Interior colour design: an investigation of designers' aims and objectives, their translation into environments, and an analysis of the users' responses

Abstract

Colour plays an important and continuous role within our daily lives. How could it fail to have an effect on us? Many of the colour conditions that we are exposed to are the result of other peoples design and control. This report sets out to illustrate that the subject of colour design, and its effects within our direct environment, is clearly a relevant one. It provides an insight into how designers design, what their design intentions are and when these are translated into working environments, how they are responded to, by the users (the people who work in them). These areas of reasearch were examined by conducting: (i) A literature search for relevant information. (ii) Interviews with four designers -Firstly with general questions illustrating their theories on how they design for colour, what they feel their responsibilities are as designers, the use of colour 'codes' or 'rules', their relationship with the clients and/or users, the presentation of their schemes, the lighting, and any follow up work. (iii) The same designers were asked questions to determine their design objectives and aims in relation to a specific job. (iv) Questionaires were used to examine the users' responses to those jobs in use. The relationships and links between them are discussed. The conclusions establish whether there is a need for further, more detailed and comprehensive research into the designers aims and objectives in relation to users' responses.