This document provides an overview of key elements and principles of interior design, including line, form, space, texture, color, pattern, balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and unity. It discusses how each element is used in interior design and provides examples. It also explores how color and pattern can be used to influence mood and perception of space. The document is intended as a learning tool for an introductory interior design course.

1. INTERIOR DESIGN
Mr. Harrison
PAA 09

2. MODULE 1
Design Fundamentals

3. Elements and Principles of Design
■ 1. Line
– Lines create outlines by enclosing and
containing parts of a design
– Lines can be smooth, rough, continuous,
broken, thick or thin
– Lines can be formed into shapes or frames
Observe all the lines used to create
shapes in this room

4. Dimensions & Manipulation of Line
■ Types of Lines:
– Horizontal: straight up and down and perpendicular to vertical lines
– Vertical: straight up and down perpendicular to horizontal lines
– Curved: lines that bend in any amount of degree
– Diagonal : lines that are straight in any direction except vertical or horizontal

5. What types a lines do you see present in this room?

6. Dimensions & Manipulation of Line
■ Methods of Changing Line:
– Changing position
– Changing width
– Changing Direction
– Can you think of any others?

7. Try itYourself
■ Using a pen and paper, try using different widths of lines to achieve different effects
■ What kind of effects did you achieve?
■ Now try drawing an object without lifting your pencil.This is called a continuous line
movement.
■ Can you think of any objectives that describe the feelings produced by your design?

8. Elements and Principles of Design
■ 2. Form
– Add dimension to shape
– For example, a circle is a flat/ two-
dimensional shape, but when you add
shading, the circle turns into a sphere/ three-
dimensional form
– Forms include: spheres, cubes, cylinders,
pyramids, and cones
– Contain height, width, and depth

9. Forms used in Interior Design
What forms do you observe in this classroom?

10. Elements and Principles of Design
■ 3. Space
– Area within, around, above, or below an object(s)
– Creating the Illusion of Space:
■ Size: larger objects appear closer, smaller further
away
■ Overlap: Front object appears closer
■ Placement:Where a shape or object is in
relationship to the horizon line creates depth
(objects at the top of bottom of paper seem
closer)
Ex. Rocks appear closer than buildings

11. Space in Interior Design
■ Space and Psychology
– The space we occupy has a major role in our psychological behavior
– For example, small spaces may create a feelings ofAnxiety
– For example, the use of space in churches with the high ceilings and vast open
spaces are designed to make individuals seem small in the presence of a more
powerful being.
– Can you think of any other examples?

12. Elements and Principle of Design
■ 4.Texture
– Can be observed by both sight and touch
– Textures that you feel with your fingers is called tactile (3D) texture
– Textures that the artist recreates on a flat surface is called visual texture
(2D)

13. Visual vs.Tactile textures

14. Try it yourself
■ Take a piece of paper and place on top of an object with tactile texture (ie. Leaf or
wood)
■ Rub your pencil across the paper to reveal the texture beneath the paper
■ Do the different textures used have an effect on the color? Light reflection? Mood?
Discuss.

15. Elements and Principle of Design
■ 5. Color
– Color wheels are used to classify colors and
their relation to each other
– Red,Yellow, and Blue are considered primary
colors
– Green, orange and purple are secondary
colors and are the result of combining two
primary colors.
■ Ex.Yellow + Blue = Green
– Tertiary colors result when you mix primary
and secondary colors
■ Ie. Red-orange or blue-violent

16. The Importance of Color in Interior
Design
■ Tone: colors change in light and saturation and in interior design you often have to
pick a shade rather than just a color
– Light colors can make a room look bright and large
– Dark colors are stylish, refined, and warm and can create a feel of intimacy in a
room
■ Warm vs. Cool tones:
– WarmTones: red, orange, yellow can energize a space
– CoolTones: blue, green, purple create quiet, relaxing atmospheres
– It is important to consider color to create a inviting, productive space

17. Color Effects Psychology
Fast food restaurants use bright colors
like red because red has been proven to
increase our pulse and promote
appetite
Colors should be chosen by the mood,
atmosphere, and emotion you want for
that particular area

18. Vocabulary of Color
■ Hue: dominant color family or origin of a specific color.White, Black, and Grey are
never referred to as hue. Only primary and secondary colors can be used.
– Ex. Burgundy= RED
■ Value: degree of lightness or darkness of a color.The brighter a color, the higher its
value and the more light it emits

19. Vocabulary of Color Cont.
■ Intensity: degree of purity of a color.A high intensity color is bright and low intensity
is more neutral.When you mix colors, you lower the intensity of both colors mixed.

20. Vocabulary of Color Cont.
■ Tint: any hue or mixture of pure colors with only white added
– A tint lightens a color but does not make it brighter
■ Shade: any pure hue or mixture of pure colors with only black added
– Shade darkens a color

21. Common Color Schemes
Monochromatic: all the colors of a single
hue Analogous: 3 colors positioned next
to each other on the color wheel

22. Common Color Schemes
Complementary Colors: opposite to each
other on the color wheel Split Complementary Colors: primary color
is used with the two analogous colors to its
complement

23. Common Color Schemes
Double complementary
Colors:When two hues are
next to each other on the
color wheel and are paired
with two adjacent hues on the
opposite side
Triadic Colors: evenly spaced around the
color wheel

24. Common Color Schemes
■ Accented Neutral: color scheme that included neutral colors (white, beige, brown,
grey, black)

25. Color Choice and RoomTemperature
■ Dark color choices can make a room hotter because the colors absorb heat
■ This is the same principle as choosing clothes on a hot summer day
■ Just like you would choose lighter colors to wear on a hot sunny day, using light colors
will help keep a room cool because lighter colors reflect the light away from the home

26. Altering Size with Color
■ Color can alter our perception of a room’s size and shape
■ Lighter and cooler colors appear farther away
■ Darker and warmer colors appear to move towards us
■ Interior designers can use this information to make a space look larger or smaller,
change the shape of space and draw attentions to focal points and positive aspects of
space
■ Ex. Using a light colored ceiling can make a room look taller!

27. Why do you think that the Interior designers chose light
colors in this living area?

28. Elements and Principle of Design
■ 6. Pattern
– A repetition of more
than one design
elements
– Use color, textures,
and shapes to create
patterns

29. Patterns in Interior Design
■ A seamless pattern is one where EVERY element within a design combines to form a
whole
■ It is important to note that a pattern is not the same as repetition
■ Repetition is repeating a SINGLE element many times in a design

30. How Patterns Create Mood
What mood do you feel looking at this floral
pattern?

31. How Patterns Create Mood
Usually, floral patterns have a lot of circles
and/or curves which are found to be soothing
due to the absence of angles.

32. How Patterns Create Mood
What mood do you feel looking at this floral
pattern?

33. How Patterns Create Mood
Using highly concentrated color
and pattern creates heightened
emotions and can be used to
create a “wow” factor.
Should be used sparingly

34. Principles of Design
■ 1. Balance:
– The distribution of the visual weights of objects, colors, texture, and space.
– Gives a feeling of equilibrium
– 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 balances
– In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be
similar

35. TheTaj Mahal is well-known for its Exquisite
Symmetrical Balance

36. The Starry Night painting byVincent van Gogh is
asymmetrical yet balanced and strategic in design. How do
you think the use of color, texture, and size of objects may
be used to establish visual weight in this painting?

37. Principles of Design
■ 2. Proportion and Scale
– How items fit together in your space
– Proportion refers to how well the items fit together
– Scale refers to how well your pieces fit in your space
■ Tips for using Proportion and Scale in Interior design
– Repeat Patterns and Shapes
– Scale Design elements to a rooms ceiling height
– Design around your most important piece of furniture
– Ensure furniture is to scale

38. The Golden Rule of Proportion
■ The golden ratio applies to the relationship between two elements
■ 60/30/10 Rule applies to the relationship between three elemtns
■ Example 60/30/10 Rule: Color or Pattern to Color or Pattern
– 60% of your room should be one color, 30% a second color, and 10% a third color
■ Example Golden Ratio: Furniture to Room Size
– Furniture should take up no more than 60% of the room as a whole and no more
than 60% of the floor space

39. Principles of Design
■ 3. Rhythm
– Creating visual interest in your space by repeating and contrasting visual patterns
and brings a sense of movement to a space
– Example (repetition): Create rhythm by using a color throughout with pillows,
paintings, rugs, and accessories
– Example (Progression): Grouping candles with varying heights
– Example (contrast): use black and white pillows to create rhythm
– Example (Transition): use a winding path to lead the eye where you would like to
go

40. Principles of Design
■ 4. Emphasis : Creating a focus within a designated space
– Can be used to draw attention or divert the viewer from noticing a less desirable
area of the space
– Less is more when creating focal points
– Ex.A unique backsplash in a kitchen or a beautiful tiled fireplace

41. 5Ways to Create a Focal Point
■ 1. Focal point by color
– Example, if everything is fairly light in color, introduce a dark color
■ 2. Focal point by scale
– If everything is fairly small, create something larger
■ 3. Focal point by isolation
– Isolating something from a crowded space will bring attention to it
■ 4. Focal point by pointing
– Positioning an element at the end of a movement (Ex. Line) to interrupt movement
– The viewers eye will be directed along the path to the thing you want to focus on
■ 5. Focal Point by Framing
– Frame an element that is important

42. Can you determine the focal point in this room?

43. How about in this room?

44. Principles of Design
■ 5. Unity/ Harmony: occurs when all the parts of a room or home are related to a theme
or one idea
– Unity: is when the elements in a space combine to make a balanced, harmonious
complete whole.The space feels right and everything works together
■ To Achieve unity and harmony, you need to kind a way to connect every object. Find a
common theme

45. Example of Unity: all of the elements of the room encompass a ”Modern
Rustic Design”