Designing is the predetermination of how something will look and function, then implementing the ideas. We all know that interior design deals with the arrangement of furniture and decor. We also know that web design does not. However, it is interesting to realize that a cross-over of interior design concepts to web design, can be applied, and have the same outcome of functionality and appearance.
The idea is the same. Both designers are working to achieve a balance of functionality with an attractive appearance. The arrangement of text and images on a website creates the same atmosphere as furniture and decor for interior designers.
Texture:
Textures are used by both designers; in fact, they are very popular in both industries. With contemporary web design, texture is often used for the background. Different texture styles set against a dark background has a stunning effect. It lightens the look and provides a structure, yet is not overbearing.
Color
Color stimulates us and affects our senses, much like music. Multiple color variations offset each other, whether for the purpose of interior design or web design, and set a mood. The difference is that when an interior designer considers the balance of color, they have other variables such as size and usage of a room to consider. Web designers, on the other hand, do not.
They have to take into account the layout of other elements on their website, such as, background texture, images, and font. When deciding which color groups to use, they have to think about what emotion, they want their visitors to feel upon arrival at their site.
Emphasis
Emphasis is the art of drawing one’s attention to a nucleus. Interior designers have one strategically placed in every room, an item that is the center of all others. It can be a painting, statue, or fireplace, etc.
Web designers create the same effect, but sometimes not on purpose. Their nucleus can be a large design within the website page. To offset this, when it happens, they need to balance it with other elements.
Proportion
This deals with how items need to be relevant to each other. One can’t over power the other, this concept crosses-over between the two design-types, naturally. As a Web designer, you have to be careful to keep the proportion, even if the idea seems wrong. Larger items need to be with proportional items, even if they seem over bearing.
Balance
We look for balance, without thinking, whenever we see something. With interior design, the balance can be created by having both sides of the room contain the same items, in the same place. Alternatively, another approach is different items, but similar in size. Both create the illusion of balance.
Web designers; create balance with the use of the background color patterns and formatting of graphics and typographic style and expression. Web designers also have the opportunity to try a radial balance, by centering a large photograph and filtering other, smaller photographs around it.
There are many ways for a web designer to utilize cross-over ideas from interior designers. The effects can be quite exquisite. This definitely creates a lot of options for contemporary web designers.
