Using proportion and scale to generate harmony

Have you ever walked into a room where there was very little space to maneuver, and you literally found yourself squeezing and shuffling your way around or through a maze of furniture that seemed too bulky for the room? Before any given interior can come together successfully, it is important that several elements collaborate in agreement to create an atmosphere of harmony. If these elements lack proportion, the space in question will not be visually pleasing. Proportion is paramount when it comes to interiors. It refers to the correct relationship in size between one or more elements compared to a room’s dimensions. So how does one create proportion? This can be achieved through the appropriate use of scale. Scale refers to how big or small an object is compared to the space in which it is located. Your interior space will feel out of proportion if the furniture and accessories you put in it are not of an appropriate scale. For example, think of a tiny rug that is placed on a large floor, with a very small centre table on top of it- now picture it squared in by a large and well accessorized seven seated sofa set. Notice how these elements do not correspond in size. Begin to imagine replacing the tiny rug with one of a considerably larger surface area, and the small centre table with a wide wooden one; this now creates more visual ease and will feel a lot cozier. Know your space requirements The first step to achieving proportion in your home décor is to know your space. To avoid purchasing an item that is either smaller or larger that you anticipated, take into account the measurements of your floor and wall space, and let them guide you when purchasing your furnishings. It isn’t necessary to fill every bare space with decor; a bit of blank space will keep it all in balance. Inject some personality into a dull wall with a large wall-to-wall art piece. However, wall art should also keep in proportion with your room size -a large wall hanging can overwhelm a small room, while a tiny wall frame will almost disappear into a huge wall. Now let’s talk about furniture. It is often highly noticeable in a room, therefore you may want to side with an option that looks good, but isn’t so huge that it gets in the way. It is recommended that furniture should take up around 20 percent of the floor space in order to maintain the room’s functionality. Colour affects a room’s visual proportion Think about the mixture of bold prints in one room. To keep the atmosphere at ease, try using one or two strong prints at most and pick colours that are used within the print for the rest of your room’s accessories. A large scaled print will have a dramatic effect, whereas a smaller one will reflect serenity- a balanced combination of the two can produce tremendous results. Colour is a major element in creating or altering the scale of a room to a desired one. A small room can be made to look larger with the use of light colours, and a large room will look smaller when dark and intense colour tones are applied. If you love intense colours, and have enough light flowing into the room during the day, you can afford to use a dark colour scheme. However, to prevent a room from scaling in too much consider the following tips. Firstly, paint the ceiling a lighter colour- this will open up the space. Also, don’t hesitate to introduce a dash of neutral paint on the wall. Secondly, purchase light furniture or else decorate dark furniture with light and lively cushions or throws. Thirdly, create an illusion of more space by placing on the floor a neutral rug- this addition will bring in visual proportion and balance to any room that is painted in a dark colour scheme. When furnishing or re-decorating remember that it is important to know the measurements of your home because they will guide you to purchasing décor of an appropriate scale. In addition, organising your items will be less strenuous as you achieve the right balance between beauty, functionality and scale. The author is a specialises in interior design and fashion ms.efuahagan@gmail.com