Effects of Correlated Color Temperature and Wood Surface Gloss on Visual Comfort in Older Adults in Residential Interiors

Population aging has increased the need to improve visual comfort in age-friendly residential interiors. However, limited empirical evidence is available on the combined perceptual effects of correlated color temperature (CCT) and wood surface gloss in older adults. This study recruited 30 older adults and used a 2 × 3 within-subject design combining two CCT levels (2700 K and 4000 K) with three wood surface gloss levels (low, medium, and high). Eye-tracking, paired-image preference selection, and psychological impression ratings were used to assess visual attention, choice behavior, and subjective perception in a wood-based residential interior. The 4000 K condition produced greater sustained visual attention and a higher selection proportion than the 2700 K condition. However, the two CCT levels showed different subjective advantages: 2700 K received higher ratings for Warmth and Relaxation, whereas 4000 K performed better in Naturalness, Interest, Desire to use, and Overall comfort. Wood surface gloss affected visual attention and psychological impressions but showed no significant main effect on selection preference. Selected images also received consistently greater visual attention than unselected images. These findings indicate that CCT and wood surface gloss influence older adults’ visual responses through different perceptual dimensions. The results support function-specific coordination of lighting CCT and wood surface treatment in age-friendly residential interiors rather than a single uniform configuration.