Interior Design Principles: Proportions

      There are a lot of decisions to make when designing your home interior, and it can be challenging to know what size furniture would best fit your space. In order to make your space both beautiful in form, and practical in function, here are some general design principles that can help guide you in making smart design choices in terms of proportion and fit. Now, take out that measuring tape and lets start planning! 

1.   Bedroom

·     Start with crisp white bed sheets, pillow covers, and duvet covers. Add accent color in decorative sham pillows, and throw blanket. 

o  Choose a sham pillow between 18”-22”. Choose two sham pillows in a larger size and one sham pillow 2” smaller. Optional: add a lumbar pillow.

·     The nightstand height should be at the level of your mattress, or about 2”-4” taller. The nightstands should be between 1/3 - 2/3 the width of your mattress.

o  To style it, add a bedside lamp, storage solution, greenery, or personal touch (frame, candle, clock). 

·     The bedside lamp height should be the same height as your nightstand, plus 2”-3”. The lampshade diameter should be 1/3 the width of your nightstand. 

·     The rug should extend at least 1 foot beyond the end of the bed and at least 18”-24” beyond the side of the bed. 

o  Leave at least 12”-18” of space from the wall to rug edge, and have at least 8” of space between the edge of the nightstand and rug.

o  Typically, the rug sizes are 5 x8 for a Twin, 6 x9 for a Full, 8x10 for a Queen, and a 9x12 for a King bed. 

·     To style your dresser, consider adding artwork, mirror, lamp, tray or storage solution, greenery (terrarium, vase of flowers), or personal touch (frame, candle, books). 

2.   Dining room

·     A table length of 48” sits 6 people, 72” sits 8 people, and 96” sits 12 people. (Essentially, allow 18” of table width per person.)

o  To style it, you can add candlesticks or vase, paired with a tray or bowel with fruit. Consider getting placemats. 

·     Chair seat height should be at least 18”, for a 28”-30” high table.

·     To make it look more formal you can add a rug under the table. The rug should have 24”-36” of extra room from the dining table edge to the rug edge to allow enough space to pull out the chairs.

o  Leave at least 12”-18” of space from the wall to rug edge.

o  Typically the rug sizes are 6x9, 8x10, and 9x12.

·     The chandelier should hang 30”-34” above the table surface for ceilings that are at least 8’ high. If ceilings are higher than 8’, hang an additional 3” higher per foot.  If hanging more than one chandelier, hang them 30-34” apart from each other. 

o  The chandelier should have a diameter that is half the width of your dining table. (Or, add the length and width of the room in feet, and that should be the diameter of your light fixture in inches.) 

·     You can consider adding a buffet, hutch, china cabinet, or serving table for extra storage space. 

3.   Living room

·     When choosing a sofa, ensure there is at least 18” of space on either side of the sofa. If getting a sectional with chaise, ensure that the chaise does not extend more than half the length of the wall. 

o  Fill up to 5ft of height and 2/3 of length of wall space above your sofa.

o  Have 26”- 48” of clearance between furniture pieces to allow enough room to walk through. 

·     Rugs should extend at least 6” on the side of main furniture pieces, and the front of the legs of the furniture should be on the rug.

o  Leave at least 12”-18” of space from the wall to rug edge. 

·     Coffee table height should be 1”-2” less than the height of the sofa seat cushion, and be 2/3 the length of the sofa.

o  To style it, add a tray, storage solution, greenery, or personal touch (decorative object, candle, clock, books).

·     Side tables should be 2” below the height of the sofa arm

·     Artwork should be 6”-12” above the top of the furniture you hang it over.  If not hanging over something, hang the artwork at eye level 60 inches from the center of the artwork to the floor. 

o  If hanging more than one artwork, hang them 1.5”-3” apart from each other. 

·     Lighting: Look at fixture to find out the maximum amount of watts that particular fixture can handle, then pick the lumen size. Watts = how much energy a bulb uses, and a lumen = how bright a bulb is. The following will help you determine how much brightness you will need for a space. 

o  Square footage of space X 20 Lumens = How many lumens will be needed to brighten up walk through areas like floors/hallways.

o  Square footage of space X 30 Lumens = How many lumens will be needed to brighten up useable surfaces like tables.

o  Square footage of space X 50 Lumens = How many lumens will be needed to brighten up areas used for tasks like in a kitchen, desk, nightstand etc. 

·     Curtains should hang 2-3” below the ceiling, or molding, with the rods sticking out 4 -10” (excluding the finials) wider than the window.  The curtain panels should have a combined width of 2-3 times the width of the windows. Choose lined curtains that touch the floor, or are 1-2” longer to get the “puddled” curtain look. 

·     Indoor plants: Plant foliage should be twice the height of the pot.

o  High: Rubber fig plant, fiddle leaf fig tree, split leaf philodendron

o  Medium: Algo silver leaf bay, small fiddle leaf, snake plant

o  Small: maiden hair fern, rosemary, lavender, cactus

·     Fireplace mantel: The width of the mirror/art piece should be as wide as the fireplace opening. 

o  To style it add a focal piece (mirror/artwork), storage solution, greenery (vase with flowers), or personal touch (decorative object, candle, books).

4.   Bathroom

·     Wall scones are placed at eye level 60 inches from the center of the scone to the floor, and at least 36” - 40” apart from each other.

·     Place your over the mirror lighting fixtures 75”-80” from the floor, or if your mirror is exceptionally tall, place it 3 inches above your mirror. 

·     Provide a unique focal point by choosing a feature that is proportionate to the room. For example, a standout vanity, mirror, sink/faucet, lighting, decorative tile, or accent color. 

In closing, if something makes you feel good, yet might not fit the rules, go ahead and add the visual contrast. Above all, it is important you create an environment you love, and enjoy.



What tips do you use when designing? 

Photo source: studio-mcgee.com

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8 Simple Steps to Designing Your Home Interior

You may have moved into a new home, or perhaps even recently considered remodeling a room within your home. At first, designing your space may seem like an intimidating and overwhelming task, yet here are some simple steps you can take to help make that process easier. 

1.    Choose a room in your home you want to focus on, or remodel. With nothing inside, notice the room's unique features.

·     Brainstorm ideas and consider what purpose/functionality, vibe, and design style you would like to create in the room. 

·     If you already have a color in mind, this would also be a good time to add a fresh coat of paint to your walls.

2.    Measure the dimensions of your room’s floor space and wall space. This is important in order that you choose furniture and accessories that are proportionate to the space.

3.    Choose your large furniture pieces: table, sofa, bed, area rug etc. 

·     Potential places to shop:  Pottery barn, Restoration hardware, West Elm, CB2, Macy's, Ikea,  Costco, World Market, Hobby lobby, Overstock, Amazon, Article, Wayfair, Homegoods, Target, offerup and other local stores.

4.    Notice what colors you are gravitating to, and consider the 60-30-10 principle to provide balance to the colors used in your space.  

·     60% of the room should contain the primary color. This is usually displayed in the walls, floors, or largest piece of furniture. 

·     30% of the room contains the secondary color. This is usually displayed in the curtains, large rugs, bedding, accent wall, and smaller furniture. 

·     10% of the room contains the accent color. This is usually displayed in the throw pillows, bedding, lamp shades, artwork, small rugs, collectables. 

5.    Continuously reassess proportions, and functionality of the space. Form follows function, therefore the design should reflect the lifestyle and habits of the people using the space. 

6.    Consider adding artificial lighting through table lamps, floor lamps, accent lamps, pendant lights etc. to areas where natural lighting is not present.

7.    Add personal finishing touches like plants, flowers, books, trays, candles, vases, art, pillows, throw blankets, framed photos, and other accessories that add meaning to the space and perhaps even contain your accent color. 

·     Avoid adding too much accessories to prevent visual clutter.

·     Consider different patterns and textures (smooth, rough, soft, hard, chunky, fuzzy etc.) within your color palette to add depth and dimension. 

8.    Enjoy your space! 

What room are you planning on designing? 

Photo source: studio-mcgee.com

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Seasonal Color Analysis: What colors look best on you?

Figuring out what color works best with your skin complexion, hair color, and eye color will help you choose the right color clothes, hair, and makeup to compliment your natural features. Using natural day light with no makeup on, go through the following steps using the seasonal color analysis method to figure out what shade of colors will look best on you.  

1) Determine your skin undertone, also known as your hue. Usually, you either have a cool, warm, or neutral undertone.

·     Individuals with cool undertones usually have blue/purple inner wrist veins, and silver metals look better on them. In addition, they tend to sunburn easily and tan minimally. Their skin might look a little more blue, pink/rosey, red, and also tend to flush easily. 

vBest Colors: Jewel tone colors like purple, sapphire blue, and emerald green, as well as pure white, grey, and black tend to look best on them. In addition, warm colors with a blue base to them to give it more of a cool tone shade. Furthermore, if you are cool toned and pale, icey pastels are going to look good on you.

vColor season: They are usually a cool winter, or cool summer

·     Individuals with warm undertones usually have green inner wrist veins, and gold metals look better on them. In addition, they tend to not sunburn and tan easily. Their skin might look a little more yellow/orange, peachy, golden honey, and olive. 

vBest Colors: Earth tone colors like red, orange, yellow, brown, and olive green, as well as cream/ivory whites, peach, taupe (grey with brown mixed in), and tan tend to look best on them. In addition, cool colors with a yellow, red, or brown base to them. 

vColor season: They are usually a warm autumn, or a warm spring.

·     Individuals who have a hard time distinguishing their undertone probably have a neutral undertone.  These individuals usually have a combination of both cool and warm undertones and all colors look best on them, especially neutral colors like white, black, grey, brown, beige, cream, rose, and navy.

2) Determine your value. Usually, you either have a light, or deep (dark) value. 

·     Individuals with a light value usually have lighter features like blonde hair and blue/grey eyes. 

vColor season: They are usually a light summer, or a light spring  

·     Individuals with a deep (dark) value usually have darker features like black hair and black/brown eyes. 

vColor season: They are usually a dark winter, or a dark autumn.  

3) Use what you got in the previous steps to determine your seasonal color. If you are stuck between two seasons, consider going to step four. 

4) Determine your chroma, also known the intensity of color: usually, you either have a bright (clear), or soft (muted) chroma.

·     Individuals who look best wearing bright (clear) chroma colors usually have contrast between their skin, hair and their eyes stand out. 

      vColor season: They are usually known to be a light spring, or a dark winter

·     Individuals with look best wearing a soft (muted) chroma color usually have little contrast between their skin, hair and eyes.  If you take blue and add its complimentary color, orange, you will get a more soft (muted) color.

   vColor season: They are usually known to be a light summer, or a dark autumn.



What colors look best on you? 

Photo source: pinterest.com; nowthaticando.com

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