As we explored the principles of interior design, we can easily see that these established guidelines help us improve our home’s aesthetics. Balance, focus, and rhythm all can help create our space. However, just having all the right ingredients does not guarantee you success without the right quantities. Imagine baking a cake. You have the flour, baking powder, butter, eggs, sugar, and milk, yet you do not have the right amounts. You have a teaspoon of milk when the recipe calls for a cup. We can easily see that the proportions added to the formula matter and this is true with interior design as well. Proportion and scale are crucial to our room’s success. Interior design is not just the aesthetic appeal but functionality as well. An over-cluttered space can feel overwhelming, whereas an under-furnished room can feel incomplete. So, how do we always master perfect ratios? Well, let us take a closer look.

Proportion and Scale 

It is essential to distinguish the difference between the elements and the principles of interior design. The elements are color, texture, space, lines, lighting, form, and patterns that are then influenced by the principles of design. Hence, these elements can all be influenced by proportion. There are several ways in which scaling these elements can affect your design. Let us take a look at a few in particular:

Color 

The element of color can easily be one of the most psychological influences on an atmosphere. However, color psychology can come down to how we scale it. The color red can positively influence an atmosphere by provoking passion, warmth, excitement, and strength. Yet, when used too much, it can stimulate anger, defiance, aggression, and even danger. Colors can have warm, cool, or neutral effects on spaces. Typically, we see design themes stick to the 60:30:10 ratio to control the proportion of colors in the room. You can pick three colors to use in your space. You give one color 60% influence on the atmosphere – this will make it the room’s primary color. Next, the secondary color can have 30% usage in your space. While of course, your accent color will be the least frequent and only take about 10% influence in your atmosphere. 

Space 

Next, we should consider the proportion of space. We never want to clutter a space or leave it feeling bare. Figuring out the perfect balance and dimensions of furniture can help give your room the rhythm it needs. All the principles can tie together by figuring out how to incorporate spacing. For greater insight and tricks on space, check out the Golden Ratio and how it is used in almost all aspects of nature, art, and design. 

Lighting 

Light proportions affect our perception of a space as well. We can incorporate natural or artificial lighting. We can facilitate task lighting, ambient lighting, and accent lighting to create the right ambiance. Areas that are too dark are less likely to attract us than well-lit areas. Making sure our rooms are proportionally and evenly lit will also help us achieve balance and scaling. 

There are so many ways to integrate scale and proportions. It can be very powerful and can easily be identified if it is well done. Make sure you can step back and assess your room. This can be challenging when moving. Sometimes our old furniture is not to scale with our new homes. Make sure you are never too physically attached and know when and how to proportion your space! Make sure to check out the last Principles of Interior Design to make sure you are ready to tackle any design project. 

Every good design plan will have a set of guidelines to help keep it on track. These fundamental truths serve to keep everything on track, and interior design is no exception. Though interior design gives every person different aspects of freedom to help express themselves; there are still principles to consider. Interior design is created by facilitating the seven different elements into your home or workspace. These elements will work together to create your design.   Today, we are going to discuss rhythm. Let’s take a look!

Rhythm 

Rhythm is the flow of the room. How do your eyes travel from one area to the next?  Rhythm can tie together your design in a unique way. Consider a band with a guitarist, drummer, bass, and singer. While each member is critical to enhancing the performance, they must work together. If each performer plays a different song at once, the music is lost. Learning how to facilitate rhythm is key to design as well.   

Repetition 

In music, rhythm is usually created by the percussionist through repetition. Repetition has a powerful psychological effect.  Our brain will notice repetition and correlate multiple things as one. This powerful technique can be used in design. By adding repeating patterns or repetition of colors, we will subconsciously associate the room as being unified (another key principle).  Having your curtains, pillows, and rugs with the same patterns will help create rhythm. While rhythm can easily be one of the most forgot elements to novice designers, it can be a key to your success! However, there is more just repetition used to create rhythm.  

Gradation 

You can also help the flow of the room visually through gradation.  We can easily identify this as shading. By incorporating gradation in a room, you can direct where people look in a room.  

Transition 

Likewise, you can also direct “eye traffic” through your furniture. If you want to emphasize the height of a vase, you may place a smaller vase followed by a medium vase followed by a large vase. This will easily be noticed, yet can help create rhythm in your home. 

Contrast 

Another powerful tool used to create rhythm is contrast. Even in some songs, dramatic pauses can create a powerful impact. Likewise, you create a dramatic visual impact with contrast. The most common contrasting colors are black and white, but many opposing colors like red and blue can have this effect as well. 

Radiation 

Like radial symmetry, radiation is creating rhythm revolving around your focal point in a room. This will establish the balance in your space while creating the rhythm you desire. 

Rhythm is important and commonly overlooked. If you can master rhythm, you will achieve a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing space. There are still two more key principles that are important to design. Even with rhythm, a room can feel awkward if the proportions and scale are not considered. Check out the next part of the series to see the secret to scaling your space and achieving perfect proportions every time! 

As we explore the principles of interior design, we learned about the importance of balance. Without balance, our homes can feel like a chaotic mess of elements meshed together. However, balance can be broken down to help create a dramatic effect, and this is not done on accident but deliberately to affect the room. 

Emphasis and focus fundamental principles to understand when it comes to interior design.   Not everything in your space deserves the same spotlight. Allowing architectural focal points to shine can really enhance the appeal of your room. Here is how you can incorporate these two elements:

Emphasis 

Many rooms will have an area of architectural interest. In living rooms, your emphasis may be a fireplace, whereas, in a foyer, it may be a chandelier. Perhaps your dining room has a large window that sees out into your backyard. For places that do not have these aspects, you can simply create one. Your furniture is usually revolving around this point to help emphasis it. You can create a directional flow in your room to help amplify these aspects, and your point of emphasis can be created through color, texture, or even lighting. 

Focus 

Another way to consider adding emphasis is by creating a focal point in your room. The key is to arrange your furniture to view the focal point. Consider adding a large painting or display shelving as a focal point, then the rest of your room should complement that point. 

Perhaps, you add a large painting in the room of a zebra. To help reflect this feature throughout the room, you may want to add more black and white patterns throughout your space. These accents do not take from the focal point but instead are intended to help enhance it.  

Remember your focal point helps develop the room, but your room will also help establish your focal point.  Every room should feel like it flows, and this can be evoked through a sense of rhythm. Rhythm is another critical principle every room should incorporate. Make sure to check out the rest of the series to help you add more rhythm to your space.