Do you Decorate in 3’s
Ifind it easy to know what I like in decor and what I think works as soon as I see it. But with all design its very subjective. Its about what essentially appeals to who is looking at it. When I am looking at something a mix of balance and evenness comes into play. When I first started my role as a Visual merchandiser at Freedom, 3 was the magic number. Everything in 3’s pretty much. From Lighting to candles and plants as well as cushions and books.
If you purchased anything for decorating you would consider odd numbers 1,3,5,7 etc, You all know what I mean now don’t you. Even as you buy items for decorating they quite often
come in a group of 3.
3 different heights with 3 different shapes all with the same colours or styles or patterns.
I started having a problem with this after a few years and as much as I could we transferred our styling to “groupings” rather than 3 in a row or 3 of something and we would even try and do everything in evens for “something different”
There is however no escaping it, 3 are set in stone from the beginning of time and here is why.
There is a statement called the Golden Mean.
It is used in Architecture, Painting and Decorating, it refers to the most aesthetically pleasing proportioning to the human eye…….and most often than not it is when the items are broken into 3rds or threes. Consider a rug on a hardwood floor, 1/3 of the floor should be the timber and 2/3 should be the rug. This is also the same for your walls. break the wall up into thirds and decorate within the top 2. Do not break the wall into half this just doesn’t work.
If you are ever considering putting Cameron (dado) rails……couldn’t help myself……. in your home would you put them in the middle of the wall height or would you do it on the top or bottom 3rd. Think back to any you have seen and you will find they are (or should) all be similar.
Now that I have pointed it out this way I myself am seeing the benefits of 3 being the magic design number and may head back to doing a few more threes than I had imagined in the new build (thinking 3 pendant lights does look pretty good) But you will not get me to put 3 identical vases in a row on my dining table as I need to still get over my Freedom decorating days.
Do you find yourself decorating in 3’s?
Yes, I studied garden design and learnt that odd number planting always looked asthetically better especially in a non formal grouping however in formal symetrical lines even numbers are the go…ie topiary plants on either side of a door.
great and informative thanks again
Bec x
Yes always in 3s or if I have the space 5s – as you say the odd numbers look best :)
I love those copper pendant lights they would look great in my new kitchen!