Interior design is an art with featured principles to help establish the space. Your goal is to help create a mood or a flow for the overall environment. There are seven elements we can use to help orchestrate our designs: forms, lights, spaces, lines, colors, textures, and patterns can influence the way our atmosphere is portrayed. For example, if you want a room to feel inviting, you may feature an open space with warm colors and comfortable textures. Or if you are attempting to create an ambiance, you can facilitate different mood lighting and patterns into your space. All these elements have a time and a place.
The Five Principles of Interior Design can establish these. These fundamental guidelines can help turn chaos into structure. Whether you are just getting started in designing your space or looking to spruce it up a little bit, this series can help you better grasp the foundational principles to creating your space. Let’s take a look!
Balance
The first principle to scrutinize when creating your design is balance. With so many elements being mashed into one space, it is easy for certain aspects to overshadow others. The easiest way to observe balance is to look at your room’s symmetry. There are three types of symmetry a room can have: formal, informal, and radial.
Formal
Formal balance is simply keeping a room symmetrically balanced. If a nightstand is on one side of the bed, another one should be on the other side to maintain balance. And this can be more than just furniture. Consider the lighting in the room, as well. While you may not be able to adjust fixed lighting, if all light is on one side of your space, it can disturb the balance in the space.
Informal
Informal balance is the easiest of the three to achieve. A room does not need to have an exact replica mirroring it on the other side of the room. Perhaps you have an office with an off-centered doorway; you may be forced to put your desk against one wall. Though your room may not be a mirror image of itself, you should still consider balance. No side of your room should feel “favored” on colors, shapes, textures or furnishings.
Radial
Radial is a symmetrical design that is achieved by starting at a center point in the room. All aspects will radiate symmetry around this point. This is typically seen in dining rooms where the table may be the center point.
Balance is an important principle to consider in every room of your home. You cannot achieve balance without considering all the elements in the room; however, there are exceptions where you may find the need to create a focal point or emphasize center aspects of your room. While this may not create balance, it can still be used artistically to help add a dramatic effect to your space. By continuing the series, you will be able to understand better how to facilitate these principles in your home, so be sure to check back!
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