5 Ways that Interior Design Influences Your Mood
9 Mins Read
July 07, 2021
Anyone can relate to the feeling of walking into a doctor’s office with intimidating white tile floors, uncomfortable chairs, and painfully outdated wall art. It’s not just your impending appointment that’s making you feel anxious – it may also be the interior design! On the other hand, you might feel differently about your favorite bookshop, with its warm wood floors, cozy reading chairs, colorful book displays, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Whether it’s your local cafe, your office, or your home, the psychology of colors in interior design affects us every time we enter a new space, whether we’re aware of it or not. This is part of why the job of interior designers is so vital – how can a client unwind on the weekend if their home is poorly designed and uninviting? How can your staff produce good work and stay positive in the workplace if your office is dreary and isolating? Of course, the psychology of interior design plays a role in sales for businesses, as well – when you dine out at a restaurant, the quality of the food is a primary factor, but you might also be more likely to get a customer in the door a second or third time if they enjoy the ambiance while they chow down.
When we think about the design process, we reflect on aesthetics and functionality. But, somewhere in the middle lies the psychology of interior design. When undertaking a new project, think about how you want people to feel in that space. While pink and purple walls might fit well in a preschool classroom, a funky salon, or a trendy boutique, how might that make someone feel in an emergency room?
The emotional impact of interior design is complex, but by learning more about how it makes us feel, we can channel these considerations into our practices.
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It’s no secret that colors impact our mood – when we’re feeling sad, we even say that we’re feeling blue! The emotional impact of color is well-known in the marketing industry. For example, international fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s use red and yellow in their logos and stores, because it’s proven that the combination of red and yellow makes people hungry. Studies even show that too much red can cause an increase in your heart rate! Here are some of the effects of colors that interior designers generally agree upon:
Clutter makes us anxious – think of piled up dishes in the sink, or a stack of laundry that still needs folding. Sometimes, especially when it comes to the psychology of interior design, less is more. But of course, there’s always a counterbalance. If you have too much-unused space, it might generate feelings of loneliness. Even in minimalist interior design styles, minimalism doesn’t necessarily mean emptiness – it means choosing simpler designs, avoiding loud prints, and sticking to a limited color palette.
Sometimes, as an interior designer, you don’t get to decide how big space is from the get-go – you just have to make do with what you’re presented. The use of space intersects with its functionality; for example, when decorating a small kitchen, you may opt for hanging storage to organize pots and pans. Creativity is key when making smaller spaces feel bigger. Many designers opt for open floor plans to make space feel more open.
If you’re not able to undergo construction, simple tricks like hanging mirrors on the walls can make your room feel larger. You can also make the room feel more open by using lighter colors. If you’re decorating a studio apartment, for example, opt for a white coffee table, rather than black or brown! Once again, color plays a prominent role in the psychology of interior design.
It’s no secret that natural light makes us happy, and darkness can bring us down. When working on new construction, be mindful of placing windows where more light will shine in – remember that in the western hemisphere, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west! More often than not, window placement will be out of your control, but you can still keep the psychology of interior design in mind when considering the presence of light within a room. For example, if you don’t want to dim the shine of the sun, decorate windows with translucent curtains to prevent blockage.
You also might want to think about where people will spend the most time within the room when placing furniture – for example, if people will likely be sitting on the couch in a living room, place the couch near the window so that the occupants will reap those natural benefits.
If natural light isn’t a possibility, don’t fret – while artificial light isn’t ideal, you still have the capacity to think critically about light fixture placement, as well as the type of light bulbs you use. These choices can make even a windowless room feel a bit more inviting. Warm-hued lighting can be calming, whereas bright LEDs and fluorescent lights can feel alienating and imposing. Don’t be afraid to sway toward a bohemian style, using Himalayan salt lamps or electric candles to make your artificial lighting feel more intentional.
You have probably heard the term Feng Shui used in conversation, but might not be sure exactly what it is, or what it means. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy that emphasizes peace and harmony among the elements. Practitioners of Feng Shui believe that the optimal placement of objects or furniture can summon positive energy, resulting in wealth, better relationships, happiness, luck, and more.
When it comes to the psychology of interior design, certain principles of Feng Shui are highly applicable, whether or not you’re an expert on the practice. Here are some tips and tricks that will bring a bit of traditional harmony into your design practice:
Whether or not the mindset of Feng Shui resonates with you, these long-standing principles of healthy interior design might still help you out in a pinch.
What makes interior design so exciting is that no two projects are alike. The process of decorating a California beach home will be undoubtedly different from designing the conference room of a start-up! When it comes to working with individual clients in their own homes or businesses, keep the personality of your client in mind. While lighting, colors, and other factors play a role in the psychology of interior design, perhaps the most obvious way to create a joyful space is to tailor it to your client, keeping their wishes at the forefront of your process.
When a homeowner comes home after a long day of work, they want to feel like their space is their own. Designing for a musician? Hang their guitars on the wall for easy storage, access, and style! Renovating the kitchen of an avid home chef? Talk to your client about their cooking habits and render their dream kitchen! The psychology of interior design isn’t one-size-fits-all, because every client is different. While one homeowner might feel comfortable surrounded by quirky contemporary art, another homeowner might prefer a more vintage style. The best way to assess your client’s personalities is to get to know them!
Conclusion
From offices to homes, to restaurants, interior design influences our mood more than we think. In your practice, keep the psychology of interior design at the forefront of your mind when beginning a new project. How do you want your clients to feel when they live in their space? Not only will interior design influence your client, but also, it can subconsciously affect the perception of guests. By thinking through the subtle effects of color, space, lighting, Feng Shui, and personality, you can leverage the psychology of interior design to benefit both you and your clients.
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