7 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

HARMONY AND UNITY

• A common style and theme that runs throughout
• A way to create this theme is with the use of color
• Color schemes are a great way to unify a collection of spaces
• Harmony in houses is important to put together a pleasing design in the house
• Comes from a variety of colors and themes

BALANCE

• Equal distribution of weight in a room
• Three types: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial
• Symmetrical normally found in traditional interiors
• Asymmetrical is more appropriate in design nowadays
• Radial is when all the elements of design are arrayed around a center point

FOCAL POINT

• A well designed room always has one or more focal points
• A focal point must be dominant enough to draw attention
• It must be interesting enough to encourage the viewer to look further
• Try to maintain balance in a room so the focal point doesn't take all the attention
• A fireplace or a flat TV are good examples of a focal point

RHYTHM

• Rhythm is visual pattern repetition
• Defined as continuity, organized, or recurrence
• Should lead you eye from one design element to another
• Some types of rhythm: repetition, progression, transition, and contrast
• A room can become boring if it doesn't have rhythm

DETAILS

• Details are an important underpinning of interior design
• Details should not be obvious but they should be right
• They should enhance the over all feel of a room
• Unlike color, people sometimes find details boring
• As a result, details get neglected and skimmed over

SCALE AND PROPORTION

• Both relate to size and shape
• Proportion has to do with the ration of one design element to another
• Or one element to the whole
• Scale concerns itself with the size of one object compared to another

COLOR

• Colors have a definite impact on the atmosphere
• Colors in a room can affect the mood
• Colors can help create different themes and styles in a room
• We think colors add interest and that it enhances details