Principle Five

Ok. So the last principle of design is Rhythm. This element can be
implemented in all sorts of ways, from furniture, to accessories, to even structure. Three techniques are used to utilize this principle of getting the eye to move through the interior of a space.

One option is through Repetition or Alternation. If you incorporate pieces, shapes or colors that repeat or alternate, your eye will follow it.

For example:

These hanging lanterns in the hallway are used in repetition to give the eye something to follow as it travels down into the living area and out the emphasized bay window.

Another option is through Progression or Gradation, meaning elements or pieces of the room gradually go from small to large, large to small or in other words, stair step in order of size.

These nesting tables are a simple example.

The last option to create rhythm is simply through the use of line to create a Transition - something like crown molding that joins or unites one room with another. Or it could even be stripes, or lovely horizontal paneling.

I really like this room because rhythm is really

subtle but is still recognizably present. Repetition is in the windows and draperies (They go all the way to the ceiling and are not tied back! Whoo! That has nothing to do with this principle, but I just have a certain...thing... for draperies hung properly. If you haven't noticed). Gradation is found in the coffee table. Horizontal line can be seen between the French doors and the transoms above that connect this space the with its neighbor just outside of the picture frame.

Principle Three

Have you ever walked into a room that just didn't feel right? One reason could be that the Harmony is off. A room NEEDS to have an underlying unity in variety.

Does that make sense?

If unity means there's a sameness to everything, and variety means there's differences, it may seem like an oxymoron.

However, remember that you can have unity and variety in a space if you always ask yourself "What song is this piece singing?"

Some pieces sing more than one type of song, which makes seemingly different pieces work - creating unity in variety.

BUT BE CAREFUL! It's easy to get too many pieces, with each piece trying to be the loudest singer. What you get is a room singing so loud you can't even hear yourself think!

For instance:

Songs being sung in this room:

Log walls: "Home on the range"

Wicker furniture: "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-ah"

Industrial coffee table: "New Years Day"

Maybe I'm wrong... What do you think? To me, this space just is too loud. It's got so many songs, stories, textures --- just TOO much going on.

OK. Now this one:

Wall and venting: "New Year's Day"

Painting and rug: "Walk On"

Sofa: "Stuck in a Moment"

This is how they made this room warm and comfortable (which is often hard to do in these industrial loft type spaces):

-Sofa hints to modern lines, but still has some puff and almost sits all the way on the floor--screaming casual contemporary.

-The glass table and lamp add some sparkle.

-The Barcelona chairs play off the sparkle but still speak to the contemporary-ness of the space itself.

-The geometric and funky prints merge the casual comfort with the modern stiffness.

The point is, too much of the same thing is not always a good thing, so be careful! Sometimes it's really easy to just go too far.