THE ROLE OF COLOR AND CONTRAST IN SUPPORTING AGING VISION IN INTERIOR SPACES

Abstract

This study investigates how older adults' visual comfort, preferences, and navigation experience are affected by interior color and contrast tactics. As populations age, the physiological changes associated with aging vision, such as decreased contrast sensitivity and color discrimination, make thoughtful interior design more important for promoting independence, safety, and well-being. Few studies have specifically looked at how certain color and contrast choices affect older adults' subjective comfort and design preference in addition to their navigation ability, despite the growing body of research on aging vision and wayfinding.The study used a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative thematic analysis, post navigation surveys, and structured virtual reality navigation exercises. Using the Meta Quest Pro headset, ten participants, ages 57 to 80, selected through a public university's lifelong learning program, navigated a SketchUp-based virtual model of an internal corridor environment. Three door color conditions; blue, yellow, and green were selected based on their distinct positions on the visible light spectrum, their frequent appearance in healthcare and residential interior design guidelines, and their differential legibility under conditions of reduced contrast sensitivity documented in the aging vision literature. These three colors were tested across three different levels of visual clutter. In addition to completing four navigation tasks, participants answered 13 questions about comfort, color preferences, and ease of navigation in a post navigation survey. The data revealed four themes. With zero navigation errors and the highest preference ratings throughout the entire study, blue was the most aesthetically pleasing and preferred door color. Yellow consistently produced visual confusion, resulting in all ten incorrect doors. approaches recorded during a specific task, a finding directly related to the physiological changes xviii associated with aging reported in the literature. The majority of participants preferred a moderately cluttered setting, indicating that overall visual complexity influences comfort and ease of navigation in addition to color. Unfamiliarity with VR interfaces was identified as a contextual factor affecting navigation behavior and is explored as a methodological consideration for further study. The findings provide evidence-based design guidance for interior designers, architects, and facility managers working in settings that support older adults, including prioritizing high-contrast saturated door colors against light wall surfaces, planning for moderate visual complexity over minimal clutter, and avoiding bright yellow in low-contrast wall environments. The study contributes participant-centered data to the field of inclusive interior design and lays the groundwork for more extensive sample sizes, a wider range of color conditions, and practical validation in the future.