Whether you're renovating an office, creating a great retail or restaurant space, building a new home or remodeling a single room, you want the finished space to be attractive, comfortable and, most of all, functional. It needs to fit the way you work or live, as well as reflect your personal style and taste.

Interior design addresses all these concerns and more. Images of beautifully appointed and arranged rooms are usually what first come to mind when one thinks of interior design. Color, fabric, furniture, art and ornamentation are indeed important elements in the overall design. How the environments we inhabit look and feel greatly affect our productivity, mood and sense of well-being.

But interior design also involves many practical and technical considerations that affect comfort, function and safety. Among these are lighting, acoustics, space planning, organization and storage, scale, accommodation of special needs, fire safety and compliance with local building codes.