Section 6: Case Study – How to Break Rules Right
Interior design is not just about following rules; it’s about knowing when to break them to create something truly unique and personal. In this section, we’ll explore the transformative power of rule-breaking in interior design.
Before the Change: A Predictable Palette
Imagine a living room that’s the epitome of traditional design: a neutral color scheme, matching furniture sets, and a standard layout. It’s comfortable and cohesive yet lacks personality and excitement. The dominant color takes up about 60% of the room, followed by a secondary color at around 30%, and a few accent pieces at 10%. True, everything is balanced and harmonious, and yet it feels like something important is missing.
The Rule-Breaking Transformation
The homeowners, a young couple with a taste for life and a love for art, decided the time had come for a change. They wanted their living room to reflect their personalities and passion for bold, contemporary art.
Innovative Color Choices
They started by throwing the 60-30-10 rule out the window and opted for a more dynamic color distribution. A striking piece of modern art with splashes of blue, red, and neon green became the new focal point.
To take things even further, they went for a bold secondary color — a deep, matte orange — for an accent wall, which now occupied a large proportion of the space.
Mixing Patterns and Textures
Next, they mixed patterns and textures that traditional design would shy away from. A geometric-patterned rug lay beneath a coffee table of rough, reclaimed wood. Velvet throw pillows in shades of blue and orange on a sleek, modern sofa.
After the Change: A Personalized Masterpiece
The result was a living room that broke all the ‘rules’ but created a sense of energy and joy. The room now told a story of the people who lived there—their love for color, their adventurous spirits, and their boldness in breaking conventions.
The Impact of Rule-Breaking
As we have seen above, breaking the rules creates a visually stunning and personal space. The homeowners’ willingness to prioritize their own taste and experiment with color and texture turned a predictable space into a vibrant and personal sanctuary. This transformation proves that the most significant impact comes from designing with heart and courage rather than following the rules. Understanding the rules enables us to choose which ones to break. This helps create spaces to live and thrive in.
