Interior design is the science and art of creating aesthetic and functional interior spaces. Beyond its visual beauty and functionality, interior design also aims to balance and support the well-being of its occupants.
This article explores the psychological effects of interior design, such as how it can affect a person's emotions, relationships, and behaviour.
The impact of interior design on our lives
Interior design psychology explores how design elements like colour, lighting, space, texture, and personalisation affect our emotions, behaviour, and well-being. Colours play a significant role in shaping how we feel, while light affects our productivity. Furniture layouts in a space can influence how people interact within the room.
For example, open layouts foster connection and socialisation, while zoned spaces encourage focus and privacy. Texture and materials create the room's sensory feel, while personalisation reflects the occupant's identity. Biophilia is a component of wellness design and helps to promote healthy living.
The balance of all these design elements through symmetry, harmony, and spatial planning defines the emotional flow within the space. It also caters to the occupants' diverse needs. Let us explore these elements in more detail below.
The role of space in human psychology
The design of our interior spaces has profound psychological effects on our emotions and behaviour. This phenomenon comes from environmental psychology, the study of how spaces impact our mood, productivity, stress levels and social interactions. For example, a 1984 study on hospital environments by Roger S. Ulrich showed that patients with a view of nature recovered faster and reported less pain than those facing the wall.
This research highlights how biophilic elements, such as plants or outdoor views, can positively contribute to our well-being. Another study by the International WELL Building Institute examined the psychological benefits of natural lighting in workspaces. It showed that employees with access to natural light experienced lower stress levels and were more productive.
A similar study by the University of Exeter found that adding plants to workspaces boosted productivity by 15% and improved overall happiness. These research examples highlight the need for biophilic elements and natural lighting to enhance physical and mental health.
The colour palette
Colours can have a profound psychological impact on our emotions, behaviour, and mental well-being. Each colour carries associations that evoke feelings, alter our perceptions, and influence specific physiological responses.
Thus, these psychological effects make colour a necessary interior design element, enabling designers to define the ambience and functionality of a room.
For example, red is frequently used in dining spaces because it can improve appetite and increase social interaction. A 1992 study on environmental colour, consumer feelings, and purchase likelihood by Joseph A. Bellizzi and Robert E. Hite found that red environments heightened excitement and energy compared to blue ones.
Comparatively, cool tones like blue, green, and purple can evoke calmness, relaxation, and positivity. Blue reduces stress and enhances concentration, making it ideal for bedrooms and offices.
Neutral shades like grey, beige, and white can create a sense of simplicity and balance. While neutral colours can convey elegance and spaciousness, overuse without accent colours produces a flat and monotonous interior. Pops of colour within a neutral palette can improve mood and engagement.
Colour combinations in space can arouse varied emotions depending on the context. For instance, red can enhance performance in attention-demanding tasks but can hinder creative work.
Conversely, green can inspire creative thinking and calmness in relaxation areas and brainstorming spaces. Studies show that bright, warm colours stimulate kids' learning and play, while soft, cool tones help them focus.
Lighting is more than illumination
Beyond its functional role, lighting also plays a central role in interior design psychology. It shapes how we perceive and interact with our environments. Natural light can boost mood and well-being, while bright, well-lit spaces typically feel open and welcoming. Dim lighting can evoke cosiness or even promote relaxation. It is why low lighting is integral in spas and meditation rooms.
Good lighting can make spaces feel expansive, intimate, energetic, or calming, depending on type, intensity, and placement. A study by Cornell University found that employees working in natural light experienced improved physical well-being and productivity. Sunlight helps to regulate our circadian rhythms, which control our sleep, mood, and energy levels.
It also triggers the release of serotonin, a hormone associated with happiness and focus, making spaces with abundant natural lighting more uplifting and energising. Similarly, the type of artificial lighting, its colour temperature, and brightness level can serve various psychological purposes. Ambient lighting is ideal for setting the overall mood of a room.
For example, bright, uniform lighting creates an active space and is ideal for offices. Conversely, dim ambient lighting induces relaxation. Focused lighting, like desk lamps, supports activities that require focus, such as reading. Warm task lighting can reduce stress compared to fluorescent lighting.
Accent lighting is ideal for creating focal points and adding depth and visual interest to a space. Designers use this type of lighting to highlight interesting architectural or decorative features, such as artwork. Layering ambient, task, and accent lighting can enhance the room's versatility and psychological impact.
Moreover, using the various lighting styles to balance light and shadow can inspire the intended psychological effect.
Furniture is not just about functionality
Spaces arranged around their intended functions can help occupants feel at ease, shape their mood and define behaviour within the rooms. For instance, a reading nook with task lighting, comfortable seating, and book storage will encourage reading and relaxation.
Beyond being functional objects, arrangement, style, and comfort can influence how individuals experience and interact within a space.
Research indicates that furniture arrangements can significantly affect our feelings of social connection or isolation. For instance, the seating layout of a living room can encourage or discourage conversation and social interaction. Additionally, furniture size can impact the room's spatial perception.
Open-plan spaces can benefit from unencumbered furniture layouts to encourage social interaction and comfort.
Conversely, cosy and intimate spaces like bedrooms often feature closely arranged furniture to promote relaxation, intimacy, and privacy. Beyond creating social environments, furniture placement should also support the functional needs of the space.
This includes encouraging movement, defining different activity zones within a large room, and providing storage to reduce clutter.
Function-driven design in interior psychology
This concept focuses on creating spaces tailored to their intended purpose and the psychological needs of occupants above aesthetics. This approach requires a keen understanding of how people use the space, its activities, and how design elements can align with its functions. The principles of function-driven design include:
- Defining the purpose of a space is prioritised over aesthetics. The design focuses on functionality, ensuring that aesthetics support the intended use.
- Optimising accessibility and flow through logical furniture placement and storage to support the room's function. For example, placing the sink, stove, and refrigerator in a triangular layout in a kitchen optimises cooking efficiency.
- Zoning and space definition for different activities within a room to optimise functionality and create balance.
These principles help design spaces that promote emotional well-being by minimising stress through organisation and encouraging productivity and efficient behaviour. By prioritising the specific needs of a space and its occupants, we can create practical, aesthetic, and emotionally fulfilling interior environments.
Sensory experiences
Sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste contribute to the sensory experiences of design. By engaging our senses with design elements, designers can influence the mood and behaviour in an environment.
Visual stimuli are the most conspicuous sensory elements in interior design, as they set the primary tone of a space. These elements include colour, lighting, texture, and spatial layout.
Acoustic comfort is often overlooked in design but plays a significant role in shaping the atmosphere. Poor acoustics or loud environments can increase stress, while pleasant soundscapes enhance relaxation and focus.
Materials and textures create tactile experiences that influence our comfort and emotional responses to a space.
For example, Scandinavian interiors often combine soft rugs with natural wood and smooth ceramics to create a harmonious tactile experience. Similarly, aromas like vanilla and cinnamon can evoke nostalgia, encouraging people to linger within a space.
Scent has a powerful effect on our emotions and memory as it engages the limbic system in the brain. So, a signature scent in your space can create a memorable and distinct brand experience in the visitor's psyche.
While taste is not directly engaged in most interior spaces, it can be influenced by elements that stimulate other senses, like smell and sight. For example, restaurants with cosy seats, warm lighting, and rich colours can enhance the appetite and overall sensory experience.
Thus, the most impactful designs will typically include multiple sensory experiences, creating immersive environments that feel complete.
However, sensory design is personal and influenced by culture, individual preferences, and experiences. For instance, some cultures prefer bold and vibrant patterns while others favour neutral tones with subtle textures.
Therefore, designers should consider these factors to create environments that resonate with the users.
Biophilia
Biophilic design incorporates natural elements like plants, water features, and natural materials to connect us to the natural world.
Modern lifestyles have disconnected us from the natural environment, leading to stress and fatigue. Studies show that natural environments can improve our mental and physical well-being.
Biophilic design seeks to bridge this gap by providing spaces that mimic the serenity and restorative effects of the natural world.
Designers can integrate nature by adding indoor plants to purify the air and induce calmness. Natural materials like wood and stone inspire a grounded and organic feel. Water elements like fountains and aquariums can provide visual and auditory relaxation while maximising sunlight to support our circadian rhythms.
Balance and harmony
Harmony and balance are the foundational principles of interior design. They influence how a space feels and functions, ensuring all the design elements are cohesive. Designers can achieve harmonious spaces through consistency in style, colour, and materials.
A room where all the design elements complement each other will evoke calmness and relaxation.
Comparatively, uncoordinated designs can provoke stress or discomfort. For example, chaotic layouts can create cognitive overload, leading to mental fatigue and increased stress. Vibrant, clashing colours can provoke anxiety, while excessive clutter can evoke frustration and chaos.
Moreover, an incoherent interior can affect perceived comfort levels. People may feel less at ease in a space that doesn’t visually flow, impacting their ability to relax or enjoy the environment.
For individuals who put a lot of thought into aesthetics, an uncoordinated space might feel like a reflection of the negative aspects of their personality or tastes. This can arouse low self-esteem or dissatisfaction with one's living environment.
Conversely, some people may appreciate eclectic or uncoordinated designs if they view them as creative expressions or the embodiment of personal style. This highlights the subjective nature of design and its psychological impacts.
Balance is when the visual weight of elements - furniture, decor, and architectural features - is evenly distributed across a space.
Designers can achieve balance in three forms:
- Symmetrical balance by mirroring elements on either side of a central axis. This creates stability and formality.
- Asymmetrical balance with elements of equal visual weight to achieve a dynamic and modern feel.
- Radial balance by arranging elements around a central focal point to evoke unity and focus.
Balanced spaces can provide stability and comfort, while imbalanced spaces can feel chaotic or unsettling. Aesthetically, balance creates visual appeal and design coherence through the even distribution of design elements.
Art and decor in design psychology
Beyond enhancing visual appeal, art and decor can also help establish mood, stimulate thought and emotions, and provide opportunities for personalisation.
Thoughtful artwork and decor can inspire emotionally resonant environments that align with the psychological needs of the occupants. Here are nine ways art and decor play a role in design psychology.
- Set the emotional tone of space through style, colour and cultural themes to evoke specific feelings. For example, a tranquil beach painting in a spa bathroom can enhance relaxation. A vibrant abstract art piece in a home office can spark creativity.
- Create a focal point for depth and visual interest. A well-placed artwork or a unique decorative object can anchor a room and guide how occupants perceive and interact with the space.
- Allow us to express our personality and identity, fostering ownership and emotional connection to our spaces. Personalised items like family photos, heirlooms, and cultural artefacts can create familiarity and remind us of cherished moments, values, and aspirations.
- Spur creativity, intellectual engagement, and curiosity in social spaces. For example, abstract art often invites interpretation and introspection, while books or curated collections can inspire curiosity and conversations.
- Art and decor can contribute to the thematic unity of a space, reinforcing its intended function and aesthetic. For example, oceanic paintings, blue accents, and seashell decor evoke a beach-like atmosphere, while vintage objects, wood frames, and nature-inspired artwork reinforce a cosy, rural feel.
- Reflect our cultural and historical heritage and connect us to our roots, or respect for other traditions. These may include cultural artefacts like masks and pottery to celebrate cultural identity and vintage maps and antique furniture to showcase historical appreciation.
- Enhance spatial perception to create comfort and reduce the feeling of confinement or disorganisation. For instance, mirrors can make rooms feel larger and brighter, while tall sculptures or vertically oriented artwork elongate vertical space.
- Art therapy is a concept that utilises art expression to evoke positive emotional responses. Designers can use art and decor to trigger the desired emotional response, such as excitement, curiosity, and nostalgia. For instance, a cheerful sunflower painting in the kitchen might evoke warmth and happiness. An inspirational quote in the gym can boost morale.
- Finally, we can use art and decor to reflect our evolving tastes or life stages. Swapping out artwork or updating decor allows spaces to remain fresh and relevant without a complete overhaul. Moreover, seasonal decor like nativity scenes for Christmas or floral patterns in the spring can align your home with the season, creating an emotionally resonant environment.
Cultural influences on design psychology
Cultural values can influence how we perceive and value interior design elements. For instance, certain cultures prioritise communal spaces that foster social interaction, while others may emphasise privacy.
Understanding cultural psychology can help in designing spaces that feel both meaningful and comfortable for their occupants.
The value of cultural psychology - how cultural values, beliefs, and traditions influence behaviour and perception - in interior design results in meaningful spaces that reflect cultural identity, significance, and cross-cultural appreciation.
For example, a Japanese-inspired design may feature tatami mats, shoji screens, and minimalist aesthetics to reflect a cultural emphasis on simplicity and harmony.
Designs influenced by multiple cultures can promote inclusivity and broaden appreciation for global aesthetics. Eclectic spaces combining Moroccan rugs, African artefacts, and Italian ceramics celebrate diversity while creating unique and personalised environments.
Conclusion
Interior design is more than visually appealing spaces; it shapes environments to enhance psychological well-being.
By understanding and applying design principles rooted in psychology, we can transform our surroundings into spaces that promote positivity, comfort, and productivity.
If you're considering a design and its effects on your well-being, what design elements are you curious about?
Comment below or schedule a Google Meet consultation to discuss how we can transform your space into an environment that reflects your identity, promotes the positive aspects of your style, and supports your emotional well-being.
