Pattern Principles
The design patterns all are based on assumptions of what people do and don't like, which of course means they're not always right. Averaged over enough of the population, they do show tendencies that are easy to observe. These principles are about both psychological comfort and environmentally derived joy.
There are numerous related psychological reactions to buildings, many of which are discussed in the style section.
The Ideas1
People are drawn to the sun. Its why people flock to warm climates in winter. Except in the hottest weather, people like to be in the sun. Even when they don't want to be in the sun they want to be near it or at least have access to it (again, except when it so hot you feel like you need to hide).
People are drawn to light, but not too much light. Dark corners and hallways aren't generally appealing, but neither are rooms that are so bright people have to squint. Guests will naturally move toward bright spaces. Likewise, guests will generally perceive dark hallways as a barrier.
People prefer natural light to electric light, but at night prefer the warm color associated with incandescent light. People like the color of fire and they like to look at open flames, so maybe warm light feels more like fire. As as guess as to why "daylight" electric light doesn't seem appealing would be that the character of the light is different even if the color is any exact match. Electric light is diffuse, radiating 360° around the bulb, while daylight is directional. There is some evidence that people find things that are almost natural, but not quite to be somewhat unsettling.
People like to look at nature. Most people find nature peaceful, and appear to be just as happy looking at a manicured backyard as they do into the woods. The key is green and serene.
People will gravitate to any location where they can observe others moving about the area, but are not themselves in a place they feel on stage. The edge of a field is more comfortable than the middle, but not just any edge, but one where the field is generally visible. Most people will prefer a location where their back does not feel vulnerable exposed. By placing a sizeable object in the middle of an area (a large room, an outdoor space etc) the middle can become more like an edge, and people will then gravitate toward it.
Ceiling height affects the sense of psychological space as well as the sense of feeling protected; room size also matters. People sense ceiling height in terms of their own height. A low ceiling, particularly one that is low enough a person can touch it evokes a sense of protection, although lower than that can be claustrophobic. A very tall ceiling increases the feeling of psychological distance: this is why a person sitting three feet away in a tall ceiling train station feels further than one sitting 3 feet away in an airport2.
People do not like to linger in a place where others will pass by in very close proximity, but rather prefer to hang back at least a few feet.
People need quiet time, but don't like feeling isolated. While this sounds contradictory, it really isn't. Its why consultants, freelance writers etc spend much of their day in coffee shops. When people choose to be alone, they don't necessary want to feel alone. Extroverts, by nature need far less quiet time than introverts.
Stairs, doorways, and hallways act as psychological barriers, generally only for guests they can be used to partition the house. Occupied rooms can also be barriers, as in the odd awkward case where you have to walk thru one bedroom to get to another.
People do not want to be seen coming in and out of bathrooms, most particularly guests. Bathroom activities are intensely private for most people, and so the only people they are comfortable making aware of them are close family members.
People gravitate toward kitchens, particularly if there is activity in the kitchen. This is especially relevant for guests: if you want them out of the kitchen you need to design for that.
Notes
1: Most of these ideas can be found in Alexander, et al, "A Pattern Language". Some are adopted from other sources.
2: even the airport ceiling is likely ten feet high or more, as are virtually all commercial buildings, which is high enough. The effect appears non-linear: the change from 8 feet to 12 feet seems as significant as the change from 12 to 20.