Page 30 - Decor and Lifestyle Issue 2 2025

Design for the

NEURODIVERSE MIND

very home is a conversation with the Hard surfaces amplify sound; glossy finishes bounce light; open plans offer no
senses — and for neurodivergent retreat from activity. For someone whose senses don’t filter input easily, the
Epeople, that conversation can be result is constant background tension.
overwhelming. Flashing lights, echoing
spaces, hard textures, visual clutter — The fix isn’t expensive. It’s intentional.
all these common design choices can • Introduce zoning — visual or spatial cues that separate noisy and quiet
exhaust a brain wired for sensitivity. areas.
Yet few homes are designed with these • Use absorbent materials — rugs, curtains, upholstery — to soften acoustics.
realities in mind. • Reduce visual clutter by keeping horizontal surfaces clear and storage
closed.
The neurodiverse mind doesn’t need
special treatment; it needs thoughtful These small acts of design can turn chaos into calm.
design. Spaces that regulate, not
overstimulate. Homes that offer both The science of comfort: layout, acoustics, colour
calm and choice. The shift begins when Comfort isn’t aesthetic; it’s neurological. Research in Frontiers in Psychology
we start designing not for perfection, shows that acoustics, light, and layout directly affect emotional regulation. A
but for comfort that includes everyone. room with balanced sound absorption, predictable spatial flow, and warm but
neutral colour tones can lower stress hormones measurably.
Sensory overload in modern homes
— and how to fix it Designers are starting to rethink what “open plan” means — not endless
Modern interiors often prize impact: sightlines, but flexible zones with rhythm and containment.
bold colour, open-plan layouts, exposed
materials. But for a brain that processes • Rounded corners and curving furniture lines reduce visual aggression.
information more intensely — as in • Natural, matte finishes ease visual processing.
ADHD, autism, or sensory processing • Soft blues, greens, taupe, and desaturated neutrals help keep sensory
difference — that same space can input stable.
quickly become unbearable.

28 | DÉCOR & LIFESTYLE Issue 2 2025