5. BALANCE IS KEY
Everyone has experienced it, when you enter a room with good asymmetrical balance, everything just feels right. A subtle feeling of order occurs. But too much balance can appear artificial, static, and become boring over time. Asymmetrical balance relates very strongly to the visual weight of objects rather than repeating the same item within a space to achieve balance. It has a genuine, more relaxed feel to it that gives us the same feeling of stability and security as symmetrical balance.
“I LOVE THE ASPECT OF ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE THAT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ZEN DESIGN BECAUSE IT’S UNEXPECTED AND FEELS MORE NATURAL.”
In the living room example below, symmetry was achieved through the arrangement of furniture. The two sofas, positioned at either side of the coffee table, are symmetrical. But look at the arrangement of the decorative elements on the coffee table, the side table, and the floor lamp that breaks up the dull feel.
The dining room shows a similar situation with a perfect symmetrical balance that is offset by the picture and the arrangement of flowers on the left, a mixture of precise alignments and asymmetrical arrangements that feels instinctively right and harmonious.
Symmetry can be achieved through the use of pattern, arrangement of furniture, decoration, placements of light fixtures and millwork, and through the application of color. Trust your own eye to create a visually interesting harmony between all elements.