The article presents the results of studying the socio-psychological characteristics of youth with different preferences in the design of residential environments. The aggregate sample included young people - boys and girls - whose average age was 22 years. The following methods were used: author's technique "Dream House", Value orientations - 36 (Kunitsyna), "Index of the life style" (Pluchik, Kellerman, Conte), "The third personal questionnaire of the EPI" (Aizenk), "Self-Assessment-12" (CO-12, Kunitsyna). As a result, it was found personal value orientations, features of self-esteem and the mechanisms of psychological protection can be the criteria for choosing the preferred way of structuring and aesthetic design of the dwelling. Value meanings can be built into the axis of "individualistic needs" - "the needs and expectations of society", and a number of universal human values indicate an intensive occurring process of self-determination. Features of self-evaluation are generalized in two criterial planes "I" - "the other" and "following the tradition" - "creative self-expression." The preferred interior can also express its philosophy with a defensive personality strategy, serve as a shelter from routine, strengthen certain personality traits.