Design Principles: Separating the Fashion Fads From Proven Fundamentals

Software programs and other tech tools make it easier than ever before to redesign the interior of your home. Most of us have a creative side, and what better place to make use of that creativity than in the home that serves as your palace of comfort and fortress to protect you from the outside world?

A responsive designer will work with you and allow you to incorporate your ideas and preferences into the design for your home renovation or addition. But whether you are partnering with an experienced and trained designer or developing plans on your own, it’s still important to know how to make choices that will keep you satisfied in the long term. You don’t want to go all-in on a fashion fad that you’ll be embarrassed about a year or two later.

How do you separate the trends that are based merely on fashion from those that are founded on sound design principles? As with most questions, consulting an expert is usually the fastest way to get a reliable answer. But if you don’t have an expert at your immediate disposal, here are a few factors to keep in mind.

Understanding Design Principles

The classic discipline of interior design recognizes seven core principles. When you understand these principles and how they operate in the real world, you can evaluate whether a proposed design feature could prove advantageous to a space or whether it might prove to be a mistake.

Balance

The elements in a space should exhibit a visual balance in multiple ways, from furniture to lighting and décor. Balance does not necessarily mean symmetry, however. While formal balance often involves the placement of elements that mirror each other symmetrically, there are two other types of balance that can be used in a room. Radial balance involves centering a space around a circular object, such as a table or chandelier, with other elements spaced out evenly around it. A version of this could involve a focal point on one side of a room such as a fireplace with furniture arranged facing it.

The asymmetrical design may be the most popular balance principle currently in use. Instead of a room with two identical sofas, for instance, an asymmetrically balanced room could have a sofa balanced by two sizable chairs.

Unity and Harmony

The design principle of unity, also referred to as harmony, is the concept of uniting elements so that they work together to create a cohesive space. Some designers insist on creating harmony throughout an entire house, while others only see it as necessary in a single room or space within the same sightline.

Unity and harmony can be created in numerous ways, such as color choices, textures, and even shapes.

Rhythm

This principle refers to using repetition or contrast of colors, patterns, and textures to draw attention from one element to another around the room. In addition to repetition or contrast among elements, some designers seek to enable elements to progress or transition to enhance the impression the room gives to those who enter it.

Proportion and Scale

This concept is probably the design principle most familiar to us because it tends to feel instinctive to many people. It involves finding the Goldilocks balance where the size and amount of furniture and other elements in the room are just right to fill the space without overwhelming it.

Designers use different methods to determine the right proportion of elements for a space. While some may rely on visual cues or instinct, others use mathematical formulas such as the “golden ratio” of 1:1.618 developed in ancient Greece.

Emphasis

If a room is balanced and harmonious but lacks any accent or focal point, it can be pretty boring. To keep things interesting, we need to be mindful of some additional design principles that add some spice to the space. The first of these is emphasis. A room needs something to draw the eye—literally, a focal point. This could be a piece of furniture or artwork but also a feature incorporated into the room’s construction, such as a picture window, feature wall, or lighting fixture.

Contrast

Another design principle that adds interest to a room is contrast. While contrast in colors may be the most common, a contrast in textures or shapes can be equally striking and add a layer of complexity to the mix.

Detail

The final design principle can incorporate the other six elements in a way. It is simply a reminder that details matter. Those details can be used to create contrast or enhance balance. The lack of details can cause the rhythm to stagnate. The use of the wrong details can destroy harmony. (You get the idea.)

Discerning the Use of Fashion

There is no reason you can’t embrace fashion and follow trends when designing a new space for your home. After all, there is often a good reason for trends, such as all-white kitchens that look large, bright, and sanitary. However, no trend lasts forever—those white kitchens are now being remodeled to add color and depth—so when following a trend, it is important to understand why you are doing it. 

If you are incorporating trendy elements because you find them practical or genuinely appealing, then they may make sense for your situation. If you’re following a trend to make your house look fresh, however, be aware that trends, like bread, will eventually turn stale. If freshness is your goal, you will either need to plan frequent remodeling projects or embrace trends that are easy to change, such as in furniture and accessories.

Customizing Your Design to Fit Your Needs and Goals

At Marcela Montoya Remodeling, custom design is at the heart of all our work. Our founder, Marcela Montoya trained in design and architectural principles rather than sales techniques, so we focus on developing projects that meet your needs rather than projects that provide the highest profit margins for us. 

Whether you have design elements in mind or are still evaluating a host of possibilities, we can work with you to create the ideal space for your new kitchen, bathroom, home office, or other living and working spaces in your home. We invite you to schedule a free design consultation with Marcela to learn about the ways we can bring your goals to life. Just call us at 954-900-9992 or contact us online to get started in the South Florida area.