Colour Preferences for Surface Shapes on Residential Interior Walls

Researchers have explored primary colour–geometric shape associations since Kandinsky’s correspondence theory. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding interior colour applications on surface shapes. To address this gap, an online study was employed to gather data with 100 participants who were asked to choose their preferred colours for shapes on bedroom walls with follow-up questions on the colour–shape semantic associations, their preference of colours and shapes on bedroom walls independently in addition to their favourite colour, their favourite shape, and colour–shape pairs without interior context. The results revealed that colour–shape preferences in interiors differ from those found in psychology studies, other colour applications on bedroom walls, and other preferences, indicating that colour preference is context-dependent. Interestingly, the most popular colour for surface shapes on bedroom walls is purple, followed by brown and blue. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing colour charts for bedroom applications for professionals in the industry, their clients/users, and future studies. The study presents a preliminary exploration of the topic. Further research could compare various demographic properties (such as gender, age, and culture), different colour attributes (including saturation and lightness), and complex geometric shapes.