Most people today lead busy lives and we encounter lots of different activities and situations. Playing sport, going to sleep, cooking supper or getting work done for a deadline are all really different situations. And I bet you can imagine quite different settings for each.

What can you see?

Humans derive feelings of safety and pleasure from inhabiting environments that offer both views and a sense of protection.

I wonder what you can see apart from the screen as you read this blog? Our views are important. More than most people realise. And it’s not just about beauty, design or taste. According to the geographer Jay Appleton, humans derive feelings of safety and pleasure from inhabiting environments that offer both views and a sense of protection (prospect-refuge theory). And for a view to count, we need to be able to see at least a few metres and preferably much further.

Photo credit **Devon Janse van Rensburg**

But what are we looking at and why does it matter?

We have a strong need to feel safe and some researchers link this back to our evolutionary past when we had to be wary of predators. Having our back protected and being able to see something coming explains why no one really wants to sit right in the middle of a restaurant or office.

Also, humans all need an optimal level of cortical arousal for alertness and day to day activities. And our visual environment is a major contributor to this. If you look around you now, it’s likely that there’s plenty to see. I have a view of the countryside from my home office, so I position my desk so I can see the trees, fields and wild birds.

Each of us has an individual optimum stimulation need at any particular moment. What that level needs to be depends on a number of factors which include our mood, what we are doing and our underlying nature or personality. Let's talk through a real-life example.

sharon & Yvonne

Sharon and Yvonne now work from home and share the spare room to do so. Each of them has quite different taste and they’ve discussed how to decorate the new space.
Sharon loves bright colours, and she would like a large piece of colourful abstract artwork on the wall and a bookshelf to display business books. Unfortunately, Yvonne doesn't agree! She dislikes clutter, especially in her workspace, doesn't want to see anything out, and likes neutral colours .

What might they do? If they zone the space and split it into two they will need to face the wall that they have decorated for their own preferences. That might work, But they actually quite like working with each other at home and would prefer to put the desks in the middle of the room so that they can see each other and chat a little in between periods of concentration. Short calls are tolerated and long calls are taken elsewhere. So what should they do? Should they compromise?

If we regard the situation in terms of views rather than territory the solution becomes more obvious. This is a perfect case of considering what you are looking at when designing a space for an activity. By decorating for each of their views, Sharon can enjoy looking at vibrant colours, modern art and busy bookshelves behind Yvonne. Happily Yvonne can enjoy the plain white wall behind Sharon especially because it is free from shelves and objects! Each gets a level of visual stimulus that works for them and their personality types. No need to compromise!

The same principle can be applied in any setting around favourite spaces, moods and/ or activities. This is an example of two people with different personalities. Another example might be you in different moods. For example you might want a cosy quiet space to read books alone and a busy sociable kitchen/diner space for spending time with friends and family.

Next time you’re creating a space ask yourself:

- What you (and others if appropriate) will be doing and where?

- What the optimum feeling is that you will want for that activity?

- What can be seen from different parts of your space?

- What can be seen from different seats?

And then when you’ve though about all the viewpoints, think about decorating options in terms of optimum mood and stimulus for you:

- COLOUR: Do you want bright, mid hue or muted colours walls and floors? Extraverts do tend to like a brighter and warmer colour palette because it's more stimulating and of course its vice versa for introverts. Bright or mid hue colours like red and orange work well in stimulation terms because they are on the warmer side of the colour spectrum. Whereas pastels especially in cool colours like blue and green as well as neutrals are more calming.

- STORAGE. How much do you need and in what style? The three main options are open shelves, glass fronted cabinets or closed cabinets. Remember that things out on show are stimulating. Some people like to see it, and other people like to put it all away out of sight. A glass fronted cabinet is a good compromise here as long as it’s kept tidy.

- STYLES & VARIETY. Think about whether you like everything matching or everything different. When things match they are less stimulating and a mixture of styles is more attention grabbing or stimulating.

- WALLS: Perhaps you want plain. Or colour block. If you like wallpaper will you go for a small or larger patterned one?

- OBJECTS OF INTEREST. These include artwork, books, vases, photographs, ornaments, plants and keep sakes. And you’ve guessed it, having more objects is more stimulating.

Objects of interest

What art, photographs, ornaments and other objects of interest do you like to have that make your space a little bit special and like home?

I’ve covered the main ones above, but don’t forget to consider the areas of lighting, layout, furniture, flooring and soft furnishings in the same way.

Have you considered your views? I hope you will add it into your consideration the next time you decorate.

Love and light

Michelle x

The important of views