Colour meaning is a challenging decision in interior architecture during the design process; however, specific meanings within different interior types have not yet been investigated. This study explored colour meaning in the context of residential interior types (eg, bedroom) under controlled conditions using 42 Munsell colours varying in hues, value, and chroma levels, with 14 adjectives (eg, comfortable, pleasant). The results demonstrate that some colours convey the same meanings (eg, vulgar) regardless of type of room; however, others (eg, beautiful) tend to require more complicated and sophisticated colour applications in different residential interiors. The study findings proved that colour meaning in RITs can be affected by all colour attributes. All colours that are named orange and red are selected for both negative and positive meanings. Colours that are named purple are selected less and only for negative connotations. The findings present an overall colour meaning guide for these residential interior types, which will be beneficial for decision makers (interior architects, designers, users) and colour researchers.

Most colour studies focus on single colour effects; however, interiors are multi‐coloured environments and contemporary users are looking for more innovative colour schemes in interiors. Interior architects rely on their own subjective experience and instincts when they take up the challenge. This study aims to reveal colour semantics of paired colours on walls for different residential interior types (eg, living room) as a second part of the previous study conducted by the same authors. Both studies explore colour semantics through 42 Munsell colours (with variety of hues, value, and chroma levels) with 14 adjectives (eg, beautiful, unpleasant, cold) under controlled conditions. The predecessor study had explored single colour meanings, however, in this study, participants were asked to pair colours for the same residential interior types on the same semantic scales. Thus, its results can be compared to single colour data on different residential interior types through same methodology and participants. Results reveal that all colour attributes affect semantics paired wall colours. Orange is associated with negative meanings more whereas yellow hue induces positive meanings more for all adjective pairs, except cold‐warm and feminine‐masculine. For positive association, lighter colours and less saturated colours are selected more compared to saturated and darker colours. Comparing results of single colour study and the current study reveals that pairs cannot be anticipated through single colours for all residential interior types and adjectives, and positive adjectives tend to require different colours than their single associations in their pairs.

Different learning methods (online, blended, blended-online and face-to-face) have been examined widely since the late 1990s. Although many design studies discuss engagement with these new methods in relation to studio modules, research/theory modules have not been investigated yet for interior architecture with both qualitative and quantitative data as a holistic approach. This study reveals how the new blended online learning method and the COVID-19 pandemic affected students’ written outcomes in a research/theory module that accompanied their design module. For this purpose, the final written submissions of two year groups (2019–2020 vs. 2020–2021) are compared with both qualitative and quantitative analyses: their grades (performance), image (visual productivity) and reference (engagement with research) numbers and NVivo word count analyses (semantic analyses). The results show no significant difference between these two groups for both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Moreover, the study reveals that the numbers of images and references are good predictors for the grades of final-year students, thus showing their contribution to overall performance. Final-year research/theory modules in interior architecture might therefore be taught with blended online learning methods and can challenge, innovate and tailor studio teaching to contemporary needs. The study findings will be beneficial for educators and professionals, as well as managers, institution administrators, policymakers and decision-holders in HE who aim to employ blended online learning.

Residential interiors (RIs) have been designed by anonymous designers throughout history and have reflected their users’ identity, culture, and habits until modern times, although design and architecture courses rarely involve residential interiors in their curriculums. Therefore, decision-makers (architects, interior architects, designers, and users) took them for granted. However, COVID-19 forced revisiting this approach towards RIs and they faced a gap in the literature helping them to design these interiors, especially workspaces, in order to improve their users’ experience. In connection with previous studies, which explored creativity in workspaces, this study aims to compile colour-related literature work on workspaces in RIs (WRI) which will require further attention from interior architects to reconsider the discipline under new normal conditions. Providing a framework for WRIs in terms of function and activity might lead to the semantics of RIs in future studies. This study’s findings contribute to the interpretation and understanding of new normal workspace interiors after the COVID-19 pandemic so it will be beneficial for decision-makers in addition to researchers who aim to investigate this topic in future studies.