The Importance of Scale
When designing a home, it may be easy to overlook scale. As interior designers, we are experts at making sure your space is balanced, comfortable, and efficient. Paying attention to scale helps enhance the perception of objects in a given space. This is a practical tool we use to elevate your home.
the Difference between Scale and Proportion
Scale refers to how an object relates to the size of the space it sits in.
Proportion refers to how an object relates in size to another object. Both are an important aspect when considering the design of a home. We look at the way the room is scaled within the home, how a furniture layout is scaled within the room, and then how the items are placed in relation to each other.
Things we consider…
Playing with proportions has the power to make a large room feel cozy or a small room feel bigger. Want to grab attention? Placing a large feature will do the trick! Want to ground a furniture arrangement in a larger space? Placing an area rug and the correctly sized chandelier will help to balance and ground a furniture grouping so it makes sense in a larger space.
#1 Height of ceiling
The higher the ceiling, the taller and bigger your furniture may feel like it needs to be. Other elements can help to balance out taller ceilings, such as drapery fabric that spans the height of the windows from floor to ceiling. This can create both balance, and an opportunity for sound attenuation and absorption of noise. Low ceilings may dictate shorter furniture pieces as a function of fitting within a space. We like to keep our window treatments mounted close to the ceiling in these types of rooms as well. The height from the treatment brings the eye upward and can give the illusion that the room is taller than it is.
#2 Negative space
The use of negative space is an important element that can impact the overall scale of other objects and elements. We love a curated space, with perfect accessories and accents. However, not everything in your home needs to be covered! The negative spaces in this classic kitchen draw the eye to the beauty of the countertop, the scale of the veining pattern in the natural stone, and the placement of the other elements in the room. Let the eye rest. Or as our friend William Morris famously said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Okay, but did William have kids?
#3 focal point
If there is important piece of furniture, art or lighting in a room, using that as a focal point will help guide the rest of the space. When seated in the living room of this home, the original artwork is a focal point that sets the tone for other finishes and textures as well as the palette in the room. When standing in the kitchen, the chandelier becomes a layered focal point, drawing the eye to the center of the room and eventually to the art.
#4 Repeating Patterns
We love using different patterns, shapes, and colors in our designs. Staying consistent is key so that the space does not become overwhelming. Pairing a smaller, tightly patterned wallpaper with a larger scale pattern on the bedding creates balance, with a mod to repeating shapes.
#5 LAYERING ELEMENTS
Layering lighting in this commercial space was an important detail to assist in creating a sense of scale between the ceiling height, the cabinetry and island and the associated doors and transition spaces. With tall ceilings, we had the opportunity to create a general layer of lighting from the ceiling, and task lighting that was balanced over the island. The soffit clad in wood millwork was another way to make sure that the cabinetry didn’t appear out of scale for the room, helping to balance the overall height of the room with the scale of the doors and hallway entry. Lighting and other elements grouped in odd numbers also help create a sense of balance within a space. The set of three is then repeated in the negative space between the counter stools, as a confirmation of space and scale.
