It’s not as simple as it sounds this interior design lark. The choices you make in your home can actually have far reaching consequences on your life, whether it’s painting your kitchen blue, or your child’s bedroom yellow.
Interior designer Niki Schäfer specialises in the psychology behind these choices, recently authoring the award winning book Creating Space. Which is why we’ve got her along to give us her top ten tips on the psychology of interior design…
1. Colour
Colour can affect our moods, emotions and behaviours. The human eye can see seven million colours and each person’s perception of these colours is different. What’s more, all colours change in depth according to their lightness or saturation. Consider how you feel whilst at home, at work, at a friend’s house, when eating dinner if you are in a room dominated by a certain colour – does your mood alter at all in any of these locations?
2. Yellow
Pastel yellow is a friendly, soft colour, providing the impression of a bright and cosy interior, whilst babies cry more in bright yellow bedrooms and your family may be more prone to arguments if your kitchen is bright yellow. So do a bit of research before choosing your next colour scheme and make sure you’re not setting yourself up for a fall.
3. Clutter
We are happier when we are moving forward and making progress. If the home is full of obstacles for us to trip over physically or emotionally we can feel very overwhelmed by our surroundings. De-clutter regularly.
4. Light
We are instinctively drawn to the lightest part of the room, we feel safe and warmed by natural light. Place an armchair in the light and feel the benefits of the morning sunshine. It will have a wonderfully beneficial impact on your wellbeing.
5. Kitchens
The kitchen is often the focal point of our homes, this is our heart space, and it is where we connect as a family – where issues are discussed, problems shared, homework is completed and businesses are started. Kitchens are no longer solely used for food preparation, its function is changing and so too must our approach to designing them. Large kitchen tables create space and are welcoming of open conversation. Consider how fixtures and fittings work together. This space needs to be a place to feel, to listen, to be heard, and be joyful.
6. Blue mood
It’s not just our moods and emotions that colours can enhance, they can also cause physical reactions. Incredibly vivid colours can be nauseating or distracting. Blue is thought to be an appetite suppressant and therefore not necessarily a great option for the dining room (or a great choice for plates if you are dieting!)
7. Keeping it calm
All our lives are different and our homes should reflect this. A whitewashed, open plan, glass fronted kitchen might make one family feel purity and calmness because of its simplicity and fuss-free nature. Another family could feel restricted, stressed by how sterile it is, with no warmth or welcoming appeal.
8. Bedrooms
We spend a third of our lives sleeping and our bedrooms are by far the most intimate space in our homes. If shared they need to meet the needs of both people if a relaxing, thought provoking environment is to be successfully created. Your ‘Dream Space’ is your space to envision life as you want it but good quality sleep is fundamental to our moods and our health. You need to consider lighting, fabrics, furniture, colour etc.
9. Fabrics
Fabrics and patterns can also impact our moods. Fun, playful patterns tend to make us happy and smile whilst mixing complex prints and a rainbow of colours can go one of two ways – inducing a highly creative environment or painful to the eye and mind. The feel of different fabrics draws on all our senses. Silk is more sensual and creates feelings of wealth and expense, whilst thicker materials help to absorb sound and create a more acoustically pleasing room.
10. Values
It is important to align our personal values with our home. Some people value aesthetics and to these people how the house looks will be very important. Others prioritise their economic and political values above aesthetics and therefore will be more concerned with whether their property fits with their financial standing or their place in politics and the community. Have you prioritized your values?
You can visit Niki’s website here.
