I read a book this summer by a mathematician that
blew the Golden Ratio off it's pedestal. It's not clear
that the GR is all that "Golden". People point to
various buildings, flowers, the shell of the nautilas, etc,
but when you try to really figure this out, it doesn't
hold true for many things. However there ratio of
1.6 to 1 has been proven to be pleasing to the eye
and since the GR is close enough, then you can't
go wrong in using it.

I just wouldn't try to design something that is to
a specific ratio, but perhaps to a scale of the
things around it. A garden gate that is out of
scale of the fence will feel uncomfortable, etc.

I love Frank Lloyd Wright's work and what I take
from him is to design based on function and
the surroundings. Look to nature for your models.
Good luck!

MJ Wallace