The Impact of Design Elements on the Perception of Spaciousness in Interior Design

Abstract

This study was driven by awareness about the global housing crisis, concerns about the as well as land and resources scarcity. Today the pressing concern worldwide has resulted in a tendency to build houses that are much smaller than before. Interior designers therefore want to employ various design elements such as shape, volume, color, and light in a room in order to create the impression that the room is larger than it is. While the tools used by interior designers do not actually change the physical characteristics of space, they create visual illusions that alter the way individuals perceive space and spaciousness. The purpose of this research is to look at the long list of design elements that can influence the way people perceive the size of any room. This research therefore seeks to stress the importance of all design tools and elements that can be used in order to convey a feeling of spaciousness. With the scarcity of urban land and housing in general worldwide; the trend is to decrease the size of the housing unit. On the other hand, environmental concerns encourage the decrease of housing unit’s size in order to save resources, energy usage and reduce emissions. This research aims to shed light on the ability of interior designers to employ design tools to convey a feeling of spaciousness on Interior spaces. This research aims to examine the role of various design elements in the perception of room spaciousness and size. It confirms that the perception of the spaciousness of any room is an objective variable, and not a physical one. The integration of design elements such as the shape, volume, color, and light can alter our perception of how spacious a room is. The research outlined various results. It was noted that some colors and patterns impact the way humans perceive a certain space. The level of lighting, both natural and artificial, plays a major role in the creation of spaciousness awareness. Floor plans can also be shaped to have an impact on the perception of spaciousness. Yet, room volume, despite being ignored by many designers, is another major factor that influences how humans notice spaciousness. Thus the physical properties of space that characterize its level of openness, permeability and connectedness are crucial for its functional success. At the same time, it also influences its level of spaciousness - positively and negatively.