F1 driver Max Verstappen uses the 'rule of three' to add subtle interest to his minimalist living room

To make an impact with a decorative display, the magic number is definitely three. Grouping three objects is a technique the world's best interior designers frequently employ to make the items they collect together a feature worth attention.

That was the design ethos behind F1 world champion Max Verstappen's home in Monaco. Unsurprisingly, well-being is at the heart of the design, but the living room is free from clutter and novelty features. Instead, a subtle room color palette, simple furniture, and minimal fittings result in somewhere that is calm and simple.

For a sophisticated take on creating a group of three, follow the lead of Verstappen. Aligned on the right of the image, above, these oversized vases add depth and dimension to what is otherwise a minimalist living room. The organic shape of the foliage softens the look and helps attract the gaze. 

The pyramidal arrangement leads the eye around the group of three – and it’s a shape that’s frequently used by designers exploiting the power of three. 

Be original when it comes to the design. It is easy to feel tempted into going down the maximalist route, but quite often, the simplest designs, which focus on just one or two key details, are the most profound. 

‘One-off unique pieces, grouped into three, create interest in awkward or small spaces,’ notes interior designer Natalia Miyar. Use strong or contrasting color schemes to add further intrigue.’ 

When using this failsafe technique, it also helps to play with scale in interior design. Playing with proportions also has the power to make a large or minimal living room feel cozy and intimate, but upscaling can also make a small living room feel a whole lot larger and more impactful than it really is, and of course, a super-sized feature, similarly to the ones used here, are instantly attention-grabbing. 

If your home is on the smaller side, you can still employ the 'rule of three' to create to brilliant effect.

It’s easy to replicate the 'rule of three' on a smaller scale on walls shelves or in cubbies, combining pairs of objects against threes – or even larger groups of odd numbers if the items are small scale – to bring dynamism to the display.