This document discusses the seven principles of interior design: balance, space, emphasis, rhythm, unity, proportion, and variety. It provides definitions and examples for each principle. Balance can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial. Emphasis refers to focal points that draw the eye. Rhythm is created through repetition. Unity involves aligning and relating different design elements as a cohesive whole. Proportion concerns the size relationships between design elements. Variety prevents monotony by incorporating different styles.

1. Course Title: Design of Interior Spaces
Sem. I 2017/2018
Lecture No: 5
Aesthetics and Ordering systems in
Interior Design
Suez University
Faculty of Industrial Education

2. 6- Proportion
3- Emphasis
Aesthetics and Ordering systems in Interior Design
1- Balance
4- Rhythm
7- Variety
5- Unity
2- Space
Introduction
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3. “Interior design is the process of shaping the experience
of interior space, through the manipulation of spatial
volume as well as surface treatment. Not to be confused
with interior decoration”.
Introduction
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4. What is meant by ‘Principles of Interior Design’?
 The Principles of interior Design are the ways that designers use the Elements of
interior design to create good Compositions (decoration/arrangements).
 Design principles are ways of arranging or organising design elements.
 These principles evaluate each element in a design.
 The way the elements are arranged to create a feeling of stability in a work.
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Introduction

5. 1. Balance
 Balance in interior design refers to the proper distribution of objects in a room to create
visual balance.
 Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight within a composition.
 Lack of balance disturbs the harmony of a composition.
 A work that is unbalanced visually creates tension.
 Balance is created when there is an equilibrium of elements that need each other and
together they create Unity.
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There are three different kinds of balance:
1) Symmetrical (formal)
2) Asymmetrical (informal)
3) Radial.

6. Symmetrical (formal) Balance
 The easiest way to achieve balance is by using the symmetrical or formal form, objects are
repeated or mirrored along a central axis.
 Symmetry is created by dividing a space and the elements within it equally.
 Symmetry can create order, formality, calmness and stillness.
 Symmetry Makes Design Simple
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1- Balance

7. 1- Balance
Symmetrical Balance: A design effect in which the arrangement of forms on
one side of an imaginary central line is the mirror image of the arrangement
of forms on the opposite side.
Asymmetrical Balance: A design effect in which elements on either side of an
imaginary central line are unmatched but appear to be in balance.
 One side is a mirror image of the other side
 Objects on each side of the central dividing line
are different. Can be achieved through placement,
shapes, colors, sizes, and other aspects of objects
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8. Asymmetrical (informal) Balance
 Asymmetrical design is typically created with an odd number of disparate elements.
 Lines, colours, forms and textures are balanced in a space without duplication.
 The two sides of a work of art are not exactly the same, but are still visually balanced.
 A design effect in which elements on either side of an imaginary central line are
unmatched but appear to be in balance.
 Asymmetrical balance makes for a more relaxed and lively interior space.
 This balance scheme uses a central line but relies more on the eye's sense of balance to
complete the design.
 Asymmetrical interiors tend to feel more dynamic and less rigid because in these spaces a
variety of objects types are working together to create balance.
 This form of balance can be more difficult to achieve it often requires an “eye for design”.
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1- Balance

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Asymmetrical (Informal) Balance
1- Balance

10. Radial Balance
 When there is a central focal point with other elements radiating from it or around it, this
is radial balance.
 Radial balance is almost circular – distributed arrangement of items around a central
point either extending outward or inward.
 You see radial balance less often in traditional homes; round rooms are difficult to link to
other spaces.
 But the result can be stunning. The central elements of a radially balanced room — like
the dining table and light fixture in this dining space — Become the immediate focal
points.
 The chairs, sculpture and print all radiate out from this central point.
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1- Balance

11. Visual Balance
 This is achieved by distributing the visual weight of objects within a space to
achieve a feeling of equilibrium.
 The size, colour, texture and shape of an element can change its visual weight.
 Very dark or saturated areas of colour, demand attention within a composition.
 An area of high contrast, even at a small size, will automatically draw the viewer’s
eye.
 Forms placed near the edge of a page can also draw more visual attention than
forms placed directly in the centre of a page.
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1- Balance

12. 2. Space
 Space is the area in and around something.
 Designing involves arranging design elements in space.
 The distance or area between, around, above, below, or within things.
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Three-dimensional designs have:
• form • length • width • height and occupy space.

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space

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space

15. 3. Focus/Emphasis
 Accent or importance placed on a part of a piece of Design work.
 Focus is used to centre attention.
 Focus can be created by contrasting elements so that they attract attention.
 Emphasis is simply means that every room or space has a focal point, whether it is
architectural or an object.
 A fireplace is the most common architectural focal point.
 Oversized artwork or a large piece of furniture can also be a focal point in a room.
 Interior design elements like colour, texture and form are used to add emphasis to a focal
point.
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16. Emphasis (Focal Point)
In design, the center of interest or focal point that first catches the viewer’s attention.
Interior design’s biggest enemy is boredom.
A well-designed room always has,
depending on the size of it, one or more
focal points. A focal point must be dominant
to draw attention and interesting enough to
encourage the viewer to look further.
Emphasis of an object can be increased by:
making the object larger,
more detailed, or
by placing it in the foreground
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18. 4. Rhythm
 Rhythm is visual flow: the eye should be able to ‘flow’ smoothly across the room.
 Regular repetition of lines, shapes, or colours that create a movement.
 Patterns have rhythm .
 Rhythm refers to a way of utilizing the art elements to produce the look and feel of
rhythmic movement with a visual tempo.
 Rhythm is a feeling of structured movement created by the repetition of elements.
 Rhythm can be used to create a sense of movement in, through or around a design.
 Repeated elements and the spaces between them make patterns that we experience as
rhythm.
 This helps to give a composition visual harmony by creating unity in a layout.
 Examples include the repetition of similar shapes, colours or textures.
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19. Rhythm can be accomplished through the following means:
1. Repetition 2. Alternation 3. Progression
Repetition
 The repeated use of certain objects or physical attributes of decor elements.
 For example: chevron patterns on both your sofa and wall tapestry, a series of similar
vases lining a mantle or a stack of books on a shelf.
 Similarly-themed homeware and arts will also contribute to the theme of your interior
design.
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Rhytm

20. Alternation
 Alternation is used to create rhythm by alternating two or more elements in a regular
pattern.
 The pattern may be ABCABC or ABBABB, but always repeating in the same order
 A modular sofa with alternating colours of white and green, placing a small roundtable
between two armchairs, or even differently-shaped wall recesses can achieve this effect,
as seen below.
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Rhytm

21. 21 Progression
 Interior design elements placed according to size from smaller to bigger ones, or perhaps
according to the gradient of their colours.
 Rhythm can also be achieved through progression. Examples are a gradation of colour or a
series of objects that start small and become large in a very regular manner.
Rhytm

22. 5. Unity
 Unity is achieved when all of the different elements in a design work together to create a
unified whole.
 Designers use unity to make elements in a composition appear to belong together.
 All Parts of a work of art are inter-related, balanced, and organized to achieve a quality of
oneness.
 A unified design is greater than the sum of its parts; the design is seen as a whole first,
before the individual elements are noticed .
 Unity can be compared to harmony, integrity or wholeness.
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Some of the ways to achieve unity include:
1. Alignment : Alignment consists of arranging elements so that their edges are
lined up

23. 2. Similarity: Repeating colours, shapes, values, textures, or
lines creates a visual relationship between elements, called
Correspondence.23
3. Proximity: Proximity is based on grouping by closeness;
the closer elements are to each other, the more likely we
will see them as a group.
4. Continuation: Continuation means that something
(a line, an edge, a curve, a direction) continues from one
element to another.
Unity

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5. Overlapping: Overlapping design elements can contribute to unity by creating
a relationship between separate elements.
Unity

25. The relationship in size of objects or parts of objects to one another and to the
design as a whole.
The golden mean is the division of a line
anyplace between one-half and one-third of
its total length.
These curtains are tied back at the golden
mean for this window.
6. Proportion
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27. Proportion is the ratio between the size of one part to another.
•Proportion has a huge impact on the functionality of a space. It
is all about the general size of objects and can change the entire
look and feel of a room. Color, Space, and Style shows you how
to get proportions right every time.
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28. A style of decorating that involves mixing furnishing of different styles and possibly
from different periods.
 Variety can relieve monotony by giving the eye a number
of different details to look at.
7. Varity
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