Designing Our Moods | How Interior Design Relates to People’s Psychological Needs

Entered By: Meghan Hernandez

January 2023

Most people are familiar with how interior design can impact the physical world around us. We can feel the coldness of tiles on our feet, the soft textures of fabrics and see the beautifully instagramable spaces that surround us. However, Interior Design can affect us in more than just a physical way. Great design intentionally responds to the physical and psychological needs of the end user. The various design elements in a space can trigger different emotional responses, so how can designers use these elements to encourage appropriate responses?

One of the most psychologically impactful design elements is color. Warmer colors such as red, orange and yellow can evoke passionate emotions and high energy. They can also evoke the more unfavorable emotions such as, anger and hostility. Cool colors such as blue, purple and green can evoke calm, comforting emotions and sometimes sadness or even indifference. Color becomes important in design since different spaces need to support the appropriate emotions in the users. We see warmer colors being used more in gyms and high social areas where people are needing that high energy and optimism. In Healthcare facilities cooler tones are being used more frequently as accents and neutral colors. Healthcare environments should feel safe, calming and comforting for patients and employees. Patients often need an environment that will help relieve anxiety and restlessness before an already nerve-racking event they may be there for.

A more recent and trending design element being used to engage emotions and senses in end users is biophilic design. Biophilic design is the idea of bringing the outdoors inside through color, nature and lighting. Designing with nature in mind has been shown to support emotional wellbeing, increase kindness, social connectivity, and reduce stress among countless other things. Designers can use aspects of biophilic design like natural lighting, cooler colors, open concept plans and greenery to add to the emotional impact of a space.

Another example is furniture and how it can be arranged in a space. Different layouts can influence the interactions between people and their sense of privacy. Chairs in a waiting room facing the reception desk may create feelings of uncomfort and a lack of privacy to those standing at the desk. Open workplaces encourage collaboration. Comfortable seating invites people to stay longer and relax, whereas plastic chairs and wooden benches give a more disinviting feel and encourage people to not linger. These differences can be vital to the success of a business. For instance, a fast-paced restaurant may not want people lingering so they are able to serve more customers. Designers use their knowledge of furniture design and appropriate layouts to spark these certain behaviors in the end users.

There are other components of design you may not be able to see in the space itself that can have an impact on human behavior and emotions. A good example is acoustics. Designers can specify different materials and specialty products for flooring, walls and ceilings to manipulate how sound travels through a space and how loud or quiet it can be. A noisy environment can be distracting and aggravating, and an environment where the noise is controlled helps relieve stress and boosts productivity. The interior design of a space can have a huge impact on people’s psychological responses, and therefore, their behavior while in that space. Great design considers both the physical and emotional needs that an environment should satisfy for all end users.

Text Sources:

Color psychology: The affects of color (mountainvistapsychology.com)

Can Biophilic Design Improve Emotional Wellbeing? (Interface.com)

Image Sources: RMK, Seattlemag.com