The measurable relationship between two objects or spaces.

Further Reading

John Brownlee, “The Golden Ratio Design’s Biggest Myth,” Fast Company, fastcompany.com/3044877/the-golden-ratio-designs-biggest-myth.

A ratio is the comparison of the size of two or more objects or surfaces relative to each other. This calculation can influence composition, balance, and perceived scale of elements within a space. Closely related to proportion, ratio can be seen as a set of rules that aims to create balance, order, and consistency in a design.

The concept of ratio can be used in the development of a color scheme, where a dominant or base color has a larger presence than other colors. It can be applied to determining the number of chairs that can be placed around a table based on size and comfort, or the adjacency and spacing between sofas and side chairs. High ratios between the size of a surface and elements on it can be utilized to highlight artwork and other objects on a wall; or in the relative sizes between rooms and connecting spaces.

Designers often point to the Golden Ratio as a key metric of a successful composition, but in practice there is no evidence that this ratio is more compelling than other organizing systems, such as the rule of thirds or the rule of a double rectangle. As designers, we are trained to implement organizing systems that are aesthetically pleasing. In practice, however, we should treat these systems as a baseline to help guide decisions about room size and height, placement of furniture in a space, and compositional strategies.