Chapter 8 Elements and Principles of Interior Design 239 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. In practice, designers use scale to draw floor plans. (In the U.S., the architectural standard for a floor plan is 1/4" = 1'-0" when drawing residences. When drawing commercial projects, the scale is 1/8" = 1'-0".) Designers also use scale to discuss client projects. Are they large- scale or small-scale? A large-scale commercial project can be 10,000 to 50,000 square feet. A small-scale resi- dential project can be less than 2,000 square feet. Focal Point or Emphasis Focal point, or emphasis, is the creation of a dominant feature for a space or composition that is the first to demand your attention. In other words, focal point is the center of attention or activity to which the eye goes first when looking at a design. As a designer, you want to draw attention to a particular point of focus rather than a mass of details of equal importance. Designers use the terms emphasis and focal point interchangeably when discussing design. Whenever people enter a room, their eyes and brains try to make sense of what they see. This goes back to primal needs of survival. People scan a space to look for threats and to understand their location. As part of that natural instinct, peoples’ eyes naturally scan for a place to rest. This is the emphasis or focal point of a room. The human eye desires a pleasing object or scene to rest on. In a space, a focal point ■ directs attention of the viewer ■ provides a hierarchy for viewing ■ can be consciously achieved layer upon layer ■ unifies a space when elements work together If a focal point does not exist in a room, it will be visu- ally uninteresting and bland. A person often feels bored in this type of space and will likely leave the room. If a room has multiple focal points, it creates chaos and conflict for the viewer. The viewer thinks “What should I look at first?” Too much visual stimuli will also cause a person to leave the room. The three levels of focal point or emphasis design- ers incorporate in an interior space include (see Figure 8-29 A, B, and C) ■ Dominant. A breathtaking view, a massive fireplace, or architectural feature such as a large, built-in bookshelf can achieve this high level of dramatic emphasis. ■ Subdominant. This level supports the dominant emphasis and is of secondary importance. For example, designers may use the subdominant level when centering large pieces of furniture on the fireplace. ■ Subordinate. This level supports the subdominant level and has the least visual weight. Accessories that sit on tables, fireplace mantels, small furnishings, or bookshelves are examples of this level. Photograph by ©TaylorPhoto.com (Bill Taylor)/Design by Lita Dirks & Co., LLC Figure 8-28 Scale can add drama to a space. How does scale effectively work in this living space?