Design and Decorating
Terms and Guides

DESIGN AND DECORATING TERMS:

BASIC DESIGN ELEMENTS IN PLANNING ANY SPACE:

SPACE: The interval between pre-established points. A visual entity possessing the actual or illusionary measurement of depth.

SCALE: Comparison of visual elements one to another in terms of their size and visual weight in relationship to a picture plane or in the actual physical environment.

BALANCE: A feeling of equality of equilibrium within a group of elements in a picture plane or in the actual physical environment.

RHYTHM: The flow or feeling of movement achieved by measured repetition of "like" visual units.

EMPHASIS: A "focal point" or main point. Large spaces have more than one focus.

UNITY: The quality of totality and complete harmony in a work of art, or in a room.

HARMONY: Unity of all elements (colors) achieved by repetition of similar qualities.

TONALITY: The orderly planning in terms of selection and arrangement of color schemes and combinations. The subtle modification of a color value.

STYLE: Expressive use of media which gives a work an individual character.

MOTIF: Dominant visual theme in a design, created through the repetition of related elements or patterns.

PATTERN: Repeated elements combined systematically to create a decorative or directional design. A visual unity of a group of similar shapes.

FORM: The organization or arrangement of all the visual elements into a unified whole. The underlying structure or essence of a work of art.

SHAPE: A visual area which stands out from the space around it because of it's difference in value, texture, color, etc.

DEPTH: The illusion of three-dimensional space within a picture plane. The degree of penetration is created by the manipulation of shape, color, line and scale. Measure of the third-dimension.

LINE: The path of a moving point. Any singular mark made on the surface of a picture plane.

MOTION: The expression of movement created through the repetition and strategic placement of visual elements within a given picture plane.

MOVEMENT: A quality of visual animation created by the repetition of visual element, more, the linear flow created by the shapes of a composition.

PROPORTION: The ratio of one part to another. Comparison of visual size and weight of an element by contrast with another.

SYMMETRY: A form of visual balance achieved by the use of identical elements on either side of a vertical axis. SYMMETRICAL, meaning; same on both sides.

A-SYMMETRICAL: Balance in weight but both sides are not identical.

CONTOUR: A line which visually represents the perimeter or edge of a form. In design, this line is the graphic outline or linear definition of an object in space.

COMPOSITION: The careful ordering of the various visual relationships of the elements in a design.

TEXTURE: The surface quality of an object either actual or simulated, which stimulates a tactile response.

HORIZONTAL LINE: Suggests repose and restfulness.

VERTICAL LINE: Suggests stability and height.

DIAGONAL LINE: Suggests chaos; busyness.

POSITIVE SHAPE: Area enclosed by a field or background thus creating a shape.

NEGATIVE AREA: The unoccupied or empty space bounded by the picture plane edges.

RELATIONSHIP: The visual-spatial interaction between composition elements.

OPTICAL PERCEPTION: Refers to our physical way of seeing something and the sensation of recognizing form and the mind comprehension of it.

TENSION POINTS: Dynamic interrelationships of visual forces which combine to create visual stress areas between two shapes.

ECONOMY: More with less. The careful elimination of unnecessary compositional filler in order to arrive at a simple, clear and unified visual design.

FURNITURE PLACEMENT GUIDES FOR DECORATING:

LIVING ROOM

Traffic Path Major: 4 feet to 6 feet
Traffic Path Minor: 1' 4" to 4 feet
Foot room between sofa or chair and edge of coffee table (top) : 1 foot +6 inches
Floor space in front of chair or sofa for feet and legs: 1'+6" to 2'+6"
Chair or bench space in front of desk or piano: 3 feet

DINING ROOM

Space for occupied chairs from edge of table to back of chair: 1' 6" to 1' 10"
Space to get into chairs: 1' 10" to 3 feet
Traffic path around table and occupied chairs for serving: 1' 6" to 2 feet
(If arm chairs are used, all space clearances should be increased 2 inches!)

BEDROOM

Space for making bed: 1' 6" to 2 feet
Space between twin beds: 1' 6" to 2' 4"
Space in front of chest of drawers: 3 feet
Space for dressing: 3 to 4 feet in both directions

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