May.02.2026 Let's Use What We've Learned: The Principles and Elements of Design

So now that we understand what design is...

and how it works.

Let's actually use it.

Because design doesn't live in theory.

It shows up in what we create.

The Paver Patio Study:

Imagine this. A brick paver patio. Seems simple and lovely in a harmless way.

But let's say you want something more...

In a shape with an edge wavy and serpent-like.

With 4 colors of brick pavers.

A firepit.

And a built-in seat bench.

All in a 12x12 area.

😲

When you have 5 focal points...

a wavy edge, a seat bench, a firepit and 4 unique colors

you don't have a focal point.

You have clutter.

You don't have design.

You have noise.

And it happens all of the time.

So what does it actually need?

Fewer materials:

Proportion. Balance

Less Colors:

Harmony

One focal point:

Unity

Room to breathe:

Space

Intention:

And a beautiful patio is born.

Now let's look at the same mistake...in color.

Say you are looking for the most beautiful yarn colorway that emulates summer fireworks.

Stunning. A lively illumination in the sky.

Who doesn't love a great fireworks show.

And you choose your colors carefully,

You see the dark sky represented by a deep midnight blue.

Then the actual fireworks lights illuminating that sky..

Brilliant pops of green, yellow, pink, purple....

oh let's throw in orange as well.

And as you start to drop in the dye

you decide it should emulate exactly those fireworks in the sky.

I mean that's the point, right?

You toss in the pink. Then the green. The purple . Then the orange. And then the yellow. Toss the midnight blue at the very end.

You made sure that you evenly and carefully sprinkled on each color as you went along.

A cornucopia of color. Excellent.

Add some water.

Citric acid to get the dye to bind.

Apply heat. and wait.

Then the pan comes out of the oven.

😲

What happened?...

Brown mixed with olive green.

Microscopic freckles of bright colors here and there.

Stunned, you walk over to the sink and wash the yarn.

Because you're certain that somewhere under that brown and olive

the brilliant fireworks colors are just waiting to peak through.

And you wash, and wash.

Yet nothing changes.

Brown and olive.

Why...too many colors without control.

Not thinking about color theory.

Not thinking about chemistry.

And so into the trash bin it goes.

And so, where did the colorway go wrong?

Intention. Instructions.

The colors themselves are not the problem.

Space...or lack there of.

Clutter...too many colors in a small space.

Lack of a Focal Point.

No Repetition.

No Harmony.

No Proportion.

So let's layout the colorway again using all of those colors.

From the top of the pan down.

Row 1: Orange-small thin line

Row 2: Yellow

Row 3: Pink

Row 4: Purple-small thin line

Row 5: Blue-large wide band like the overall sky

Row 6: Green-thin line

The colors are in rows and stayed in their lane so to speak.

Repetition and Line

You left a little undyed white space between each color.

Space

And even better yet, each of these colors

when mixed with the adjacent color,

plays well with their neighbor

providing lovely secondary colors

Color, Harmony

And lastly, the thickness of the lines matters.

Balance, Harmony

The colors are now weighted.

Large wide band of blue for the sky.

Focal Point

The orange, purple, and green are small thin accents.

Scale

The yellow and pink are co-players, weighted the same.

Repetition

Now we are talking design.

No brown.

No olive.

Just intention.

And one heck-of-a stunning fireworks colorway.