Private and public use of the living room : an upper income case in Ankara

Abstract

The main focus of this study is examining the activities that are performed in the living room and interior design of the living room. In the living room both private and public activities can be performed. Living room serves as a stage where dwellers reflect their identity to the outside world. In this study, the factors that affect the use and interior design of the living room are defined. According to these factors, the group differences in the use and interior design of the living room has been examined. A field survey was conducted in “Angora Evleri” which is an upper income suburb in Ankara. Results indicated that the existence of the family room affected the type, number and frequency of activities that were performed in the living room. The existence of the family room also affected the intentions for the interior design and the selected interior design elements in the living room. Moreover, the selected interior design elements in the living room varied according to different groups of users. The results of the study indicated that the interior design of the living room was related to gender, occupational status and time spent in the house, whereas the use of the living room seemed independent of these factors.