To many of us, a home is our most important investment. This is not only because of its value and the expenses involved, but because it is a place where we can be at peace, give ourselves time, and explore ideas. For this reason, a house needs to have an interior design that reflects our personality and preferences.
Design plays a significant role in evoking feelings and setting moods. If you want to make sure your house emits the right energy, you’ll have to modify its aesthetic. In this article, we’re going to take you through the ten principles of interior design so that you can utilize them to make your house feel truly yours.
Balance
Every single element in a space adds visual weight to it, be it a floor rug, a light fixture, or a sofa cushion. Balancing refers to distributing this weight evenly to tame the chaos. Shape, color, lines, and texture contribute to this weight, so you spread similar elements out in a way that the aesthetic does not ‘topple’ in one direction or wobble in all directions. There are three approaches to balance you can use:
Symmetry
Symmetry occurs when one side of the room is almost a mirror reflection of the other in terms of weight. For example, consider a coffee table with two matching chairs on each side, or maybe a bed flanked by two side tables carrying the same lamps. You use this approach when you want a room to look clean, crisp, and formal.
To make an area symmetric, begin by splitting it into two along the middle with an imaginary line. Then, mirror any element you add on one side by one with the same weight on the left. The objects do not have to be the same, but their weight must be. For example, a two-seater couch can be mirrored by two lounging chairs in the same color. The truest approach to symmetry entails using exact replicas.
Symmetry can get stoic, better suited to offices than homes. We wouldn’t recommend using too much of it in your room. The following approach is more flexible, adding in little imperfections that make a space feel cozier and homier.
Asymmetry
Like symmetry, both sides of your space reflect each other, but this approach is not rigid. The form or weight of the objects on both sides of your mirroring line does not have to match; it just has to tie up pairs together. For example, your bookshelf can be balanced by a chair on the opposing side, and the weight of a lamp can be offset by a painting. Asymmetry will add liveliness and bring energy to a place while keeping the visual chaos under control.
Radial Symmetry
Like the first two cases, we’re referring to countering weight on one end by adding weight to another, but instead of using a line to split the room, we move around a circle. For example, consider a chandelier as one focal point; you’ll have to arrange similarly weighing objects at equal distances to it to bring radial symmetry. You can make the space asymmetric by playing with the things you add to eliminate the monotony.
Harmony
Harmony is what brings all elements inside a space together, adding cohesion to it. This entails selecting one common property that objects will have, and we’re not only referring to color or shape.
As an example, let’s consider a bohemian organic theme for the living room. Here, earth-based tones, wooden materials, and liberal use of plants will live harmoniously. A green wall, a beige bookshelf, a terracotta pot, a rattan ottoman, and an abstract painting all belong in this space. In contrast, a red glossy chair won’t quite fit.
The same applies if you’re designing a space for a mood. That red chair can belong in a makeup room if you’re going for a bold aesthetic, but it probably won’t go in your faerie-themed garden either.
Rhythm
Rhythm involves repetition. The brain and eye are trained to recognize patterns, and rhythm lets you build these to steady the viewer’s perception. Here, you consider a visual element or property and duplicate it around your space to add to the cohesion. Let’s consider our bohemian, organic living room again. Wood is an excellent element to play with here. A wooden vase on the table, a wooden stool in the corner, and a wooden coat hanger near the door will let you build a rhythm the eye will hold on to.
Contrast
One needs dark to see the light; the same holds for design as well. Contrasting elements elevate spaces by adding dimensions to them. Color is the easiest way to add contrast, but texture, light, and space can be used just as effectively. Adding dark furniture against pale walls, using matte, velvet, and gloss finishes, and combining empty and fuller patches, sharp angles, and rounded corners all remove the monotony from space by adding drama to it.
Keep in mind that just because two elements are different doesn’t mean they contrast. Silk and velvet, for instance, aren’t contrasting materials, just slightly differing ones.
Focus
As you enter a room, your eye will seek rest. This is where a room’s focus, or the emphasis, comes in. A focus is a central element that anchors a space. You use large proportions, stark contrast, or bold colors to attract attention to it. It can be an elaborate fireplace, a sturdy dining table, a large chandelier, or the like. If nothing, having a wall stand apart from the others by using a statement wallpaper can do the trick. Windows and art pieces do the job excellently as well.
Scale and Proportion
Here, we deal with ratios of all objects in a space with respect to one another. A room with a large bed on one side and a tiny painting on the other wouldn’t quite look right. Similarly, small stools in a high-ceilinged room or a wide fireplace in a little closet room won’t fit. Every element, or a group of elements, needs to be comparable to the other.
Details
This covers all the finishing touches. Here, you can get as personal as you want. Embroider rabbits on those cotton cushions or get shiny copper handles for that white bathroom door. All these little details will color in the broad outlines and patterns the previous six principles lay down and make the space truly yours.
Endnote
Designing and arranging your dream interior is no small feat. Create a layout for your space and proceed room by room if you want to do it yourself. Think of a theme first, and continue by working on setting up the focus of the rooms. You can add finishing touches like rhythm and details as time goes on.
However, if your property is large and you do not have the energy to spare, we recommend a time-saving approach that guarantees perfect results: hiring home interior designers. The investment is going to be worth the cost. These experts know the best places to shop your material from, the most optimal ways to make your space feel homey, cozy, and spacious, and can design timeless areas that secure your future in case you decide to sell the place. They know how to turn their client’s visions into reality. Consider your options smartly and make the choice that suits you the best.
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