The Seven Elements
three-dimensional shape and volume of an object
what is form?
the primary colors on a traditional color wheel
what is red, yellow, and blue
this vibrant color scheme uses three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel, such as red, yellow, and blue.
what is a triadic color scheme?
the clear, unobstructed path that people take to move through a room or building.
what is traffic flow?
a professional who plans, organizes, and designs the inside of a building to make it safe, functional, and attractive
what is an interior designer?
creates a visual illusion of touch, allowing you to see and mentally "feel" the physical surface of a subject without actually reaching out to press your fingers against it
what is texture?
this fiery color is psychologically proven to stimulate appetite and energy, but can cause anxiety if overused in a bedroom.
what is red?
this type of color scheme pairs hues directly opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange, to create high contrast.
what is a complementary color scheme?
the maximum total allocated for a project, which designers must optimize to balance material costs, labor, and unexpected expenses.
what is a budget?
arranging and optimizing inner spaces to look visually appealing, focusing strictly on aesthetics like paint, furniture, and fabrics.
what is an decorator?
empty, intentional gaps left open to provide visual relief and traffic flow.
what is negative space
Using colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange, creates this high-contrast type of color scheme.
what is complementary?
this vibrant color scheme uses four hues spaced evenly around the color wheel—forming a perfect square—to balance TWO complementary pairs.
what is square (or tetradic)?
this initial stage of the design thinking process involves interviewing clients and observing how they use a space to deeply understand their needs and lifestyle
what is empathize (or empathy)?
a professional who plans, designs, and oversees the creation of interior spaces for businesses and public venues.
what is a commercial interior designer?
Often seen in vaulted ceilings
what are diagonial lines?
a color scheme that uses varying tones, tints, or shades of just one single color throughout a room.
what is monochromatic?
if you start with blue as your main color, this 3-color scheme bypasses orange and instead uses its neighbors, yellow-orange and red-orange.
what is split-complementary color scheme?
this type of transitional feature should have a maximum slope ratio of 1:12 to accommodate wheelchairs.
focus on houses, these professionals specialize in making businesses functional, safe, and visually appealing for employees and customers.
what is a residential designers?
Often used in mid-century modern tile and mirrors, this 6-sided geometric shape brings a clean, honeycomb-like structure to a room.
what is a hexagon?
shades that do not strongly lean toward a high-intensity hue on the color wheel, serving as a calm, versatile background or foundation for a space
what are neutrals?
three or more adjacent hues next to each other on the color wheel that provide a calm, cohesive, and natural look
what is analogous?
this 4-letter acronym represents the premier green building certification program used worldwide to recognize best-in-class building strategies and practices.
what is LEED?
this professional focus area is all about organizing workspaces so people can move comfortably, avoid injury, and maximize their physical productivity.
what is ergonomics?