The process of choosing a wallpaper for the home interior may initially seem a painless task, however following copious sample orders that arrive showing only a snippet of the full pattern, working out the required number of rolls considering wall dimensions, fireplaces, doors and/or windows and being unable to truly appreciate the impact of a wall covering design at the proposed scale or expanse in a space — the process can easily become tedious. These considerations and limitations do not allow consumers to buy with confidence and assurance that their interior decisions will be met with satisfaction and gratification.
The Style Library Visualiser is an engaging iPhone app that relieves and aids the interior design process regarding the planning, selection and purchasing of wallpaper for the home using augmented reality technology to allow consumers to confidently identify and purchase a wall covering(s) from one of the Library's renowned brands.The app allows the consumer to undertake this process with enjoyment and ease as they immerse themselves in the brands that provide to the Style Library and the wall coverings they sell.
The app, which allows consumers to buy with confidence and assurance that their interior decisions will be met with satisfaction and gratification, follows the visual language established on the original desktop site of the Style Library which is clean, clear, well structured and suitably stylish - reflecting the sites content/context as 'the premier destination for Stylish and Quality British Design.'
The apps primary content is framed by two bars: a brand mark bar at the top and a navigational bar at the bottom, both of which hold permanency due to their locked positions which enhance the user experience through complete ease of use and assured functionality of app exploration. The 'Style Library' word mark is featured left aligned in the bar at the top of the composition on any given page of the app in keeping with the suspected brand guidelines of Style Library.
The symbols/iconography featured on the Style Library Visualiser App are used to convey particular ideologies through associative imagery to objects and beings. Immediately decipherable, easily understood and recognisable on an international level - regardless of language, culture and identity - these pictograms rely on semiotic recognition. Though in some instances the symbols are accompanied by a typographic label to ensure the user experience is as clear as possible, for the most part the human mind is able to determine and establish an immediate connection with these symbols as a result of familiarity and social/cultural awareness. They enhance the user experience through provision of choice and exploration, allowing the user to navigate subconsciously based on their knowledge of what they are looking for and the mind's established visual associations.
Using a limited colour palette of white and tones/shades of grey for the navigational visual information of the app, the design allows for focus to be given to the beautifully designed wall coverings created by the Library's contributing brands and the spectrum of colour they themselves provide. The navigational system of the app has been designed to ensure focus is on the products of the Style Library - being the primary purpose and feature of the app - to inspire, showcase and sell wallpaper.
Almost all typographic headings featured within the app are set in upper-case Arial, reflecting the Style Library's position in its sector of premier quality wallpapers from leading British interior brands while creating cohesion and consistency with the original desktop site. Featuring type at 3 sizes consistently throughout the app page design, these sizes being 12pt, 20pt and 30 pt, all typographic information set at scale appropriate to design for screen. Where appropriate, type has been set as standard with capitals only at the start of words for ease of readability of the smaller type size and for a less dominating tone of voice where un-required.
The transitional system used by the app uses simple, clean logical direction suggestion that aids the users awareness of interaction within the app.
A straightforward system, users can expect and experience the following transitions during their experience:
- When moving from left to right across the navigation bar from 'Inspire' to 'Basket' and those in between, pages will 'Push Left.'
- Upon progressive movement within the app, pages will 'Push Left.'
- When returning or going back within the app, pages will 'Push Right.'
- When moving back from right to left across the navigation bar from 'Inspire' to 'Basket' and those in between, pages will 'Push Right.'
- In opening the account section of the app from the main app pages accessed via the navigation bar, the page will 'Slide Down.'
- On return to the main application pages from the account section, the main app pages accessed from the navigation bar will 'Slide Up.'
- With the exception of the account pages, roll calculator and visualiser - the navigation bar will remain present at all times for ease of use and enhanced user experience.
- When jumping between app pages or opening via links, such as from scrapbook image to product information, the transition will 'pop.'
- In the case of interaction with photo pages featuring a translucent quality/overlay, tapping will 'dissolve' back to the previous screen.
The app transitions exploit western culture and the subconscious act of reading from left to right and the standard navigational devices encountered on a daily basic (left, right, up, down) to enhance the user experience through familiarity of action and engagement with everyday life - making for an enjoyable experience that comes naturally to the target. Each transition within the app has been considered in its ability to mimic the expectation of the target in predicting their assumption of how things should act in response to their actions.
The Style Library Visualiser app also holds potential for translation across other platforms, the iPad in particular. By simply introducing an additional column to the existing visual language layout, the design shows the apps prospects for usage on a larger scale format whilst maintaining the integrity of the original iPhone application and Style Library webpage from which influence has been derived. Although only a limited glimpse into the alternative formatting of the Style Library Visualiser app for iPad has been drafted, it is clear to see how the pages would evolve in this point of delivery.
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