Acronyms used by Interior Designer's.

Acronyms can get tiring but every industry has its fair share of abbreviations, slang.

Below mentioned are just the few of them:

• FF&E- Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment.

FF&E is a general term used in accounting, construction and interior design to describe practical or decorative items that do not relate to the structural integrity or permanent elements of a building or home. Common examples of FF&E in both residential and commercial applications are couches, chairs, tables, cubicles, bookcases, etc. Practically, FF&E can refer to furniture procurement or almost anything else that isn’t fixed to or won’t affect a building’s core structural aspects like windows, walls, ceilings and floors.

• OS&E- Operating Supplies and Equipment.

Though it’s similar to FF&E, OS&E stands for something a little different:

OS&E refers to items that are necessary for the general maintenance and operation of a building, including cleaning supplies, linens, uniforms and handheld or other equipment that is not part of a building’s structure. OS&E is more commonly used in the commercial interior design industry for hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other similar properties.

• Purchase Order.

This is a term you will hear frequently when sourcing products for clients. A purchase order is a commercial document that serves as a formal indication of an intent to purchase and a detailed record containing product descriptions, quantities, prices, the total cost of the order and information of the person and business responsible for payment.

• Supplier & Vendor.

Vendor generally refers to a business in any industry that supplies a good or service required for the completion of a project. Supplier is a term more specifically used to describe businesses that manufacture or distribute raw materials or finished goods.

• Lead Times

The amount of time between when an item is ordered and when it can be manufactured or sourced and delivered is commonly referred to as “lead time.” Lead times will determine when items will be received on-site and will significantly affect your total project timeline, meaning you will want to ask vendors for anticipated lead times when placing an order.

Now that you know this, you will not be confused when the designer uses these terms during delivering your space.