the psychology behind homes that look better than others

About this video

• Video Title: the psychology behind homes that look better than others
• Channel: Five By Nine
• Speakers: [Not specified in the transcript]
• Duration: 00:19:47

Overview

This video explores the psychological principles that contribute to aesthetically pleasing and timeless interior design. It aims to teach viewers how to leverage these principles to enhance their homes without extensive renovations. The video covers four key "hacks": creating depth, optimizing lighting, strategic styling, and incorporating personality.

Key takeaways

• Depth through Verticality: Rooms appear flat when visual elements are confined to a single horizontal plane. To combat this "single plane trap" and the "dollhouse effect," incorporate elements at various heights (low, medium, high) to create vertical rhythm and guide the eye, making the space feel more expansive and dynamic.
• Curtain Height and Vertical Lines: Hanging curtains slightly below the ceiling line tricks the eye into perceiving a taller window and room. Similarly, vertical elements like fluted panels or tall bookcases create "lofting," drawing the eye upward and making spaces feel airier.
• Depth on the Horizontal Plane: Floating furniture slightly away from walls creates visual layers (foreground, middleground, background) and introduces "shadow lines" that signify depth, preventing the room from feeling like a flat image.
• The Power of Directional Light: Uniform, overhead lighting creates a flat appearance. Instead, use directional light sources to create contrast and shadows. Sidelighting at a 45-degree angle, especially on textured surfaces, sculpts the space and reveals its depth and dimension. Layering ambient, task, and accent lighting prevents corners from feeling dark and creates an immersive 3D experience.
• Styling with Hierarchy (The 3-5-7 Rule): Avoid perfect symmetry and instead create visual interest by grouping items in odd numbers, focusing on creating a "vignette triangle" with varying heights (tall, medium, flat) and ensuring the items have scale and purpose. This creates a natural flow for the eye and avoids a stiff, catalog-like appearance.
• Embracing Imperfection for Personality: A room that is too perfect and cohesive can feel sterile and lack soul. Introducing "intentional imperfections," personal items, or elements that clash in style or era (the 80/20 rule: 80% cohesive, 20% personal/imperfect) adds character, history, and authenticity, making a space feel lived-in and inviting.

The "single plane trap" refers to a common interior design mistake where most furniture and decorative items are placed at a similar, low horizontal level, typically starting from the floor and extending to about 2.5 feet high. This includes pieces like sofas, coffee tables, and media consoles.

When all the visual elements occupy this narrow slice of space, the eye has no reason to travel upward or into the corners of the room. Consequently, the brain perceives the space as a flat, two-dimensional image rather than a three-dimensional environment. This lack of visual variety and vertical movement makes the room feel compressed, static, and less substantial, a phenomenon designers call the "dollhouse effect."