Make
The Most of Your Space by
Understanding Interior Design Principles
Understanding Interior Design Principles
This may seem totally boring but understanding and employing the right interior design principles in your decorating projects can go a long way in helping you plan for success and really bring your living space to life.
Whether your dream home is a cozy cottage by the lake or a 8,000 sq ft showplace, achieving the right balance and visual effects takes some knowledge of how these interior design principles and elements fit together to create just the right look and feel.
There are many important considerations when it comes to designing and beautifying those bare walls, and it is vital for you to consider each of these interior design principles before getting started.
A home in harmony is a thing of beauty, but it takes a great deal of planning and thought in order to achieve a balanced unified look as well as understanding how to pull it all together.
Design is simply a way of creating functionality and attractive space. A basic framework for good design involves a few fundamental principles and interior design basics such as:-
- Color, Pattern & Texture
- Scale & Proportion
- Balance & Symmetry
- Harmony & Rhythm
How you interpret these interior design principles is a matter of taste and preference.
Walls are the largest structural element in a room and, as such, have the
potential to make the most impact on your decor.
When planning to decorate your walls it is wise to evaluate your entire room taking into account the architectural elements such as windows, doors, ceilings and floors.
Also the furniture and the accessories you already own and which you plan to keep play a role in your entire room design as well as a very important role in balance and symmetry.
Color - The Foundation of Wall Design:
Color is perhaps one of the most important elements when decorating a home or office and having a basic understanding of interior design principles when it comes to selecting a color scheme for any of your decorating projects will help you plan for success.
The color of your walls will set the stage for all other aspects of your home design, and it is essential to plan carefully before applying a single brushstroke of paint.
When thinking about the color of the walls it is important to consider the
nature of the room and the look you wish to achieve. Matching color to the purpose of the room is important and it is essential to consider how the new color will affect the look and feel in the entire room
.For instance, applying a bright and sunny color like canary yellow or ivory can make your room look larger and more inviting. Light colors will reflect the light and allow the natural sunlight to enhance the beauty of the space.
Deep, muted, soft or bold colors can set an expressive tone for your interior design styles depending on how much light the room receives and the look and feel which you wish to achieve.
.Choose two colors to complement or contrast with each other that you find pleasing and that express the feeling you want in that room.
When it comes to interpreting interior design principles, the tone or depth of the color matters more than the hue itself.
For example, dark pine green expresses a very different feel than lime green, which again is very different from sage green.
Deep tones project a calmer and more sheltered feeling. Brighter colors especially primary colors are cheerful and energetic; they almost vibrate.
Earth tones can be subtle and elegant and make us feel close to nature.
Room use is important too. Some colors are traditionally associated with some rooms as red for dining rooms and blues or greens for bedrooms and bathrooms.
While there is no need to limit your choices to the usual colors, you might be happier choosing a variation on a color theme to better fit the style and the mood of the room which you wish to decorate. After all they say that variety is the spice of life.
Consider also as you plan your wall color choices the walls in adjoining rooms that can be seen from the room you are planning on decorating. Ideally the colors don't fight each other.
One of the fundamentals of interior design principles is creating harmony with your choice of decorating colors making sure that there is a visual flow of coorinating color from one space to another.
Textures Beg to be Touched:
Texture might not be as dramatic as color, yet texture is one of those basic interior design principles that calls for tactile warmth and visual appeal.
Which textures beg to be touched? Are you drawn to the coolness of stone or the warmth of wood?
Texture can be applied, created or imitated in a variety of ways.
There are many exciting options such as faux alligator, grass-weave, bamboo and rattan wallcoverings or you can create a look of brick and stone which are made using a type of resin or veneer.
Textured paints are are also available or you can apply a simulated texture by sponge painting or glazing, using two or three tones of paint with flatter glossier finishes.
Wainscoting topped with a chair rail adds a textural finish that can be either formal or casual depending on the choices of color and other design elements.
Remember coarse and matte surfaces such as stone, rough-hewn wood, stucco, corduroy or terra-cotta absorb light and sound. Glossy and smooth surfaces such as metal, glass, silk and enamel relect light.
Play it Up with Pattern:
Incorporating pattern into your decorating plans is another key element on the list of interior design principles.
Wallpaper is a very popular and easy way to add pattern to walls. There are many thousands of wallpaper designs with various patterns, colors, textures and styles.
Match your choice of design size to the wall size and form so that the pattern enhances the area.
Designs can be directly applied to your walls by stenciling or by a painted wall mural.
A traditional wall design one which I'm sure you've seen and one which is highly functional and attractive, combines the elements of wainscoting and a chair rail on the lower third of the wall topped with a patterned wall covering, a stenciled design or a wall mural on the top two thirds.
You can also tie in your wall color with patterned accessories such as bedspreads, pillows curtains and furniture to incorporate texture into your decorating plans
When it comes to incoporating interior design principles in your decorating schemes, a room really starts to take shape and character when pattern plays throughout your decor creating a fun, lively and stimulating atmosphere.
Proportion & Scale:
Proportion and scale are related and are one of the most important interior design principles to consider when decorating a room.
Scale refers to the size of an object as it relates to the size of everything else in your room.
Proportion is the relationship of parts or objects to one another based on size.
For example the size of the window is in proportion to the size of the room.
Good scale is achieved when all of the parts are proportionately correct relative to each other and to the whole.
That's why it's important for you to consider the size and scope of your rooms as well as the furnishings and decor when making your decorating plans and incoporating the interior design principles recommended to achieve the correct proportion and scale.
Most homes will have rooms of various sizes, from large great rooms and living rooms to cozy dens, kitchens and bathrooms.
The decorating requirements for a small space can be vastly different from those of larger spaces.
When it comes to incorporating these interior design principes, to put everything into perspective, there needs to be the right balance of big and small items in a room to create a harmonious and unified look.
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However, sometimes there's a fine line between between the two.
For instance a small room might benefit from a large canvas on the wall to break up lots of small elements in the room to create balance and symmetry.
As you're designing and pulling your room together you need to stand back and take stock.
If something like a loveseat looks out of place try another location or move it to another room where it might fit better. Similarly too many small items might cry out for a large element to balance the look and feel.
Only you with your knowledge and understanding of the basics of interior design principles can be the judge.
Putting it All Together with a little Feng Shui:
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of balancing the good and the bad. That is the Yin and the Yang.
The philosophy believes that the exact arrangement and positioning of things in your home and surroundings can affect the flow of energy which can produce favorable or unfavorable affects on your health and wealth.
We call feng shui decorating the equivalent to our interior design principles with a few subtle differences. The Chinese believe in balancing five elements which are wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
Each of these elements creates a different mood and sensation in your decorating spaces according to your personality and the look and feel you wish to achieve.
As you plan your interior wall decorating keep in mind these important interior design principles including a little feng shui philosophy so that you keep on track to achieiving your goals of beautiful, functional and cohesive living spaces.
From your colors, textures, architectural components, furniture and lighting everything should be proportional, balanced and harmonious.
Ask yourself, is it the right size, scale, color and style. If the answer is yes go ahead and trust your instincts.
