Interior decoration is not only an art but a hobby too. Nothing is more rewarding or satisfying than building up an elegant interior for your house.

A simple house can look attractive by decorating its interior tastefully. So it is the art of adjusting the space and equipment to meet the fundamental and cultural needs of the inmates and thus create a beautiful and pleasant atmosphere. Good decoration reflects the personality of the people who live in it.

For creating anything beautiful some basic elements are necessary. They are the tools in conveying fundamental ideas in a painting or in a sculpture or in creating objects which meet material needs of mankind : architecture, home furnishings, handicrafts and in commercial related arts.

From nature, man has picked up a few elements of art as pattern, line, colour, form, texture and light.

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1. Line:

Line contributes greatly towards the overall mood created in any arrangement- either to create harmony or contrast.

They have been associated with the position of the human body. Horizontal lines suggest repose, steadiness, and tranquility. They are found in tables, low-backed chairs and bookshelves that balance the severity of the vertical lines. Vertical lines suggest life, activity and dignity, as when a person is standing and ready to act. They create an illusion of height, as in draperies and doorways. A diagonal line suggests movement and force, as when a person bends forward to run. They give a feeling of sophistication and refinement to a room, as in stair cases and in some fabrics. A curved line seems gracious and flexible, as when a person takes position in relaxation and play. They are found in tied- back curtains and in the legs and corners of furniture’s. Hence line is a unifying factor in home decoration.

2. Form:

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Form is sometimes referred to as area, mass or shape. It is closely related to lines, as with its combination create certain effects in the overall design of a room. For example, a long rectangular table or sofa, help in creating a line of unity in a room. But too many varieties in form create chaos in interior decoration. Without the beauty of form, excellent colour, texture and decoration are of no use.

3. Texture:

Texture is the surface characteristics of objects. It refers to the roughness, smoothness, shine or dullness, softness or stiffness, its weight and fall, so on. Texture gives character and beauty to objects. Rough texture absorbs more light and smooth surface reflects light. So in small dark rooms smoother textured material should be used to reflect more light, whereas large rooms with more light can show rough textures gracefully. Texture in homes refers to wall finish, rugs, wood work, oil paintings or woods used for furniture’s.

4. Pattern:

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Pattern is a sort of additional surface enrichment. It contributes liveliness and interest to a room. Patterns are produced by different designs. Generally, there are three types of motifs or unity of design. They are:

(a) Naturalistic motif:

such as flowers, fruits, animals or scenes.

(b) Geometrical motif:

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They are based on forms of circle, rectangle and triangle etc. It also includes stripes, dots, checks and plaids.

(c) Stylized Motif:

They do not look like pictures of natural objects- as in out-sized patterns, flowers and forms in colours, which are not natural, but intend to create certain effects. Ferns and leves are the most commonly used pattern models of this variety, suggested for fabrics as well as for decorative articles.

5. Colour:

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Colour is the most important art element, as it produces favorable psychological and aesthetic effects. They transform darkness into light, dullness into brightness, gloominess into cheerfulness and drabness into beauty. They are used to create illusions of peace, luxury, warmth or coolness.

6. Light:

Light is very closely related to both colour and texture. In fact, colour has no existence without light. A variety of moods and effects may be obtained by the clever use of light and shade. However, beautiful and artistic an object may be, but without light nothing could be recognised. In furnishings, light can be used to bring rhythm and continuity, linking them together at various point of emphasis.