Unit 2

Elements of design in interior: line: types, characteristics and importance. Form: size and Shape,
characteristics. Colour: Source, qualities, Application of colour in Interiors. Texture: types and significance in
interiors.
Principles of design in Interiors: Harmony: Definition, Effects and application in interiors. Balance:
Definition, type and application. Proportion: Definition, importance and scale relationship. Rhythm: Definition,
ways of achieving in interiors. Emphasis: Definition and application.
Line
Lines give birth to forms and shapes and are responsible for establishing a sense of harmony, contrast and unity
(3 of the 7 principles) in a living space. They define shapes and act as visual guides of an interior space. Lines
are broadly categorized into three types – Horizontal, Vertical and Dynamic. While horizontal lines adorn
structures likes tables, chairs and beds, vertical lines can be found on windows, doorways and almirahs. While
horizontal lines add a safe and secure feeling to the space, vertical lines emote free and expansive nature.
Dynamic or angular lines, which are action oriented add drama and can be seen on structures like stairs. An
interior designer must know how to utilize these lines to define the forms, another important interior design
element.
Characteristics of line
Ways designers employ lines in a composition
1. to make a shape, contour, define a boundary
2. create variety by using angular, broken, bent, thick or thin lines
3. create rhythm with curved or straight lines, varied in length
4. simulate texture
5. passive lines created between the division of one color from another or mass from space
6. in perspective to create the illusion of depth
7. organized to express movement or motion 8. create focus through direction

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Forms
Form is a three-dimensional area enclosed by a surface a. Hollow forms have volume b. Solid forms have mass
Forms mean shapes in general, an outline of any three dimensional object in the space. Forms can be created by
combining two or more shapes and can be accentuated with the help of other elements like texture, patterns and
colors. A well-defined form establishes harmony and additional forms add balance to the space. There are two
types of forms – Geometric (man-made) and Natural (organic). Also forms are categorized as open and closed;
open forms are those that can be looked into and closed forms are those that are enclosed by a closed surface. A
solid understanding of the above mentioned elements i.e. space and line is required to achieve a goof form.

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Color
Colors don’t need any special introduction. Colors establish an aesthetic connection between objects and set the
mood. Colors must be chosen based on the psychology and the mindset of the dweller. For example, red is an
excellent choice for dining room as it encourages appetite and green for bedroom as it is the color of tranquility
and health. Each color has three distinct characteristics namely Hue, Value and Intensity, and an interior
designer must be well aware of these characteristics to perform various permutations and combinations. Colors
are broadly classified into Primary and Secondary colors and also sub-categorized into Tertiary,
Complementary, Analogous and Monochromatic colors.

Colors

Application of colour in Interiors,

There are a few steps to follow that might be useful for developing appropriate colour schemes for successful
interior spaces.
1. Developing an abstract colour charts
2. Defining elements of an interior space
3. Developing material charts
4. Creating coloured layouts and space designs
5. Practical testing
Developing an Abstract Colour Charts:
Developing colour charts is very useful in developing satisfactory colour schemes for interior spaces. The
colours for abstract charts should be chosen based on the answers to the previously mentioned 3W’s but should
be independent of actual layout and general design of a particular space. Abstract colour charts can be merely
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bands of desired colours and can be created using coloured papers or paints like watercolour which gives more
flexibility in producing different colours of different shades and tints by adding and mixing of pigments.
Choosing the first colour and adding colours in sequence with a constant attempt to achieving satisfying
relations is the aim of this exercise. Several alternatives may be laid out for a particular key colour and final
selection can be delayed until total scheme is complete.
Defining Elements of an Interior Space:
The next step is to define the elements of the interior space that a designer is to conceive. Several elements of an
interior space may share same colour hence it is important to make a list of elements in the interior space eg.
floors, walls, ceiling, architectural features, doors, upholstery, furniture, artwork, etc.
Developing Material Charts:
After a satisfactory colour chart is derived assign real material colours to match the chart colours. Samples of
paint colours, wood finishes, tapestry, veneers, laminates etc available from various suppliers can be used to
create material charts and schemes.
Creating Coloured Layouts and Space Designs:
After the abstract colour and material charts are derived and the elements of interior space are determined, the
next step is to transfer the material chart to a space layout or model. It is best to start with areas that occupy
large spaces such as floor, ceiling, walls or to start focus objects or key element of the design which will act as a
key colour in your colour scheme. The samples from the material chart are indented to stand for the way in
which each colour will look in the final placement. After the assignment and placement of colours in the plan
and elevation drawings, developing a physical model or a 3d computer model can be very useful to create
realistic images of the space with desired lighting effects.
Practical Testing:
The actual materials when applied in real sometimes may appear very different from their samples, hence some
practical testing on smaller areas on the site is useful. Also, viewing the entire piece of upholstery or laminate
sheets may give a better idea of the final effect and there are less chances of getting wrong. This becomes more
clear with experience and knowledge about materials available in the market.
Application of colour in Interiors,
• Colour, material and lighting choices for interior spaces may be different for residential interchanges etc
depending on its location, climate, culture, activity and preferences.
• RED:
- Ceiling: Intruding, disturbing, heavy
- Walls: Aggressive, advancing
- Floor: Conscious, alert, pompous

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• Red can also give energizing effect and is used in case of trendy fast-food joints, pubs etc.
• However, over use of red can add complexity to space and hence should be carefully used.
• YELLOW:
- Ceiling: Luminous
- Walls: Exiting to irritating
- Floor: Elevating, diverting
• Because of high visibility, yellow is used for safety indcators.
• It can give fresh feeling when used appropriately. A good colour for kitchen or part of children's room
• Yellow when used in home interiors can create a cheerful atmosphere, give a sleek look and can
improve ones mood.
• Application of yellow as the dominant or key colour can often unify and strengthen the over all interior
space but if went wrong can seem redundant and hot.
• ORANGE:
- Ceiling: Stimulating, attention-seeking.
- Walls: Warm luminous.
- Floor: Activating, motion-oriented.
• Orange can be harsh if it is too bright.
• Appropriate use of bright orange can create lively and cheerful moods and can be used to highlight
surfaces.
• Calmer tones of orange are easier to live with.
• BLUE:
- Ceiling: Celestial, cool if light; heavy, oppressive (unfair) if dark.
- Walls: Cool, distant if light; encouraging, deepening if dark.
- Floor: Feeling of effortless movement if light; substantial if dark.
• Blue can be cold and bleak if applied to large areas.
• BROWN:
- Ceiling: Oppressive and heavy if dark.
- Walls: Assuring if wood is used.
- Floor: Steady, stable.
• Brown works well as natural colour for wood, mud etc.
• Brown can be timeless and classy as well as modern at the same time.
• Brown is used in many ways throughout interiors and fashion world.
• Brown lighter to darker tones, brown can be versatile and blend well with other hues.

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 • PINK:
- Ceiling: Delicate.
- Walls: Intimate, sweet, feminine.
- Floor: Too delicate, unfamiliar for the location.

Pink is usually used for childrens room and a correct tone can also bring soothing effect.
• GREEN:
- Ceiling: Protective, disturbing if too bright or dark.
- Walls: Cool and calm if mild, can be irritating if dark.
- Floor: Soft, relaxing if softer tones are used.
• Green works well as natural colour for leaf etc.
• Green paint is not as comfort, if dark.
• BLACK
• The use of black on walls requires two things courage and well-designed spaces.
• Black painted walls or even some black accents can change the appearance of space interiors.
• High ceilings or a lot of natural light are prerequisites for the use of black on walls, but even smaller
spaces can look modern and elegant if all the other elements are chosen to contrast and enhance the
effect of dark walls.
• A smaller space can painted in light hues (eg white) to feel more spacious or it can be painted dark (eg
black) to accentuate its character.
• WHITE:
- Ceiling: Empty
- Walls: Neutral to empty, sterile, without energy
- Floor: Feeling of not to be walked upon.
• However, white marble is extensively used for flooring.
• White is used for temples to symbolise purity.
• White on walls gives neutral effect and allows use of brighter and various colour accessories and
tapestries.
Texture
Texture mainly deals with surfaces and determines how a typical surface looks and feels. Texture adds depth
and interest into a living space and defines the feel/appearance and consistency of a surface. Texture is broadly
classified into two types – Visual Texture where the texture is only visible and Actual Texture where the texture
is both seen and felt. Anything that has to do with textiles such as pillow cover, bed spreads or anything to do

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with covers like drapes, wall paint or wallpapers have a texture. While there must be a dominant texture to
define a mood, a contrasting texture must also be included to avoid monotony.

Textures
Principles of Design
The principles of design describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in a work of art.
Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a scale,
these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on
one side of the design are similar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but
still look balanced. In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar.
Balance
Every element of a design—typography, colors, images, shapes, patterns, etc.—carries a visual weight. Some
elements are heavy and draw the eye, while other elements are lighter. The way these elements are laid out on a
page should create a feeling of balance.
There are two basic types of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical designs layout elements of
equal weight on either side of an imaginary center line. Asymmetrical balance uses elements of differing
weights, often laid out in relation to a line that is not centered within the overall design.
Balance in design is the distribution of elements of the design. Balance is a visual interpretation of gravity in the
design. Large, dense elements appear to be heavier while smaller elements appear to be lighter. You can balance
designs in three ways:
 symmetrical balance
 asymmetrical balance

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  discordant or off-balance
Use of Balance in Design
Balance in Web design is found in the layout. The position of elements on the page determines how balanced
the page appears. One big challenge to achieving visual balance in Web design is the fold. You may design a
layout that is perfectly balanced in the initial view, but when the reader scrolls the page, it can come out of
balance.
How to Include Balance in Web Designs
The most common way to incorporate balance into Web designs is in the layout. But you can also use the float
style property to position elements and balance them across the page. A very common way to balance a layout
symmetrically is to centerthe text or other elements on the page.
Most Web pages are built on a grid system, and this creates a form of balance for the page right away.
Customers can see the grid, even if there aren't any visible lines. And Web pages are well suited to grid designs
because of the square nature of Web shapes.
Symmetrical Balance
Symmetrical balance is achieved by placing elements in a very even fashion in the design. If you have a large,
heavy element on the right side, you'll have a matching heavy element on the left. Centering is the easiest way
to get a symmetrically balanced page. But be careful, as it can be difficult to create a centered design that
doesn't look flat or boring. If you want a symmetrically balanced design, it's better to create the balance with
different elements - such as an image on the left and a large block of heavier text to the right of it.

Asymmetrical Balance
Asymmetrically balanced pages can be more challenging to design - as they don't have elements matched across
the centerline of the design. For example, you might have a large element placed very close to the centerline of

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the design. To balance it asymmetrically, you might have a small element farther away from the centerline. If
you think of your design as being on a teeter-totter or seesaw, a lighter element can balance a heavier one by
being further away from the center of gravity. You can also use color or texture to balance an asymmetrical
design.

Discordant or Off-Balance
Sometimes the purpose of the design makes an off-balance or discordant design work well. Designs that are off-
balance suggest motion and action. They make people uncomfortable or uneasy. If the content of your design is

so intended to be uncomfortable or make people think, a discordantly balanced design can work well.

Proportion
Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well with each other.
When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.
Proportion is one of the easier design principles to understand. Simply put, it’s the size of elements in relation to
one another. Proportion signals what’s important in a design and what isn’t. Larger elements are more
important, smaller elements less.
This indicates the relative visual size and weight of particular graphical elements in a design composition.
Proportion in art is the comparative harmonious relationship between two or more elements in a composition
with respect to size, colour, quantity, degree, setting, etc.; i.e. ratio. A relationship is created when two or more
elements are put together in a composition. This relationship is said to be harmonious when a correct or desirable
relationship exists between the elements. This refers to the correct sizing and distribution of an element or object,
which creates good proportion. Good proportion adds harmony and symmetry, or balance, among the parts of a
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design as a whole.
Check out this short video which looks at scale and proportion:
When the principle of proportion is applied to a composition it is usually to the relationship of size. That is, the
size of one element of the composition as compared to the size of another related element. In the instance of a
relationship of size a comparison is made between the:
1 Height, width and depth of one element to that of another.
2 Size of one area to the size of another area.
3 Size of one element to the size of another element.
4 Amount of space between two or more elements.
Proportion is usually not even noticed until something is out of proportion. When the relative size of two
elements being compared seems wrong, or out of balance, it is said to be "out of proportion". For example if a
person has a head larger than their entire body, then we would say that they were out of proportion.

In the "Bad Proportion" examples on the right of the illustration above, the top row, which uses equal division of
the shapes, creates monotony, and in the bottom row the very unequal division creates a lack of harmony.

There are times when proportion is exaggerated to convey a message. (see the examples below.) It is impossible
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to hold the world in your hand yet this composition does exactly that. White out can be used to cover all sorts of
things but it is unlikely you would paint cross-walks with it.

Goodproportion

There are several ways for achieving good proportion:

1 Place together elements which are similar in character or have some feature
in common.
2 Create major and minor areas in the design since equal parts can quickly
become monotonous and boring. However, the differences in size must not
be so great as to make the parts appear unrelated and therefore out of
harmony with each other.
3 Arrangement of space should be in such a way that the eye does not perceive
a standard mathematical relationship. Dividing up the composition in halves,
quarters and thirds should be avoided. A subtle relationship creates a more
dynamic design.
4 Create harmony in the composition. Harmony is an agreement between the
shapes that stresses the similarities of all parts. In other words, the shape of
one part should "fit" the shape of the adjoining elements. Shapes should "fit"
properly in their positions and spaces.

Rhythm
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Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized
movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is
essential.
The spaces between repeating elements can cause a sense of rhythm to form, similar to the way the space
between notes in a musical composition create a rhythm. There are five basic types of visual rhythm that
designers can create: random, regular, alternating, flowing, and progressive.
Random rhythms have no discernable pattern. Regular rhythms follow the same spacing between each element
with no variation. Alternating rhythms follow a set pattern that repeats, but there is variation between the actual
elements (such as a 1-2-3-1-2-3 pattern). Flowing rhythms follow bends and curves, similar to the way sand
dunes undulate or waves flow. Progressive rhythms change as they go along, with each change adding to the
previous iterations.
Rhythms can be used to create a number of feelings. They can create excitement (particularly flowing and
progressive rhythms) or create reassurance and consistency. It all depends on the way they are implemented.
Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the viewer’s eye
through and around the work of art. Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which
creates a sense of completeness.
rhythm - A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to
produce the look and feel of movement. There are 5 different methods of showing rhythm; Alternating,
Flowing, Progressive, Random, and Regular.
Alternating Rhythm

Alternating rhythm uses 2 or more interchangeable patters or designs that are repeated throughout a piece. In
this piece, the same design is used, but the use of different colors creates an alternating rhythm.

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Flowing Rhythm

Flowing rhythm is a rhythm in which movement is shown, most often with organic shapes. This piece displays
flowing rhythm because the waves (organic figures) are shown to be moving repetitively throughout the piece.
Progressive Rhythm

Progressive rhythm shows a sequence of motifs/forms through a

progression of steps. This piece displays progressive rhythm because the
American flag grows smaller and smaller within the piece.

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Random Rhythm

Random rhythm is when a picture has no pattern what-so-ever. This picture fits because everyone is set
randomly, and not following a known pattern.

Regular Rhythm

Regular rhythm is a regular arrangement of parallel lines.

it has identical motifs and equal amounts of space between.
it has a steady beat, and it can be boring is overdone.
HARMONY
Harmony can be described as sameness, the belonging of one thing with another. The repetition of design
elements like colour, texture, shape, and form is one of the easiest ways to achieve harmony to create a
composition.
Six Aspect of Harmony are
Line
Texture
Colour
Size
Idea
Unity and variety

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Emphasis
Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand
out by contrasting it with other areas. The area could be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.
Emphasis deals with the parts of a design that are meant to stand out. In most cases, this means the most
important information the design is meant to convey.
Emphasis can also be used to reduce the impact of certain information. This is most apparent in instances where
“fine print” is used for ancillary information in a design. Tiny typography tucked away at the bottom of a page
carries much less weight than almost anything else in a design, and is therefore deemphasized.
Movement is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can
be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art.
Emphasis, as the name suggests, is a principle of interior design that says that a central piece of art or furniture
must play the role of a focal point or attention grabber of a particular living space. Elements like color, pattern
and texture must be used to emphasize a particular focal point. In fact these elements must be used in such a
way that the focal point dominates the rest of the décor items and pulls the room together. Other items that
surround the focal point must complement the latter and share a contrast that puts the focal point in the top
priority.

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One method used to attract attention in the design of a page or work of art is the use of a focal point. A focal
point draws your attention to the most important element on the page. There are several techniques used to
emphasize the most important object on a page.
Ways to Create a Focal Point

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Emphasis by Contrast
In realistic art the focal point is
usually quite easy to spot. Larger
figures, usually found in the
foreground, provide a focal point.
Even in non-realistic art, it is usually
easy to spot the focal point. If most of
the figures are horizontal, a vertical
element will stand out as a focal
point.
If the rest of the elements are
irregular, a geometric shape will stand
out.
If most of the elements are dark, a
splash of light color will catch the
eye.

Emphasis by Isolation
If most of the elements in a work of art are grouped closely together, an object
by itself stands out as a focal point.

Emphasis by Placement
An object placed in the center will often be perceived as a focal point. If all eyes in the painting look at one
object, or if an object is placed at the center of the lines of perspective, that object will be perceived as the focus
of the work.

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This painting by John Trumbull, entitled The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, shows how a focal point can be
emphasized both by placement and by eye direction.

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