Principles of Design



This is a room I found in Elle Décor Magazine last month in an article about animal prints. This room was designed by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard for the creator of Jimmy Choo shoes. Since the interior designer’s client was also a designer it was important for him to really adhere to the principles and elements of design.

The designer of this space really emphasizes a symmetric balance. The balance starts with the architecture of the building. The two doors are spaced perfectly symmetrical with a fire place in between them. The two bold couches and coffee table are even spaced so that they convey a balanced look. This element of design is particularly attractive to me because the furniture looks evenly distributed. It seems natural and everything in the room seems to be in the correct place, nothing looks uncomfortable or awkward.

Another important design element Lawrence-Bullard uses in this space is emphasis. Most of this space is decorated in neutral colors except for the couches. Since the couches are covered in such a bright and bold hot pink fabric they really make a statement. It’s important that the designer realized that bringing these bold couches into the space would make a huge statement, otherwise they might become overwhelming. The designer picked up the pink on the couches and brought it out in the accents in the paintings and flowers. This makes the couches seem like they fit in the room and are not out of place in the otherwise neutral living room.

The designer also relies heavily on unity and variety in his design. The space seems to fit perfectly together as a whole, but incorporates a huge variety of different materials, patterns and textures. In this space, the designer incorporates metallics, velvets, satins, stones and metals. The patterns in the space include animal prints, solids, graphics, and bold stripes. When listed off, these finishes and patterns may seem like a lot, but when the elements of the room are placed together in the right way the space seems to fit together perfectly. The designer can do this because there is a unity in all of the colors used in the room. All of the elements have similar hues. Since all of the decorative elements have matching hues, the finishes just add a variety that does not confuse the eye. All together, the space has the perfect mixture of variety and unity.

When designing this space, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard really relied on all of the elements and principles of design. Since he followed them so closely and effectively, he ended up designing a very interesting and attractive space.