Exploring Theories Identified in theJournal of Interior Design

Abstract

This study identified the need for theory building within interior design through the examination of content published in the Journal of Interior Design. From 1975 to 1991, the iournal was called the Journal of Interior Design Education and Research (JIDER) and then in 1992 was renamed the Journal of Interior Design (JID). Specifically, the purpose of this study was to identify all the theories reported in JIDER/JID from 1975 to 2008 to explore the extent to which theory is represented and applied to interior design and to identify any theories unique to the field. This journal was selected since it represents a refereed journal dedicated to the design of interior environments and serves as a credible source to explore the presence of theory in the body of knowledge. The findings identified that the theories, reported in JID, were primarily borrowed from the social sciences. In addition, the findings provided sample definitions of interior design theories cited in JID, and offered suggestions concerning why there is limited theory cited. Finally, themes and subthemes emerged that shaped a model, which offers a representative image of theory in JID and the presence of theory in the body of knowledge. This study is but the first stage in the process of identifying and building theory specific to interior design. Future areas of research are suggested to shape additional conversations concerning interior design scholarship focused on theory building and development.The design of interior spaces revolves around human beings, human life, and human activities. Human behavior is unpredictable, messy, and creative; therefore, theories are not always predictive or easy

Spatial User Experience: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Assessing Physical Settings

“…The SUE model responds to this claim by describing how the environment influences the experience of the users. We expect it to be a contribution to theoretical construction in Interior Design, in which researchers have mostly adopted theories from other fields to sustain their studies (Clemons & Eckman, 2011).…”

“…People spend most of their lives making use of physical settings such as homes, classrooms, workplaces, commerce, and urban environments. As Clemons and Eckman (2011) stated, "The design of interior spaces revolves around human beings, human life, and human activities" (p. 31). Accordingly, researchers in the field of Interior Design have integrated the users and studied their role throughout the design process (Oygur & McCoy, 2011).…”

“My School and Me”—Exploring the Intersections of Insideness and Interior Environments

“…as well as adults (office spaces, homes, health-related environments, etc.) along with a diversification of the backgrounds of participants can expand the theoretical direction that is applicable to interior design (Clemons & Eckman, 2011;Pable, 2012).…”

“…Using qualitative interviews with six freshmen from an inner city Minneapolis high school, this study adds to interior design body of knowledge. By exploring how the school environment and student identity intersect, the paper begins to further the field's theoretical basis to include ones that are interior‐centered (Clemons & Eckman, ). On a theoretical level, our findings reveal that in interior environments, “insideness” occurs through varying scales, from the overall room to the planes of walls, ceilings, and floors, as well as elements.…”

Translating across Disciplines: On Coding Interior Architecture Theory to Advance Complex Indoor Environment Quality

“…The interior architecture knowledge base comes from a wide range of research methods and knowledge claims, such as, but not limited to, theoretical approaches [79], including envronmental psychology theory [20]; empirical approaches, such as controlled experimentation, e.g., [39], historical, e.g., [80], and social sciences, e.g., [81]; and practiced-based research by design [82].…”