This week we are looking at aroma. Aromas can overtly or subliminally affect mood and emotion, but is smell really an interior design consideration? Well yes, and it’s not just about smelly candles and scent profiles! In my experience the sensory issues relating to odours in the home are things like cooking smells, cleaning products and – ahem – pongy toilets! So if you’re renovating, now is your chance to design those issues out of your life! For kitchen odours, ensure you plan for good ventilation for your hob and that the extraction is external. I’ve just installed a downdraft extractor in…

This week we are looking at auditory considerations - the links between the sounds in your home and your wellbeing. Whilst I can’t stop your kids from stampeding around shouting, I can suggest ways to make it grate less! The textures in your home are actually responsible for the way it sounds! The more textile elements you can bring into your home, the more dampened the sound will be. A wall of glass (i.e. bifold doors) might bring you closer to nature with a view of the garden, but it makes for a noisier space. Crittall or Victorian style mullions…

If you have sensory issues, your home has a big impact on your wellbeing. The way your home looks, feels, sounds and smells is really important, and it’s crucial for the rooms in your home to support the way you need to feel and behave in those spaces – a calm bedroom, a gentle but uplifting morning shower, a relaxing evening bath, an energising and focussed home office.

This is the first of 5 posts to guide you through creating a sensory positive home. Today we are taking an overview, identifying sensory needs and where they apply in your home, and