The American Society of Interior Designers released its 2023 Trend Outlook and it’s clear that wellness design is not fading from the industry, even as most of us have fully emerged from our Covid home cocoons.
Designers’ focus on wellness is also tying into client concerns about the planet’s well-being – which has an impact on resilience and comfort – and particular concerns about mental health.
“Designers are responding to changing needs in their communities by creating new spaces or adapting existing ones to make a positive impact on places where people live, work, play, heal, or learn,” stated ASID CEO Khoi Vo in the report’s press announcement. A quick round of emailed replies from designers and architects across the country shared their own professional experiences with these top-line trends.
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
“Modifications can make interior environments more suitable and supportive for persons with mental health issues and can help aid in reducing environmental factors that can contribute to feelings of stress and unease,” wrote the association in its report.
“Physical surroundings have a profound effect on one’s mental health,” declared Anna Popov, a Seattle-based interior designer. “It can look amazing, be glamorous, and cost a fortune, but how does it make you feel?” She asked. Popov cited the importance of maximizing natural light in the sometimes gloomy Pacific Northwest. “It is common practice in our firm to evaluate every design early on against very simple criteria: Does this solution allow us to maximize the amount of natural light in the space? If the answer is no, we pretty much automatically drop the idea because there is a better solution out there,” she added.
Popov’s designs incorporate strategic window styles and placement, extensive skylights and accordion door styles, she explained. “This approach not only provides us with brighter and ‘happier’ interiors but also deepens our relationship with the outdoors. Which is another essential element for a person’s mental health.” MORE
Photo by Vincent Rivaud
