Design elements and colors to influence human behavior

Human behavior is subconsciously influenced by a person\’s surrounds. There\’s a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to designing a home or office. In this article, we explore a few time-tested interior design trends and tricks using elements and colors which influence how we feel and behave in a certain space. These design tricks, commonly used in public places, restaurants, offices and hotels, can be adapted to home interiors too.

Use of Blue color: Blue promotes tranquility when used on a wall, hence it is often used in bedrooms to bring about a sense of tranquility and encourage good sleep. A calming blue color is seen in many spas and wellness centers to promote relaxation during treatments. When blue, calm and soothing, and white, clean and simple, are put together, you get the ultimate serene, tranquil space.

Use of Mirrors: Thoughtfully placed mirrors in a small space can provide a sense of openness and provide an illusion of depth in the space. Using mirrors strategically can help capture light and project it into darker spaces of the room. They also help highlight your favorite ornamental items by reflecting into your field of vision from different angles. One of our favorite design aspects with mirrors it to place a mirror opposite to a window to capture natural light and bounce it around the room. And remember, bigger the mirror, more the amount of space it appears to create.

Using patterned carpets: Patterned carpets have long been used by designers to seemingly lengthen hallways and make cramped spaces look bigger. The pattern draws the focus of your eyes outward thereby creating the illusion of more space. Horizontal striped carpets with lighter colors can make a small space look bigger.

Use of Green color: The color green is known as one of the easiest colors for the human eye to focus on for an extended period of time. Green is also a very soothing color which evokes the feeling of hunger when used as a wall color, making it the perfect color for a fine dine restaurant or dining area of your home. Red is also associated with hunger but is best used for busy establishments such as a fast food restaurant as it is an energetic color and encourages a quick exit.

Use of Dim Lights: As a restaurant prepares to go from lunch mode into dinner mode, it is common practice to dim the lights. While many may think this is to mimic the time of day, there is another mind-tricking reason for the change. Bright lighting coupled with red color invokes an energetic mindset, which creates turnover during the busier times of day. If you will notice, fast food restaurants have bright lights day and night to encourage a quick visit. Dim lighting in fine dine restaurants or pubs is comfortable and invites guests to enjoy a longer stay—or multiple courses and rounds of drinks.

Rooms without windows: Windowless rooms are most commonly used as a tactic to lose track of time, and in the case of a casino, spend more money. Bathing these confined areas in warm lighting tricks the mind into comfort, effortlessly allowing visitors to forget the time. Taking advantage of the windowless tactic, casinos use darker busy designs in ceiling and carpets to make the eyes of customers focus toward gaming tables and slot machines. You can use this tactic at home, preferably in a basement room, to create a space where you want to spend a leisurely day or evening, either alone or with a loved one.