The Sunday Mail
Misunderstanding proportion
PROPORTION is one of the key elements of interior design. Essentially, this concept boils down to the way items in a room relate to one another. Ideally, each component of the room varies in shape and size to keep things visually interesting, yet still come together to make the space feel properly unified.
To do this, most designers make use of the golden ratio. According to this equation, furniture arrangements are most aesthetically pleasing when kept to a 2:3 ratio. Use your perception to find the proper proportions. As you arrange your space, pay close attention to how these setups make you feel. If something feels “off,” play around with the arrangement until you feel more at ease. At that point, your proportions will likely be in order.
Phoning in the layout
We have all seen a living room or two where all the furniture is pushed up against the walls, leaving one cavernous space in the middle of the room.
While this initially may seem like a great way to make the room feel bigger, it ultimately leaves the space feeling off balance. It also vastly limits the amount of usable space. In this case, rather than using the walls as your guide, your goal should be to create distinct groupings with your furniture.
Start by picking a focal point for the room — such as a fireplace, some built-ins or even a sizeable television screen — and build your arrangement around that point. Most living room designs will centre around this main grouping.
However, that does not mean it has to be the only one. If you have enough space to create an area that has a secondary function — like a reading nook or work desk — arrange those items in a grouping of their own. The important thing is that every piece of furniture feels as though it was purposefully placed to work with the rest of the items in the room.
Neglecting your layering
These days, living rooms are some of the most-used spaces in our homes. They are where we go to kick back, relax and unwind after a long day. However, as these rooms have become progressively more “lived in”, they have also fallen victim to prioritising function over form to the extent that the space ultimately feels incomplete. When your space is lacking that aesthetic touch, effective layering is the key to bringing it back to life.
A complete design is made up of a combination of the following elements: wall coverings, flooring, furniture, textiles, lighting, wall hangings and decor items. Your best bet is to look around the room and take stock of any layers missing in your design. Then, over time, make an effort to include them. As you add items, be sure to choose those that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and textures, so you will also see the benefit of additional visual interest.
Forgetting about unity
Sometimes, our living rooms can become collections of the design elements we have collected over the years rather than a single, definitive style statement. Whether it is a result of combining households or several moves, a touch of unity is usually all it takes to pull even the most eclectic design together. In this case, colour is your secret weapon. Even if you are not a fan of matching that much, adding a few coordinating shades can help pull the room together. Barring colour, you could also use pattern or texture to create a common thread. — mymove.com
