Principles of Design: Rhythm

Darren has a broad portfolio, having studied fine art & graphic design, originally working in advertising and owning his own graphic design company. After succumbing to his true passion, Darren now operates his own interior design studio and has been a judge on numerous seasons of The Block.

Rhythm in interior design is as important as the rhythm in music. The pace, the beat, the propulsion of the viewer and the interesting notes that your eye hits are condensed into one of the most important principles in interior design, the creation of rhythm.

What Are The Types Of Rhythm?

You may be asking yourself, ‘what is rhythm in interior design?’ Rhythm is often the missing element in an interior and not commonly understood by an amateur observer.

Repetition

Repetition is one of the types of rhythm that can be easily compared to music and seen in most interiors. It’s the repeated pattern, the regularly spaced lighting, or a series of doorways that create a line or shape that repeats itself in a pleasing and regular manner. Simply placing a line of frames in a hallway of the same shape, size and frame can bring the benefit of repetition.

Repetition is one of the simplest ways to create refined and complete looking interiors. It’s a great way to create a sense of movement by guiding your eye so that it registers the pattern and groups it together as an overarching, repeated element. To create repetition, homeowners can utilise patterns on fabrics or repeated soft cushioning, without having to alter the architectural features of a home.

Contrast

One of the simplest and most fundamental elements in an interior is rhythm. Repetition is about using the same again and again, whereas contrast is about using the opposite - light versus dark, smooth versus course, and colour against neutral are all great examples of contrast.

If harmony and unity are important principles to create cohesion, contrast is one of the most important elements used to create easy interest.

Transition

Transition is one of the most difficult principles to explain, however simply put it’s the act of guiding the eye. This can be achieved in several ways, such as a winding pathway, a curved wall or furniture.

Transition is best thought of as a way to take your eye from one place to another without any jarring corners or points, providing a smooth and gentle movement both physically and visually through a space with the use of curved lines.

Radiation

Speaking of curves, radiation is the principle of working from a central element outward. Dining rooms are a great example. In this dining room there’s a central, round table that is placed on a round rug in the middle of the room, with a pendant above it. Each element then radiates from this; the chairs surrounding the table, the artwork on the walls, and the windows and their treatments.

Gradation

Last but not least is gradation. There are several ways to create the principle of gradation. In terms of colour, gradation means to change from one, blending into another. A rainbow is a perfect example of gradation in nature; the colours seem to be separate but beautifully transition into one another. Gradation in colour doesn’t only occur in a smooth rainbow-like spectrum - you can have different hues of the same colour and achieve gradation. You can also see a gradation in neutral schemes that play with different tones of beige.

Gradation doesn’t only apply to colour, it also can be seen in the progression in size from small to large, or large to small. Items that either increase or decrease in scale, such as a tray of candles or a line of candelabras in differing heights, are a perfect example of gradation in scale. If you want to elevate your interiors from a regular to a professional level, look at your interior design decisions and consider the principle of rhythm. Look at whether your interior has some or a few of these elements and where you can include or add them to your home.

You don’t need to include all five principles, sometimes two or three will work, but understanding these important principles of design will help you understand where your interiors are lacking and where the opportunities lie.