If someone suddenly asked how you feel about your master closet, you might understandably move to the other end of the subway car. But the question need not feel so personal. It turns out most of us harbor pretty similar feelings about the various rooms in our house or apartment, according to a fun new survey of domestic ambiances.
A research trio led by psychologist Lindsay Graham of the University of Texas at Austin gave 200 people a list of 18 possible rooms in an “ideal” home, then asked them to pick two ambiance descriptions that fit the room best. (The exact question: “As you enter each of the following spaces, what are the most important emotions or perceptions you would like to evoke within yourself and others?”) Participants could choose from a prepared list of 29 words, or write-in their own.
