Determining the Golden Ratio in Design

The golden proportion is the ratio when the ratio of the greater part to the lesser is equal to the ratio of the sum of these parts to the greater part. In numerical terms, the ratio is 1 to 1.618, or round to 1.62. As a percentage, the ratio will be expressed as 62 and 38%.

It is easier to understand with a graphical example.

This principle of separation was mentioned by the ancient Greeks, and was used by them to build a regular pentagon. Also, a series of Fibonacci numbers fits the principle of ideal ratio, where each next number is the sum of the two previous ones:

Fibonacci number series

Most harmonious natural creations conform to the Fibonacci spiral shape:

shells of snails and molluscs;
the arrangement of petals and flowers in plants;
the ratio of the phalanges of the human fingers.

Sunflower seeds grow from the center to the outside, filling the head of the seed. They are usually spiral shaped and resemble a golden spiral.

The most illustrative example of the “golden ratio” is a rectangle, all sides of which are in the “golden” ratio

The pictured grid shows the unity between the Fibonacci sequence and the “golden” rectangle

The ancient Greeks used the golden rectangle in the construction of the Parthenon temple. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the first to apply the method when creating his canvases, including the famous Mona Lisa.

Leonardo da Vinci was guided by the rule of the golden ratio when creating the famous Mona Lisa

Behind him, the trend was supported by other artists who found application of ideal proportions in painting, portraits, architecture, stained glass windows and mosaics. Over the millennia of use, it has not become obsolete, and is now actively used in modern design and architecture..

The Golden Ratio was known to the builders of the Acropolis in Athens

The principle of the golden ratio in design

The rule of the golden ratio in design is often applied. It helps to achieve harmony between the parts. Many logos of famous brands have been made using it:

Pepsi;
Apple;
Toyota;
Twitter;
iCloud;
and many others.

Examples of using the golden ratio in logo design

Harmonious separation can be applied in design when creating logos, business cards, posters, banners, websites. It is used when choosing element sizes, font sizes, and even the ratio of primary and secondary colors. So if the main text is in 11-point font, then for subheadings, as a rule, you need to take an 18-point font. National Geographic uses a golden rectangle to separate the site into a main column and a side column..

Advice. When using the method, you should not fanatically adhere to the accuracy of the ratio. Sometimes a slight deviation may look more aesthetically pleasing..

It is comfortable to live and relax in a space designed according to the rule of the golden ratio.

So, the golden ratio is used in various fields:

Direction	Usage example
Font	Specifying font sizes for text, headings, and subheadings.
Websites	Separation of the page structure. Arrangement of elements according to the Fibonacci curve.
Printed products	Using the rule of golden rectangles to divide the area and calculate the place for decor accents.
Apartment design	Calculation of sizes, arrangement of furniture, determination of the range.

The golden ratio is also used when sizing furniture doors. It is believed that it is this ratio that is perceived by people as the most aesthetic

The golden ratio in interior design

The perfect cut method is used in the interior for greater harmony. When choosing a place for furniture, this rule will help to achieve a harmonious and aesthetic position. When choosing paints, wallpaper and furniture, it is also used..

The ideal shape of the room has a width to length ratio of 5 to 8

The arrangement of furniture should be balanced

If you count in a rounded way, then you can use the ratio of 2 to 3. In this case, you can divide into more than 2 parts – then each division should be performed in the same way and the smaller part should be divided. When dividing by three fragments as a percentage, we first divide by two, we get 62 and 38%, 38% when dividing will give 24 and 14%. It turns out that 62% will be the main one, 24% – the second and 14% – the third in importance..

Size ratio

Creating dimensions that match the ideal division when redeveloping a room will improve the aesthetic perception of the design. When zoning a room, a section with a larger area should not exceed 5/8 of the entire space. The same applies to the arrangement of furniture..

Following the rule, most of the living room can be given to the sofa group, and the smaller part to the dining area.

The 62% rule must meet:

seating area with a sofa in relation to the room;
coffee table in relation to the length of the sofa;
distance from the ceiling to the lower border of the decor and wall lighting.

Furniture dimensions are calculated from the largest object

The proportions are suitable for the height of small-sized furniture. It should not be more than 3/8 of the height of the room. This applies to:

bedside tables;
the height of the back of a chair or sofa;
heights of floor decor elements.

The dimensions of the bedside tables and the lamps installed on them are selected so that their total height does not exceed 2/3 of the wall

The total number and dimensions of furniture are calculated based on the largest items

Looking closely, you can see that the method is taken into account in the architecture of furniture:

the ratio of the main part of the wall and the cabinet;
the height of the lower bedside tables;
location of key elements.

The rule should be applied when choosing a sofa and a table for it. A balanced corner sofa must have a smaller side no more and no less than 1/3. The coffee table must also match the proportions in order to successfully fit into the interior..

It is advisable that the sofa does not occupy more than two-thirds of the wall near which it stands

The coffee table should be no more than two-thirds the size of the sofa

For high apartments, segmentation into 2 sections is suitable, and for low ones, additional division of the wall will help to visually increase its size.

Color ratio

The golden ratio in the color scheme of the room is used to choose the main color of the interior, as well as additional and accent colors: 62, 33 and 5%, respectively.

Large and dark objects are placed at the bottom, small and lighter ones – above

The main part of the interior composition should be the most illuminated and saturated

The choice of three colors for the decoration of the room is the most preferable. The main one is used for walls and ceilings. The complementary color is suitable for the furniture in the room. And the remaining 5% of the design is used to highlight accents..

You can divide the palette by 4:

basic color for the room – 62%;
additional colors for furniture – 24%;
tones for various decor – 9%;
accent design – 5%.

The color palette of the interior is divided into three parts – the main, active and accent

This division is more suitable for interiors that are rich in decor and allow a wide range of palettes..

Golden ratio in decor

With the application of the rule, it is much easier to place decorative elements, especially hanging and wall.

Before placing decorative elements, you need to determine their ideal location.

Each decorative detail of a smaller size should belong to the larger one, as it refers to the largest

A picture as an accent element, located according to this rule, will look more harmonious. For the portrait version, the bottom edge of the artwork should be 38% of the wall height from the floor. The height of such a picture should not exceed 2/3 of the remaining section of the wall. For a horizontal painting, proportions are applied a little differently. The bottom of the painting should be 5/8 of the floor, and the short side should be 62% of the remainder.

It is especially necessary to carefully select paintings of different sizes.

The method can also be applied to the placement of decorations. Having mentally positioned the ideal spiral, you need to enter the decor according to its size. In this way, we get the perfect location. Of course, you should not abuse the rule and always evaluate the aesthetics of the resulting interior, relying on a sense of beauty..

For such a small element as a vase of flowers, perfect division is also suitable. By adjusting the length of the stems to the proportions, you can get a harmonious look.

This is what a perfect vase of flowers looks like.

It must be remembered that the Golden Ratio method is just another tool to simplify the creation of a harmonious design. Therefore, it is not necessary to be meticulous about mathematical precision. Interior design is always a creative solution. The main thing is that the result meets the aesthetic requirements..