If there’s one thing we’ve learned about our homes over the past couple of years, it’s that having somewhere you can escape to is – to put it scientifically – really bloody desirable. In fact, Italian research from 2021 showed that for younger generations, objective and subjectively perceived spatial features have a key role in mitigating the stressful effects of having to stay at home under lockdown. The research showed, perhaps unsurprisingly, that space available at home, in terms of residential satisfaction and crowding, is fundamental to wellbeing and perceived stress.
The idea of an emotional escape room is based on the concept of a safe room or panic room – a fortified room inside a house to provide protection in the event of a break-in or disaster. But where do we go when we’re experiencing an emotional disaster?
The concept of emotional escape rooms is not new, according to room psychologist Dr Barbara Perfahl. ‘Only the name
