Furnishing and Status Attributes

Abstract

In a society in which leisure and consumption have become increasingly central in the lives of individuals, the interior of a person's home may facilitate the pursuit of social goals and symbolize his or her status. This study, carried out in Italy, identifies two dimensions useful to characterize in a meaningful way the styles of interior decoration found in the living rooms of 100 homes in a metropolitan area. Findings indicate that the choice of a style of decor seems not to be mainly dependent upon income, but to be more related to the degree of status consistency and social mobility of the individuals.