Math and Interior Design

There are a number of ways that teaching about interior design and architecture can be connected with learning experiences in the classroom. As students learn about creating illusion through the use of color and or structure, they could also use mathematical skills.
In Sarah Susanka’s book she discusses the technique of contrast and illusion. One example is creating an illusion of a raised ceiling. However the ceiling could have height variety to vary heights around the edge making the center appear higher than it actually is. Students could estimate ceiling heights and then take actual measurements as a math connection.
Another math lesson could be created by giving students photos of two rooms of equal size. However in one picture the room would be bright and well lit, with many windows. In the other picture the room would be dimly lit with fewer windows. Students would guess which room was larger and then measure the rooms to test out their estimates.
When learning about angles, students could calculate and measure various angles found in architecture or in interior design.