a sound sleep after a long tiring day.

While designing your bathroom's interior, you must consider various things like the style, color and the mood that the room should have. You must also choose a design that not only suits you but a design that will be liked by your friends and relatives who come to visit you at home. You can start off by checking the pipes that are present inside the bathroom. If they are visible, you can get them covered.

Bathrooms should be sufficiently illuminated as per your desire. You may also go for natural lighting by installing a wall skylight or roof skylight. If you prefer artificial lighting you can simply install an overhead light or lightings on both sides of the vanity mirror. You must also make sure that the room has proper ventilation so that fresh air is always coming in from outside. Ventilation should also allow the humid and moisture filled air inside the bathroom to move out. This can be done by installing a ventilator or ventilating fans.

Neat looking tiles are one of the most important things that you should consider while you design your bathroom's interior as they make your bathroom not only clean but also attractive. To make your bathroom look beautiful, you can place same color tiles on the floor and different color tiles on the wall. You may try placing the tiles diagonally on the floor to give it an unusual look.

If you do not organize your things properly inside the bathroom, your bathroom may be cluttered with all sorts of things that you use (or actually not use ). Hence, you must give great importance to keeping the toiletries organised so that you do not waste any space. Installing shelves and cabinets can be a very good idea to arrange your things inside the room.

Apart from all the above, you must also make sure that the bathtub, sink and commode go well in terms of color and design with the overall look of your bathroom. After all, the interior design of your bathroom is on the line! Good luck with your bathroom design project.

Form and Function in Kitchen Design

By:Anne E. Moss, SITE

Your kitchen is the center of hearth and home. It is where you do the most of your house work, where you entertain your most familiar and cherished guests, and where you nurture your family. The decor in your kitchen should support all of those functions. Therefore, the kitchen must first be organized well to enable efficient and easy work conditions, and then made homey and beautiful. Design decor can effect both.

Work smarter not harder. Imagine that your kitchen was a factory. How would you arrange it for maximum efficiency? First, arrange your kitchen ergonomically. Build counters and sinks and stoves to fit your height. Give yourself a comfortable stool or chair to support you when you are pairing and peeling. Store heavy things in a way that will allow you access to them without hurting your back.

Build twice as much shelving and cupboards as you think you need. You don't want to have your appliances cluttering your work surfaces. If you have to lift all those gadgets every time you want to clean your counter top, you'll clean less frequently than you would if the counter was already clear. Hang or mount what ever you can on the wall, instead of having it sit on the counter.

Now remember, you are not a ship's galley slave; the kitchen must be pleasant as well as functional. This means, for instance, that you should design your kitchen with lovely windows that look out at a beautiful view. Large windows keep the kitchen from becoming claustrophobic. If the view is nothing special, use window boxes to create a garden view that will obstruct the view of anything ugly.

If your kitchen is dark and the light from the windows has a blue quality to it, use yellow or orange filmy gauze curtains to create a warm sunny glow; it will improve your mood, motivation, and the look of most food. Your artificial lighting should be warm colored as well. Now available are energy saving florescent light bulbs with a warm soft light that doesn't flicker.

Decorate your walls with just a few sparsely placed pieces of art that add splashes of color. This will not shrink or crowd the room visually, and yet it will make the kitchen more homey and personal.

Design Ideas For Decorating A Small Dining Room

By: Lee Dobbins, SITE

Your dining room is a space for family meals therefore you are looking for it to have a great interior design. But how can you make a small dining room look big on style? But if you practice these suggestions, you will realize that there are numerous methods for decorating a small dining room.

One thing you might want to do is be sure to decide on a room design that makes the most out of small spaces. One principle feature to avoid with small dining rooms is clutter due to the fact that it tends to make the room seem a great deal smaller.

By applying a particular decorating style, you can insert furniture and accessories which will make good use of the space in your dining room. Keep in mind design themes which allow for a variety of baskets and shelving since these can be used as extra storage. Deciding on a design you really can live with, however, is imperative as this is where you will be eating lots of meals.

Another core aspect of making your dining room look sizeable is the color palette. If you always believed that you were supposed to keep your spacially challenged rooms white, then here is some wonderful news for you. If you don't want drab paint that is boring, think about having a monochromatic interior design in a muted color, or combine different colors which all produce the same intensity. For a scheme that is more colorful consider blues and greens that all have an equal intensity or if you prefer a soothing ambiance think about a monochromatic color scheme of pale blues. To add drama and depth, work on painting one wall a deep, intense tone - this gives it the impression of being further away along with adding an unusual charm. Pale colors will recede, therefore making the room seem larger and blueish gray is a great decorative paint color for a small room. But then if that sounds too colorless, don't despair cool colors like blues, greens and purples also recede so you can use your beautiful shades without making the room appear small sized.

When it comes to loading the room with furniture, keep to small-to-medium sized fittings. One means to maximize space is to use a table with leaves, in lieu of a huge dining table which will free up some room while allowing additional seating when necessary. You can also fix any monotony in the decorating approach of your dining room by mixing large with small, so though you might decide to try the small table, add into your design a large mirror or server, which not only gives some style, but also gives you the feeling that the room is more spacious than it really is.

Thinking about where you place the furniture in the room is an additional tip for decorating a small dining room. Even your dining room might add to your well being when designed with Feng Shui in mind. Easy access into a room will make it seem more spacious, so place your furniture away from the doors. If you can, steer the eye from the open door to a bigger piece like a server or mirror can help divert the eye and give the illusion of space.

Provided you decorate with some industry known suggestions decorating a small dining room is a breeze. Practicing a bit of elbow grease combined with imagination can help make even the tiniest room appear like a designer showplace.

Modern Interior Design Ideas

By:Monica O'Neil, SITE

Interior design allows people to decorate their homes so it looks both inviting and relaxing. These modern interior design ideas should help you begin the process.

Interior decorating involves a diverse area of interests, including painting, carpeting, wallpaper, tiling, lighting fixtures, furniture, and art forms such as paintings or other miscellaneous ideas. The definition of modern interior design ideas is constantly evolving. There are new design styles coming out almost every day. An individual can feel free to express their tastes and personal flair in their home's interior in many ways these days.

It is not necessary to have a large home in order to accommodate a lot of nice furniture and fixtures. For example, a smaller space can be accommodated by using a bookcase within a wall so that you use less floor space. If you desire a stylish home then all you need is some creativity. Some basic guidelines on modern interior design ideas follow.

Before you actually purchase anything, imagine how you will want each room to look. Think about what you want to accomplish. Start with the main features as the smaller details will depend upon these. Take note of lines and shapes. Every room has its own qualities. Notice how the textures already create a visual effect. Maybe you are doing a family room that will be full of children and pets. The fabrics, paint color, and lighting for this action-oriented room will be different from the needs of a quiet bedroom. Starting out like this will be the simplest and most economical method for decorating your home.

Some things you can begin thinking about are linens, furniture, wallpaper, and lampshades. Keep these items within your budget as it is not necessary to spend a lot to look good. If you have money to work with, you might even consider moving a wall or adding another room.

One popular style of interior design is called art deco. In this style, many lines are used in an angular, yet beautiful fashion. The color scheme is vibrant.

Asian style design is quite popular. It is bold and very colorful, and is also great for maximizing small spaces. The furniture tends to be carved wooden designs along with hand-painted details. Accessories usually feature animal motifs.

There is also something called an eclectic style of interior design. This uses a combination of different styles that makes a very unique appearance and allows you to be creative.

Lighting is a big part of home design. Look into different types of lighting such as Victorian lamps, ceramic lamps, recessed lighting, and track lighting. After all, the light that shines in a room is a huge part of the overall effect. Sometimes the lamp you choose, such as a fancy chandelier, can be the focal point of a room.

A great place to start your search for design ideas is on the internet. You can even purchase items right away. Go through magazines and clip out what you like. Also consider an interior designer for ideas that work best for your home.

Simple Interior Design Tips

By :Dakota Caudilla

A modern home owner today enjoys a lot of freedom when it comes to how they design the interiors of their homes. The philosophy of design is very much in-sync with a postmodern world view where rules and regulations are thrown out the window in favor of an almost anything-goes approach. But beware: even in chaos you will find order.

Before you begin ask yourself two questions:

1. What do I want to improve?

2. What is my interior design budget?

Your interior design options can range from small to large and from inexpensive to very expensive.

You may be able to solve the problem of your lounge room with a splash of colorful pillows and a strategically hung mirror or you may need something more drastic like a complete change of wall color with a feature wall to boot.

The important thing is to be able to pinpoint exactly what is not working for you now. Is it really the color of your walls? Or would a framed poster and showcase light fighting do the trick? Is it really your drab furniture? Or would a brightly colored throw rug and pillows make the dramatic change you are looking for?

In order to answer these questions you need to step into your room and imagine you are expecting a new friend to visit. What would this person see? How would you feel you could better impress this person? Then always try to answer your ideas with the smallest possible changes first rather than the most drastic.

Color is one of the best ways to create the illusion you want. Adding color to your interior design need not be drastic (as in wall painting or new furniture) but easy and something you can do in a day. Instead of painting a wall, hang a mirror, clock, shelves or piece of artwork. Instead of buying a new coffee table, decorate your existing one with books, candles and a large bouquet of freshly cut flowers.

Asian Interior Design Tips For Decorating Your Home

By:Lee Dobins

Asian interior design is a stylish and classy way to decorate your home. There are many ways to use this design influence in your space. Some people, however, are a little lost when it comes to using Asian design in their own home. Here are a few ideas to help you begin.

Using Japanese influence in your Asian decorating theme is a popular choice. There are many different ways to use this style. Japanese Shoji screens are one of the most popular choices. These are wooden frames with a lattice design. The cutouts are filled with rice paper. Some shoji screens are plain and some have beautiful designs. These screens can be used as a room divider or simply as decoration. Another thing to add to your Japanese inspired room is the Kotatsu table. This is a rectangular table in a dark finish with clean lines. Many have heaters in the middle, and are considered in Japan to be the emotional center of a home.

Woven straw mats with colored borders are popular floor coverings in Asian interiors. These mats are called goza mats. In Japan, these mats are used for walking, sitting, and sleeping. They have two separate layers. One is the straw center and the other is the soft reed outer edge covered in cloth. These floor and bench coverings will add an authentic touch to your Asian style room.

Another classic element of Asian interior design is the gong. There are several different types of gongs, and the one you choose may have much to do with the size of your space. Some gongs are very large, so your room needs to be large to accommodate them. A more manageable size would be a hanging gong. These are usually 12 inches or so and come with a mallet to ring the gong. You can find ones with a beautiful scroll design to accent your Asian decor. You can also purchase a classic gong that hangs on your wall as an art piece. These are lovely and help to tie an Asian inspired space together.

Using Japanese and Chinese calligraphy is a classic and elegant way to decorate your walls for an Asian decorating theme. You can purchase these works of art already framed or just the print. If you buy just the print, it is usually most striking to frame them in black. Look for simple frames with clean lines. This will help enhance the Asian style.

As you can see, there are many ways to use Asian interior design in your own home. There are a plethora of websites and retailers that specialize in Asian interior design. You can find the materials and products that you need to create your perfect Asian inspired space with relative ease.

Tips When Choosing Your Home Interior Design Style

By:Mike Selvon

Some of the most popular exteriors in America are Modern, Art Deco, Victorian and Colonial Revival. Logically, many of these home owners would choose to complement the home interior design by using unified elements. If the exterior is an Arts and Craft bungalow, for instance, you may want neutral tone walls, stained glass lights and mission oak furniture. However, if you have a Cape Cod, then a country theme might be more appropriate for your interior. You can gain insight and custom designs from a trained professional to help you make the best choices.

Art Deco first gained popularity in the 1920s. While the glitz, glamour and gaudiness diminished following the Great Depression, there is still a soft spot in the American heart for the lost innocence of this classic time period. In the twenties and thirties, the professional interior designer saw Art Deco as both elegant and ultra-modern. Combining aspects of airplane design and Futurism with Old World mosaic patterns and Cubism, the end result was something very interesting that spoke to the aristocracy who wanted nothing bland or boring.

Borrowing from austere stainless steel but also exotic zebra skin and saturated modern colors, Art Deco interior design trends offer the homeowner a museum-type vibe with an array of conversation pieces. Curved mirrors, Tiffany lamps, lacquered furniture, velvet drapes, silk lamp shades, small furniture, thick carpeting and symmetrical geometric shape patterns can all add a hint of Deco to a room. "It's about glamour and getting a glimpse of those bygone days where TV was less important and it was about cocktail hour and company," furniture designer Barclay Butera tells HGTV.

The Arts and Crafts home interior design style took America and Great Britain by storm from 1850 through to 1920. Following the advent of mass production and rampant industrialism, artists like John Ruskin and William Morris called for a return to rustic craftsmanship. Simplicity meets high quality with clean, elegant furniture that is as practical as it is beautiful. William Morris said in 1882, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

Other influential Arts and Crafts designers include Frank Lloyd Wright, Gustav Stickley, Henry Greene and Elbert Hubbard. Durable, dark-stained "mission style" oak furniture, stained glass, painted tiles, floral fabrics, Mica shade lighting, neutral tone walls and deep green or sapphire blue accent colors are all part of Arts and Crafts custom designs.

In addition to the aforementioned styles, you may notice interior design services featuring "Feng Shui." Feng Shui home interior design is based on the principle that the arrangement of objects, the choice of color and the manipulation of space can help you feel better and achieve your goals. Often Feng Shui involves clearing out clutter, adding plants and rearranging furniture to maximize space. No matter which custom designs you choose, feeling at peace and completely comfortable in your own space is the end goal.