Week 4: Rhythm, Proportion/Scale, and Emphasis

This week, we continued our discussion of the elements and principles of design. Specifically, we talked about and defined rhythm, proportion/scale, emphasis, and contrast, and how all these elements are executed in design. Each of them has different effects on a space and changes the way people view and experience it.

First of all, we spoke about rhythm. I really like how Kathryn Marsh defines rhythm: "We should think about arranging elements in a way there is repetition, progression, transition, or contrast. By applying these visual mechanisms, we can direct someone’s attention around the space and ultimately enhance the overall impression of the room.” She describes the effect rhythm has on an interior space, along with mentions of the different types of rhythm. These include repetition, gradation, contrast, transition, and radiation.

Two types of rhythm that really stuck out to me were repetition and contrast. To me, these are both very powerful and useful types of rhythm that really draw attention to a space. Here are a couple examples showing these different forms:

Repetition Rhythm

Contrast Rhythm

The next element we discussed that caught my attention was proportion/scale. This is a pretty easy and obvious principle to catch onto, but I found it interesting how proportion and scale change how you perceive a room. Putting abnormally large furniture into a super small room makes it feel extra tiny, and vice versa. The examples we saw in class demonstrated that perfectly and how awkward it can make an interior look. Here are examples of proportion used correctly and incorrectly:

Correctly Proportioned

Incorrectly Proportioned

We also talked about emphasis this week and how many different ways it can be accomplished. There are so many ways to create emphasis in a space, but the main ones I wanted to mention are with lighting and views. These two are both very important to me, as I think they really make or break a space. Lighting especially has a great impact on the feel and experience of an interior. Having correct lighting depending on the mood you want to invoke is crucial to creating a successful space. Views, as well, create a focal point within a space that I think tops everything else. A natural view or high bird's-eye view that you can focus your space around is so gorgeous and easy to work with.

Overall, rhythm, proportion/scale, emphasis, and contrast all have a great impact on design that is so vital to create a cohesive and pretty design.

Light and Shadow Sketch: