The look and feel of your living space can tell others a lot about your unique personality and your overall mood. And the older we get, the truer this becomes.

In a study of nearly 300 people aged 65 or older by University of Texas (UT) researchers, photographs of homes were analyzed for brightness, cleanliness, and newness. The researchers found that the happiest people were those whose homes most closely mirrored their personalities.

“People who have a match between personality and living space report better well-being, and they feel better about their life and have a better mood,” said Karen Fingerman, a UT professor of human development and director of the Texas Aging and Longevity Center.

The researchers also found telltale clues that helped them correctly identify certain personality traits in home owners. People who are especially outgoing and extraverted, for example, tended to decorate their homes in cheerful decor. Not surprising given they’re more likely to entertain guests.

Highly Logistical types who are keen on orderliness and organization, on the other hand, preferred home decor that featured comfort and newness.

Researchers did not find the same home decor correlations with the remaining Big 5 traits – Ideation, Accommodation, and Emotion. However, Imaginative people who lived alone tended to be happier when their home decor matched their personality.

The first-of-its-kind study could have significant implications for senior living facilities, which often take a cookie-cutter approach to interior living design. By allowing tenants to design their living areas in ways that fit their personalities, their levels of happiness and wellbeing could be increased.