The relationship between complexity, preference and restorative potential of interiors

The main aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between complexity, preference and restorative potential of interiors. Eighteen black and white images of third places such as cafes, restaurants, and lounges were rated by 100 non-designer university students from three universities. They rated the images on preference, complexity, familiarity, perceived restoration potential and restoration components (being away, fascination, extent, compatibility). A single-item version of Perceived Restorativeness Scale was adapted to measure the restorative potential of interior spaces. Pearson’s Correlation, repeated measures ANOVAs and a mediation analysis were conducted. The results showed that preference a was positively correlated with both complexity and components of restoration. Complexity was positively correlated to fascination, extent, and compatibility. Fascination, Extent, and Compatibility mediated the effect of complexity on preference.