Creating Interest and Drama Using Scale and Proportion

Share this

How to Use Scale and Proportion

Scale and Proportion do refer to different things. Learn what these two principles are, the crucial roles they play in design, and how to incorporate them into your own spaces. You’ll be surprised how big of a difference just a simple Tweak using these techniques can make.

Homes are often beautiful because of the feeling they invoke, not because of the amount of expensive furniture and accessories they possess.

Learning how to use Scale and Proportion to your advantage will help make a space feel warm and inviting. Now here’s the good news, both can be accomplished and it won’t cost you a thing!

Scale & Proportion

Scale vs. Proportion

Scale is more absolute and refers to the actual size of one object in relation to another. In most cases, the size of objects is compared to our own human body. For example, standard counter-top heights and chair widths are scaled to fit the average person. Scale also tends to refer to how an item relates to the size of the room. We’ve all seen someone who has crammed an overstuffed sofa into a small living room. This is an example of the sofa being the wrong scale for the room.

Proportion is truly relative and requires an understanding of how your furnishings interact with each other within a 3 dimensional space. Proportion is a word often used interchangeably with scale although there is one subtle difference between the two definitions. While the word scale implies the comparison of objects where the actual size of one object is known, proportion refers to the general relationship in size between two objects without knowing their actual sizes. This is what I call two objects speaking or “relating” to one another in a space. For example, as a rule, designers recommend that a coffee table span about two-thirds the length of a sofa for a more pleasing look.

Let’s simplify this…

Scale and Proportion refer to visual size, how your furnishings look next to one another and how they fit into your space. It’s more about your eye and the feeling of a harmonious space.

Now that we know the difference between scale and proportion, let’s look at the example below that drives these points home.

Before

Before

The space in the picture above felt bottom-heavy. The contents occupied the first 1/3 of the room and were lined up on one plane. Everything felt small in such a large space. The furniture and accessories didn’t speak or “relate” to one another or look good. What do you do with all the empty space above the piano and chairs?

Creating Interest and Drama Using Scale and Proportion

After Scale and Proportion

Dropping in a 5 ft. chandelier “scaled” to the correct size of the room visually helped to fill the space above the furniture and accessories. Notice how the chandelier brings the ceiling down to meet the furniture. Also, adding a black & white cowhide rug and arranging the existing furniture and accessories in the middle of the room under the new chandelier brought everything into “proportion”. Now, the pieces in the grouping speak to one another and proportionally fill the entire space. Top to bottom, side to side. Scale and proportion are beautifully represented creating interest and drama! To see the full project, Click Go Big or Go Home.

Tips for Creating Spaces that will have you Tweaking like a Pro in No Time!

  • Scale: It’s important to fill your space with items that are the right scale for the space. A larger room can handle furnishings and decor that are larger in scale, and vice versa. The smaller the room the smaller the furnishings and decor should be.
  • Proportion: Combine your furniture and accessories so they look and feel good next to one another. You want your things to speak to one another as they visually fill your space without overcrowding.
  • Use Restraint: Furniture needs room to breathe. One large item is better than a bunch of smaller items. This keeps your space from looking cluttered.
  • Size is Important: Rooms need big & tall and short & small things. These differences create interest and drama. Otherwise, nothing would stand out.
  • Art: Use art, or even a mirror, to pump up the drama. Use one large piece, or grouping, scaled the right size for your space.
  • Ceiling Height: The higher the ceiling, the taller and more dramatic the furnishings can be. Low ceilings beg for low furniture and decor. The one exception to this rule is using low, modern furnishings in a room with tall ceilings to achieve a dramatic effect.
  • Blank Space: Remember to leave “blank space” in a room. This is the space around and above furniture. A room rarely looks good when every square inch of it is filled. The eye needs room to rest in a space, so provide it by leaving some surfaces uncovered and some walls alone.
  • Gut Check:  Step back and take a look at your space from all angles. Does it look and feel good? If something doesn’t feel right, it probably doesn’t have the correct scale or proportion for the space. Rearrange it, remove it, or replace it until you achieve the room that makes you happy.

Happy Tweaking!

Subscribe for Tweak Tips!
Get access to our weekly design tips & my eBook,
"12 Tips to Tweak Your Way to a Happy Space
*We respect your privacy and would never sell your information*