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By Rosemary Sadez Friedmann

What is harmony in interior design?

A simple definition is an agreement among the various parts of the room and house. A harmoniously decorated house carries through a single unifying theme that consistently relates the various components of the design. Though this sounds technical and boring, let's get into the idea a little more to see how it can turn into an attractive and fun place to reside.

To achieve harmony, unity and variety are to be combined in just the right balance to be aesthetically as well as visually compatible. Too much unity without variety would result in monotony while too much variety without a unifying base would be chaotic. In other words, if you work too hard to achieve perfect integrity of style but lack playful relief here and there, the result will be dull. All work and no play make a designed room a dull place to live.

Unity is achieved by repetition and/or similarity of parts. The architecture of a house will help establish this unity and also aid in directing the selection of furnishings.

By following the lines of the architecture with furniture styles and shapes, unity will be enhanced. Particular attention should be paid to the major pieces of furniture so as to maintain the integrity of the architecture and therefore, unify the look. Following through with accessories that echo the style and colors of the furnishings will solidify the uniformity.

Variety, being the spice of life and all, brings the needed vitality, diversity and stimulation that will make the interior come alive. Even as subtle as a slight variation in color, texture or an odd but interestingly diverse piece, will help breathe life into a room.

Moderation is imperative. Too much diversity without an underlying scheme can make the room become cluttered and confusing. Too many patterns, colors and textures will compete against each other and cause a lack of clarity, rendering the room uncomfortable to look at. It will feel like there is no place in the room to 'rest'.

Sometimes all that is needed to add variety to a room is to arrange some of the furnishings in an unconventional way, such as orienting their direction toward an uncommon focal point.

Following the architecturally established style but not following the architectural lines occasionally, would be another way to maintain unity while incorporating variety. (What did she say?)

Here's an example: Put the sofa on an angle instead of straight across the wall.

So variety and unity are both needed to achieve a good design. If you keep in mind that space, form, line, texture, light and color are the components to be held fairly constant, then only one or two elements of surprising variety should complement and therefore complete the look.

(Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of Mystery of Color, available at Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Amazon.com.)