Interior design is more than picking an accent wall and checking the feng shui. It’s a living, breathing art and many of its principles of interior design go sadly under-appreciated. Here are a few guiding principles that can and should direct your interior design.
Light
When you look at a room, one of the first things you notice without even realizing you’ve noticed it is the light. Where are the windows and how much light comes through them? Where are the lights and what color are they? Is the light warm or harsh? Natural light is almost always preferable, whether it’s coming through huge plate glass or tiny accent windows.
Flow
Natural light is lively and warm, and homes are full of life which is constantly moving, so that’s important too. Consider how people move through the space, especially in rooms like the kitchen where people are constantly in motion. What objects obstruct the flow of the space and what empty places go unused and gather dust?
Negative Space
Negative space is the open and empty places in your design, and they can be just as powerful as the spaces that are filled. Obviously too much negative space makes a place feel un-loved and un-lived-in, but a space that is too cluttered can be just as bad if not worse.
These aren’t hard and fast rules. Design is an art form, so breaking the rules is part of what goes on. These are more considerations to make sure that you account for when you are designing your home’s interior. Where does the light come from and how does it act? How do people move through the space? What spaces are left open and deliberately empty? With these three pillars in mind, you can make more than just a functional space, you can make an impeccably designed space that is calming and comforting.
