Part 16 Unity
The concept of unity is a critical principle of interior design. By definition, it suggests oneness and uniformity. Successfully using it requires you to have broad concept of how all the elements in a room are related to each other. Whereas other design principles can be individually considered to some extent, this simply is the case with unity. So, how does one pull it off like a pro? By creating a simple list of decorating priorities!
Decide ahead of time the most important features of your room. This could include color, style, architectural elements, etc. We suggest no more than three. Once you have your list, use it every single time you make a design decision for the room.
Let’s use this photo of a dining room as an example. The style of the room is minimalist. For the most part everything in the room has an aesthetic of simplicity. Yet, the space is visually interesting due to the liberal use of shapes. All of the architectural elements are characterized by obvious angular shape references – square or rectangular. Color is also a very important aspect of this room. It is a monochromatic color scheme, which means various tints and shades of the same color, in this case, brown. So, let’s relate these three distinct elements to the concept of unity. A modern, minimalist design is supported by the use of clean lines. The architectural features in the room are clearly the most important. To deter distraction from them, a subtle color palette is incorporated. The room is unified because everything in it adheres to these three guiding elements.
Another way to understand how to do this well would be to imagine that you are going shopping for items to include in this room. Would you buy something red? Would you incorporate a fancy, detailed, baroque chair? Would you incorporate a rug with a pattern of circles? No, no, and no. Remember, you’re not deciding based on your tastes. You’re deciding based on the three top priorities of the room. Red, baroque, and circles just don’t jive.
Enjoy your new decision making tool and watch as your rooms come together beautifully!
Next read Part 17 – Variety
Don’t forget to go back and start by reading Part 1