Every design choice aims to create a better user experience. But when making decisions about Interior design, often more practical concerns—efficiency, value for money, resale value, or Design Trends—can overshadow the most important question: Does the space work for the people who use it? Not that we have to overlook all these important concerns, but really, do we think about how Healthy our Interior Design choices are? I honestly have started thinking about it more seriously when I was designing my own kids' rooms.
Putting people at the heart of every project is the most important principle in WellNest Design practice. After studying and working in the Interior design industry, practicing Feng Shui, and WELL Building Standard, Eugenia started working at Bow Valley College teaching Interior Decorating and Kitchen and Bath Design. While teaching the students how to create functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces, she discovered a passion for Interior Design for Health and Wellness and went on to found WellNest Design Studio, her own Interior Design company, and education hub.
The principles of human-centered design
Design is often misunderstood as being entirely decorative. Human-centered design—addresses people’s functional needs, alongside aesthetic considerations. The core point of human-centered design is this motivation of improving wellbeing for people. Each design needs to be adapted to who we are—what's important for us, what motivates us, what lifestyles we lead. It should actively support our personal development, inspire us to live a healthier and more balanced life, and take care of ourselves.
As working from home becomes the norm, the expectation that our home office spaces should meet our personal needs has also increased.
The role of plants
Connecting interiors more closely with the natural world—a principle known as the biophilic design—has been listed as one of the leading trends in making commercial spaces more human-centered.
Space as a reflection of people living in it
When designing spaces, I ask clients specific questions. How do they want to live in the spaces they will occupy? What kind of life do they wish to have? How do they want to feel in them? The output of these conversations is my brief, and I use space as an enabler to help them achieve these goals. Creating a design that will help users behave in a way that will increase happiness means that, as the designer, I need to understand what happiness is and what wellbeing really means. I need to understand it for myself first, and then for the people, I am designing for.
Focus on Well-Being
I focus on holistic well-being by considering the impact of building materials on human health. These considerations might include infrastructure updates for cleaner air through HVAC upgrades, offering user accessibility to temperature controls, and designing intuitive sanitization methods. I consider furniture layouts that support frequent movement throughout the day, and colors and shapes that elicit a calm, soothing environment. Adding potted plants, living walls, and convenient access to filtered water in spaces like an entrance/mudroom or home gym can aid in developing healthier habits and provide the connection to nature we often crave. Light also plays an integral role in human comfort throughout the day. Exposure to natural light, and having the ability to control the light levels in your space can affect natural sleep/wake patterns or improve productivity.
Looking for more on well-being standards? Explore the International WELL Building Institute or reach out to me (I am a certified WELL Specialist) to discover more about creating spaces for wellness.
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