Designtology

NCIDQ test information

Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Upon my many web searches I found this one site that tests your knowledge of design terms that are used on the NCIDQ. Click on the following link and try the quizzes to see how good your knowledge is so far!

http://www.harpercollege.edu/doit/examples/VocabMatch1.html

K Marsh

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In termanology

Tomato: Tomatoe- Design Terminology

Posted on

In every profession there is a lingo, a professional language, that adds that extra "umph" and sense of value to your conversation.

Using these words in the industry will definitely show that not only do you know how to walk the walk, you can talk the talk! Try these word substitutes to add a layer of cool to your professional cake:

Instead of -----Use
Couch----- Sofa
Coffee table ----- Cocktail table
Vase----- Vase (pronounced v-ah-se)
Curtains----- Window Treatments (the term curtains only used when in a kitchen)
Bookshelf----- Etegere**

More to come.....

K Marsh

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In vocabulary wood

Let Me Grade Your Wood

Posted on Monday, January 5, 2009

Let's take this time to appreciate a major element in design that has been bestowed upon us by mother nature: wood.

With its variety of shapes, sizes, and species there is so much to know about wood it's hard to know where to begin! In this blog I'm going to discuss one of the "G"s of wood- Grade.

The grading of lumber is determined by how many defects and imperfections are in the wood. The clearer the wood, the higher the grade. Here is a breakdown of different grading:

Clear- to have clear wood is to have wood virtually free of any defects.
Select- is a grade lower than clear because it has some natural defects such as knots
Common- has even more natural characteristics like select grade that are chosen to highlight the defects in the wood. There are two variations- Number 1 Common and Number 2 Common: No 1 Common showcasing various colors, knots and wormholes and No 2 showing the characteristics of the species of wood
First
First grade wood has the best appearance, natural color variations and limited character marks.
Second
Second grade wood is variegated in appearance with varying sound wood characteristics of species.
Third
Third grade wood is rustic in appearance allowing all wood characteristics of the species.