Designing for Wellbeing: How Interiors Affect Mind and Body
We spend most of our lives indoors. At home. At work. In shops, cafés, studios and shared spaces. The environments we inhabit every day quietly influence how we feel, how we behave and even how well we function.
That’s why wellbeing in interior design is not a passing trend — it’s a responsibility.
Thoughtful design has the power to reduce stress, improve focus, encourage rest and foster connection. When approached intentionally, interiors can actively support both mental and physical wellbeing.
The Science Behind Space
Our bodies respond instinctively to our surroundings.
Natural light regulates circadian rhythms and improves sleep.
Poor acoustics increase stress levels and reduce concentration.
Cluttered layouts create friction and low-level anxiety.
Air quality affects energy and cognitive performance.
Good design addresses these fundamentals first. Before colour palettes or decorative details, there must be clarity of layout, balance of light and control of sound.
In this sense, wellbeing begins with good planning.
Healthy Home Design
A healthy home design supports everyday life in subtle but meaningful ways.
This might include:
Maximising natural light and ventilation.
Using low-toxicity finishes and natural materials.
Designing storage that reduces visual clutter.
Creating calm, layered lighting schemes that shift from day to evening.
Incorporating tactile textures that soften a space emotionally and acoustically.
It isn’t about clinical minimalism. Nor is it about spa-like perfection. It’s about designing homes that restore rather than overwhelm.
Even small interventions — repositioning furniture to improve flow, introducing natural materials, softening lighting — can transform how a space feels.
Office Wellbeing Design
The same principles apply in the workplace, where design directly impacts morale, retention and performance.
Office wellbeing design considers:
Access to daylight and views.
Spaces for both collaboration and focused work.
Ergonomic comfort.
Acoustic management.
Breakout areas that genuinely allow mental reset.
Increasingly, businesses understand that productivity isn’t driven by density or efficiency alone. It’s shaped by comfort, autonomy and emotional response.
A workplace that feels considered communicates care — and that has measurable impact.
Designing Stress-Reducing Interiors
Stress-reducing interiors are rarely dramatic. They are balanced.
They prioritise:
Clear spatial flow.
Layered, controllable lighting.
Calming, nature-inspired palettes.
Material honesty — stone, timber, linen, wool.
Visual rhythm without clutter.
When design removes friction — when spaces feel intuitive and calm — people experience a greater sense of control. And control is deeply connected to wellbeing.
A More Human Approach
At Studio by Faber, we see wellbeing not as an add-on, but as a foundation. Whether designing a private residence or a commercial environment, the question remains the same:
How should this space make people feel?
From layout to lighting, from texture to technology, every decision contributes to that answer.
Because ultimately, good design does more than look beautiful.
It supports the people who use it — every day.
