House numbers, personalized address markers, address plaques and signs are a great way to personalize your home. And A study was conducted to determine the types of judgments people make about others based on the design features of their living rooms. Previous research found that people make judgments about the occupants of a space based on its design and physical attributes. Few studies have examined the accuracy of social attributes people assign to the inhabitants of a living space based solely on environmental cues.

Findings

Consider that living rooms with wood floors, a rug, and more sparsely furnished may be associated with younger, lower-middle class, single adults.

Consider that living rooms with contemporary furnishings, pastel colors, and carpeting may be associated with young to middle age, middle-class couples and families.

Consider that living rooms with traditional furnishings, rich colors, and containing pictures, paintings, portraits, books, and expensive ornaments or collectibles may be associated with older, upper-class families or widows.

Design residential interiors that allow for personalization of space and presentation of artifacts important to the inhabitants.

Assist clients in identifying important social and personal values that they would like to present in their living spaces.

Key Concepts

Residential interiors reflect personal, group, and sociodemographic characteristics of the homeowner (i.e., age, gender, household structure, and religious beliefs) through the design, meaning, display of personal possessions, and use of the living space.

Men tended to make more occupation assessments based on environmental cues, while women made more family status assessments. Overall, work status, family status, and age were the dominant constructs used by the subjects to assign social attributes to room inhabitants.

Subjects used similar environmental features to assign social attributes of age, class, and family status.