The Effect of Feng Shui-Based Balcony Design with Indoor Ornamental Plants on Spatial Perception

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 4, 954 - 970, 17.10.2025

Kübra Karaman , Sergen İlikçi

https://doi.org/10.30910/turkjans.1718997

Abstract

People in cities spend more time indoors. For this reason, people who work and spend their time away from nature, with stress and a busy pace, squeezed into concrete buildings have adverse physical and psychological effects. Indoor ornamental plants have many positive effects because they are a part of nature in closed spaces. This statement is supported by national and international research (surveys conducted with users in many areas such as hospitals, schools, and offices). This study examined the effect of different balcony scenarios created with indoor ornamental plants on users' perception of space based on the Feng Shui philosophy. 13 experts from different professional groups, including landscape architects, interior designers, architects, and agricultural engineers, participated in the evaluation. Using a Likert-type scale, the experts scored 10 different scenarios designed with 3D modeling based on aesthetic, psychological, and tactile criteria. Basic statistical analyses (mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum) and internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach's Alpha) were calculated on the obtained data. The findings revealed that spaces designed with tropical and succulent plants received high scores, particularly in terms of concepts such as "natural appearance," "spiritual tranquility," and "refreshing effect" (mean ≈ 4.40). Additionally, it was determined that the aesthetic perception and psychological impact of the space were stronger in designs using diversified plant groups. The Cronbach's Alpha value above 0.80 indicates that the expert evaluations are highly consistent. The study demonstrates that indoor spaces landscaped according to Feng Shui philosophy not only have a positive visual impact but also leave a positive psychological effect on users, thereby scientifically supporting the importance of plants as a key element in sustainable and healthy indoor space design.

Keywords

Sense of space , Interior space , Ornamental plants , Natural appearance

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