This post is a summation and analysis for the popular interior design book by Frida Ramstedt, “The Interior Design Handbook”. This post references Chapter 2: Basic Principles and Rules of Thumb.
Plan your empty spaces
Negative Space refers to planned emptiness. These spaces are important as they help transfer the eye from one composition to the next. Practical examples of this include…
- Hanging a single picture on the wall
- placing a sculture agains an empty wall
- Using shadow and light as opposed to objects to decorate.
Flow Plans for Movement
One of the most essential elements of interior design is understanding how a house is used and how the inhabitants most commonly move through the house. The best way to do this is to create a floor plan and draw out the most common paths so you can see what spaces are not being used as much and which spaces are being used often. A floor plan will also allow you to see the best usage of furniture so that design is functional. Client requirements for a project also may require mapping out different kinds of flows. The different kinds of flows take into account why the inhabitants are moving from space to space. Examples of different flow types include:
- service related flow
- work-related flow
- family flow
- guest flow
Isovist
The term sovist describes slight lines and visibility from a given point in a room. It is thought that this concept is so pleasing because ancient humans once had to keep an eye on their surroundings, so a location where one can see the entirety of the area would be sought after for survival purposes. We know this concept often in standard interior design advice like not facing chairs with the back towards an open doorway or placing the bed so that the head does not align with the door.
The 2:8 Storage Principle
The 2:8 principle basically states that to reduce the “visual noise” of a space, allow 20% of your things to be visible and 80% of your belongings to be put away. Of course, this ratio will not work for everyone, but the idea is to ensure your spaces have easily accessible everyday storage options. Flow plans can also be used to mark where accessible storage needs to be added.
Compass Directions
As an interior designer it is important to know the compass directions of a room so as to know how the light will hit the space. Rooms that face north, south, east, west have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
North
The darkest and most relaxedreceive rooms usually face north. These rooms only recieve sun very early in the morning and for a short time in the evening. The daylight in north-facing rooms is colder, meaning the walls will take on a tinge of blue or pink. Making sure these spaces have enough lighting will be necessary.
East
The sun rises in the east, so rooms facing the east will have significant sunlight in the morning. These rooms will heat up during the summer but cool down quickly during the winter.
South
Rooms that face south will have the most hours of sun. Having curtains or protection from the sun here will be necessary.
West
Rooms on the west side of a house will be the most affected by climate and weathering. The sun sets in the west, so rooms facing this direction will have a more intense afternoon sun, which could cause the color to fade in furniture or flooring. Many plant bushes or trees in front of these rooms provide shade.
Learning Interior Design 
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