The series of marks or points that measure distances; the proportion between two sets of dimensions.

Scale has a number of meanings within the discipline of interior design. It can refer to a method of delineation in technical drawing, the measure of distance in space, or the system of proportion that relates the size of objects to each other.

The idea of a scaled drawing has existed for centuries, as evidenced in some of Leonardo da Vinci’s earliest drawings. The idea of scaled drawings communicating design can be found in aincent delineations, but was formalized during the Industrial Revolution, when notational systems were deployed to represent the idea of the full-sized object in delineated form. These are typically related as the proportion of a measurable line to its full-size equivalent; for instance, ⅛" = 1'-0", or 1100. Each scale has a specific purpose in the communication of a design project. Types of scaled drawings include plans, sections, orthographic projections or any drawing that can be measured.

The other, less didactic, reference to scale in interior design refers to proportion; more specifically, it relates to the relative size of one object to another in a volume or on a surface. A large object in a smaller room will overwhelm the space and be considered out of scale, while a small object in a taller space will look equally out of place. The reliance on harmonious systems of balance, such as ratio and proportion, should not be overlooked. Ideas of “correct” sizing are always up for interpretation or radical reimagining.