Interior Design Illustrated: Second Edition Book

TODO:
! Overall, Francis D. K. Ching's Interior Design Illustrated (theory) and Deborah Needleman et alii's domino: the Book of Decorating (practice) are my two reference books for new-house projects.
! Must-read for all beginners and intermediate-level interior and home designers.
+++ very clear, very techy, very good!
+++ Chapter 1, interior space, defines the abstract notions of human space, with Western meanings. What defines a space? How is it structured? How do people move between and arrive to its various parts? What is "inside"?
+++ Chapter 2, interior design, has two main parts: a method for planning interior design projects, structured as a checklist, which forms the skeleton of the chapter; and a methodical survey of layout, complete with tech specs regarding sizes and positions. I finally understood why all benches have a seat height about 43cm above ground, and why salon tables with heights much lower than 35cm are hip.
+++ Chapter 3, a design vocabulary, describes the main concepts for interior design: form, shape, color, texture, light. It also diacusses extensively the art of design: balance, unity and variety, rhythm, and emphasis.
+++ Chapter 4, interior building elements, describes and depicts alternatives for seating, tables, work surfaces, storage, and sleeping. These are put into the various ordinary and extraordinary shapes in modern housing projects, including my favorite single-slope ceiling and heart-warming fireplaces. Natural lighting is also discussed here.
+ Chapter 5, interior environmental systems, picks up where the previous chapter ends, heating, and besides various forms of air conditioning it also discusses electricity. Useful, but I'm afraid I did not yet learn much (I won't be using this in the current project, so there's little testing).
++ Chapter 6, lighting and acoustics, is technical and detailed, which I find very useful and attractive. I finally understood why the Color Rendering Index (CRI) and the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT, in Kelvins) are stated on lamp/bulb descriptions, next to efficiency metrics such as Lumens/Watt. I'm still struggling with acoustics, but that's something my better half keeps telling me.
++ Chapter 7, finish materials, discusses functional, aesthetic, and economic details concerning flooring, carpets, wall building and finishing, and painting and decorating interiors in general. Ahm, I think I know now how to buy a rug.
+++ Chapter 8, furnishings, is an illustrated survey of the main trends in furniture. Not sure I can later identify a couch by Isamu Noguchi, but I should be able to spot a chair by Le Corbusier or by Mies van der Rohe when tagged with a glossy sticker. The discussion of window treatments (perhaps belonging to the chapter on finishing) and of accessories concludes another excellent chapter.