The impact of color on furniture preference in the context of user emotions: The case of the Thonet No. 14 Chair

Abstract

This study examines emotional responses evoked by colors and how these emotions influence furniture design, focusing on the iconic Thonet No. 14 Chair. An interactive simulation using PHP and JavaScript allowed potential consumers to perform a coloremotion matching task. Users viewed a 360-degree-rotatable Thonet No. 14 chair across 16 emotional contexts and chose from 12 color options. The primary aim is to explore the emotional effects of furniture color on users and incorporate these insights into the design process. Specifically designed for this research, the simulation represents an innovative model for future studies by integrating 3D visualization with user interaction. The research compares two groups: participants with formal color education and those without. A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques was employed to evaluate how color influences visual perception in furniture design. Data were securely serialized and stored in JSON format to ensure integrity and ease of analysis. Despite limitations regarding age range, sample size, and the absence of real spatial context, the study demonstrates that color significantly shapes users’ affective responses to furniture. The results contribute to product design by highlighting the role of affective cognition and offering a replicable, scalable digital method for future studies.