Stable and clear living rooms

Recommendation 92
Make sure the living room conveys an atmosphere of ‘clarity’, is uncluttered and that the furniture has fixed places

Chapter (theme)
Interior design (living rooms)

Because of
ego-weakness and Central coherence

In order to
optimize the clarity and predictability of the home environment.

Elaboration
Predictability and clarity within the home requires a clear lay-out (see chapter ‘architectural spaces’); this goal can be advanced through interior design.
People living (semi-)independently are necessarily sufficiently self-reliant, which, in turn, implies they have no insurmountable problems on the ego-dimension, i.e. executive problems such as with memory and planning, and in their so called cognitive styles. However, one cannot assume none of these problems are present at all. Therefore, this recommendation is directed at difficulties related, but not limited, to the capacity for oversight, memory and central coherence. Additionally, possible motor awkwardness is a consideration too.

Specifically, assign fixed places to chairs, tables, cupboards and other living room furniture and strictly maintain these assigned places. Temporary obstacles such as bicycles or cardboard boxes, are to be avoided, as is clutter in general.
Furthermore, there should be ample space between furniture, cupboards et cetera, which should not have protrusions or other characteristics which could cause hurt or injury.
Since recommendations in the context ‘independent living’ are directed at people living alone, no additional measures in relation to socializing with others are mentioned here. If, however, one regularly receives visitors, additional measures should be considered.

These recommendations are part of a larger whole of measures for the living room, which should be remembered in spite of the specific themes in which they are divided. Among those are the positioning and size of walls, windows and doors (‘volumetric expression’), the necessary overview and zoning. (See the theme of this recommendation ‘living rooms’.)