[Deco 101] The Principle of Proportion and Scale

Closely allied to the principle of balance are the two distinct principles of proportion and scale.

Proportion is the relation of the size of one part of an object to te size of the other parts of the same object.

For example, a rectangle may be twice as long as it is wide as shown below,

the proportions of a solid shape are based on the three dimensions of the shape.

Like, proportion, the scale of an object involve size. Scale is the relation of the size of an object to the size of one or more other objects or

to the size of the space in which the object is enclosed.

The scale of an object, such as a rectangle, can be changed without correcting its proportion.

Now, we’ve got a general idea of the difference between proportion and scale, let’s exame each of these elements more closely.

Proportion:

Throughtout the ages of design, many theories have been advanced in an attempt to define ideal proportions.

One of the most pervasive concepts to arise from these theories is the golden mean, or golden ratio.

A rectangle in which the sides can be expressed as a ratio of 0.618 to 1.0, in other words, the length is approximately 1.5 times the width.

Although the size of these rectangles is different, the overall proportions are the same.

These golden mean proportions can also be applied to solid objects: chair, tables, and even entire rooms.

Scale:

As it’s already mentioned above, scale is the relation of the size of one object to the size of another.

In interior decorating, scale is the relation of the sizes of the objects in a room to each other and to the size of the room itself.

Working with scale involves considering how the size of accessories relates to the size of the pieces with which they’re used:

a lamp on an end table, a box on a coffee table, a throw pillow on a sofa, and so on.

When the scale is appropriate, the eye should move smoothly from one object to another, taking in every important piece.

If some pieces appear too large, they’ll clash attention may be directed toward these disproportionately large objects.

As a result, the viewer’s attention may be directed toward these disproportionately large objects.

The eye may be carried away abruptly from smaller objects, possibly missing some pieces that were intended to be notice.