Elements of Design

Elements of design 6 Elements of Design 1. Space 2. Line 3. Shape 4. Form 5. Texture 6. Color These factor into any part of design, whether it is a home’s exterior, specific room or a piece of furniture

Space Area provided for a particular purpose May have 2 dimensions (length and width) like a floor May have 3 dimensions (length, width and height) like a room Walls, dividers or other objects can define residential space (like furniture in an open floor plan) Divisions can occur in any space Division of space can provide a sense of privacy and security Too little space can create a feeling of being exposed Too much room can create a feeling of being lonely Space is affected by the number and size of objects in it When it changes gradually then it is more pleasing

line The visual direction of a design 4 types of lines 1. Vertical: lead the eye up, adding height, formality and strength. Make a room feel more spacious 2. Horizontal: lead the eye left to right, suggesting informality and restfulness. Make a room seem wider and shorter 3. Diagonal: suggest action, movement and excitement. Can be overpowering and tiring, should be used sparingly 4. Curved: add a softening, graceful effect to designs. Too many can create a busy look In design one type of line should dominate and others added for interest

Vertical lines

Horizontal lines

Diagonal lines

Curved lines

shape A flat or silhouette image Element with two dimensions: length and width Created by intersecting lines that form squares, rectangles and triangles Connecting one continuous line to make a circle is also shape Perfect or imperfect geometric shape

form The outlined edges of a three-dimensional object Length, width and depth Cubes, pyramids, cones and spheres are geometric forms Forms, like furniture and accessories, should be chosen after considering how they will relate to interior spaces and with the other forms Ex: placing a table in an empty changes the space, then adding a chair changes the space and affects the relationship of the table to the space Thin, delicate forms appear fragile, while large heavy forms provide stability Related forms look better than unrelated forms

texture Surface’s tactile quality (perception of touch) How a surface feels to the touch and how it appears it feels Appeals to sight and touch Ex: ribbed, crinkled, rough and smooth Sometimes colors and patterns are used to create the illusion of texture Affect color Smooth surfaces reflect more light, making them look lighter and brighter Rough surfaces absorb more light, making them look darker and duller Balance of textures is needed, same texture =monotonous, too many textures=disjointed and distracting

textures

color We will talk about color for two weeks after this unit More info to come 