In this episode, Michelle Canny of Michelle Canny Interiors shares her approach to designing spaces with neurodiversity in mind. Learn how she creates environments that consider sensory needs, particularly for her son who is on the autism spectrum, and discover practical tips for incorporating sensory awareness into any design project.
I hope you enjoy the episode.
Beth xx
Episode Highlights:
• Michelle's journey from marketing to interior design
• The importance of functionality in designing for neurodivergent individuals
• How colour choices impact emotional responses and sensory experiences
• Material selection based on tactile comfort rather than just aesthetics
• The role of sound management and lighting in creating comfortable spaces
• Involving users in the material selection process
Key Takeaways:
Design is about how spaces make us feel, not just how they look
Functionality must come before aesthetics when designing for neurodiversity
Warmer colours (reds, yellows) tend to be more stimulating than cooler tones
Natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo, and linen are often more comfortable for sensitive individuals
The emotions wheel can help clients articulate their responses to different design elements
Practical Insights:
• How to select materials that provide sensory comfort
• Creating spaces with appropriate acoustic properties
• Balancing natural and artificial lighting for wellbeing
• Incorporating biophilic elements to create calming environments
• Designing bathrooms and bedrooms that reduce sensory overwhelm
Perfect For:
• Interior designers working with neurodivergent clients
• Parents designing spaces for children with sensory sensitivities
• Designers interested in more inclusive and thoughtful approaches
• Anyone looking to create more comfortable, sensory-aware environments
• Professionals working in healthcare, education, or therapeutic settings
Quote from Episode:
"The way in which you feel in a space is completely dictated by the senses and the way in which it makes you feel." - Michelle Canny
Connect with our guest:
Michelle Canny - Michelle Canny Interiors
@michellecanny_interiors
Keywords:
neurodivergent design, sensory design, interior design for autism, sensory-friendly interiors, inclusive design, color psychology, acoustic design, material selection, biophilic design, sensory considerations, accessible design
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SEO Title:
How to Design for Neurodiversity: Creating Spaces with Sensory Awareness
SEO Description:
Learn how interior designer Michelle Canny creates spaces for neurodivergent individuals. Discover practical tips for designing with sensory considerations, color psychology, and material selection.
Designing with Sensory Awareness: Creating Spaces for Neurodiversity
How Interior Designer Michelle Canny Approaches Sensory-Friendly Design
When it comes to interior design, we often focus on aesthetics—the colors, patterns, and styles that make a space visually appealing. But what if design could go deeper, addressing how spaces make us feel on a sensory level?
In this insightful episode of Design Dialogues, host Beth Bieske speaks with Michelle Canny of Michelle Canny Interiors about her unique approach to designing spaces with neurodiversity in mind, particularly for her son who is on the autism spectrum.
From Marketing to Mindful Design: Michelle's Journey
Michelle's path to interior design wasn't traditional. With a background in marketing and advertising, she found herself drawn to design after becoming disillusioned with agency life.
"I didn't want to sell myself to sell a product," Michelle explains. "I also didn't want to work 80 hours for peanuts."
After enrolling in the International School of Color and Design in Sydney, Michelle discovered her passion for creating spaces that not only look beautiful but also feel right on a sensory level. This interest became personal when designing for her neurodivergent son.
Understanding Sensory Design for Neurodiversity
For Michelle, designing for neurodiversity means considering how all aspects of a space affect the senses—not just sight, but touch, sound, and even smell.
The Importance of Functionality First
"When you're designing for people who may be neurodivergent—autistic, ADHD, any type of people that may have some form of impairment or disability—it has to be first and foremost functional," Michelle emphasizes.
This focus on functionality doesn't mean sacrificing beauty, but rather ensuring that the space works on a practical level before addressing aesthetics.
Involving Users in the Design Process
One of the most powerful aspects of Michelle's approach is how she involves her son in the selection process:
"I got my son Angus to touch [the materials]. And then I asked him how he felt about it. Sometimes he would say, 'Mom, no, I don't like that tile. It's too reflective.' I may not have even perceived it that way, but he did."
This collaborative approach ensures that the final design truly meets the sensory needs of the person who will be using the space.
Practical Design Considerations for Sensory Sensitivity
Michelle shares several key considerations when designing for neurodiversity:
Color Psychology and Selection
"Certain colors have a stimulating effect. So more warmer colors will always have more of a stimulating effect on our senses. So there's sort of the reds and the yellows and because they're more seen as bright colors or they're more seen as like emotion evoking colors."
For spaces meant to be calming, Michelle recommends:
Neutral base colors
Blues and greens
Light grays
Avoiding overly warm or bright colors that can be stimulating
Material Selection and Texture
Texture plays a crucial role in how neurodivergent individuals interact with a space:
"For him, touch is a very big thing. So textures in a home, it has a massive impact on our bodies. And the types of fabrics we choose play a big part in how we feel or experience a space."
Michelle recommends:
Natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo, and linen for breathability
Avoiding synthetic materials that can cause sensory discomfort
Considering weighted blankets for comfort and security
Using plush rugs that provide tactile comfort
Sound Management
Acoustic considerations are often overlooked in traditional design but are crucial for neurodivergent individuals:
"To reduce the noise in his room, he has blackout curtains and sheers so that he can get the natural light."
Other sound management strategies include:
Hardwood doors to block noise more effectively than hollow doors
Soft furnishings to absorb sound
Considering the acoustic properties of flooring materials
Lighting Considerations
"Natural light is a massive impact as well in bringing wellness into a home."
Michelle emphasizes the importance of:
Maximizing natural light where possible
Using warmer lighting rather than cool, harsh lighting
Avoiding highly reflective surfaces that can create glare
Providing options for different lighting levels
The Emotional Impact of Sensory-Aware Design
One of the most powerful aspects of Michelle's approach is how she connects design choices to emotional well-being:
"The way in which you feel in a space is completely dictated by the senses and the way in which it makes you feel. When you walk into a space, if it was a really obnoxious color, like a really loud, loud color, it could actually give you a bit of a headache."
This understanding that design affects not just how a space looks but how it makes people feel is at the heart of sensory-aware design.
Using the Emotions Wheel for Design Conversations
Michelle uses the emotions wheel as a tool to help her son articulate his reactions to different design elements:
"Often we can experience a certain amount of emotions. For example, you know, I know I'm happy. I know I'm sad. I know I'm joyful. I know I'm angry and they're just base basics. But what we don't often, you know, we're not able to articulate is the broader spectrum of emotions."
This approach can be valuable for designers working with all clients, not just those who are neurodivergent, as it helps people express their emotional responses to spaces more precisely.
Creating Sensory Balance in Any Home
While Michelle's approach is particularly valuable for neurodivergent individuals, the principles of sensory-aware design can benefit everyone:
Natural Elements and Biophilic Design
"Introducing more biophilic design, so introducing more plants into the space."
Connecting to nature through design helps create spaces that feel calming and grounded.
Sound Management for Wellbeing
"I will often have things such as water sounds or rain sounds on an app for him to help him soothe and calm."
Considering the soundscape of a space—whether through sound-absorbing materials or introducing pleasant natural sounds—can significantly impact how a space feels.
Material Selection for Comfort
Choosing materials based on how they feel, not just how they look, creates spaces that are physically comfortable:
"Anything that's sort of breathable and airy because it gets quite hot. In the winter he likes more sort of flannelette or warmer style blankets, something that has a bit of weight to it, which gives him that sense of protection and feeling safeness and soothed."
The Universal Appeal of Sensory Design
What makes Michelle's approach so valuable is that while it addresses specific needs for neurodivergent individuals, the principles benefit everyone:
"People forget that, you know, lighting, sound, smell, taste, I mean, we don't taste interior, but even when you think about when you go, say, for example, to an open home and they have the smell of fresh coffee, they do that intentionally."
As Beth notes during the conversation, "This is what a good designer should be doing for all of their clients. Because really how, so much of our job is actually like, there is the aesthetic, obviously. But it is like we want our clients to walk in the front door and just go, I'm home, it's my sanctuary."
Practical Tips for Implementing Sensory-Aware Design
For designers looking to incorporate these principles into their practice, Michelle offers several practical approaches:
- Involve Users in Material Selection
Have clients touch and interact with materials before making final selections. - Consider All Senses
Think beyond the visual to how a space sounds, feels, and even smells. - Use the Emotions Wheel
Help clients articulate their emotional responses to different design elements. - Balance Stimulation and Calm
Create spaces with varying sensory levels to accommodate different needs and moods. - Prioritize Natural Elements
Incorporate natural materials, plants, and natural light whenever possible.
The Future of Inclusive Design
As awareness of neurodiversity continues to grow, the design industry has an opportunity to create more inclusive spaces that work for people with diverse sensory needs.
Michelle's approach demonstrates that designing with sensory awareness doesn't mean sacrificing beauty or style—it simply means considering how design choices affect all aspects of the human experience.
By incorporating these principles, designers can create spaces that not only look beautiful but also support the emotional and sensory wellbeing of everyone who uses them.
Whether you're designing for a neurodivergent client or simply want to create more thoughtful, comfortable spaces, the principles of sensory-aware design offer valuable insights for creating interiors that truly enhance quality of life.
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