Summarize the following:
You need to know how big your crate is going to be in order to make the cuts perfectly. You can make any size crate you want, so long as you ensure that the two ends are the same size, and your slats between the ends are the same length. For this lesson, the crate will have the following dimensions (using 1/2" thick planks -- yours may vary slightly).   Height: 9-1/2"  Length: 16"  Width: 12" They should be roughly 1/2" to 3/4" thick, depending on your preferences. You'll want solid, untreated softwood, though the exact kind doesn't matter much -- you could easily use scraps or wood from old pallets. Pine and cedar are generally your best budget buys. As for the lengths and widths, you should procure:  Six feet of 4-3/4"-wide planks for the ends.  Twenty feet of 2-1/4"-wide planks for the slats on the side and bottom. You can adjust this width depending on how big you want the spaces on the side of the crate to be. You can have lots of thinner slats or fewer wider ones. Unless your hardware store will automatically cut your wood for you, it's time to get the saw going. The best way to get perfect, even cuts is to make a rough cut in each piece first, leaving it 1/8" longer than it should be. Then bunch 4 of these rough cuts pieces of wood together, holding the stack together with tape. You can then cut all the pieces at the same time to get identical lengths.   The Ends (4-3/4"-width): You want each board to be 12-1/2" long. There should be 4.  The Slats (2-1/4"-width):' You want each slat to be 18" long. There should be 13. Make sure that all the planks are smooth on all sides. Remember, these specifications are for a 16x12x9.5" crate. After sanding, double-check all of your cuts to make sure you have the right amount of wood.   Four 12-1/2" x 4-3/4" planks for the ends. Two of the pieces will be joined together to form each end. Thirteen or more 18" x 2-1/4" planks for the slats on the side and bottom. For a quicker, easier crate, simply cut a piece of plywood or other wider wood right into the size of your ends (here, 12-1/2" x 9-1/2"). It will look less professional, but it will work fine as a crate. You can also use uneven slats of wood if you're using wood scraps or junk pieces -- they just need to be an even length. However, for a professional crate you should cut even slats.

summary: Sketch out your desired dimensions of the crate in advance. Buy your wooden planks. Cut your wood to the dimensions of your box, plus 1". Sand the wood down on all sides. Alternatively, use a single piece of wood for the two ends.


Summarize the following:
Visiting spaces that have been designed by a professional interior designer or decorator will help train your eye, enabling you to learn more about the most desirable trends.  Pay attention to color schemes, space planning, and small details. Keep a notebook with you and record your observations, both positive and negative. This is a great way to grow and learn as a decorator. Keeping up-to-date with the most relevant decorating and design trends will help you build a decorating business that will attract your ideal clientele. You will always want to be one step ahead of your clients on the design front, suggesting to them the newest design concepts that are beyond their imagination.  Some magazines you should look at include: Architectural Digest, Better Homes and Gardens, Country Home, Design Directions, Elle Décor, Home Restoration & Remodeling Magazine, House and Garden, Interior Design, Interiors & Sources, Metropolitan Home, Style at Home, Traditional Home, and Victorian Homes. Make sure to review commercial interior design magazines as well as consumer-driven interior design. Understanding the way your space works is fundamental to interior decorating. Design is visual as well as physical. Elements of design include balance, emphasis, movement and patterns.   The single most important element of interior design is lighting. For example, there are three forms of lighting: ambient lighting, which provides overall illumination; task lighting, which provides light for specific activities; accent lighting adds focus to particular elements of the space. Focus on developing you own style and interests to give your decorating business a unique and personalized touch. Do this so that people will seek you out for your particular specialty.  Developing your particular niche interest will help your business be more marketable and attractive to your clients. Your business will do best if you're able to find a type of interior design that's being overlooked in your local market. Find every opportunity to practice trying out your ideas of interior design to improve your skills. Discuss your end visions with an experienced or professional decorator or designer. For example, take a random swatch of fabric or paint chip and attempt to design a room (either mentally, through sketching, or using a computer) that incorporates those details. Learning how to take pieces of a puzzle and create a full picture is an essential part of becoming an interior decorator.  Realize that learning more about interior design takes time. You'll learn more skills over time. One way to get training and practice in interior design is to find a job working for someone who has her own business. You'll learn more about what starting your own decorating business will be like.
summary: Visit high-end spaces. Read relevant magazines. Know the basics of design. Find your focus. Practice your interior decorating skills.