Interior decorating is about more than just the vibes; it follows well-established rules that allow for the creation of a livable but appealing design. Interior design rules provide a solid foundation to craft a beautiful space and simplify the often daunting task of decorating. These guidelines will help to guarantee that anyone can create a functional interior design by providing direction on aspects like color selection, room arrangement, and balance. They will give you the confidence you need to transform your space with intention and confidence.
Decorating rules are not intended to limit your creativity; rather, they provide the best framework for expressing your preferences and style while still allowing you to create a room design that makes you proud.
Beauty vs. Functionality
Form and function have always been at odds in design, but both are essential to producing the most effective interior design for a particular space. Good design considers how a space can be attractive but also practical so that it is useful, comfortable, and accessible.
When deciding how to decorate your room, keep your daily activities and needs in mind, as well as those of your family members. Functional design considers the thoughtful layout of the room by ensuring walkability as well as furniture that maximizes the use of the space. Each item should serve a purpose like seating, storage, or decoration while not cluttering the room design.
Balance in a Room Layout
Balance may feel like an uninspiring interior decorating rule, but it is the foundation of a design that feels right. Balance is about creating a sense of visual stability to ensure that the elements in the room feel evenly distributed, so not to heavy or too light on one side. The two most common room layouts either feature a symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangement.
- Symmetry: You can achieve balance through a symmetrical arrangement where the elements on either side of the center mirror each other. A symmetrical arrangement might make sense if your room has a central focal point and each side of the room is similar to one another in shape and size.
- Asymmetry: Asymmetrical arrangements are more relaxed and feature elements of unequal weight and number on both sides, but these weights and numbers are distributed in such a way as to achieve balance. For example, a large sofa on one side of the room might be balanced on the other side by two smaller chairs. Whichever arrangement your room shape dictates, try to ensure that the weight of your furniture and decor is spread evenly throughout the room.
Scale and Proportion
Scale and proportion are used to create a balanced look between the size of your room and the pieces you choose in relation to it and each other. It is critical in good design to choose pieces that are appropriate for your room’s dimensions—large, bulky furniture can feel overwhelming in a small space just as small-scale furniture can disappear in a large room. This does not mean that your furniture for a large room needs to be bulky; it just needs to be large enough so that it doesn’t get lost in the room. Whatever furniture you choose, be sure to measure the room so that you have enough space to walk around the room easily.
Proportion ensures that your furniture is properly scaled in comparison to the other pieces. This means that everything in the room will flow together rather than having one piece feel out of balance. While having everything of a similar size can feel unimaginative, you can create interest by varying the height of your pieces throughout the room.
Color Cohesion
Color cohesion means that the colors of the room look pleasing together and is essential for creating an attractive and inviting room design. This principle is what allows colors to complement one another rather than compete for attention. Typically, a balanced color palette will consist of one base color and one or two accent colors. The base color appears the most throughout the design, and the accent colors add interest and personality to the color scheme.
There are four main types of color palettes in interior design: monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic.
- Monochromatic color palettes consist of using shades of the same color.
- Analogous colors are those that appear next to each other on the color wheel, such as blue, cyan, and green, and these are used to create a color design.
- Complementary colors lie across from each other on the color wheel. This includes using one color, like blue, as the base and its complementary color, orange, as the accent color.
- Triadic color schemes use the three colors that are evenly spread across from each other on the color wheel. One color is typically the dominant color, while the other two play a supporting role.
Establish a Focal Point
Creating or capitalizing on a design element that draws the eye in the design is essential in effective interior design. A focal point serves as the primary area of interest, drawing the eye and grounding the space. Common focal points are added elements like a large piece of wall art or a piece of statement furniture or architectural features like a set of windows or a fireplace. There may be several throughout the room design, such as on different sides of the room. When you are creating a room design, be sure to consider the focal points of the room arrangement. A well-chosen focal point not only anchors the room design, it makes the arrangement of the room easier.
Once you have determined the focal points, use the rest of the furniture and decor to emphasize and guide attention toward them. Balance the supporting elements while maintaining visual harmony and cohesion.
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a composition principle borrowed from photography and art. Interior designers use it to create visually pleasing and balanced designs. This rule requires you to visually divide your floor space with a grid of two horizontal and two vertical lines, similar to a grid for tick-tack toe. You can also apply this grid vertically.
The idea is to place key elements of your design along the lines or at their intersections rather than centering them. This creates a more dynamic design because it encourages movement and flow in the space.
Texture and Layering
The decorating rule of incorporating a variety of layers and textures is an effective way to add warmth and interest to any room design. Look for ways to include a range of textures that are tactically rich and encourage interaction, such as rough and smooth or hard and soft. For example, you might pair a buttery-soft leather sofa with a sleek marble and metal coffee table.
Layering involves strategically placing these textures to build depth in your design and make it feel multidimensional rather than flat. This might include layering rugs over hardwood, a throw blanket over the sides of a chair, or textured pillows on a sofa. These layers make a design feel inviting as well as more curated and thoughtful.
Layer Your Lighting
A well-considered and functional room design is not complete without lighting. The key to effective lighting in a room is to layer different types of lighting according to the room layout and function.
Consider the shape of the room and the activities that take place there. Ensure that there is a good source of ambient (overhead) lighting that provides general light to the room. Some homeowners think that this completes the lighting you need, but you also need to add task lighting like lamps in areas where you need it so the room is adequate for activities such as working or reading. Accent lighting is another type of lighting you can use to highlight a specific area of the room, a piece of artwork, or an architectural feature like a fireplace. Use all of these types of lights to complete a comprehensive lighting design for the whole room.
Allow for Negative Space
Negative space plays a crucial role in a room design to allow for areas where the eye can rest. This not only creates a more balanced design, it means that the pieces that are there stand out more. Negative space also ensures that a design is not cluttered and there is area for people to move freely throughout the room.
When you are designing your space, intentionally leave margins or padding around elements in the room. This can mean leaving a space between a single piece of furniture or between furniture groupings. Apply the negative space in your design systematically throughout the room to ensure that your room looks balanced and cohesive. Practice regular decluttering to maintain negative space in your design.
