Continuing with the series focused on “Principles and Elements of designing“.
After balance, rhythm, harmony & emphasis the 5th principle in designing is Proportion and Scale.
In the previous article you saw how scale is an important aspect in interior design.
Along with scale there is one more aspect of design, that is proportion.
Proportion
Proportion in general, is the relationship between two objects with each other & also with the surrounding space.
When two or more objects come together, you need to consider it’s size as an individual & to the whole.
For example, how will you choose a coffee table for a sofa?
As a general rule, it’s length should be 2/3rd the length of the sofa. Bigger or smaller will look out of proportion.
Similarly painting behind the sofa should also be 2/3rd of the sofa. It could be a single piece or small pieces grouped together.
Next example I would like to give is that of a rug or carpet.
While placing a carpet in a living room make sure it is big enough.
How big – At least sofa’s front legs & coffee table need to be completely on the carpet.
For details look in the picture below.
In the above picture, the front legs of the sofa & side chairs are on the rug.
Look at the length of the coffee table compared to the sofa.
When you consider the entire setup, each item is in proportion with the other.
What about the individual objects? Then also each one is in proportion with it’s length, width & height.
This is a perfect example of proportion & scale.
Break the rules
These are some of the general rules about proportion & scale. Definitely you can break the rules & to break the rules you need to know them.
Disproportion & scale disorder is an important part of interior design. It creates drama & interest in the design.
It can be achieved by line, form, texture, pattern or color. It needs to be done in a balanced way.
Look at this simple example below,
In this picture, the floor lamp is oversized. The lamp grabs the attention & creates a focal point.
It helps in creating interest in the space.
There are many other ways to achieve proportion & scale, these are just few examples.
Time for some reinforcement,