Week 1 – 10
Collaborative meeting / Week 1
We held a Zoom meeting to confirm the main topic of the research project. We discussed the goals and purpose of the research. We made the definitions clear and described the main research methods.
- The purpose of the study is to investigate
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How does contemporary interior design integrate the utilisation of traditional crafts and artisan skills? Investigation of the use, benefits and success Understanding craftsman’s creativity in present day |
Research aims and purpose
The aims of this research are to understand and analyse the current thinking and use of traditional crafts in contemporary interior design.
In order to achieve the above aims, primary and secondary research methods will be used and analysis will be carried out to provide the conclusions.
Collaborative meeting / Week 2
Definitions
We discussed the definitions of the related terms
Craft ,Contemporary Craft ,Traditional Craft ,Craftsman/ Artisan ,Contemporary Interior Design ,
Everyone had their own opinion about what contemporary interior design entails and that is why we discussed this question a little more. Everyone agreed that contemporary interior design refers to a design that is currently popular. It is not necessarily something designed now and can be an eclectic mix that takes pieces and styles from several bygone eras. For example, modern art and furniture can be used in a historic room with traditional ornate wainscoting and mouldings.
What’s your style?
We agreed that sometimes we like things to be luxurious, indulgent and over-the-top. Other times we crave simplicity, serenity and an easygoing, casual approach. If someone can not decide between a traditional or modern look, the transitional style is the best choice. Whether you think of transitional as a classic look with a contemporary flair or a modern style with a classic twist, this style of home decorating is a great choice for anyone who wants it all.
Collaborative meeting / Week 3
Research Methods
We agreed to use primary and secondary research methods and conduct the analysis to draw conclusions.
Primary Research
Three main methods will be used to ascertain the opinions of the general public, interior designers and craftsmen:
A /Survey using Google forms (Appendix)
B./Questionnaire to be sent to 20 craftsmen by email to gauge their opinions (Appendix)
C/Phone Interview of Craftsmen
We thought the best way to get the opinions of craft consumers was to gather information from homeowners. Making the questionnaire available online allows survey participants to complete the questionnaire at a time convenient for them to take the time to provide thoughtful responses. Collecting the opinions of artisans and then comparing the two sets of information allows for an analysis of the relationship between the manufacturer and the consumer.
Secondary Research
We agreed to search a number of sources to identify background information and existing data and additional links to artisans and their sites.
Taskto prepare and send the questionnaires to the participants and the craftsmen
Collaborative meeting / Week 4
At this meeting, we agreed the questions to be sent to the craftsmen.
Furthermore, due to the shortness of the deadline, we decided to conduct a phone interview or a video interview with the craftsmen as well.
They are very busy people, so it will be easier to win them over for our research.
Questions for Craftsmen
Dissertation question: “How does contemporary interior design integrate the utilisation of traditional crafts and artisan skills? An investigation into the use, benefits and success “
- What is your background?
- How long have you been working in this craft and how did you start?
- Please tell us about the brand of your company?
- How did you get the design inspiration for your products?
- Who are your typical customers?
- Do you think that there is a place for traditional craftsmanship in contemporary interior design?
- What do you think are the benefits of using traditional craftsmen’s skills in contemporary interior design?
- What are the negatives that may hinder the use of craftsmen skills and their creations in contemporary interior design?
- How do you define the success of integration and use of traditional crafts and artisan’s skills in contemporary interior design?
- What do you think are the main challenges connected to the use of your products in contemporary interior design?
- How can traditional methods adapt to fulfil the needs and requirements of contemporary interior design?
- Please tell us about the techniques you use: wholly traditional or a combination with modern techniques?
- Please tell us about the materials you use: are they wholly traditional or mixed with modern materials?
- How would you define the role of craftsmanship in the market today in terms of their skills and products?
- Is there anything else you can add that helps to answer my research question?
Collaborative meeting / Week 5
At this meeting, we agreed on the questions to be sent to the participants.
We also thought about the cover letter to make the questionnaire more interesting.
Questionnaire / cover letter
Questionnaire
Dear participant,
Thank you for your kind support and the time to participate in this survey. The answers to the questions below will help us understand attitudes towards traditional crafts and the use of Artisans in contemporary interior design. For this purpose an artisan is defined as a person who has a design idea and also has the craftsman skills to convert this idea into a useful product. If you are interested, we are happy to share the results from the research with anyone who has participated. Please note that your participation is totally voluntary. If you feel unable to answer a question please leave it and move on to the next one. If you are interested in the results from this research we are more than happy to share them. Please send an email request to the address shown below:
- Survey using Google forms
Your Name:
Age Range: 18-30, 30-45, 45-55, >55
Gender: Male, Female
Residential status: Homeowner, Renter, Other
House type: Flat/ Apartment, Detached house, Semi-detached house, Terraced house, Other
What is your preferred style? Contemporary, Cottage. Edwardian, French, Georgian, European Style, Eclectic, Other
Collaborative meeting / Week 6
The following companies have received and completed the questionnaire so far.
International companies
http://www.oakbarrel.sk/ 15.2
http://kovacstvo.net/17.2
http://freestylefurniture.sk/galeria/ 16.2
http://www.helius.sk/o_nas.html 20.2
http://www.tabita-dilna.cz/galerie/obrazy/ 16.2.
Collaborative meeting / Week 7
We received a surprising amount of feedback. We analyze this week’s data.
Collaborative meeting / Week 8
London Glassblowing – Peter Layton
- What is your background? – pottery
- a) How long have you been working in this craft and how did you start? – 40 years, started in 1976
- b) Please tell us about the brand of your company? – look on our website
- How did you get the design inspiration for your products? – most come from traveling and nature, and most recently from painters such as Van Gogh and Monet
- Who are your typical customers? – collectors of art
- Do you think that there is a place for traditional craftsmanship in contemporary interior design? – yes, but budget is always an issue
- What do you think are the benefits of using traditional craftsmen’s skills in contemporary interior design?
- What are the negatives that may hinder the use of craftsmen skills and their creations in contemporary interior design? – Interior designers need to understand the amount of work, time and effort that goes into creating handmade pieces.
- How do you define the success of integration and use of traditional crafts and artisan’s skills in contemporary interior design? – Interior designers working closely with the artists, understanding the process and the material’s limits and possibilities.
- What do you think are the main challenges connected to the use of your products in contemporary interior design? – Budget is always the limiting factor. 9. How can traditional methods adapt to fulfil the needs and requirements of contemporary interior design? – Artists need to be more supported by the government. Affordable working space is almost impossible to find, especially in London.
- Please tell us about the techniques you use: wholly traditional or a combination with modern techniques? – traditional glassblowing techniques
- Please tell us about the materials you use: are they wholly traditional or mixed with modern materials? – glass batch called Glasma from Sweden
- How would you define the role of craftsmanship in the market today in terms of their skills and products? – Vital.
Sylvie Mark
Partner Galleries & Commissions Manager
Interview with Modular design
We analyze this week’s data.
Analysis and Discussion of the Research Data
In the past weeks I have worked on sorting out the data that I have collected for my research project. That is the responses made by the public to the survey as well as craftsmen. In the document above I included the responses from everyone who has participated in answering the question in the survey. I then used the data for the secondary research in the project and summarised the findings in the conclusion.
Based on this research I have come to the conclusion that in today’s modern world there is a need for bringing those two parts of the world together so they would understand their needs more. This could be helped in the future by such detailed research project as this one.