SouthGate Chamber

My house is my sanctuary, and I have an obsessive need to control everything that is added or taken away from it. At first, there was no method to it, and I ended up having a house with no rhyme or reason to it, and it felt cluttered.

It was after I met a friend of my girlfriend who was an interior designer that a method started to appear in my madness. She explained to me that if I needed to have control over everything, I might as well have an idea about what i’m doing.

Here are the three tips she taught me, and should help you immensely:

1) Learning Balance:

Balance is really what brings a room together. If you have ever walked into a room and immediately thought, “something about this feels wrong”, you know what it is like to see a room out of balance.

There are three different types of balance when it comes to interior design; radial, asymmetrical, and symmetrical. Radial balance is most common for antiques, or collectors of certain kinds. This philosophy hinges on the principal that you wish to create a focal point in the room. Sometimes, there can be more than one focal point, and it can be created with principles explained in the next section.

Symmetrical balance is pretty archaic, and is exactly what you would think it is. A symmetrically balanced room essentially creates a mirror image along a central axis in the room. The axis does not necessarily have to be straight, but a rule of thumb when using this form of balance is to run the axis along the longest length of the room between two parallel walls.

Asymmetrical balance is a more modern type of design. Instead of creating a focal point or mirroring the room on both sides, you match the attractiveness of object to the human eye. The point is not to have a focal point to the room, but create a dynamic feel that changes throughout the space. This is arguably the hardest form of balance to achieve.

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Overview

Minimalism is widely known as an aesthetic movement in various artistic genres, such as visual art, music, and literatue. The term reflects the process of being stripped to the bare basics and rejects non-essential themes, features, or qualities. Eventually, the definition came to identify a trend in the architecture and design industries.

“Less is more” or “Less is better” are two principle mottos that are associated with minimalism. The style is highly influenced by Japanese tradition, particularly the works of De Stijl artists. The main objective is to focus on the use of lines and planes that are situated in arrangements that maintain an extremely simplistic nature. Some of the notable designers that are linked with this form credit technology and engineering rather than aesthetics.

Several interior design blogs and discussion boards suggest that minimalism places an emphasis on quality over quantity. Uncomplicated, chic patterns are used, welcoming the view that pleasant surroundings are determined by the manipulation of lighting, geometrical shapes and neutral colors. Unifying these designs ultimately result in a clean, crisp look that’s classic and will outlive fads of the time.

Minimalist styles are primarily used in prestigious corporations and luxurious homes. The aesthetic often reflects a sophisticated, futuristic look. Clients that desire this popular form in their private estates most likely contributed to the Japanese trend called Ma, which is the elimination of internal walls to showcase open kitchen and living room spaces, or what’s also considered a loft-like style.

History

Minimalism originated in the early 19th century to denounce the fussy, over-embellished nature of many art forms prior to that period. The movement was especially popularized in the arts during the 1960′s and 1970′s with several leading figures that practiced put its theories into practice. However, minimalism in architecture and design didn’t become prominent until the late 1980′s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. Numerous designers collaborated to make use of the approach, using white paint and furnishings, stark lighting, large spaces, and minimum accessories. Art colleges also began teaching its concepts to aspiring artists, craftsmen, and architects.

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