Design a Stress-Free Home: Choose Calming Shapes and Lines

Every room is unique, expressing the personalities and values of those who live there. Nevertheless, we all have a seemingly inborn need for what is often called the "universal principles of design." Our sense of unity, proportion, and balance will often determine whether a room feels "right."

An undersized painting on a long, blank wall can create an undercurrent of unrest. A single heavy armoire at the far end of a room can make the space feel lopsided, upsetting our equilibrium. However, the need for balance and order does not mean that our homes must be predictable or boring. Instead, you are likely to discover a great deal of quiet excitement in the subtle interplay of line, shape, form, and pattern.

Tranquility Tools

• Rounded Forms: Circular tables, round columns, arched doorways

• Archetypal Patterns: Crosses, stars, spirals

• Symmetrical Arrangements: Paired windows, matching chairs, evenly spaced columns

• Balanced Groupings: Windows, furnishings, or other details arranged in groups of three, six, or nine

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