Principles of Interior Design 101
By Shawne Bordeaux Ashe & Suzanne Simon of Interiors by Decorating Den

Our design philosophy -- We listen to what our clients desire and like to give them a look that reflects their personal style. A look they will enjoy for as long as they desire. The process begins with a walkthrough of the client’s home to better understand their style. Is it traditional, transitional, contemporary or eclectic? We discuss their likes and dislikes. How the room will be used. How the room will be used and who will be using it. Do the fabrics need to be durable or can we use silks? Does the client want a formal or informal feeling?

The principles of interior design are not hard and fast rules to be followed unvaryingly in every decorating job. Rather, they are wonderful guidelines that help the designer and homeowner create satisfying and wonderful rooms. Each decorating job is as unique as the homeowner, yet each job contains elements of all of the principles of design. Some of the key principles include balance, scale, emphasis, and unity.

Balance is best described as a state of equilibrium among a variety of home furnishing objects and color schemes used in a room. Everything placed in a room must have a “balance” or relationship to everything else in the room. Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt natural and comfortable? It’s likely the balance of furnishings, window treatments, lighting, accessories and color schemes helped give you that feeling. The room being totally out of balance likely causes an uneasy and uncomfortable feeling.

In the world of design there are two kinds of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical balance tends to be more formal. It typically features objects arranged equally on each side of a point of interest. For instance, visualize a fireplace mantle with matching candlesticks flanking a beautifully framed piece of art. Another example would be a dining room buffet with identical candlestick lamps flanking a decorative fl oral arrangement, which has been placed in the middle of the buffet.

Asymmetrical balance is generally the opposite of symmetrical balance, and therefore tends to be more informal. Asymmetrical balance is created when objects of unequal size and shape are grouped together. Visualizing our same dining room buffet, in an asymmetrical arrangement, we would see one candlestick lamp with a decorative fl oral arrangement comfortably nestled close to the lamp, and a beautifully framed piece of art hung slightly off center.

Scale is the relation of the size of one object to the size of another. In interior decorating, it is the relation of the sizes of the objects in a room to each other and to the size of the room itself. It includes considering the scale of the accessories in relation to the pieces with which they are used such as a lamp on an end table. Creating pieces well related in scale to each other and to the room creates a feeling of unity and harmony in that room. The eye should move smoothly from one object to another, taking in every important piece. If some pieces are too large in scale, the eye is carried away abruptly from the objects smaller in scale, thus missing some pieces that should be noticed. Furniture pieces grouped together should be alike in scale. This means not only their size, but also their “visual weight” should be compatible. Various groupings throughout a room should be similar in scale, as well, creating a feeling of harmony and unity.

Emphasis is simply a focal point that naturally draws the eye. The development of a focal point is a natural result of the way the human eye sees. If a focal point is not provided, the eye will wander restlessly from place to place in search of something to focus on. The focal point may be provided naturally by a beautiful view from a large picture window or through an architectural detail such as a lovely fi replace. The decorator can further enhance these types of focal points. If there is no “ready” focal point, the decorator creates it! Although each room should generally have only one major focal point, there should also be something interesting in each seating area or against each wall. The primary focal point should be situated so that it is seen on entering the room.

Unity is the feeling that elements “belong” together. It is made up of harmony and rhythm. Unity implies an orderly arrangement with no discordant notes. Any instance of unity fulfills man’s constant search for order in his universe, and so it pleases him. To achieve unity in interior design, all parts of a room’s décor should have a feeling of belonging together. The floor, walls, windows, fabrics, furniture, colors, lighting and accessories should all work together to achieve a unified whole. The decorator must juggle the elements and principles of design to achieve a unified room. Within the principle of unity, harmony is key to the success of a room design. Combining elements that have something in common such as color and/or style attains harmony. For example, a French Impressionistic painting would look out of place in a room with a predominately Asian style. Rhythm is the directed movement of the eye through the room. It is achieved by the repetition throughout the room of a line, shape, value, color, texture, pattern, or a designing motif. For example, a particular curved line may be found on tables, chairs, sofas, mirrors, and fabrics placed at deliberate intervals in a room. The eye moves from one curve to another, giving the room a definite rhythm.

The design team at Interiors by Decorating Den would love to help you apply the principles of design to your next interior design project. Together we can create a home that is warm, beautiful, and uniquely you.

INTERIORS by Decorating Den is a full service interior decorating company. We offer a wonderful array of fabrics some that are only available through an Interior Decorator. We, also, offer fine furnishings from companies such as; American Drew, Hekman/Woodmark, Lorts, Taylor King, just to mention a few. We, also offer a great variety of lamps, rugs and other accessories to add that special touch to any home.

We at INTERIORS by Decorating Den come to the client s home so that they can view the colors and fabrics in the lighting of their home. Lighting is a very important aspect of decorating. A client might find a fabric that matches in the store, only to find that it does not look so great once she brings it home. Shawne and Suzanne save their clients that grief and time by bringing the samples to their clients. We literally have thousands of fabrics to give our clients just the right look.

Shawne Bordeaux Ashe and Suzanne Simon have been making clients homes beautiful for the past nine years. Shawne can be reached at (360)606-6010. Suzanne can be reached at (360)904-8083.

Photos by Eyes N Hart Photography www.eyesnhart.com (360)339-3705
 

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