8 Interior Design Principles Explained Visually (With Examples)

(4 min read)

Here are 8 key principles that all great interior designers use in some way to make a room feel like a considered space that works around the people inside.

Once you know these core principles of interior design, you apply them to any space and transform it from a space into a room. Harness the true potential of your interior spaces with these 8 universal room design tips!

Take a look at each image for the visual explanation first as they really help to understand how each principle actually works in a real-world interior.

1. Prospect and Refuge

This is one of the most important things to get right in any space. Simply put, to feel 'safe' we need two things in a room - to be able to prospect, or survey our surroundings, and to be able to take refuge or feel relaxed enough to let our guard down subconsciously.

Here are some examples and how they can work in each space:

• Home office setup - Position your desk near a window and with a shelf or side table between your desk and the rest of the room. This will help you stay focused and feel less restless while working.

• Reading nook - Set up in a cosy part of the room with a good view of your surroundings. Have a coffee table, plant or ottoman nearby to anchor the chair to the area.

• Dining table in a larger room - Position it to one side and where the most occupied seats face towards the rest of the room, with their backs closer to the wall. This removes the sensation that you're 'floating' or on an island that many dining tables give you when sitting down in the centre of an otherwise open room. 

Bonus tip - Adding a rug to any area can instantly make it feel like more of a refuge if it otherwise feels off.

 

2. Visual Rest

It can be tempting to fill up every space in a room, especially if you're designing it from scratch or doing a full interior overhaul. It's so important to leave space for your eyes to take a breather, as it were. 

This especially matters for spaces where you might have a lot of furniture on the floor already, where a blank open space on the wall will offer a needed relief from the chaos for your eyes. 

• As a rule of thumb, leave anywhere from 15-60% of the floor space open (this varies so much as it depends on your room and the use case), and leave 60-80% of the wallspace undecorated.

3. Use Human Scale

Remember - a room is made for humans (mostly), so design around people and how they will interact with the objects in the room, think about which areas will have the highest traffic to make room for, and which areas you can maybe add that delicate vase or heirloom sidetable full of Grandma's antiques. 

• Avoid too many oversized or undersized objects - these can disrupt the flow and perception of comfort in the room. 

• Plan around foot traffic and the intended use case for the room.

 

4. Material Honesty

Veneers and faux materials can sometimes be great, but mostly are not. Sooner or later the cracks start to show and the moment comes where you wish you had gone for the real thing.

This is especially true for wood furniture, where MDF and composite materials start to sag, bow and bulge after 6 months to a year, hardwood pieces will last generations and look virtually unchanged. 

• Opt for true materials where the budget allows. It's best to steer clear of anything that's one material trying to look like another if you can.

 • Remember to check used or second-hand options if you want true quality at a fraction of the cost.

5. Weight and Grounding

We mentioned adding rugs in the prospect and refuge section of this guide, and here is where it really makes a difference. 

Our world is a ground-first world, and our interior spaces are no different. Including visual weight like rugs and furniture that's low to the ground adds to the sense of calmness in a room.

• Add a rug to each 'station' or part of your room - think: Couch, dining area, workspace, bed, etc. 

• If you don't like rugs or don't want to use them, you can still add visual grounding and weight by using furniture that is low to the ground. 

6. Directional Lighting

Lighting sets the entire mood of a room and acts as a cue for how we should feel and act in a space. The key is to have several sources of light, and preferrably the largest source of light is natural - ie the windows. 

• Use smaller overhead or spotlighting for task areas like desks, countertops and vanity tables. 

• Warm subdued lighting from several small lamps or recessed lighting is perfect for areas where you want to kick back and unwind.

• Avoid one cool harsh source of overhead light because this makes a space feel like an interrogation room. If this is your current lighting, adding just one more warm light of an accent lamp, for example, can completely transform the feeling of the room. 

7. Negative Space

In the name of keeping some negative space, we'll keep this one brief. Empty or negative space balances out a room, puts some order to the chaos, and lets you move things around. 

• Don't over clutter, leave space for more, or less. 

8. Purpose Before Display

If we had to sum it all up and give you one lasting piece of parting 'wisdom', it's this:

Don't add anything that doesn't add anything.

What do we mean by this? As the image says, objects need to earn their place by being useful first. Sure, you probably have a few pieces you keep around just cos you like them, but if you're going to add anything new, just make sure you have a use planned for it.

If the object also happens to look good, all the better! Just don't choose something solely based on the way it looks if you can't see how you will actually use it. 

One Last, Final Tip: 

Each room is different, and sometimes we set limits for how we visualise a room. Take a look around for inspiration in cafes, hotel lobbies, foyers and of course homes for inspiration, you never know where it will strike. 

Read our other DIY Home Improvement Guides here and shop the growing collection of beautifully functional wooden homeware at Wondrwood now.