This document provides an overview of key elements and principles of interior design, including: - The six elements of design - line, form, space, texture, color, and pattern. It discusses different types of each element and how they are used. - The five principles of design - balance, proportion and scale, rhythm, emphasis, and unity/harmony. It gives examples of how each principle can be applied to interior design. - Additional topics covered include how color impacts perception of space, common color schemes, using patterns to set moods, and creating focal points. Activities are suggested to help learn and apply the different elements and principles.

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 left and right 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 it Yourself
■ 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 or 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 of anxiety.
– 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:
– Warm Tones: red, orange, yellow can energize a space
– Cool Tones: blue, green, purple create quiet, relaxing atmospheres
– It is important to consider color to create an 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 Room
Temperature
■ 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. The Taj Mahal is well-known for its Exquisite
Symmetrical Balance

36. The Starry Night painting by Vincent 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 elements
■ 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. 5 Ways 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”