Culture or Expertise: Creativity, Preference, and Formal Attributes of Interior Design by Americans and Koreans

Identifying formal attributes of creative interior design and any differences in such perceptions according to one’s culture and expertise can reveal underlying patterns in visual perception. This article reports a cross-cultural study of creativity, preference, and formal attributes of interior design evaluated by 158 participants from different cultures (Korean and American) and expertise levels (design majors and nondesign majors). They rated 6 photos of interior spaces regarding: (a) creativity level of each design; (b) aesthetic preference for each design; and (c) the degree to which each design exhibited complexity, uniqueness, curvedness, and emotionality. The results show a consensus in perceptions of: (a) highly versus low-creative design and (b) highly creative design as more complex, unique, curved, and emotional than low-creative design. Cultural and expertise differences were also found: (a) Americans rated all design as more creative, relative to Koreans; (b) design majors rated all design as less creative, relative to nondesign majors; (c) design majors preferred highly creative design than low-creative design, but nondesign majors did not; and (d) creativity and preferences correlated with more design attributes for design majors than nondesign majors. Uniqueness predicted creativity, and emotionality and expertise predicted preference. More differences existed by expertise than by culture.