Breaking This Design Rule INSTANTLY Makes Your Space Cooler
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In many facets of the home, symmetry is inherently desirable: We want the art on our walls to sit straight, our tablecloths to hang in a correct proportion to the ground, and our nightstands to (mostly) match. There’s an intuitive sense of “rightness” when a space is in complete alignment.
However, there can be a point at which mirror-image symmetry starts to feel imposing, unnatural, or even sinister (our mind cuts right to the hallway scene in The Shining)—and surely, this is not the mood you wish to evoke in your space. While symmetry can look great in a photo, it isn’t exactly a realistic way to live. Finding the right balance with artful asymmetry is a far more sustainable solution—and it turns out that many designers compose their spaces with this ethos in mind.
We asked design experts to shed some light on how to thoughtfully add asymmetrical elements to a home without things getting too off-kilter.
Why We Default to Symmetrical Design
Symmetry may, in many cases, be the design rule de rigeur, but is there actually a reason for this?
“People feel comfortable with symmetry because we are, generally, symmetrical. Two eyes, two arms, two legs,” says Sean Adams, dean of visual art and communication at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, and author of the book How Design Makes Us Think. “Symmetry lets our mind rest. It is organized and predictable.”
Symmetry’s logical structure is inherent and unchallenging. It is also the default for many interior design styles that prioritize simplicity.
“When I think of symmetry, I think of really classical architecture, I think of Colonial homes—equal columns flanking a centered front door,” says Heather Kane, an interior designer and owner of the rug brand Frances Loom. Indeed, in the architectural world, symmetry is not simply a matter of aesthetics but of structural soundness.
“In Classical Western design, symmetry was valued for its stability. Brick and stone construction lent to symmetrical building for engineering. Two symmetrical columns work better than one or three,” Adams says. However, when the lens is widened to encapsulate a more global perspective, there is more variation. “In Japan, where wood is plentiful, houses used sliding screens and doors. By moving a shoji screen to the right, one automatically creates asymmetry,” Adams continues. It goes to show that asymmetry can be just as much a part of the natural order of things as carbon-copy exactness.
While defaulting to symmetry in interior design can offer an easy jumping-off point, the design can feel flat and impersonal unless there is some other facet that adds interest. As Kane puts it, “I think that symmetry is generally comfortable to the eye, but mirror-image symmetry can be a bit predictable and stale.”
The Intrigue of Asymmetry
So, what happens when we intentionally throw off that predictability with an element of asymmetry?
“Asymmetry asks us to do math. It forces the viewer to rethink their expectations and determine negative space or numbers,” Adams says. “It’s a better tool to engage the viewer; they need to do some work mentally, which creates a more intimate or personal experience.”
Working out these spatial calculations can be surprisingly satisfying for a viewer, especially in spaces where symmetry may traditionally reign, such as a dining room. This may look like playing with the scale of the wall art (or opting for pieces featuring asymmetrical compositions), choosing an unexpected pendant light arrangement, or opting for an eclectically styled tablescape that looks casual but not careless.
“There are very formal interiors where everything is very symmetrical, but in a more successful interior, you’ll always find an element of surprise or asymmetry,” says Amy Sklar, principal designer of Amy Sklar Design. “The element of asymmetry should enhance the symmetrical elements in the space and provide variety in terms of height, texture, and form.”
Kane, who self-describes as “a maximalist at heart,” frequently veers away from a regimented alignment, even if the room she’s working with is quite classically symmetrical. “In these spaces, I find myself working to shake things up a bit more.”
How to Create Artful Asymmetry in a Space
The good news is that, even with its slightly mathematical undertones, achieving artful asymmetry in a room is far from rocket science. The process is a lot more loose and centered on sizing things correctly.
“Proportion, proportion, proportion,” says Adams. “I could do a thesis on the golden ratio, which is an exceptional asymmetrical tool...Trust your gut. When it feels right, it is for you,” says Adams.
Sklar notes that while symmetry is a useful anchor, she incorporates asymmetrical elements throughout her various spaces in order to make them more visually compelling. “I am always thinking about the overall composition,” she says.
While most interior designers would likely want to avoid an awkward furniture layout or crooked display as much as possible, there are plenty of instances where asymmetry is a welcome, even refreshing element. This came up in Kane’s recent redesign of her own space. “In my current home, the kitchen wall is perfectly symmetrical, with a range in the middle and the counters and cabinetry being mirror images from the center. But then I have accessorized with a large pot and branches on one side and lower pieces on the opposite. It works! I think you need a bit of both for the feeling to be calm but interesting.”
Sklar, too, isn’t opposed to creating asymmetry even in a space conducive to a mirror-image layout. “In my own Los Angeles home, this custom built-in for my family’s vinyl record collection is very symmetrical and placed centered beneath a window,” she says. “I created asymmetrical elements by changing up the art arrangement on either side of the window—to the left, a collected gallery wall, and to the right, a single, larger piece of art. Opting for that arrangement instead of a pair of lamps or similar art pieces on either side of the window adds that element of dynamism that every truly great room needs to sing.”
That said, there is always the risk of taking an off-kilter look too far. “When the space ‘isn’t working’ well,” Kane says, “it’s usually because the balance (and sometimes symmetry) is off. The height, depth of color, or something else needs to be balanced out for it to work better.”
Balance and proportion were repeated by all three design experts as the key aspects to creating a space that feels inviting and even creatively stimulating. Otherwise, what you have is no longer charmingly askew or maximalist but simply a mess.
“Messiness is just throwing everything together and hoping it works. I call that ‘spray and pray,’” says Adams.
Rather, decorating a space can be an ongoing process of adding, subtracting, and scaling up and down. There may not be an exact formula for this type of intuitive math, but you really don't need one to achieve the best outcome.
As Kane sums it up: “Artful asymmetry, to me, is balance without rigidity. Some of the spaces I’m most drawn to can feel messy, chaotic, lots of collected things everywhere...But the trick to making it beautiful is balance. Having calm, spare spaces surrounding the moments of madness creates symmetry of a kind. A bit of perfect and imperfect together is my ideal artful symmetry.”
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