Unity and focus, bringing the pieces of the room together HARMONY & EMPHASIS Unity and focus, bringing the pieces of the room together

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN… The designer works with the 4 tools or elements of design: line, form, color, and texture. But now they must follow the “RULES” about using those tools. The rules are called the principles of design. There are 5 principles of design: balance proportion/scale rhythm HARMONY EMPHASIS

Harmony... Harmony refers to the pleasing relationships among the parts of a composition. Harmony is achieved through similarity among all of the elements of design… LINE, FORM, COLOR, AND TEXTURE. The viewer will experience a feeling of satisfaction and agreement if harmony has been achieved. Unity is the bonding together of all elements by organization and balance. Harmony and unity are closely related.

Horizontal line is used throughout the room, unifying it and creating harmony. Notice the furniture lines, the stripes in the bed linens, and the lines in the painting above the headboard.

Harmony is achieved because the room is unified by the color scheme Harmony is achieved because the room is unified by the color scheme. The red, yellow, blue, and green are repeated in the crib linens, the bumper pads, the diaper holder, the window valance, and the wall decoration.

The heavy textures of the wicker furniture, the ceiling boards, the metal light fixture, the plants, and the roll-up shades pulls the room together and creates harmony.

Curved forms are prevalent, showing up in the upholstered furniture, the archway, the grand piano, the coffee table, the lamp shade, and the throw pillows. Those forms, throughout the room, cause harmony in the room.

Discord... The opposite of harmony is discord. A sense of discord in a room might be created by mixing too many lines, forms, colors, and textures. In this room, too many items are crammed into too small of space. Pictures take up too much of the wall space proportionately. There is too much clutter. Furniture styles do not complement each other. Knickknacks are too large.

Emphasis... Emphasis is the quality of composition which requires the viewer to focus on a given point or points. A composition in which all parts demand equal attention from the viewer, may be confusing or lacking in interest.

Don’t ignore a great view Don’t ignore a great view. Make sure you set up your furniture so you can take advantage of it. It can be your center of interest… where you put the emphasis.

The emphasis in your room might be on a piece of wall art… Pictures on the wall are a good center of interest; a good place to put visual focus. Large pictures look best in the center of your primary wall - a wall that catches the eye of someone entering the room. Your painting looks best when it hangs at eye level (this is called museum hanging), which means that the center of the canvas should be about 60" above the floor (can be even lower when next to a seating area). When you hang your painting over a couch or other large furniture piece, the general rule is to allow 6" to 8" above the furniture, even if this is higher than 60 inches.

A fireplace should always be the center of attention in a room.

A sad statement about our American society… making a television set the center of interest in a room. Here, the artwork is hung too high to be the visual focal point, so the TV receives all the emphasis.

It is always a good idea to emphasize the most pleasing items and to try to disguise those not as pleasing. Exposed pipes under a bathroom sink, loose cords needed for computers in the office area and appliances in the kitchen, and a window with an unpleasant view are challenges for the designer. You do not want these areas to become a point of emphasis.

Unity and focus, bringing the pieces of the room together HARMONY & EMPHASIS The End Unity and focus, bringing the pieces of the room together

Harmony & Emphasis project… Name______________ Using magazines or catalogs, find one picture of a full room that you feel easily illustrates the two principles… harmony and emphasis. Mount that picture on a piece of 8 x 10 paper, in a vertical or horizontal position. You may mat the picture if desired. Using a computer, add a typewritten title, your name, and descriptions. Describe the “point of emphasis” in your room picture. Where is the focus? Justify your answer. Describe how “harmony” is achieved in your picture. Which one(s) of the elements is used to achieve the harmony, and where is it repeated in the room design to pull the room together? HARMONY & EMPHASIS IN INTERIOR DESIGN BY Your Name Emphasis: The emphasis in this room is on the fireplace. The chairs are all arranged around the hearth as a focal point. Harmony: Harmony is achieved through line, color, and texture. The curved line is repeated in the archway, the wingback chairs, the top of the firebox, and the small table. The neutral colors are repeated in the furniture and walls. The rough textures are evident in the stone walls, the rough woods, and the stitching on the leather upholstery.