The Elements and Principles of Design…A Guide for Design and a New Year

By Lauren Setum, LiLu Interiors intern

As an avid Green Bay Packer fan (yes, I dare say it in Viking territory!) who is quite excited that they are going to the playoffs, today's new year's resolution quote comes from former Packer coach, Vince Lombardi.

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."

While Lombardi is well-known for leading the Packers to victories in both Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II, he is remembered just as fondly for approaching the game with a dedication, determination, and willingness to win that was seemingly unparalleled at the time. The way in which he put his heart into the game and motivated his team to do the same is truly inspirational even today. Lombardi may not have been an interior designer, but he knew all about proportion!

Lombardi after winning Super Bowl I

As you may have guessed, proportion is the topic of the hour. As a principle of design, the rules might not be the same as they are in football, but proportion is still equally as important! In design, proportion refers to the scale of objects in relation to one another. For example, if a large sofa is used, other furniture in the room should be of similar proportions. Of course, the size of the furniture should also be in proportion to the overall size of the room. Here are some LiLu examples:

Proportion also relates to the scale of patterns in a room. This dining room is on the larger side and the larger scale floral pattern on the rug reflects that. A slightly smaller checkered pattern on the chair upholstery and a solid color on the walls supplements the floral. The variety of scale in the fabrics relate to each other without competing with one another.

These custom storage pieces were part of a LiLu commercial project. The site, now a treatment center, was formerly a church. As you can see, some of the structural elements, such as the beams, were left in place. The storage pieces needed to be a very specific size so as to work well with the structural features of the building. Using the right proportions, everything turned out beautifully!

Here's to proportion and doing great things in 2011!