Design Speak lets you in on a some industry lingo so that you will sound oh-so-smart. From abbreviations to acronyms to phrases to trendy words, we’ll do our best to cover it, and we’ll do it in language you’ll understand.

L

lacquered

(pronounced LAK-kerd)

This adjective describes the application of a lacquer, which means applying any one of a variety of clear or colored synthetic organic coatings to furniture or accessories. The coatings dry, forming a hard, protective film. Just think of fingernail polish, which was originally called fingernail lacquer (and still is by some). Lacquer tends to get a bad rap because it is still associated with the 1980s cheesy bachelor pad look, where black lacquer furniture and Nagel prints prevailed. The reality is that the practice of using lacquer has been around for thousands of years. The precise technique and skill required was for years passed down through generations of families as well as from master artisan to apprentice. Therefore, depending on how it is used, lacquered items can be either traditional or contemporary.

laminate

(pronounced LAM-ih-nayt)

We’re killing two birds with one stone here. See delaminate.

lamp

AKA “bulb”. In the design industry, what was commonly referred to as a “bulb” is now known as a lamp. Basically, it’s the light source: the component of a luminaire that produces light. It gets a bit confusing because the general public still thinks of a lamp as what sits on the nightstand beside their bed. What’s even more confusing is that the term “lamp” is still a legitimate word for that decorative appliance housing a bulb that is usually covered by a shade.
 

lamp buzz

This is the term for that annoying sound so commonly heard when one dims the lamps in a light fixture. It’s not necessarily that the lamps or the light fixture is cheap. Blame it on the quality of the dimmer or the capacity of the dimmer for that particular application. Frequently the buzz is worst at about 50% dimming, and the larger the wattage on the lamp, the bigger the lamp’s filament, and – you guessed it – the louder the buzz. When you get right down to it, dimming is truly turning a lamp on and off hundreds of times a second, which tends to create some vibration in the lamp. And don’t forget… just like anything else, the more hard surfaces in a space, the more likely the lamp buzz will be amplified.

lead-time

(pronounced LEED-time)

This term is used in various industries, but you will hear it a lot in the interior A&D community. Designers, architects, sales reps, purchasing agents and contractors will use it most often to describe the amount of time required to receive a product after the time it is ordered. For example, it’s common for a designer to ask a sales rep: “How long is the lead-time on your product? We really love it, but our client has to be functioning in the space in six weeks!” In a product development context, it is the time needed to design a product (and work out all the kinks) before it can be manufactured. In broad terms – and in most any industry – it can be used to mean the amount of time between the initial stage of a project / policy and the actual appearance of results. (Note: You will see this word both hyphenated and not hyphenated. Whatever floats your boat.)

LED

(pronounced like the initials: el-ee-DEE)

LED is short for light emitting diodes. These little guys are the lighting industry’s destiny. Researchers have made exponential leaps and bounds in lumens per watt (lm/W) output in the last several decades (think better miles per gallon). Benefits abound: no heat output, so they’re cool to the touch and don’t require extra energy to cool; endless configurations, from linear to surface to ambient; incredible energy efficiency, surpassing that of fluorescent sources; long lasting, dramatically reducing maintenance and replacement costs; and colorful, computerized and programmable, hitting the trifecta of illumination, entertainment and communications. What’s not to love?

See also: OLED

life cycle assessment / LCA

(pronounced LIF SI-kehl eh-SES-mehnt)

Also known as cradle-to-grave analysis, ecobalance, or life cycle analysis, the idea is to research, evaluate and quantify the full environmental impact associated with a product, service or structure. Only by considering and combining the full range of processes – production/extraction of raw materials, manufacturing/building, distribution/transportation, actual use and associated waste/disposal, etc. – that occur as a consequence of a “thing’s” existence can its total environmental performance/impact be known. As the public becomes increasingly interested in sustainable living, more and more consumers will choose products, services and buildings that have better life cycle assessments.

light harvesting

(pronounced LIT HAHR-vehst-ing)

Biologists use this term to describe a method of deriving energy from proteins, bacteria, and molecules, but we want to address macro systems that we can see with the naked eye. Light harvesting is a term that has come to mean taking care to take advantage of natural light when designing buildings and their systems. With the primary goal of saving energy, systems of fenestration, light sensors, electronic ballasts, window films and coverings work together to let natural light be used for maximum efficiency and minimum utility costs. The pleasant side effects? The natural light benefits employees in that it elevates mood, which in turn improves productivity and reduces turnover.

light pollution

(pronounced LIT peh-LOO-shun)

If you have ever worked on a project seeking LEED certification or have studied for the LEED exam, then you will recognize this term from the Sustainable Sites section as one of the point options covers “Light Pollution Reduction.” The idea is that excessive artificial light – whether it’s a low glow or bright glare – spilling into the atmosphere or onto other properties negatively affects nocturnal environments and obscures the night sky for everyone, including astronomical observatories. The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) and other groups have been on the forefront of the “dark-sky movement,” which only continues to pick up followers.

light shelves

(pronounced LIT shelvz)

When you first see this term, you may imagine thin, weightless ledges hanging on your walls to display your toy ray gun or Hummel collection. Well, you would be wrong. This kind of light shelf is a horizontal element – attached either to a building’s exterior or within its interior (or both) – that is placed underneath a transom window and above eye level. When daylighting interiors, they allow designers to take advantage of natural sunlight via reflectivity. The more reflective and mirror-like the upper surfaces of light shelves are, the more efficient they will be in drawing sunlight into a structure. They can also prevent unwelcome, direct sunlight (an annoying source of glare) for the building’s occupants, as well as reduce the amount of heat that enters a space, lowering cooling costs for the building’s owner.

lintel

(pronounced LIN-tehl)

When you think lintel, think horizontal. Why? Because it’s the crosspiece forming the upper member of a window or doorframe. It’s also the term used to describe the horizontal architectural member spanning – and usually carrying the load above – an opening. Of course, if it’s just spanning, it’s only decorative, but if it’s carrying some weight, then it’s obviously structural. To confuse you even more, it can also refer to the load-bearing beam over an opening, such as a door or fireplace, in masonry. Stone lintels are normally visible from the exterior, whereas wood lintels are usually concealed inside the wall and also known as "headers" (but not always). Wood or stone, decorative or structural, just think “horizontal piece extending over an opening.”

See also: transom

list price

(pronounced lihst prIs)

Literally, the price that is listed in a manufacturer’s price book. When applied to the retail world, it’s the price at which manufacturers recommend retailers sell a good to the consumer. It’s usually the list price that is reduced when items are discounted or the retailer has a sale. As a comparison, think of the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) or “sticker price” in the automotive world. Same concept.

So when you look in price books / catalogues supplied by furniture manufacturers, for example, the price you see is the list price. Depending on what dealer you are purchasing through (if you are purchasing through a dealer at all), you will get a particular discount, which has been negotiated between the manufacturer and the dealer. Therefore, when you applied the discount to the list price, you get the net price, or the price that you (or your client) may buy the item for. So when someone says, “I got it 55% off list,” they mean that they paid 45% of the list price for the product. For example, a desk that listed for $1000 can actually be purchased for $450 if the discount is 55%.

living building

(pronounced LIV-ing BILD-ing)

Living buildings would be those designed to derive all of their energy and water requirements from the surrounding sun, wind and rain. As they evolve, these ideal structures will require fewer resources, pollute less, and envelope their occupants with healthier interiors. Looking to nature for inspiration, living buildings would recycle everything it and its occupants use, run on sunlight or another on site renewable energy source, harvest its own water needs on site, be built with local materials, and utilize a variety of integrated systems to provide maximum comfort to its inhabitants while minimizing energy use / using only the energy it needs to sustain its inhabitants’ desired functions. In the meantime, many people think of living buildings as those actually having leafy, living façades of green roofs or green walls. These plantings provide both acoustic and thermal for the occupants, and beautiful views for the public.

living roof

(pronounced LIH-ving ruf)

See green roof.

LOHAS

(pronounced as LOH-hass)

An acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, the term LOHAS refers to a huge market segment that concerns itself with green building, alternative energy, natural lifestyles and personal health, as well as social justice and personal development. We include this term in DESIGN SPEAK because, as a quickly expanding market segment, it is vital for those in the interior design industry to recognize these consumers so that they can meet their needs. Those in the residential, retail, healthcare, hospitality and corporate markets have the opportunity to gain their own market share if they understand how to cater to this group.