The best interior designs don’t happen by accident. One tried and true “rule” that interior designers, artists, craftspeople, and furniture makers rely upon is the 2/3 Rule.
The 2/3 Rule can be used when you select anything for your home—a sofa, oil painting, fine rug, or chandelier. If you’re unhappy with something you’ve chosen, it could be that the proportions are wrong and it doesn’t play well with something else. Explains one designer, your “furniture should take up two thirds of the area, leaving enough floor space for easy traffic flow.” A coffee table should be two thirds the sofa’s size. A painting or grouping of photos should take up two thirds of their wall space.
It’s a simple rule of proportion. No room, wall, or table should be filled from end to end, nor should they be too barren. Your goal is to create a pleasing balance between filled spaces (two thirds) with empty spaces (one third). This makes the most comfortable, inviting environment because there’s room for your family and friends to enjoy.
