Country
Chic
EXCUSLIVE: Principles and Elements Of Design
Table of
Contents
Design Thesis About the Editor Line Texture Light Color Space Shape Form Balance Harmony Emphasis Massing Rhythm Proportion Scale
Design Thesis‌ This magazine displays southern living in modern times. The reader will be informed of how to make their living space comfortable with a country chic touch. This magazine exclusive will emphasize how principles and elements of design can be found in these temporary spaces.
About the Editor
Hey ya’ll! My name is Victoria Baumann and I am a born and raised southern girl. I have always lived in North Carolina and I am blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful southern hospitality! This magazine was inspired by my love for the south and my passion for interior design. I hope you enjoy all that this magazine has to offer!
Line
Horizontal Line
 This
window nook is an example of how horizontal lines can bring excitement and calmness into a space. This country chic look can be achieved by picking your favorite paisley pillows and cushions and a matching paint colors. All you need to created the horizontal look is paint, frog tape, and a leveler. Use the leveler to apply the frog tape, or painters tape. Next apply a thin first layer of paint, wait for it to dry, and the last coat!
Vertical Line Vertical line is seen in the sofa and coffee table fabric. Since the majority of the room is a soft white color, the gray stripes act as a focal point. This focal point keeps your eyes grounded even though the room has a tall ceiling. This look can be achieved with any color of striped fabric. Even if the sofa or coffee table wasn t fabric, vertical lined throw pillows would give the same emphasis.
Flowing
Curved
In this beautiful entry way the vaulted ceiling and curved windows above the door, add height to the room. This sense of openness is a main concept in southern inspired homes. When the entry way is full of light it makes the house seem inviting. Also the vaulted ceiling is a nice change from a typical flat ceiling.
Curved
Tightly
This is not a your typical stair case! The natural wood pulls in the southern theme. Wood can be manipulated to curve by soaking individual pieces in water then applying heat and forming the curve with a mold. This stair case is not only a way to get up stairs but it also a focal point for any home.
Texture
Surface Quality {Tactile Textured}
From the walls, to the chandeliers , this room screams TEXTURE! The white washed brick give this entry a very chic rustic look. This cheap but expensive look can be found all throughout country styled furniture, but all you need if your desired paint and sand paper!
Implied Texture
The beautiful brick floor adds a weathered look that corresponds with the antique-like bench. Linoleum tile is making a comeback with more realistic flooring. It is easier to install and easier to clean compared to real brick. Plus who likes cold brick first thing in the morning?
Non-Reflective
Wooden ceilings give a room such character! Not only does it bring in a earthy feeling, but it can act as a natural sun block. As can be in the photograph above, this room that is mostly windows, is not overly bright. If the ceiling was white, or the same color as the walls, the sun would reflect off of it and wash out the room. Also adding upholstered furniture absorbs light that would be naturally reflected off of leather.
Reflective
This room is a great example of how when manipulated correctly, reflective materials and bright color can make a space seem larger. The mirror above the mantel reflects the ceiling which makes the room seem taller than usual. But when we look at the door, the ceiling is probably only 10 feet high
Light
Art Even though this chandelier would be an effective lighting source at night, during the day it is an artistic piece. This chandelier is the perfect accent piece for the typical southern reading nook.
Table Lamps
This room sthough there are design allows an only two, they adequate amount will light up the of sunlight to space perfectly. brighten up the With the rooms room during the narrow ceiling, it day. will help reflect The two the light all table lamps around the living would be used at space. night and even
Task Lighting This room is an example of recess and task lighting. Without optimal lighting it would, preparing food or doing other kitchen tasks would be dangerous.
Natural Lighting This sunroom is completely lighted by the sun or by moon light. This color of the natural wood also helps brighten up the tall ceiling, and give the room a spacious feeling.
Color
Monochromatic
The combination of grays and white make a very crisp monochromatic color scheme. The white ceiling and furniture give the room an almost clinical feel. But the warmer gray walls pull the room together and make it more inviting and comfortable.
Direct  Complementary
This holiday inspired patio is a perfect example of how complementary colors can be incorporated into a warm southern environment. The natural color woods give a comforting warm environment for this cool December day.
Analogous Color
Scheme
Blue, purple, and pink create the analogous color scheme that makes the room pop. Adding color to this southern Victorian inspired room gives the space life, when the usual color scheme for such rooms a neutral and bland.
Neutral  Palette
Neutral colors are the most common schemes that are seen throughout southern homes. They are comforting, inviting, and relaxing. By adding organic materials into the room adds a new depth of color as well as freshens the space.
Space‌
Space
Positive Space
Starting with a clean slate like white, rooms can contain a massive amount of positive space. To keep a small space open, use neutral bases and add small colorful ascent pieces, such a throw pillows, flowers, or picture frames.
Negative Space
The negative space in this room is necessary for the kitchens main function. In southern homes most negative space is for functional use such as cabinets, tables, and shelfs.
Crowding Territoriality
Like
stated previously, all space in southern interiors have a purpose. Seen in the image above, everything has a place. Even though it leaves the space crowded, everything is organized.
Shape
Abstract Shape
Abstract
shapes can be difficult to incorporate in conservative rooms , but if done right, will actually add character to the space. The molding around the entry way is the same style as the molding found throughout the rest of the rooms.
Geometric  Shape
The geometric shapes that are most common are triangles, squares, rectangles, and circles. In this room squares and rectangles dominate the walls.
Natural  Shape
Nothing is more natural then nature inspired wallpaper! This repetitive wallpaper, even though it s not natural, it is a fun way to bring an outdoors theme in doors.
Dynamic  Shape
Almost all geometric shapes are playing their roll in this room. From the circular clocks playing a the rooms focal point. To the rectangular wooden mantel.
Form
Geometric  Form
Ascent pillows are a couches best friend. As well as throw blankets, and you can t have a comfortable television watching area without an ataman. Geometric shapes are found all throughout country inspired furnishings. Most commonly in rectangular wooden floor panels.
Natural Form
Using the fireplace to store wooden logs is an excellent way to give a room natural form as well as a nice outdoors scent.
Abstract  Form
This cute almost triangular reading nook is a great place to relax and read a great magazine. Not only is this nook a good reading space, but it could also have been a storage area. Using as much space as possible is a good tactic when organizing.
Non-Objective  Form  A
room can pop with non-objective form. The nonobjective forms in this space are the abstract wooden art on the glass coffee table and then bowling pin shaped yarn statue in the corner.
Balance
Visual Symmetry head-on at the bed visual symmetry is present. The two pictures on the wall, the symmetrical bed, there are two night stands on either side, as well as the two matching lamps on the bedside tables. All create visual symmetry. Â
 Looking
Structural Symmetry
If this room was cut down the middle, the structural symmetry would be found in the ceiling. The inclined ceiling is symmetrical with this white beams and the two windows above the bed. Â Â
Visual Radial
Symmetry   A
star burst mirror Is a perfect focal point as well as a prime example of radial symmetry. The mirror is a dynamic piece yet is muted with the color that matches the throw blanket and pillows.
 This
circular room creates radial symmetry. It also creates the perfect lounging environment! The blue and yellow throw pillows against the cream paint gives the room a beachy feel, and most likely the windows are over looking a pool or beach.
Structural Radial Symmetry
Harmony
Unity Through Color This room is harmonious due to how all the white, offwhite, and gray scale colors bring all the pieces of the living area together.
 This
wall, even though different colors are used, is unified due to the fact that all rectangular shapes are used as art pieces. Staggering photos is a contemporary way to add character to a wall instead of pictures being placed right next to each other.
Unity Through Repetition
Unity Through Line
 Lines
are prominent in the room and hallway. Lines are seen in the flooring, ceiling, door ways, and furniture. Wood is a natural way in adding unity to a room. Not only through line but through color and grain.
Variety Through Color
In this dinning room, a variety of different colors are used to excite the space. All the colors are unified together due to the multi colored drapes and table napkins.
Emphasis
Visual Focal Point  The
focal point in this room is the middle of the room consisting of the table and couch. The arched ceiling draws the eye to the separating wall which then brings the eye back down to the table and couch which are a different shade of creme and blue than the rest of the room.
Structural Focal  This
Point
almost radial room has a structural focal point which is the ceiling. Even though the whole ceiling is not showed in the picture, we can assume it is circular and almost cone shaped which is unusual for a ceiling formation.
Massing
Actual Density
From the wooded table, leather furniture, and stone covered walls, everything in this room is dense. This gives an almost cabin like feel of comfortable and warm.
Optical Density Again materials that are dense such as wood and stone are utilized in this space. But sense the room is opened with high ceilings and large windows, the room is only optically dense.
Rhythm
Repetitive Rhythm
 Repetitive
rhythm is found all throughout this space. The carpet has a shape inspired repetitive print. Also the use of picture frames used on the wall is another way rhythm is used in this space.
Climatic Rhythm The gradual increase in size of the sunburst accent pieces is a way that climatic rhythm is used in this space. The sunbursts add a new color to the prominently blue scaled room.
Contrast Rhythm  Blue
and green play off of each other throughout this whole room. The most dominant rhythms are seen in the accent pillows and the rug. The contrasting greens and blues makes the room pop.
Flowing Rhythm  The
flowing rhythms in this room consists of the beams on the ceiling and the blues throughout the space. This room shows that flowing rhythms can be found structurally and through color.
Proportion
Object in Proportion with Space  This
whole room is a perfect example of proportionate furniture. Even though the ceiling is slowed the designer did a perfect job finding the necessary furniture to compliment the room and the fire place with still keeping everything balanced.
 The
light bulb idea is cute, but the size of the fact bulbs and how low they hang compared to the furniture underneath, the
Object is NOT in Proportion with Space
Scale
Symbolic Scale
If
this photo was taken from the floor, the room would have seemed average. Since it was taken from above the scale of the room increases and is very tall and spacious.
Human
Scale
 This
room is most likely an average height. But when we look at the size of the person compared to the height of the door way it makes us questionable. Once we start to question the door height the eye goes to the hanging chandelier which also makes the ceiling seem higher than usual.