This section serves to expand your regular vocabulary. What separates the men from the boys (or the women from the girls, if you want to equalize things) is v o c a b u l a r y. We cannot stress this point enough. People who have a larger vocabulary have been shown to make more money and get promoted more often.
A abbreviation for the Latin term “exempli gratia”, which means “for example”. Most people just use the abbreviation “ex.” instead, but e.g. is quite common too.
Example: In our Architectural History class, we were shown examples of common brick patterns, e.g. running bond, Herringbone, Flemish bond and stack bond.
Though this fun word can officially have a slightly negative slant, it’s you traditionally hear it used in a very positive way. Think of the “bull” in ebullient as “boil,” and it’ll help you to remember the definition. What is the state of boiling liquid? It’s bubbly! Now that could be bubbly as in agitated, but think of it lively, enthusiastic, and exuberant.
Example: Joan and her team loved getting interns in the summer because, more often than not, they were so ebullient that their presence was a morale booster for the whole firm.
If uneducated in French, this word is dangerously similar to the word for a luscious, cream-filled, chocolate-topped tasty pastry. So educate yourself. This French term is noun that can mean either great brilliance, splendor, conspicuous success, or ceremonial elegance.
Example: Vivian was beaming when she left the meeting as her presentation to their highest profile hospitality client came off with éclat.
This verb is commonly used in a religious and/or moralistic context, but it is not limited to that function. In its most basic use, it means to inform or enlighten, and since we’re always doing that, it’s a pretty useful word.
Example: In anticipation of the primary investor’s arrival, Bill, the project architect, assured the rest of the design team that she would edify them on the development’s future purpose, inspiring the group with her enthusiasm, focus and drive.
This verb can be relevant to people or to objects, and we’ll explain the latter first. It means to cause to disappear or to erase or obscure as if by erosion (natural or deliberate). When applied to human beings, it means to make oneself unassumingly and discreetly inconspicuous. The example sentence below refers to this last definition.
Example: Since she had just started her internship and didn’t exactly understand what was going on, for now Roberta made a point to efface herself at both staff and project meetings, taking care to absorb every detail.
Stay clear of anyone possessing effrontery. (And if that person is YOU, then learn some manners! Tip: You’ll get farther in life if you do.) But back to the definition… Effrontery boils down to presumptuousness. Being overbearing and shamelessly bold. In a bad way. Not the kind of person you want to be hanging out with day in and day out.
Example: As Jack aged, his effrontery became legend. Since contractors hated him, design firms feared him, and lenders saw him as an unpredictable risk, he was having a harder and harder time getting his retail development projects off the ground.
Though this adjective can be used to mean “ready to fight,” it is more commonly used to describe a person engaged in something characterized by conflict or controversy.
Example: Jackie Johanssen, the embattled City Manager, finally took the stand today, defending herself against accusations that she illegally influenced the awarding of the contract to build the new city library complex.
A French phrase meaning as a whole, all together, as one.
Example: The second the doors opened for the Daniel Libeskind lecture, the 2004 NeoCon attendees moved en masse into the ballroom and jockeyed for seats.
When capitalized, this word refers to a religious holiday, but we want to talk about its everyday usage: a realization or discovery of something or the illuminating grasp of a concept that had eluded you before. “By George, I think she’s got it!”
Example: After producing construction documents with AutoCAD for years, Geoff was struggling to fully grasp one critical component of his firm’s new Building Information Modeling software, but one morning in the shower he had an epiphany, and from then on his efficiency skyrocketed.
If you study it, you realize that this is a really weird word. It means of, relating to, or resembling a horse or the horse family. Strange. We include it because people love horses, and many a client will want to adorn an executive office, retail establishment, country club, or residential room around the theme.
Example: After Margaret saw the bank president’s extensive collection of antique bridles, well-preserved riding crops, and brightly harlequin-patterned jockey silks, she knew that there was no way to avoid an equine themed lobby.
A tip to remember what this weird little word means: First off, get all thoughts of masticating and sneezing out of your head. Next, think of the exclamation “ewwwww” (which rhymes with eschew). You know – what you say when something grossed you out or bothers you. We say this because eschew means to deliberately shun, avoid, or stay away from – sometime because of moral reasons.
Example: Though he loved the way they looked, William eschewed certain types of products and finishes on his interiors projects because he knew that their manufacturing processes were bad for the environment.
This exotic sounding word has a surplus of subtle variations, though all closely related to each other. First off, it can describe something (tangible or intangible) that is rare or of special interest. It can also be used to mean confidential or private, or at least limited to a limited group of individuals. Lastly, it can describe that which is only understood by or designed for a small group of people, or even that which is just plain difficult to understand by most. Very mysterious, no?
Example: When the three old friends got together every few years, they quickly reverted back to their cocky days of graduate studies in design where they were continually striving to one-up each other with some newly found (or, occasionally, fabricated) esoteric design theory.
A word – with Greek origins – meaning one’s own personal or work “ethic.” (See the same language roots?) More elaborately put, the ethos of an individual, group, or organization is the culmination of that entity’s belief system, morals, and character that distinguishes them, setting them apart from others.
Example: When looking to fill the vacant position in his firm, the interviewee’s portfolio was the most crucial part of the process for him because he was looking for a designer that matched his design ethos.
This strong, harsh word reminds us of both the words “sponge” and “plunger,” which, in a round about, rather disgusting way that we do not need to get into, helps us to remember that it means to get rid of, destroy, obliterate, or wipe from one’s mind.
Example: Due to all of the budget cuts, “value engineering” and firm turnover, the build-out of the client’s three floors was anything but successful, and Deborah wished there was a way in which she could expunge her name from all contract documents and construction administration records.
To bridge the gap between the student / educational community and the professional / manufacturer community of the interior design world, and not to die of boredom while we do it.
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Smart Environment Awards | This competition recognizes individuals and collaborative teams creating excellent, leading edge interior environments demonstrating the best in sustainability, accessibility, and beauty. Interior design and architecture professionals and teams practicing legally in their jurisdictions may enter projects that were completed after April 2009 (and not previously published). The winners of the Smart Environments awards will be announced at USGBC's Greenbuild Expo 2010. The deadline to submit completed entries is October 6, 2010. Find out more at and available at iida.org and metropolismag.com.
