Proportion means that everything is to scale.
Proportion has to do with the relative size of a room, the furnishings in it, and how they relate to one another. Many times, you can simply look at a design and tell if something looks too large or too small for the space. That's because your eye is naturally drawn to spaces in which everything works together, nothing is visually jarring, and the design seems purposeful. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the room. Once you know the dimensions, use one of the many free online virtual room planners. They will allow you to choose from a variety of virtual furnishings to "test" within the dimensions of your room. For instance, if you place a 7-foot sofa in a 10-foot room, you'll find that the proportion is off. If you place an apartment-size sofa in a large great room, you'll see that it's not to scale. An online room planner will also help you decide where you're going to place furniture before you do any heavy lifting.
2. Move furniture when needed. Designing a room to scale sometimes means you don't have furniture that fits properly in a room. It may be that a little creative switching will help. For instance, if you're decorating a small den that holds a large armoire and a large bedroom with a chest of drawers, consider a trade. The armoire could be used in the bedroom to hold clothes and the chest will work as a television stand and storage for music and DVDs. That large gilded mirror that's too large for the guest room may fit perfectly in the great room.
3. Study the windows. While there are exceptions to the decorating rule, windows are normally built proportionally to the room they're in. That's because architects and builders know that proper proportion is important. If proportion and scale is at all confusing to you, windows can help you understand how proportion gives a room balance.
4. Balance the furniture in the room. If you have a sofa in one area, balance it with something like two easy chairs or a large piece of artwork on the opposite wall. A great room with a large fireplace hearth needs balance across the room. This may be an architectural detail like a large picture window or a piece of furniture or art.
5. Vary the height of your furnishings. Imagine a room in which all the lamps, bookcases and art are the same height. It would look boring and static. When you vary the height of your furnishings, you break up the monotony. Wall art is a good way to vary height and give the room an instant lift.
6. Attend to window treatments. Oversized drapes in a tiny room will look out of balance, as will a pair of cafe curtains in a grand room. Like all other furnishings in the room, window treatments should fit the scale of the space.
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