The Five Basic Interior Design Elements
Are you working on an interior design but don’t feel satisfied with your final concept? Do you feel like something is missing, but you just can’t place your finger on what?
If this sounds like it might be you, you may have looked over one of the essential interior design elements. These principles help ensure that your design concept is cohesive and feels put together, and your space just feels “right.”
While it can be challenging to work around them if you have never done so before, with some experimentation and practice, you’ll find yourself completely in your element when working on a new project!
1. Balance
Balance is a key part of ensuring that you feel a sense of equilibrium and stability when walking into a space. This is achieved by paying close attention to objects' visual weight within an area and equalising or approximating this weight.
Balance requires that you not only pay attention to the shape of an object but also to the colour, texture, and size. For example, a brighter or more textured object “feels” heavier and will need to be balanced either through a single, equally heavy item or multiple, less heavy items.
2. Rhythm and Repetition
This principle involves creating patterns of repetition and contrast in your space. These patterns help create visual interest and keep your eye occupied whenever you walk into a new environment.
Rhythm essentially involves your eyes moving across a space in a choreographed manner, guided by the design choices you have made and the focal points you have chosen. Repetition is a great way to create this sense of rhythm. For example, you can repeat a distinct colour across your room, starting in the soft pillows, moving to a statement art piece, and ending in a rug. These help focus and guide the eye of the viewer.
3. Emphasis
It is difficult to emphasise each and every element of your design concept. If you do manage to do so, you risk creating a space that is either too busy for your eye or one that feels monotonous and boring.
In order to avoid this challenge, it is crucial to choose an anchor point. This will be the centre of attention in your space and help draw the eye when a person first enters the room. Emphasis points in an area can range from a gorgeous view, a fireplace, or a piece of artwork that can also serve as a conversation starter. If your space lacks a built-in point of conversation, you can also create one through furniture groupings or choosing a statement piece for your room.
4. Proportion and Scale
Proportion refers to the ratio between one object and another. Scale is how the size of something relates either to another item or to the space in which it is placed as a whole. For example, a large couch will be out of scale in a small room.
When it comes to choosing proportion and scale for your space, it is recommended that you keep the Golden Ratio in mind. While this most commonly refers to a mathematical formula, you can also use it in interior decoration.
Essentially, this recommends that you fill 60% of a space with furniture and leave the other 40% bare. This ensures that your room is proportionate and helps you avoid a cluttered look.
5. Harmony
Harmony involves every element in a room working together to send a unified message. Where rhythm and repetition create excitement and keep your gaze moving around a space, harmony creates a sense of restfulness and calm.
One way of creating harmony is by choosing a single focal colour. You can then use this colour in various forms, from soft furnishings to furniture. In order to create harmony, all the design principles in your space must interrelate and work in unison.
