Interior design is an international profession, and English is the working language of many briefs, product catalogues, specifications and supplier emails. Words like mood board, FF&E, splashback and colour temperature come up in every project, from a small flat renovation to a hotel fit-out. This glossary explains the core vocabulary of space planning, furniture, materials and finishes, lighting, colour, styles, kitchens and bathrooms, drawings and client projects in plain English and Turkish, for interior designers, interior architecture students and everyone who works with them.
100 terms
10 topics
52 core terms
200 example sentences
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Space Planning
layout
noun
Meaning
The way rooms, furniture and fittings are arranged within a space, including where things are placed and how people move between them.
Where you use it
One of the most frequent words in client meetings. People talk about the layout of a kitchen, an office or a whole flat, and about changing, improving or reworking it. Common adjectives are open, practical, awkward and efficient.
Examples
The current layout wastes a lot of space in the hallway.
We prepared two layout options for the meeting room: one with a long table and one with smaller tables.
The stage of design in which you study how a space will be used and decide where activities, furniture and routes go, before choosing colours and materials.
Where you use it
A core skill in both residential and commercial work, especially offices, shops and restaurants. Designers do space planning at the start of a project and often charge for it as a separate service. You may also see space plan for the drawing that results from it.
Examples
Good space planning made the small flat feel as if it had an extra room.
Our fee covers space planning, the concept design and two rounds of revisions.
Common phrases
space planning stage · office space planning · do the space planning · space plan
Describes a space where several areas, such as the kitchen, dining and living room, share one large room without walls between them.
Where you use it
Very common in residential and office projects. British English says open-plan kitchen or open-plan office; American English often says open floor plan or open concept. Typical issues are noise, cooking smells and how to define zones.
Examples
They want an open-plan kitchen and living area, but with a sliding door to keep in the cooking smells.
Open-plan offices need good acoustics, or nobody can concentrate.
Usage note
The Turkish expression “Amerikan mutfak” is not used in English. Say open-plan kitchen (UK) or open kitchen (US).
A wall that supports the weight of the floors or roof above it, so it cannot be removed without adding another structural support such as a beam.
Where you use it
Comes up whenever a client wants to knock through or open up a space. Designers check with a structural engineer and the building authorities before any change. The opposite is a non-load-bearing or partition wall.
Examples
We'd love to open up the kitchen, but that's a load-bearing wall, so we'll need a structural engineer.
The survey confirmed that the wall between the two bedrooms isn't load-bearing.
The routes people use to move through a building or room, such as corridors, stairs and paths between furniture, and the space these routes need.
Where you use it
A key word in space planning. Designers talk about circulation space, circulation routes and good or poor circulation; for homes people also say traffic flow. The aim is to keep routes clear and short, and not through the middle of seating areas.
Examples
The circulation is poor: everyone has to walk through the living room to reach the bathroom.
Leave at least 90 cm for circulation behind the dining chairs.
Dividing a space into areas for different activities, such as cooking, eating, relaxing or working, using furniture, rugs, lighting or changes in floor and ceiling.
Where you use it
Essential in open-plan homes and offices. You zone a space or create zones, and lighting can be zoned too, so that each area is controlled separately. In planning law, zoning means something different: official rules about how land may be used.
Examples
We used a large rug and a low shelf for zoning the living area from the dining area.
Good zoning means the home office corner doesn't feel like part of the kitchen.
Common phrases
zoning an open-plan space · clear zoning · lighting zones · zone the space
The free space needed around furniture, fittings and doors so that people can move, sit, open drawers or use appliances comfortably and safely.
Where you use it
Checked on every plan. Designers talk about the clearance between a bed and a wardrobe, in front of a dishwasher or around a toilet, and follow building regulations and accessibility guidance for minimum dimensions.
Examples
There's only 60 cm of clearance between the island and the fridge, which isn't enough.
Check the door clearance before you order the wardrobe.
Common phrases
minimum clearance · door clearance · clearance around the bed · leave enough clearance
A non-structural internal wall that divides a space into smaller rooms or areas, often made of plasterboard on a metal or timber frame, or of glass.
Where you use it
Common in office fit-outs and flat conversions because it can be built and removed fairly easily. Designers specify its acoustic rating and finish; glazed partitions let light flow between spaces. In the US people often say drywall partition.
Examples
We'll add a glass partition wall to create a meeting room without losing daylight.
The partition wall needs acoustic insulation, because the bedroom is next to the TV room.
Common phrases
glass partition wall · stud partition · acoustic partition · put up a partition wall
To make a space bigger and more connected, or make it feel that way, for example by removing walls, widening openings or using lighter colours and mirrors.
Where you use it
Very common when clients talk about renovations. You open up a kitchen, open up the ground floor or open the space up. Literally it means removing walls; visually it can mean using light and colour. A similar British phrase is knock through.
Examples
If we open up the wall between the kitchen and dining room, the whole floor will feel brighter.
Pale floors and a big mirror will open up the hallway.
Common phrases
open up the space · open up the kitchen · open up the layout · open up a room visually
The study of how furniture, spaces and equipment fit the human body, so that people can use them comfortably, safely and efficiently.
Where you use it
Shows up in decisions about worktop height, desk and chair height, shelf reach and handle position. The adjective is ergonomic: an ergonomic chair, ergonomic design. Data about human body measurements is called anthropometrics.
Examples
For better ergonomics, we raised the worktop to 95 cm because both clients are tall.
Office ergonomics is about more than the chair: screen height and lighting matter too.
The feature in a room that draws the eye first, such as a fireplace, a large window, a piece of art or a striking light fitting.
Where you use it
A basic idea in every design course and client presentation. You create, add or emphasise a focal point and arrange the furniture around it. A room with too many focal points can feel busy or confused.
Examples
The marble fireplace is the natural focal point, so the sofas should face it.
The bedroom has no focal point yet. A strong headboard would solve that.
Common phrases
create a focal point · natural focal point · main focal point · act as a focal point
The size of an object compared with the room it is in and with the people who use it; also the ratio used on a drawing, such as 1:50.
Where you use it
In design talk, scale is about whether furniture and objects suit the size of the space: a sofa can be out of scale or too small in scale. On drawings it means the drawing ratio. Compare proportion, which is about how the parts relate to each other.
Examples
The dining table is out of scale with the room; there's no space to pull out the chairs.
In a room with high ceilings you can use lights and art on a bigger scale.
Common phrases
out of scale · sense of scale · large-scale · scale and proportion
The relationship in size between the different parts of an object or a room, for example between the height of a lamp and its shade, or a window and its wall.
Where you use it
Often paired with scale in critiques and presentations. Things can be in proportion, out of proportion, well proportioned or badly proportioned. Designers use ideas like the golden ratio or the rule of thirds as rough guides.
Examples
The new cabinets look heavy because the doors are out of proportion with the low ceiling.
Getting the proportions right matters more than the colour of the sofa.
Common phrases
in proportion · out of proportion · well-proportioned room · scale and proportion
The way a surface feels, or looks as if it would feel, such as rough, smooth, soft or grainy; in design it adds depth and interest to a room.
Where you use it
Especially important in neutral schemes, where texture does the work that colour would normally do. Designers mix, layer or add texture with materials such as linen, bouclé, rattan, stone and plaster.
Examples
The room is all beige, so we need more texture: a wool rug, linen curtains and a rough plaster wall.
Mixing textures keeps a minimalist space from feeling cold.
The even spread of visual weight in a room, so that no side feels heavier or emptier than another; it can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Where you use it
A basic design principle. Symmetrical balance (two matching lamps either side of a bed) feels formal and calm; asymmetrical balance uses different objects of similar visual weight and feels more relaxed. Designers say a room lacks balance or feels unbalanced.
Examples
The tall bookcase on the left upsets the balance of the room.
We achieved balance with a large plant opposite the heavy sofa.
A strong difference between colours, tones, materials or shapes placed together, such as black against white or rough stone against polished brass.
Where you use it
Used to add energy and definition to a design. You add, create or need contrast, and there can be too much or too little. Contrast also matters for accessibility: people with low vision need clear contrast between floors, walls and doors.
Examples
The black window frames give a nice contrast against the white walls.
There's not enough contrast between the floor and the stairs, which could be a safety issue.
Usage note
The stress changes with the part of speech: the noun is CON-trast, the verb is con-TRAST.
Common phrases
high contrast · create contrast · contrast in texture · tonal contrast
A bold, eye-catching item of furniture, lighting or art that gives a room its personality and is meant to be noticed.
Where you use it
Popular in presentations and magazines: a statement chandelier, statement chair or statement rug. One or two per room is usually enough; with more than that, nothing stands out. Similar adjectives are show-stopping and eye-catching.
Examples
The sculptural chandelier is the statement piece, so we kept the rest of the dining room simple.
Every room needs one statement piece that people remember.
Common phrases
statement piece of furniture · statement lighting · statement chair · act as a statement piece
Combining several levels of something, such as light sources, rugs, fabrics and textures, so that a room feels rich, deep and comfortable rather than flat.
Where you use it
Used for lighting (layering ambient, task and accent light), for textiles (layering rugs and throws) and for styling. The verb is layer: layer the lighting, layer textures.
Examples
Layering the lighting means the clients can change the mood of the room at the touch of a button.
The bedroom is all about layering: linen sheets, a wool throw and a jute rug under a softer one.
How heavy or light an object looks, whatever its real weight; dark colours, solid bases, large size and bold patterns all add visual weight.
Where you use it
Used when explaining balance and furniture choices: a sofa on legs has less visual weight than one that sits directly on the floor, and glass or open shelving looks lighter than solid wood. Small rooms benefit from pieces with little visual weight.
Examples
The dark wardrobe has a lot of visual weight, so let's balance it with a large painting on the opposite wall.
A glass coffee table adds almost no visual weight to the small living room.
Common phrases
add visual weight · less visual weight · balance the visual weight
The empty space around and between objects in a room, left on purpose so that the eye can rest and the important pieces stand out.
Where you use it
Key in minimalist and Japandi interiors and in styling shelves. Designers say a wall or a shelf needs more negative space or breathing room. Clients sometimes see empty space as unfinished, so it helps to explain why it is there.
Examples
Leave some negative space on the shelves; not every spot needs an object.
The negative space around the sculpture is what makes it so striking.
Common phrases
use negative space · leave negative space · breathing room
The planned combination of colours used in a room or project, including walls, floors, furniture and fabrics, chosen so that they work together.
Where you use it
Used with clients, painters and suppliers. You choose, develop or stick to a colour scheme; common types are monochromatic, complementary, analogous and neutral. In American English it is spelled color scheme.
Examples
We kept the colour scheme calm, with sage green, warm white and natural oak.
The bold colour scheme works in the café, but it would be tiring in a bedroom.
The limited set of specific colours selected for a project, often shown as samples or paint codes, from which every surface and item is chosen.
Where you use it
Close in meaning to colour scheme, but palette usually means the actual list of colours (with paint names or codes), while scheme describes how they are combined. You build, narrow down or refine a palette, and show it on mood boards and sample boards.
Examples
The colour palette for the hotel lobby is built around terracotta, sand and deep green.
Can you send me the colour palette with the paint codes so I can order samples?
Usage note
Palette sounds the same as pallet, with the stress on the first syllable: PAL-ette.
Common phrases
limited colour palette · earthy colour palette · refine the colour palette · colour palette with paint codes
A strong colour used in small amounts, for example on cushions, a chair or a door, to add interest to a mostly calm colour scheme.
Where you use it
Used when explaining a scheme to clients, for instance a neutral base with a mustard accent colour. It is the 10 per cent in the 60-30-10 rule. American spelling: accent color.
Examples
We'll use deep blue as an accent colour on the kitchen island and the bar stools.
If the client gets tired of the accent colour, it's easy to change the cushions.
Common phrases
bold accent colour · pop of accent colour · use as an accent colour
A calm, muted colour such as white, beige, grey, taupe or greige that goes well with most other colours; also used as an adjective, as in a neutral scheme.
Where you use it
Often plural: warm neutrals, cool neutrals. Neutrals are the safe base of many residential and rental projects; the risk is a flat, boring room, which designers avoid with texture and contrast.
Examples
The client prefers warm neutrals, so we've avoided cool greys.
One wall in a room treated differently from the others, with a bold colour, wallpaper, panelling or stone, to create a focal point.
Where you use it
Common in bedrooms behind the bed and in living rooms behind the sofa or TV. American English usually says accent wall. Some designers find simple painted feature walls dated and prefer to colour the whole room.
Examples
We're doing a feature wall in dark green panelling behind the bed.
The feature wall makes the long room feel shorter, which is exactly what we wanted.
Common phrases
create a feature wall · wallpaper feature wall · feature wall behind the bed
Colours on the red, orange and yellow side of the colour wheel, which feel energetic and cosy and seem to come towards you; blues, greens and violets are cool colours.
Where you use it
Used to explain colour choices: warm colours for social spaces and north-facing rooms, cool colours for calm bedrooms and bathrooms. Neutrals can also be warm (cream, beige) or cool (grey with a blue undertone). American spelling: warm colors.
Examples
The room faces north, so warm colours like terracotta and ochre will stop it feeling cold.
Warm colours work well in restaurants because they feel welcoming.
Common phrases
warm and cool colours · warm colours advance · use warm colours
Pairs of colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as blue and orange or red and green, which create strong contrast when used together.
Where you use it
A complementary scheme is lively, so designers usually let one colour dominate and use the other as an accent, or choose softer versions, for example navy with rust instead of bright blue with orange.
Examples
The navy sofa and the rust cushions are complementary colours, so they really make each other stand out.
Complementary colours can feel loud if you use them in equal amounts.
Usage note
Do not confuse complementary (colours that complete each other) with complimentary (free of charge, or full of praise).
Common phrases
complementary colour scheme · pair of complementary colours · use complementary colours
Using different shades, tints and tones of just one colour, for example a room in several blues from pale sky blue to deep navy.
Where you use it
A monochromatic scheme feels calm and sophisticated, but it needs texture and contrast in tone so that it does not look flat. It is also called monochrome, although in everyday English monochrome often means black and white.
Examples
We went for a monochromatic scheme in soft greens, from the walls to the velvet sofa.
Monochromatic rooms need lots of texture, or they look flat.
A guideline for balancing colours in a room: about 60% dominant colour, usually walls and large surfaces, 30% secondary colour and 10% accent colour.
Where you use it
Taught in design courses and quoted in client presentations as an easy way to explain a colour scheme. It is a starting point, not a strict law: experienced designers often break it on purpose.
Examples
Following the 60-30-10 rule, the walls are warm white, the furniture is oak and the accent is rust.
The 60-30-10 rule is a helpful guide when a client can't decide how much colour to use.
Usage note
Read it aloud as “the sixty-thirty-ten rule”.
Common phrases
follow the 60-30-10 rule · break the 60-30-10 rule · apply the 60-30-10 rule
The subtle colour that sits beneath the main colour of a paint or material, such as the pink, yellow, green or blue hidden in a white or a grey.
Where you use it
The main reason a paint looks different on the wall from on the colour card. Designers compare samples side by side to reveal undertones and match them across walls, floors, stone and fabrics.
Examples
This grey has a blue undertone, so it will feel cold in a north-facing room.
The marble has a warm undertone that goes well with the brass taps.
To make a colour, pattern or design less strong or bright, so that it feels calmer or more balanced.
Where you use it
Common in client feedback: Can we tone it down a bit? You can tone down a colour, a pattern, a strong orange or the whole scheme. In feedback the opposite is often warm it up, brighten it up or add a pop of colour.
Examples
The client liked the wallpaper but asked us to tone down the colours in the rest of the room.
Adding more white will tone down the yellow.
Common phrases
tone down the colours · tone it down a bit · tone down the pattern
Describes the style of design that is current now, usually with clean lines, neutral colours and a mix of materials; it changes as trends change.
Where you use it
Used in briefs, portfolios and product descriptions: a contemporary apartment, contemporary furniture. Clients often say modern when they mean contemporary, so it is worth asking what they have in mind.
Examples
The brief asks for a contemporary look that still feels warm and family-friendly.
We mixed contemporary furniture with a few antique pieces from the client's family.
Usage note
In design, modern often refers to the 20th-century Modernist movement, while contemporary means the design of today. Many people still use them as synonyms.
Describes a style that uses very few objects, simple forms, plain surfaces and hidden storage, so that space and light become the main features.
Where you use it
Used for styles and for people's way of living: a minimalist apartment, a minimalist client. The noun is minimalism. Minimalist interiors need excellent storage and very precise detailing, because every visible joint shows.
Examples
The client wants a minimalist bedroom with nothing on display except one painting.
Minimalist doesn't have to mean cold; warm wood and soft lighting help a lot.
An interior style from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, known for light wood, white or pale walls, simple functional furniture and a cosy, natural feel.
Where you use it
Very popular in apartments and often shortened to Scandi in British speech (a Scandi look). Typical features are pale oak or ash, wool and linen, plants and lots of light. It is often linked with hygge, the Danish idea of cosiness.
Examples
They want a Scandinavian style living room: white walls, an oak floor and a grey wool sofa.
Scandinavian style works well in small flats because it keeps everything light and simple.
Usage note
Strictly speaking, Finland is not part of Scandinavia, but in design it is usually included under Scandinavian or Nordic style.
A style inspired by old factories and warehouses, using exposed brick, concrete, metal, visible pipes and ducts, and raw, unfinished surfaces.
Where you use it
Common in lofts, cafés, offices and restaurants. Typical items are metal-framed glazing, filament bulbs, leather and reclaimed wood. Designers soften it with plants, rugs and warm lighting so that it does not feel cold.
Examples
The café has an industrial style, with exposed brick, black steel shelves and concrete floors.
We kept the original pipes visible to support the industrial style.
A style of furniture and interiors from roughly the 1940s to the 1960s, known for clean lines, tapered legs, warm woods like teak and walnut, and organic shapes.
Where you use it
Very popular again, both as original vintage pieces and modern reproductions; online listings often shorten it to MCM. Designers mix it with contemporary pieces, because a whole room of it can feel like a film set.
Examples
The client collects mid-century modern furniture, so we designed the flat around her teak sideboard.
A mid-century modern armchair works beautifully with the contemporary sofa.
A style that blends Japanese and Scandinavian design: calm, minimal rooms with natural materials, low furniture, muted earthy colours and fine craftsmanship.
Where you use it
A trend name that spread through magazines and social media from the late 2010s. It is warmer than pure minimalism, often combining dark and light wood with linen, paper lamps and handmade ceramics.
Examples
For the bedroom we're going for a Japandi look: a low oak bed, linen bedding and a paper pendant.
Japandi interiors rely on a few beautiful, well-made objects.
A glamorous design style of the 1920s and 1930s, known for bold geometric patterns, symmetry, curved forms and rich materials such as marble, brass, lacquer and velvet.
Where you use it
Popular in hotel bars, restaurants and glamorous homes. The name comes from a 1925 exhibition of decorative arts in Paris. Designers talk about Art Deco details, an Art Deco-inspired bar or Deco curves.
Examples
The bar has an Art Deco feel, with fluted wood, brass trims and a curved velvet banquette.
We kept the original Art Deco tiles in the hallway.
Common phrases
Art Deco style · Art Deco-inspired · Art Deco details · Art Deco pattern
Mixing furniture, objects and ideas from different periods, styles and places in one room, held together by a shared colour, material or mood.
Where you use it
Used for homes full of personality and collected pieces: an eclectic mix, an eclectic interior. Done well it feels personal; done badly it looks random, so designers repeat colours or materials to connect everything.
Examples
The flat has an eclectic mix of Turkish kilims, mid-century chairs and contemporary art.
To keep the eclectic style from feeling messy, we repeated the same green in every room.
An approach that connects people with nature inside buildings, using plants, daylight, natural materials, views and natural shapes to improve well-being.
Where you use it
Popular in offices, hospitals, hotels and schools, and often linked to well-being and productivity. It is more than adding plants: it also includes daylight, fresh air, organic patterns, water and natural textures.
Examples
The new office uses biophilic design: a living wall, timber ceilings and desks near the windows.
Biophilic design isn't just plants; natural light and materials matter just as much.
Common phrases
biophilic design principles · biophilic office · living wall · biophilic elements
An item that is permanently fixed to a building and usually stays when the property is sold, such as a built-in light, a basin, a toilet or fitted cabinets.
Where you use it
Common in plumbing and lighting: light fixtures, bathroom fixtures, plumbing fixtures. In the UK, fixtures and fittings is a fixed phrase in property sales: fixtures stay, while fittings such as curtains or freestanding appliances can be taken. In FF&E it is the F in the middle.
Examples
All the bathroom fixtures will be wall-hung to make cleaning easier.
Please confirm the light fixtures before the electrician starts on Monday.
The fabric items in a room, such as curtains, cushions, throws, rugs and bed linen, which add colour, comfort and texture.
Where you use it
A British term; in the US people often say soft goods or textiles. Soft furnishings are usually chosen near the end of a project and are an easy way to refresh a room or change it with the seasons.
Examples
The furniture is quite plain, so the soft furnishings will bring in the colour.
Soft furnishings help absorb sound in a room with hard floors.
Made as part of a wall or room rather than standing separately, such as built-in wardrobes, shelves, seating or appliances.
Where you use it
Used before nouns (built-in storage, a built-in desk) and sometimes as a noun (the built-ins). Built-in furniture makes the most of awkward corners and alcoves. For kitchen appliances British English also says integrated.
Examples
Built-in wardrobes on both sides of the bed give them a lot more storage.
We designed a built-in bench under the window with drawers underneath.
The padding, springs and fabric or leather covering on sofas, chairs and headboards; also the craft of making and covering such furniture.
Where you use it
Designers choose upholstery fabrics, check how hard-wearing they are (the rub count, often measured with the Martindale test) and send pieces to an upholsterer. The verb is upholster; a sofa can be fully upholstered or reupholstered.
Examples
For the hotel chairs we need an upholstery fabric with a high rub count.
The old armchair has a great frame; it just needs new upholstery.
Usage note
British speakers say up-HOLE-stuh-ree; many American speakers drop the first sound: uh-POLE-stuh-ree.
Designed and made specially for one client or one space rather than bought ready-made from a catalogue.
Where you use it
A British word, common in high-end projects: bespoke joinery, bespoke furniture, a bespoke kitchen. American English usually says custom or custom-made. Bespoke items cost more and have longer lead times.
Examples
The alcoves are an odd shape, so bespoke shelving is the only option.
We designed a bespoke reception desk in walnut and brass.
Short for furniture, fixtures and equipment: the movable items and fittings in a project that are not part of the building structure, such as furniture, lamps, curtains and artwork.
Where you use it
Standard in hotel, restaurant and office projects, where FF&E has its own budget, schedule and buying process. Designers prepare an FF&E schedule listing every item with its supplier, finish, quantity, price and lead time. Say it as “F, F and E”.
Examples
The FF&E budget for the hotel rooms is separate from the construction budget.
I've updated the FF&E schedule with the new lead times for the chairs.
Standing on its own rather than being built into or fixed to a wall, such as a freestanding bath, wardrobe or appliance.
Where you use it
The opposite of built-in or integrated. A freestanding bath is a popular centrepiece in bathrooms; freestanding appliances are cheaper and can go with you when you move. Also spelled free-standing.
Examples
A freestanding bath in front of the window will be the focal point of the bathroom.
They're renting, so we chose freestanding furniture they can take with them.
Furniture that is not fixed to the building and can be moved, such as sofas, chairs, tables and beds, as opposed to built-in joinery.
Where you use it
A trade term used in fee proposals, specifications and FF&E schedules: the scope may include joinery but not loose furniture, or the other way round. Clients rarely use the phrase; they just say furniture.
Examples
Our quote covers the joinery; the client will order the loose furniture separately.
We placed the loose furniture on the plan to check the circulation.
Anything used to dress or cover a window, such as curtains, blinds, shutters or sheers, for privacy, light control, insulation and decoration.
Where you use it
A general term, common in American English and in the trade. Designers decide the type, fabric, lining (for example blackout), the track or pole, and whether it is motorised. In British homes people usually just say curtains and blinds.
Examples
For the bedrooms we suggest a double window treatment: sheers for the day and blackout curtains for the night.
The window treatment can only be measured after the new windows are installed.
Fitted woodwork made for a specific space, such as built-in wardrobes, shelving, kitchen units, panelling and doors, and the craft of making it.
Where you use it
A British term; American English says millwork or casework. The craftsperson is a joiner (UK) or a carpenter. Designers produce joinery drawings, check the joiner's shop drawings and inspect the finished work on site.
Examples
The joinery for the library will take eight weeks to make.
Can you check the shop drawings for the kitchen joinery before Friday?
Usage note
Turkish doğrama usually means window and door frames (PVC or aluminium), so it is not a good translation of joinery.
The final surface of a material, or the material used on a visible surface, such as paint, tiles, wood stain or polished stone; also how that surface looks, for example matt or glossy.
Where you use it
Very common in the plural: finishes means all the surface materials of a project, on walls, floors and ceilings. Designers select, specify and approve finishes; a finishes schedule lists every finish room by room. People also talk about a matt, satin, brushed or high-gloss finish.
Examples
All the finishes need to be approved by Friday so the contractor can order them.
We chose a brushed brass finish for the handles and taps.
A small sample of fabric, paint colour, wallpaper or another material, used to check how it looks and feels before ordering.
Where you use it
Designers request or order swatches from suppliers and show them to clients in both daylight and artificial light. A swatch book or sample book holds many swatches from one range. For paint, people also say colour card or paint chip.
Examples
I've ordered swatches of the three velvets so you can compare them at home.
Hold the paint swatch against the wall in the morning and again at night.
Common phrases
fabric swatch · paint swatch · order swatches · swatch book
A very thin sheet of real wood or stone glued onto a cheaper, more stable board such as MDF or plywood, giving the look of the solid material.
Where you use it
Widely used for cabinets, doors and wall panelling. Designers specify the species (oak, walnut), the cut and how the leaves are matched. Unlike laminate, a wood veneer is real wood and can be stained, oiled or lacquered.
Examples
The wardrobe doors are oak veneer on MDF, so they won't warp like solid wood.
We matched the walnut veneer across all the wall panels.
Usage note
Pronounced vuh-NEER, with the stress on the second syllable.
Common phrases
oak veneer · wood veneer · stone veneer · veneered panel
A hard, man-made surface made of layers of paper and resin pressed together, often printed to look like wood or stone, used on worktops, cabinets and floors.
Where you use it
Budget-friendly and hard-wearing, common in rental homes, offices and kitchens. High-pressure laminate (HPL) is used on demanding surfaces. Laminate flooring has a printed layer on a fibreboard core. As a verb, laminate means to bond layers together.
Examples
To stay within budget, we used a wood-effect laminate for the office desks.
Laminate worktops are cheaper, but they don't like hot pans.
Short for medium-density fibreboard: a smooth, stable board made from wood fibres and resin, used for cabinets, shelves, panelling and painted furniture.
Where you use it
The standard base material for bespoke joinery and painted cabinet doors. It cuts cleanly and takes paint well, but it swells if it gets wet, so moisture-resistant MDF is specified for kitchens and bathrooms. Cutting it makes fine dust, so dust extraction is needed.
Examples
The panelling will be made from MDF and painted on site.
Use moisture-resistant MDF for the bathroom cabinets.
Flooring with a top layer of real hardwood fixed to several layers of plywood or fibreboard underneath, which makes it more stable than solid wood.
Where you use it
Often specified instead of solid wood because it moves less with humidity and is usually suitable over underfloor heating. The thicker the top layer (the wear layer), the more times it can be sanded. It comes as planks or in patterns such as herringbone.
Examples
We specified engineered wood flooring because the flat has underfloor heating.
This engineered wood has a 4 mm oak wear layer, so it can be sanded a few times.
Usage note
In Turkish shops lamine parke usually means laminate flooring, which has no real wood surface, so do not translate engineered wood as lamine parke.
Stone cut from the earth, such as marble, granite, limestone and travertine, used for floors, worktops, walls and bathrooms; every slab looks slightly different.
Where you use it
Designers choose slabs in person and specify the surface (polished, honed, brushed) and the sealing. Porous stones like marble and limestone stain more easily than granite. Engineered stone such as quartz is the man-made alternative. Turkey is a major producer of marble and travertine.
Examples
Every slab of natural stone is unique, so we went to the yard to choose the marble ourselves.
Natural stone needs sealing, especially in a busy family kitchen.
Common phrases
natural stone flooring · polished natural stone · seal natural stone · natural stone slab
How much light a painted or finished surface reflects, from flat or matt with almost no shine, through eggshell and satin, up to gloss.
Where you use it
Designers specify a sheen with every paint colour. Higher sheens are easier to wipe but show every bump in the wall; matt hides imperfections. A typical choice is matt or eggshell for walls and satin or gloss for woodwork such as doors and skirting boards.
Examples
The walls are matt, but the doors need a higher sheen so they can be wiped clean.
Which sheen did you order? The sample looks shinier than we agreed.
Usage note
Spelling: British matt, American matte. Both describe a surface with no shine.
The paste that fills the joints between tiles and then hardens, keeping water out and holding the tiles in place; also a verb meaning to fill these joints.
Where you use it
Designers specify the grout colour and joint width, because both change how tiles look: matching grout looks calm, contrasting grout shows off the pattern. Epoxy grout resists stains better than standard cement-based grout and is used in kitchens and showers.
Examples
Use a dark grey grout on the floor so it doesn't look dirty after a month.
Any material used to cover and decorate walls, such as wallpaper, vinyl, fabric, grasscloth or wood panels; often used in the trade as a broader word for wallpaper.
Where you use it
Common in commercial specifications, where vinyl wallcoverings are chosen for durability and fire performance. Also written wall covering. Designers check the pattern repeat, the roll width and how many rolls are needed.
Examples
In the hotel corridors we specified a vinyl wallcovering that can be wiped clean.
The grasscloth wallcovering adds texture behind the bed.
A narrow board running along the bottom of an interior wall where it meets the floor, protecting the wall and hiding the joint.
Where you use it
British English says skirting board or just skirting; American English says baseboard. Designers choose its height, profile and finish; in minimalist interiors it may be recessed with a shadow gap or replaced by a flush detail.
Examples
Paint the skirting boards the same colour as the walls to make the room feel taller.
In the old house we're matching the new skirting board to the original Victorian profile.
The general, even light that fills a room and lets people move around safely, usually from ceiling lights, downlights or daylight.
Where you use it
The first of the three classic lighting layers, together with task and accent lighting. Designers talk about soft, even or warm ambient lighting and often put it on a dimmer.
Examples
The ambient lighting comes from a ring of downlights, and the pendants over the table are on a separate circuit.
Without enough ambient lighting the room feels gloomy in winter.
Brighter, focused light for a specific activity such as cooking, reading, working at a desk or putting on make-up.
Where you use it
Typical examples are under-cabinet lights in a kitchen, desk lamps, reading lights and lights around a bathroom mirror. Designers add and position task lighting wherever the eyes need to work harder.
Examples
We'll add LED strips under the wall units as task lighting for the worktop.
Good task lighting at the mirror stops shadows on your face.
Directed light used to highlight a particular object or feature, such as artwork, shelves, a textured wall or a plant, so that it stands out.
Where you use it
Adds depth and drama to a room and is the third classic lighting layer. Typical tools are adjustable spotlights, picture lights, track lights and LED strips in shelves. To work, accent light has to be noticeably brighter than the light around it.
Examples
A little accent lighting on the stone wall would make it the focal point at night.
The boutique uses accent lighting to pick out the new collection.
Light that comes from the sun through windows, doors and skylights, and changes in strength and colour through the day.
Where you use it
One of the first things clients ask about and estate agents mention. Designers try to maximise, bring in or control natural light, and they check which way the windows face: in the northern hemisphere a north-facing room gets little direct sun.
Examples
We used pale colours and a large mirror to bounce the natural light deeper into the room.
The studio gets lots of natural light in the morning, so it's ideal for a home office.
Common phrases
maximise natural light · plenty of natural light · lack of natural light · bounce natural light
A measure of how warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish) white light looks, given in kelvins (K): about 2700 K is warm white and 5000 K or more looks like daylight.
Where you use it
Printed on every lamp and LED box. Homes and restaurants usually use 2700–3000 K, offices and shops often 3500–4000 K. Mixing different colour temperatures in one room usually looks messy, so designers specify one value per space.
Examples
All the bedroom lights should have the same colour temperature: 2700 K.
The kitchen feels clinical because the colour temperature is too cool.
Usage note
Confusingly, a higher number in kelvins means a cooler, bluer-looking light.
Common phrases
warm colour temperature · colour temperature in kelvins · match the colour temperature
A switch or control that changes how bright a light is, so the same room can feel bright for work and soft in the evening.
Where you use it
Also called a dimmer switch. Lights are put on a dimmer or described as dimmable. With LEDs, both the lamp or driver and the dimmer must be compatible, or the light may flicker or buzz. The verb is dim: dim the lights.
Examples
Put the dining pendants on a dimmer so the clients can lower them for dinner parties.
The LEDs flicker because they aren't compatible with the dimmer.
Common phrases
dimmer switch · on a dimmer · dimmable LED · dimmer compatibility
A light that hangs down from the ceiling on a cable, chain or rod, often used above dining tables, kitchen islands and in stairwells.
Where you use it
Often just called a pendant. Designers decide the drop (how far it hangs), the spacing between several pendants and the height above a table, often around 70–90 cm. A large decorative fitting with many arms is a chandelier.
Examples
Three small pendant lights over the island will look better than one big one.
Can you lower the pendant light by 10 cm? It's right in my line of sight.
Common phrases
pendant light over the table · cluster of pendant lights · pendant drop · glass pendant light
A small light fitted into the ceiling so that it is almost flush with the surface and shines downwards; often used in rows for ambient lighting.
Where you use it
Also called recessed lights in the US, or can lights and pot lights. Designers choose the beam angle, the colour temperature and whether they are fire-rated, and plan their positions on a reflected ceiling plan to avoid a ceiling full of random holes.
Examples
We'll space the downlights 1.2 m apart and keep them away from the wardrobe doors.
Too many downlights make a living room feel like an office.
A light fitting fixed to a wall, often decorative, used beside beds, mirrors and fireplaces or along corridors and stairs.
Where you use it
Often just called a sconce, especially in American English; British speakers also say wall light. Sconces add a softer layer of light at eye level, and their wiring has to be planned in the wall before plastering.
Examples
Two wall sconces either side of the bed free up space on the bedside tables.
Let's mark the wall sconce positions before the electrician chases the walls.
Usage note
Sconce has one syllable and the final e is silent: “skons” in British English, “skahns” in American English.
A drawing that shows where every light, switch and lighting circuit goes in a space, often with a key listing the types of fittings.
Where you use it
Prepared early, because wiring goes in before plastering and ceilings. The electrician works from it, and it is often drawn on the reflected ceiling plan. Designers talk about circuits, switching and which lights are on which dimmer.
Examples
The electrician needs the lighting plan by Monday to start the first fix.
On the lighting plan, the pendants and the downlights are on separate circuits.
Common phrases
draw a lighting plan · lighting plan and key · lighting circuits · switching plan
A freestanding block of cabinets with a worktop in the middle of a kitchen, used for preparing food, for storage and often for casual meals.
Where you use it
A popular request in open-plan homes. An island may contain a sink or hob and have an overhang for bar stools. Designers check the clearance around it; about a metre on each side is a common minimum for comfortable movement.
Examples
The kitchen island has a sink, a dishwasher and seating for three.
There isn't enough clearance for a kitchen island here; a peninsula would work better.
Common phrases
kitchen island with seating · island unit · island hob · pendants over the island
The flat, hard surface on top of kitchen cabinets where food is prepared, made of materials such as quartz, granite, laminate or wood.
Where you use it
British English says worktop; American English says countertop or counter. Designers specify the material, thickness and edge profile. Stone worktops are templated (measured precisely) after the cabinets are fitted.
Examples
We're using a 20 mm quartz worktop with a matching splashback.
The worktop fitters will come to take a template once the base units are in.
The protective, easy-to-clean surface on the wall behind a sink or hob, made of tiles, glass, stone or metal.
Where you use it
A British term; Americans say backsplash. It can be a low strip (an upstand) or run all the way up to the wall cabinets. A splashback is also a chance to add colour or pattern to a kitchen or bathroom.
Examples
The client chose green zellige tiles for the splashback.
A glass splashback behind the hob is very easy to wipe clean.
A bathroom cabinet that holds a washbasin, with storage underneath or around it; it can stand on the floor or be fixed to the wall.
Where you use it
British English says vanity unit; American English simply says vanity. Designers choose between wall-hung and floor-standing units, single or double basins, and countertop or integrated basins.
Examples
A wall-hung vanity unit makes the small bathroom feel bigger and is easier to clean under.
The main en suite has a double vanity unit with two basins.
Common phrases
wall-hung vanity unit · double vanity unit · vanity unit with drawers
A bathroom that opens directly off a bedroom and is used only by the people in that room; also used as an adjective, as in an en suite bedroom.
Where you use it
Common in British English, house listings and hotels; also written en-suite or ensuite. Americans more often say primary bathroom, master bath or attached bathroom. It comes from French but is used as an ordinary English word.
Examples
Each guest room has its own en suite with a walk-in shower.
We can fit a small en suite if we take half a metre from the bedroom.
Usage note
Pronounced “on sweet”, not “en suit”: suite sounds exactly like sweet.
Common phrases
en suite bathroom · en suite shower room · master en suite
The imaginary triangle between the sink, the hob and the fridge in a kitchen, used as a guide so that the cook can move between them easily.
Where you use it
A classic rule of kitchen planning: each side should be neither too short nor too long, and no main route should cut through the triangle. In modern open-plan kitchens with islands, many designers talk about work zones instead.
Examples
Moving the fridge to the other wall makes the work triangle much more compact.
The kitchen looks great, but the door to the garden cuts right through the work triangle.
Usage note
Hob is British English; Americans say cooktop or stove.
Common phrases
kitchen work triangle · efficient work triangle · break the work triangle
A shower without a door or full enclosure, usually with one fixed glass panel and a floor that is level or almost level with the rest of the bathroom.
Where you use it
Popular in modern bathrooms and in accessible design, because there is no step to climb over. It needs careful waterproofing and a floor that slopes towards a linear drain. If the whole room is waterproofed and open, it is called a wet room.
Examples
Replacing the bath with a walk-in shower will make the room feel much larger.
For the walk-in shower we need a fall in the screed towards the linear drain.
Common phrases
walk-in shower with a glass screen · level-access shower · linear drain · wet room
A tap with one spout that mixes hot and cold water, controlled by one lever or two handles and used on basins, sinks, baths and showers.
Where you use it
British English says tap and mixer tap; American English says faucet. Designers specify the type (deck-mounted or wall-mounted) and the finish (chrome, brushed nickel, matt black) and make sure it suits the basin and the water pressure.
Examples
A wall-mounted mixer tap keeps the vanity top clear and easy to clean.
The client wants matt black mixer taps in all three bathrooms.
Usage note
In Turkish, batarya is the right word for a mixer tap; musluk is closer to a simple tap. Never translate batarya as battery.
Common phrases
single-lever mixer tap · wall-mounted mixer tap · basin mixer tap · kitchen mixer tap
A long, narrow kitchen with units along two facing walls and a walkway between them, or sometimes along a single wall.
Where you use it
Named after the kitchen on a ship or plane. Common in apartments; efficient for one cook but it can feel tight. Designers check the aisle width, often aiming for at least 1–1.2 m, and use light colours so it does not feel like a corridor.
Examples
It's a galley kitchen, so there's no room for an island, but we can fit a fold-down table.
Galley kitchens are very efficient: everything is within one or two steps.
Ceramic bathroom fittings such as toilets, washbasins, bidets and urinals; in the trade it sometimes also covers baths and shower trays.
Where you use it
A trade word used by suppliers, contractors and in specifications; clients just say toilets and basins. Taps and showers are usually called brassware. Designers check sizes, mounting (wall-hung or floor-standing) and whether a concealed cistern is needed.
Examples
The sanitaryware for all twelve bathrooms will be delivered on the same day.
We chose wall-hung sanitaryware to make the floor easier to clean.
Common phrases
wall-hung sanitaryware · sanitaryware and brassware · sanitaryware supplier
A scaled drawing of a room or building seen from directly above, showing walls, doors, windows and often furniture, as if the building were cut horizontally.
Where you use it
The starting point of almost every interior project and the drawing clients look at first. You draw, mark up, revise or share a floor plan; metric plans are usually at 1:50 or 1:100. In everyday speech it also means the general arrangement of rooms, as in a flat with a good floor plan.
Examples
I've attached the revised floor plan with the sofa moved closer to the window.
Before we talk about colours, let's agree on the floor plan.
Common phrases
draw a floor plan · revised floor plan · furnished floor plan · floor plan layout
A collage of images, colours, textures and objects that shows the feeling and style intended for a space before any detailed design is done.
Where you use it
Used at the concept stage to agree on a direction with the client. Mood boards can be digital (made in Canva, Photoshop or Pinterest) or physical. You create, put together or present a mood board.
Examples
The client loved the second mood board, with its warm wood tones and soft linen.
Let's put together a quick mood board before we start the 3D model.
Usage note
Do not confuse it with a sample board, which shows the real materials chosen for the project, not just inspiration.
Common phrases
create a mood board · present a mood board · digital mood board · concept mood board
A flat, straight-on drawing of one wall or side of a room or object, showing heights and vertical details without perspective.
Where you use it
Interior designers draw elevations of kitchens, bathrooms, joinery and feature walls so that installers know exact heights and positions. You will see labels like kitchen elevation or wall elevation, usually keyed to a letter on the floor plan.
Examples
The kitchen elevation shows the height of the worktop, the splashback and the wall units.
Could you send elevations of the TV wall so the carpenter can quote?
A realistic computer image of a designed space, created from a 3D model to show the client how it will look with materials, light and furniture.
Where you use it
Also a verb (to render a scene) and also called a rendering or visualisation. Designers produce, send and revise renders, often with tools such as 3ds Max with V-Ray or Corona, SketchUp, Enscape or Lumion. Clients usually ask for renders before they approve a design.
Examples
The client wants to see a render of the living room before signing off the furniture.
The renders look great, but the real oak will be a bit warmer.
Common phrases
3D render · photorealistic render · send the renders · revise a render
A board showing real samples of the materials and finishes chosen for a room, such as flooring, tiles, fabrics, paint and metal finishes, arranged together.
Where you use it
Also called a materials board or finishes board. It comes after the mood board and shows exactly what will be used. Clients often sign off the sample board before orders are placed; digital versions use photos of the samples.
Examples
We'll bring the sample board to the meeting so you can touch the fabrics and see the stone.
The sample board for the main bedroom is ready for sign-off.
A drawing that shows a building or object as if it had been sliced vertically, revealing heights, floor and ceiling levels, and how the parts fit together.
Where you use it
Part of the standard set of plans, sections and elevations. Section lines on the floor plan (for example A–A) show where the section is taken. Interior designers use sections for staircases, mezzanines, ceiling details and joinery.
Examples
Section A–A shows the dropped ceiling over the kitchen and the hidden LED strip.
Can you draw a section through the bookcase so the joiner understands the depth?
Common phrases
cross-section · section through · draw a section · plans, sections and elevations
Short for computer-aided design: software used to make precise technical drawings and 3D models, such as AutoCAD, Revit, ArchiCAD or Vectorworks.
Where you use it
Said as one word, like “cad”. People ask for CAD files or CAD drawings, or ask whether a supplier has CAD blocks of its furniture. DWG is the most common file format for exchanging CAD drawings.
Examples
Could the architect send us the CAD files of the existing floor plan?
Most furniture brands offer free CAD blocks of their products.
A drawing of the ceiling as if it were reflected in a mirror on the floor, showing lights, ceiling heights, bulkheads, vents and smoke detectors in the same orientation as the floor plan.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to RCP. It is drawn as a reflection rather than as a view looking up, so that everything lines up with the floor plan below. Electricians, ceiling installers and mechanical engineers all work from it.
Examples
The downlights on the reflected ceiling plan don't line up with the island; can you move them?
Please add the air conditioning grilles to the reflected ceiling plan.
Common phrases
reflected ceiling plan (RCP) · update the RCP · ceiling heights on the RCP
Drawn so that every measurement keeps the same fixed ratio to the real size, for example 1:50, so that sizes can be measured from the drawing.
Where you use it
Usually in drawn to scale or not to scale. Sketches and diagrams are often marked NTS (not to scale), which warns builders not to measure from them. In metric countries common interior scales are 1:20, 1:50 and 1:100.
Examples
Is this sketch drawn to scale, or should I wait for the CAD drawings?
The furniture on the plan is drawn to scale, so you can see exactly how much room is left.
Common phrases
drawn to scale · not to scale (NTS) · to scale at 1:50 · scale bar
A document or set of notes that records what the client wants from a project: how the space will be used, the style, the budget, the timeline and any must-haves.
Where you use it
Written or agreed at the very start of a project, often after the first meeting, and checked whenever decisions are questioned later. You write, agree, follow or update the brief, and you can stick to it or go beyond it; designers often just say the brief.
Examples
According to the design brief, the family needs a home office that can also work as a guest room.
This idea is lovely, but it isn't in the design brief and it's over budget.
Common phrases
write a design brief · agree the brief · stick to the brief · client brief
A visit to a property to measure it accurately and record existing conditions such as walls, windows, ceiling heights, sockets, pipes and damage.
Where you use it
Carried out at the start of a project, before any drawings. Also called a measured survey; the phrasal verb measure up is common in British speech: We'll come and measure up on Tuesday. Photos and notes from the survey are kept with the project files.
Examples
The site survey showed that the ceiling is 12 cm lower than on the old plans.
We charge a fixed fee for the site survey, which is deducted if you go ahead with the design.
Common phrases
carry out a site survey · measured survey · site survey report · measure up
A detailed written description of the products, materials, finishes and quantities to be used in a project, so that they can be priced, ordered and installed correctly.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to spec. Designers write specifications, specify products and check that the contractor has not changed them. Swapping a specified product for a cheaper one, often as part of value engineering, needs the designer's approval.
Examples
The specification lists the exact tile, grout colour and joint width for each bathroom.
Please don't change the tap; it's in the specification for a reason.
Common phrases
write a specification · finishes specification · built to specification · spec sheet
A company or person hired to carry out building or fit-out work, such as demolition, plastering, electrics and installation, usually based on the designer's drawings.
Where you use it
The main contractor (general contractor in the US) manages the whole job and hires subcontractors such as electricians, plumbers and tilers. Designers send drawings to contractors for pricing, answer their questions and check their work on site.
Examples
We got quotes from three contractors, and the cheapest one couldn't start until March.
The contractor has asked whether the shelves can be 2 cm shallower.
Common phrases
main contractor · hire a contractor · contractor's quote · subcontractor
Work to repair, update and improve an existing building or room, from new finishes to moving walls, kitchens and bathrooms.
Where you use it
A general word for both homes and commercial spaces; the verb is renovate. British English also uses refurbishment (refurb in speech); American English often says remodel or remodeling, especially for kitchens and bathrooms. A full strip-out is sometimes called a gut renovation.
Examples
The renovation took six months because we had to rewire the whole flat.
Most of our work is the renovation of older apartments in the city centre.
To give formal, final approval to a design, drawing, sample or cost so that the next stage of work or ordering can go ahead.
Where you use it
Used constantly in project emails. British English says sign off the drawings or sign them off; American English often says sign off on the drawings. The noun is sign-off. Getting written sign-off protects the designer if the client changes their mind later.
Examples
Could you sign off the kitchen layout by Thursday so we can place the order?
The client signed off the fabric samples, so the sofas are now in production.
Common phrases
sign off the design · sign off on the samples · get sign-off · final sign-off
The early design stage in which the designer presents the overall idea for a space, including the layout, mood, colours and key materials, before technical details are developed.
Where you use it
Usually includes a layout plan, mood boards and sometimes sketches or early renders. The client approves the concept design before the designer moves on to detailed drawings and the specification. In the UK's RIBA Plan of Work it is Stage 2.
Examples
We'll present the concept design for the restaurant next week, with two layout options.
The client changed the brief after the concept design was approved, so the fee went up.
Common phrases
concept design stage · present the concept design · approve the concept · concept design package
The time between placing an order and receiving the item, which can be days for stock products and many weeks for bespoke or imported pieces.
Where you use it
One of the most important words in project planning and client emails. Designers check lead times before finalising a specification, because a sofa with a 12-week lead time can delay the whole handover.
Examples
The lead time on the Italian tiles is ten weeks, so we need to order them now.
Lead times have gone up, so please approve the fabrics this week.
Usage note
Lead here rhymes with need, not with bed.
Common phrases
long lead time · lead time of eight weeks · check lead times · long-lead items
The process near the end of a project of checking the finished work and listing small defects, such as scratches, gaps or missing handles, for the contractor to fix.
Where you use it
A British term: each defect is a snag and the document is a snag list. American English says punch list. Snagging happens before handover, and the final payment is often held back until all the snags are fixed.
Examples
We're doing the snagging on Thursday, so please bring tape and a camera.
The snagging list has 40 items, mostly paint touch-ups.
Common phrases
snagging list · snagging visit · do the snagging · snag list
The work of making the inside of a building ready for use, including partitions, ceilings, flooring, lighting, joinery and furniture, especially in offices, shops and restaurants.
Where you use it
Common in the UK, the Middle East and commercial projects in general. In UK office projects, a Cat A fit-out is the basic finish provided by the landlord and a Cat B fit-out is the tenant's own design. The phrasal verb is fit out: fit out a restaurant.
Examples
The office fit-out has to be finished in twelve weeks, before the lease starts.
We specialise in restaurant fit-outs across the region.
Common phrases
office fit-out · fit-out contractor · Cat A fit-out · Cat B fit-out · retail fit-out
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn interior design vocabulary
Learn British and American pairs together, because catalogues, clients and drawings use both: worktop and countertop, splashback and backsplash, tap and faucet, skirting board and baseboard, feature wall and accent wall.
Read real English texts from the field every week: manufacturers' product data sheets, furniture and lighting catalogues, project write-ups in design magazines and published case studies. Notice the verbs that go with each term: specify a finish, sign off a sample, zone a space, layer the lighting.
Keep a vocabulary list with the Turkish site word next to each English term, such as grout and fuga, splashback and tezgah arası, mixer tap and batarya, skirting board and süpürgelik. In the office and on site you will need both.
Practise describing a room out loud in English, from the floor plan to the finishes: how people move through it, where the light comes from, which colours and textures you chose and why. This is exactly what you do in a client presentation.
Learn the vocabulary of each project stage in order: brief, site survey, concept design, specification, ordering, installation, snagging and handover. Emails to clients and contractors follow these steps, so the same phrases come up again and again.
Frequently asked questions
Is interior design the same as interior architecture?
Not exactly. Interior design is the most common English name for the profession and covers space planning, finishes, lighting and furniture. Interior architecture usually puts more weight on the building itself: walls, structure, services and the reuse of existing buildings. In Turkey both are covered by the university degree in iç mimarlık, so Turkish designers can use either title in English; choose the one your clients and employers use. An interior decorator is different: decorators work with furnishings, colours and accessories but do not usually change the space itself.
Should I use British or American words in my drawings and emails?
Use the variety your client and suppliers use, and stay consistent within one document. The differences are real and appear on drawings: worktop and countertop, splashback and backsplash, tap and faucet, skirting board and baseboard, joinery and millwork, snagging and punch list, colour and color. Projects in the UK, Europe and the Middle East often follow British usage; American hotel brands and US clients expect American terms.
What is the difference between a mood board and a sample board?
A mood board shows the feeling you are aiming for. It mixes inspiration images, colours and textures and is used early, at the concept stage. A sample board (also called a materials or finishes board) shows the actual products chosen for the project: the real tile, fabric, paint colour, wood and metal finish. Clients usually approve the mood board first and sign off the sample board later, before anything is ordered.
What does FF&E mean, and why does it have its own budget?
FF&E stands for furniture, fixtures and equipment. In hotels, restaurants and offices it covers the items that are not part of the building works: furniture, lamps, curtains, rugs, artwork and similar pieces. It is budgeted and bought separately because it is often supplied by different companies, has different lead times and may be replaced years before the building itself is renovated.
My clients ask for “yellow light” or “white light”. How do I say that in English?
Talk about colour temperature, which is measured in kelvins. What Turkish clients call sarı ışık is warm white, usually 2700–3000 K, common in homes, hotels and restaurants. Beyaz ışık is neutral white (around 4000 K) or cool white and daylight (5000 K and above), more common in offices, shops and work areas. Avoid saying “yellow light” in English: it sounds like a coloured lamp or a traffic light.
