Progression/Gradation in Interior Design (Principles of Design)

            As we have discussed with other branches of rhythm, this last one has various ways to incorporate a specific mood and purpose into an interior. Progression and gradation in interior design help us facilitate different usages in certain spaces while maintaining a sequence to make it appealing to the eye. Arrangements and orders like these serve as abstract directions and instructions, as well as systems and categorizations able to make the life of the users for that interior simpler.

            For example, at gymnasiums and other recreational spaces, weights are usually organized from lighter to heavier (smaller to larger) in different rows in order to make it both, functional and aesthetically appealing for the design of this specific area, making it easier for gym users to find the weight that they are striving to exercise with. Progressions and gradations are two very useful principles of design, which are almost artless to incorporate into a concept. The real art here is in determining what items exactly we will collocate to progress or gradate in space.

Another excellent example of the incorporation of progression and gradation into a design is by taking advantage of other structures in a residence or commercial space, such as stairs, which are already in a specific sequence. Categorizing the same line of artwork or photography session along with the upward and downward movement of the staircase is a great representation of both, progression and gradation in a space.

Furthermore, creating a decorative curve with other objects in a space is also a way of both, repetition, and progression and gradation, since a very constant repetition of objects will eventually need to transition into another shape, form or line, and as designers, we can definitely repeat this pattern several times—creating a curve—as long as it is explained through our style and/or theme.

Lastly, after doing some research on different developments of series successful at presenting our ideas during the design process, we will be able to see that our possibilities are pretty much endless, and as long as we have the decorations and design elements that we would like to experiment with, then it will be just a matter of constantly playing with these components and explore different successions until we find the one that actually works for these items. Some groups of objects take less than others to be incorporated into a space; however, this subject is all about compare and contrast.

How would we ever be able to find the “key” that works if we conform to the first one that didn’t?