Date of Award
Spring 5-2015
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Construction
First Advisor
Claire L. Hamilton
Advisor Department
Construction
Abstract
This study analyzes the interior design choices made by homeowners of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast who rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, in order to determine how the natural disaster of the hurricane affected residential interior design aesthetics. The aim of the study was to determine if there was a correlation between homeowner’s disaster experiences and their interior design choices following the disaster. Survey results were collected from 128 homeowners of the Mississippi Gulf Coast whose homes were affected by Hurricane Katrina. The data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively, with little significance found during cross-analyses. Overall, the most prominent design changes were more a testimony to maintenance of materials than to aesthetic choice. The results of this study did not support the hypotheses that interior design is affected by a major regional change such as a natural disaster and that homeowners with similar disaster experiences would also choose similar design changes to their home. Instead, the results indicate that the aesthetic choices of a home are a personal reflection and rely on each individual’s tastes, rather than relying on generalized information.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Jelinski, Jamie L., "How a Hurricane Affected the Residential Interior Design of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast" (2015). Honors Theses. 306.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/306