The June theme on Wit & Delight is all about the art of mixing in interior design. I wanted to share more information on this topic and write about how you can apply the art of blending in your own home.
When I sat down to write this article, I thought of the book Salt, fat, acid, heat by Samin Nosrat (one I highly recommend!). No, it’s not an interior design book, but it East a book that helps people understand how to mix and balance different elements in the field of cooking. I decided to take a similar approach and write about how you can mix different elements in interior design.
Today, I’m sharing the five key elements of interior design that all my favorite rooms have in common: color, pattern, texture, something old, and something that grounds the space. Here’s why each of these elements is important.
5 Interior Design Elements Every Room Needs
1. Color
If you’ve ever taken a painting class, you know that painters usually start with a large field of one color on their canvas, which they then add as they go. Think of the room you are designing as a canvas. First choose your base color (which can be the existing color of the room Or a color you plan to bring), then consider what complementary colors you would like to add to the mix. This article on color theory will help you start to get an idea of how different colors play together. This article from Home & Garden is also an interesting take on the color rules to follow, according to interior designers.
2. Pattern
The pattern adds interest, depth and emotion to any room. Without it, a space can look a bit flat. Patterns can be bold or subtle, colorful or neutral, and applied broadly or selectively. From wallpaper and upholstery to rugs and decorative items, there’s no shortage of ways to bring pattern into a home.
3. Textures
I love adding texture to any room. Similar to the no-pattern pieces, the pieces without a variety of textures seem a bit boring to me. I particularly like to bring texture through fabrics (eg velvet, linen, wool) and materials (eg rattan, marble, rustic wood, metal).
4. Something Old
There is always room for something ancient in any room, especially spaces that are mostly filled with newer pieces. Whether it’s furniture, works of art, lighting or small decorative objects, antique pieces bring character and charm to a house.
5. Something that grounds space
A grounding element is something that acts as the foundation of a room; it’s the thing that brings the whole design together. I most often use a carpet ground a space. It helps define the seating area in a living room, bedroom or dining room. It also provides another opportunity to bring color and texture to a space. Wallpaper can also be used as a grounding element, especially if you apply it on an accent wall and use a bold pattern.
If you keep these five things in mind throughout the design process, the art of blending will become so much easier. All of these are things you can keep pushing and pulling as your design preferences evolve. After all, every room in our home is meant to be seasoned and refined, bit by bit, rather than updated and finished all at once.
If you want to learn more about mixing elements in interior design, here are some resources I recommend:
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Kate is currently learning to play the ukulele, much to the chagrin of her husband, children and dogs. Follow her on Instagram at @wianddelight_.
