Neuroaesthetics and Why They Matter to Interior Design
Allow me to paint you a scenario…
It’s reveal day (just like on TV) and you’re about to walk through the front door of your dream home. The interior designer holds you back for a moment, looks you straight in the eye with a curious request:
“I want you to feel your home before you see it.”
She takes you by the shoulders and guides you on a multi-sensory tour:
“Close your eyes and kick off your shoes so you can feel the cool marble floor. Pay attention to the sound and what draws you down the hallway. Touch the upholstery, note how you move around the room. Notice how you feel.”
I know what you must be thinking; To disregard the look of your newly designed space may seem like an absurd request. Especially when you’ve just invested all that time, money and energy into the careful selection of the colors, textures and finishes.
What if I told you that this designer’s curious request actually makes a very important point?
The reality is that interior design and its effects stretch far beyond the visual! In fact, we often miss out on the true benefits of design if we focus on the visuals alone. A wide variety of sensory experiences play important roles in a well-designed home. Vision still reins, but we humans are hard wired with other senses that influence how we experience an interior.
First, lets consider the classic senses you learned about in grade school:
Touch - the texture, temperature, hardness and softness of the materials we use in our homes: fabrics, cushions, wood, tile, handles, door knobs, flooring, glass and other finishes.
Hearing - what a room sounds like. Is it whisper quiet, or bright and brassy? Can you hear the kids playing through the wall or do voices bounce around the corner?
Smell - is the air fresh and breathable? Do you smell the fresh laundry, or did someone forget to turn on an exhaust fan?
Taste - Ok, we’ll leave taste out of the discussion. I do not recommend licking the walls!
Did you know we’re also equipped with three lesser known, but important senses that inform our brains about the environments we’re in? let’s get acquainted;
Interoception - gives you awareness of internal states like hunger and needing to find the bathroom. It’s also awareness of your emotions and how you feel about your surroundings, while vision allows you to see a color -interoception tells your brain how you feel about that color.
Your Vestibular sense provides your brain with information about staying upright, your head position, and spatial orientation. When a chair is comfortable and supportive, your vestibular sense is getting what it needs.
Proprioception is about knowing where your muscles and joints are in relation to the space. Proprioception is in play every time you get in and out of a sofa or chair and navigate your way around a room.
A well-designed space beckons all senses and sensibilities.
How we EXPERIENCE an interior beyond what we can see is critical to good design. When your home feels right and functions well, it’s providing your brain with input that serves your well-being. It considers how the furniture fits, how a room flows, how a kitchen functions, and convenient ways to store necessities. Design creates places for experiencing the whole of life - hospitality, security, rest, productivity, intimacy, and even optimism. In doing so, a home’s interior is a complete neuroaesthetic sensory experience. Not a room to just look at, but one to feel good and thrive in.
Back to that dream home…
Wouldn’t it be a nightmare if after a few weeks you notice that your newly furnished home office isn’t doing much for your productivity? You seem to be taking your laptop elsewhere to get work done. After an hour into a Netflix binge, your new sectional is making your back scream. No one wants to hang out in the living room. You’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the accessories. And then there’s that strange echo in the hallway…
Yikes! Again, a frightening hyperbole to illustrate that good looks don’t guarantee livable results. It’s possible for an interior to be pleasing to the eye, and yet miss the mark of all that really matters in a home.
With the right help you can design a home that responds to all your senses and sensibilities. Creating a positive neuro aesthetic experience in your home is what interior design is all about. It’s not only about colors and style. Design needs to provide the nurturing experience that touches every sense.
With Artistry, design always begins with a deep understanding of the unique person you are. Together, we seek to create a home where you experience your best self - supported and nurtured for life’s journey. Curious to learn more? Schedule your free discovery call!