The Rule Of Three In Interior Design

When it comes to interior design, the perfect home decor is created by a series of rules to create more interesting and glamorous interior.

One of the most important of them is the Rule of Three. You have probably heard this before, but what is this mysterious rule of three? How to include it in our home? Fortunately, we have some tips for you here.

Creative kitchen design

The Rule of Three -- what is it?

The rule of three is a design foundation. It affects every place in your home. It says that things arranged in odd numbers are more attractive and effective. The rule of three is seen everywhere from architecture, magazines, photography to interior design, and even religion. It is best described by the theory of Feng Shui, which presents the concept that odd numbers expand and create more energy. If you want to give your interior more energetic vibe, create a tasty and well-designed place.

THE magic number three -- why?

One seems to be not enough, and five, seven or more is too much, right? One is imperceptive and it doesn't create much energy or cozy vibe in a place. The human brain likes to quickly puzzle things together. With the magic three, you can always find the center point and harmony.

In order to make the balance between symmetry and asymmetry clearer, we have put together some tips for you. And remember, you don't have to stick to every one of them. The Rule of Three can be flexible and it can be broken from time to time. Now, check our ideas how to apply the Rule of Three in your home:

1. Colors

Would you think that the magic number three also applies to choosing colors for a room? There is a standard equation that says how to choose colors for a room. Remember 60-30-10:

  • 60% -- the main color for space
  • 30% -- a secondary color
  • 10% -- an accent color
Happy young woman paints wall

When it comes to choosing colors for a room, you have to realize one thing: only two colors, shades or tones in a room can make it feel flat and without energy and positive vibe. A third color takes the room to a different place that feels complete and fuller. The general principle when applying color to your room is to add one bigger area of color e.g. an accent wall, a sofa. If you don't want it to look out of place, you should look for two other ways to reintroduce the main color, at least, three times. This way you will give a room a pop of color.

If you like bold and saturated colors, go with your gut and choose what you like most. Just make sure you followed the Rule of Three and stick to one color in different shades for a more modern look. If you like soft colors more, choose three various shades of the same neutral color for a more calming room design. When following the rule of three when choosing colors to your home interior, you are assured to achieve a well-designed and glamorous room.

2. Size and shape

The magic Rule of Three also applies to the size and shape of an object. This includes the height and girth. For example, you can choose three decorative bottles, all of varying sizes -- this way you will create more visual appeal. You can also create an alluring decor collection with three pieces in different shapes.When it comes to your interior design, the rule of three applies to many elements of it. Think accent pillows you put on your bed or chairs, the lighting in your living room or the flowers in vases.

Home decor in scandinavian interior

3. Textures

If you ever get a chance to have the closer look at an all-white room, do it. You will easily notice that the room is not really that white, even though it appears that way. Take a closer look and you will see many shades of white, beige and cream. You will also notice numerous of different textures, from wood, rattan to linen and nubby cotton. When it comes to textures, you should also follow the Rule of Three.

Modern living interior

4. Three Fabrics

This one can be tricky. When designing your home interior, it is best to choose three matching fabrics. They should play up one another's colors, textures, and patterns. Try to layout all your fabric options and choose three based on texture, pattern, and color. Combine different fabrics that have similar colors (like flowers, paisley, and stripes). Be careful, it can be tempting to pick one fabric that you adore and use it on your curtains, throw pillows, bedcovers and many other things. Think about choosing e.g. floral, damask and plaid and combine them perfectly.

Apartment in scandinavian style

5. Lights matter

How many light fixtures should you choose for your room? Of course, magic three. You should follow this rule even when choosing the lighting for your home interior. But, don't get the wrong idea -- it doesn't mean that you should have only three lights in a room, rather it means that you should go for a three different styles of lighting.

Stylish interior of room at night

Generally, a room should have one overhead light, a few lamps on side tables and some accent lights e.g. track lighting, under-cabinet lighting, nicely arranged candles. The combination of these lights will create a perfectly balanced room with a nice, cozy vibe.

6. The rule of Three in furniture arrangement

You may feel overwhelmed with all the rules and suggestions you can choose from when it comes to furniture placement. Relax, there is a general and magic rule to follow: The Rule of Three. Look through design magazines and you will quickly notice that usually the living room furniture is arranged in sets of three e.g. a sofa and two chairs. You should follow this magic rule to make your room more functional.

Green wall

Choose three pieces of furniture perfectly balanced in a triangle. You can choose pieces that are similar when it comes to size and shape, although the colors can be different. You should try to implement the Rule of Three in your home interior by choosing, for example, one large bed and two small side tables. This way the room will maintain the correct scale and gain some visual interest. Arranging furniture within a room shouldn't seem like a mystery for you now.

7. How to arrange the perfect coffee table

It doesn't seem to be easy, but it a glamorous coffee table can be arranged anywhere in your home. You just have to follow the simple rule of three. You should remember to pick three pieces whose scale and colors go with one another and with the room you want it to be. Remember to make it comfortable, you want to drink your morning coffee there and relax before your day starts. It's always nice and fresh to have our favorite flowers on the table while reading the morning paper and enjoying our coffee. How do you start your day? Do you keep a calendar to be well-organized? Keep your calendar on the coffee table for your daily morning routine.

Bouquet of beautiful flowers

8. Artwork and decoration

One of the best things when it comes to the Rule of Three is that you generally don't need to go out shopping for new furniture or any new expensive items. You just need to take a look at your home interior and see how can you apply the Rule of Three to make some significant improvements.

Decorator hanging picture

If you have a space that feels off, choose three pieces to fill the place. It could be a fancy chair, a modern artwork or three statues in different sizes. You may try creating a group of three similar framed paintings, or three decorative pieces on the wall. If you love surrounding yourself with some family memories, choose three frames in various sizes for your family photos. Nice way to give your home interior a warm and friendly vibe, don't you think?

9. Don't triple your clunkers!

It's important to keep your home clean. You may think that it can be challenging to envision the placement of decorations in a room in such a way that avoids a cluttered look. You should think symmetry to accomplish well-placed accessories. Remember to keep the balance in your home interior and give it some natural space. You should keep in mind that not everything needs to be the same type of item to apply the Rule of Three. Imagine a side table with a classy statue, a green plant and your favorite book on it.

Elegant living room

10. Don't let the magic three drive you crazy

Of course, generally home interior designers follow most rules, but it doesn't mean that you cannot break them. You should stop for a second and just take one deep breath in and out. Now you can stop thinking about all the arrangements of three you wanted to make in your home interior. Symmetry is not bad at all. The magic number three is just a guideline and it can be bent. You can arrange five or nine items into a grouping and still have the perfect visual interest. There is just something about an odd-number of items that makes any interior more interesting.

11. The Rule of Three in architecture

We all know how symmetry in architecture is important for a well-balanced design. You should think about including the rule of three into your homes architecture. There is a great idea to make your home more modern with the magic number three. What if you have one large window on one side of the house while the opposite side could have three smaller windows, perfectly matching the larger one. This is a great way to make your home design more unique and visually perfectly balanced.

Home architecture

12. Magic three for the minimalist

If you prefer more minimalist designs, it is best to avoid a cluttered look of your home. The rule of three can still be easily used to add visual interest to even most minimalist of places.

You can always incorporate this rule by arranging the furniture into a group of three. You could try placing three simple pieces into a coffee table. You can arrange a simple decoration with three candles in different sizes or put three flowers, e.g. gerberas, in various colors into three identical vases. Just go with your gut, the choice is unlimited.

Home decoration

The Rule of Three is a very important one when it comes to home interior design and can be a powerful tool when decorating your place. It has the power to change the room completely. The best thing about this rule is that you don't need a lot of money to apply it. The Rule of Three is not a mystery anymore. Don't you think it is a fun way to add some visual interest and cozy look to your home? You should remember that all rules can be broken so don't get too caught up in the details of it. Just have fun decorating your home!

Jessica started out as an interior photographer, but her love of pretty settings took her to the field of interior design, where she can combine two of her greatest passions, creating and then capturing the beauty of homes.