Negative space is not just the bare space on a surface, or a portion of a shelf or table, where decoration hasn’t yet been placed. Rather, negative space is an essential element of small-scale compositions in a home. The bare surface around a vase, bowl, candle, stack of books, or collection of objects separates the forms, and provides a resting place for the eye. When all surfaces are occupied by decoration, even lovely objects can be difficult to see, because their silhouettes can begin to compete with one another.
There’s no specific formula for determining the right amount of negative space. On a large console table, for example, you may be able to create a larger composition with generous areas of open space on either side of the group, but on a narrower windowsill, you might need to arrange items more closely together. The question you need to ask is whether each piece of the arrangement is easily recognizable. Are two pieces overlapping to the point where their shapes can’t be distinguished from each other? Do multiple pieces blur into one big blob? If so, you’ll likely want to increase the space between the objects, to make the grouping easier to understand.
It’s common for novices to react to an area of open space by adding another piece of decoration. Soon a tray holds a candle, then a small vase, then a decorative box, then some greenery, simply because there’s a little bit of open surface left visible. But before adding to an area of negative space, ask yourself what the existing pieces are doing. An area of blank space can provide contrast to an anchor object, create a visual break between two groups, or counterbalance a piece with a lot of visual weight on the opposite side. Open surface is not necessarily unfinished surface.
Finally, there’s a difference between the space within a group and the space around a group. You can position a vase, bowl, and candle holder relatively close together, to suggest a cohesive unit, but still have plenty of open space around the group as a whole. Arranging individual pieces so they’re all spaced equally apart can result in a disjointed look. Bringing two pieces close together, and leaving more space before the third piece, can establish a clearer sense of hierarchy and connection.
To practice using negative space, take four or five decorative objects and set them down on a shelf or tabletop. Create an arrangement that you think is too crowded, and photograph it from a normal viewing distance. Then remove one piece from the arrangement, without adding anything in its place, and photograph again. If the arrangement still feels crowded, increase the space around the anchor object, or move two of the supporting pieces closer together, to create a clearer sense of clustering. Photograph each time, rather than moving all of the pieces at once.
Lastly, keep in meticulous mind that negative space is influenced by visual weight. A solid black bowl will probably need more space around it than a small glass vessel, even if the two objects are roughly the same size, simply because the bowl commands more visual attention. Branches, especially tall ones, create a different kind of negative space, since much of their silhouettes is open and light. Texture, color contrast, scale, and shape can also influence how full an arrangement appears, so physical distance is not the only indicator of whether you’ve created enough open space.
Finally, don’t just look at the pieces themselves when analyzing an arrangement. Observe the spaces between the objects, the open areas along the edges, and the shape of the negative space surrounding the group. If your eye can move easily from the focal piece to the supporting pieces, without being pulled into a dense mass, your use of negative space is likely working.