There is more to your surroundings than just four walls and a coat of paint. Your emotions may be affected by it. It can improve your self-worth, calm you down, increase your productivity, get your kids to behave better, or get your customers to spend more money. The most recent wallpaper or a gorgeous set of drapes are only a small part of what makes up our environment.
What are we overlooking in our houses if the psychology of interior design is far better understood in a commercial setting than it is in a personal one? What exploits are we overlooking? What effect might we be having on our self-worth, stress levels, relationships, and productivity?
Humans use their senses to respond to their surroundings and environmental changes. In terms of interior design, the senses can also arouse particular feelings. But why do humans respond differently to various materials, sights, and sounds? And how do brands use this to convey a clear statement about the fashion they want to convey? The psychology of interior design will be covered in this article, along with other questions on what’s best to consider if you want to make your space scientifically better from a psychological standpoint. We will also include our recommendations for using texture, pattern, lighting, and color in your space, whether it be an office, a living room, a restaurant, or a school, in addition to what the science has to say about interior design.
Psychology of Textures In Interior Design
Let’s use the exposed brick walls in the classroom as an example of the texture to analyze first. Roughness and irregularity may be evaluated negatively; one study, for instance, indicated that smooth textures are viewed more favorably while abrasive surfaces were associated with harshness.
Another study discovered that when we are in a bad mood, we are more observant of and drawn to the tactile features of objects. This indicates that when you touch something instead of just looking at it, you are more likely to feel better. On the other hand, people who are feeling good tend to be more open to visual cues.
Obviously, when it comes to texture in interior design, it is much more complex than this. Combining different textures in a room can actually give it more dimension, which is a terrific thing. Textures may be a terrific way to give a space some life instead of making it appear hollow and lifeless by having smooth textures all over the place. Although psychology would seem to indicate that rough and uneven textures tend to trend toward the more unpleasant side of the emotional spectrum, changing up your texture choices can create focal points that highlight particular areas of your room. A break-out area or activity room, for instance, can offer a lively element to an office and help to distinguish between work and leisure time.
Psychology of Patterns In Interior Design
Shapes, lines, colors, and kinds are combined to form patterns. Thinking carefully about the type of pattern you use in any given place can make all the difference because patterns also appeal to our sense of sight. According to the science and psychology of design, we view spaces with more curved lines as being cozier than those with more straight lines, which we see as being more efficient.
Although straight lines and right-angle accents can give a space a sense of strength and efficiency, using them excessively runs the danger of making a space feel tense and stressful if they appear too harsh. Think about the areas where incorporating lines with various curvatures would be acceptable, similar to the advice to blend textures. Naturally, focus on mixing things up where it makes sense to do so. For instance, if you overdo it and make the area look cluttered with patterns, customers might not even want to enter your retail store.
Psychology of Light In Interior Design
Different brightness levels in a location can have both beneficial and detrimental effects. For instance, varied brightness levels, color temperatures, and even light itself can elicit distinct feelings. According to a study that examined the connection between indoor surroundings and job happiness, having enough natural light streaming through at an office desk, for instance, can increase well being and job satisfaction.
Another study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology indicated that warm lighting produced warmth whereas blue lighting induced feelings of stress. In the part that follows, we will talk about colors in more detail. According to research on its advantages, letting natural light into your rooms during the day can assist in regulating our circadian cycles, which keep us awake and aware throughout the working day.
Lighting can be used in three important ways to subtly but effectively establish a particular mood and environment as well as to affect persons who are in a space:
- Warm lighting relaxes us. The soft lighting mimics the natural lighting of dawn and twilight, which promotes relaxation. In addition, it helps the release of melatonin, which promotes sounder sleep. Warm lighting works best in living areas and bedrooms. Business areas like restaurants and spas would benefit most from it.
- Being exposed to cold lighting awakens us. It has been demonstrated that cold lighting increases workplace productivity. Because blue light is thought to stop the brain from producing the aforementioned melatonin, it has also been significantly associated with difficulty falling asleep. Areas that call for concentration, like a home office or workspace, are best suited for blue illumination.
- Bright lights heighten our emotions, which can be either positive or negative. Bright lights heighten our emotions. For instance, despite the temperature remaining the same, participants in a research from the Journal of Consumer Psychology reported feeling warmer when asked after being in bright light. So, in settings where rational thought is required, low illumination should be used.
Psychology of Color In Interior Design
It is debatable if color plays a significant role in how people respond to their environment. It is understandable why color psychology has been applied to a variety of industries, including marketing and interior design.
While a study into the psychology of colors and how they affect us is still in its infancy, context is the key to color psychology in marketing. For instance, red is utilized as a call to action and blue is used more frequently in corporate marketing materials. Green can be used in branding for money as well as to convey messages about the environment or the natural world.
The context of the colors you choose for your interiors should be considered in the same way that the context of colors used in marketing plans and strategies. Making your home a haven of quiet away from the insanity of the outside world is very popular these days because of how busy and crazy today’s society is. Pantone classic blue, a color that has been shown to be a serene, calming shade, is one example of a calming, tranquil color that enhances this style. This color palette embraces the tranquil, unhurried look by bringing the outside inside and blending beautifully with plants and leaves.
Understanding how our brains perceive visual stimuli in our environment can, no doubt, help us make informed and thought-though decisions in regards to interior design of our homes to make them fit our needs. Organizing our space in a particular way with this knowledge in mind can empower you to create a home or an office that meets your needs in subtle ways, encouraging subconscious thought patterns and emotions you need from a space you will find yourself in a lot, and thus improving your life in a subtle yet very effective way.
