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A well-designed home makes people feel good and, for most of us, achieving that is quite an instinctive process – ‘I like it, let’s do it’. But for Cherie and her family, following a neurodivergent design process was a lot more conscious and deliberate. And it needed to be: all four family members are neurodivergent, with autism, ADHD or both, so sensory inputs can be enormously jarring or instantly soothing.
Part of parenting autistic children is about creating a home as a haven, Cherie explains. “We wanted to create a genuinely safe space for our kids to grow up in,” she says. For them, ‘safety’ means a space that calms the nervous system. “We said to our kids, ‘No matter what happens out there, you’ve always got a safe space to come home to.”
Cherie Clonan, founding director of marketing agency The Digital Picnic, lives in this renovated Melbourne weatherboard house with her husband, David, and their two children, plus Rosie the dog, Lenny the cat and a pet snake, Marlow.
When they bought their house: July 2020
What they did: Cherie and David have thrown their energies into designing a home that meets the sensory needs of every member of their family.
Favourite buy: “We used timber from Bunnings to build an outdoor dining area with a built-in barbecue and bench seats,” says Cherie.
Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
Natural light and a dopamine-boosting hit of colour satisfies the sensory-seeking family members. Textures have been kept soft and inviting – a plush rug, velvety sofa and (though Cherie loves the look herself) nothing scratchy like jute.
Finding the right home for their family was the first step, but Cherie says this newly renovated Melbourne property already came with neurodivergent design elements that suited the family well. It is perfectly private, ideal for introverts, with limited access from the street and a backyard oasis that seems a world away from the surrounding urban hum. It also has the luxury of space, with two living areas – an open-plan living/dining/kitchen zone for family connection and a separate lounge for whenever they need to retreat to a space of sensory stillness.
Though impeccably renovated, it needed a few tweaks to make it perfect, such as replacing all of the bright lights. “Autism 101, we love dim lights,” says Cherie. “The other thing that drives neurodivergent folks crazy is the lights you turn on in the bathroom which automatically start an exhaust fan. It’s really loud and buzzy and not fun,” Cherie says. “But once the obvious things were taken care of, we got to work designing the interiors to ensure it was a brain-happy home... which isn’t easy with four neurodivergent people who sit in different sensory quadrants.”
Cherie is referring to the Dunn’s quadrant model which outlines four types of sensory processing 1. In her family, there are two who fall into the ‘sensation seeking’ quadrant, meaning they actively seek out sensory inputs, while the other two are characterised as ‘sensation avoidance’, meaning they need to minimise sensory noise.
A neurodivergent home design that includes multiple living spaces is a massive advantage for a household of diverse personalities. While the main living space can be bright and boisterous, Cherie says her son can suffer sensory overwhelm from the noise, light and even smells from the kitchen. So, the second living room is a sensory-moderated retreat – black-painted walls and light-filtering plantation shutters set a soothing mood.
Cherie’s son’s room is similarly dimly lit and calm. “He lives in darkness and needs it to regulate,” she explains. “The plantation blinds are almost always shut, and he has beautiful dim lamps. That’s his safety.” Another favourite room in the house is the gaming room – formerly Cherie’s office and now a teenage boy’s dream space! A shady room to begin with, its light levels are further dimmed by shutters and black 3D acoustic panelling.
While the noise, smells and activity in the open-plan living space can be challenging for sensation-avoiding family members, it’s the ideal habitat for Cherie’s sensation-seeking daughter. “She can't miss out on anything and needs to be amongst it,” Cherie says.
Light pours into this space, which is drenched in dopamine-boosting colour and soft textures.
This room also features plenty of floor space for running, skipping and pogo-ing, and opens to the backyard, which has play equipment including a trampoline and swings. “These are activity-facilitating elements for a kid who regulates through movement,” Cherie explains. “She needs constant sensory seek and particular inputs to her body to feel good.”
Cherie’s two kids have quite different sensory requirements – her daughter loves to be in the centre of things, feeding her needs with colour and conversation, so she’s often found crafting at the dining table. Her son needs quieter, dimmer spaces, so the gaming room, with its low light and acoustic wall tiles, is his favourite space.
Having an organised home is essential for executive functioning and promoting a sense of calm, says Cherie. This goes for the kids’ stuff, which is beautifully organised and labelled, and her own spaces, including her colourful but orderly wardrobe.
While the family members’ tastes and sensory needs swing between maximalist and minimalist, there’s a consistent sense of order throughout the home. Cherie observes that for her family – and other neurodivergent families in her sphere – routine, predictability and order equate to calm. She describes the spoon theory 2, which is a metaphor for energy resources needed for everyday tasks. “Neurodivergent kids can run out of spoons really fast and that shoots away at their executive functioning,” she says. “But if they always know where everything is that they need, it makes things feel really smooth.”
Bunnings store maps show where brighter lights, louder sounds and stronger smells are located, to help customers with sensory restrictions plan their journey before they arrive and navigate the store. Click on ‘more details’ then download the store map.
While every case is different, neurodivergent people often have some needs in common. Maria Faalafi of The Healthy Building Designer outlines some inclusions to consider.
Stimming (self-stimulatory behaviour): This is a way of regulating one’s nervous system and managing sensory input. It might look like repetitive movements, sounds or interactions with certain textures or objects. When Maria renovated the bedroom of her daughter, who has ADHD, she created different sections within the room to support her daughter’s need for movement and sensory regulation. “We added a swing, which helps with both stress relief and stimming,” she says. “We also put in a book rack, but with only a few books at a time, rotating them every few weeks to prevent overwhelm and boredom.”
Passions/special interests: Also known as SpIns or SPINS, these are intensely focused passions that can be fleeting or last for years. For example, Cherie’s daughter’s passion is snakes and she now has a little pet snake named Marlow. While they will vary from person to person, designing around someone’s passions can make a space feel truly personal and supportive, explains Maria. “Whether it is a dedicated space for a hobby, integrated storage for collections, or incorporating specific themes, these details can help create a sense of comfort and connection,” she says.
Sensory considerations: These are key neurodivergent interior design elements, not just for neurodivergent individuals but also for those with neurological conditions, such as vestibular migraines. “Certain environments trigger immediate symptoms,” explains Maria. “Lighting is one of the biggest factors – for example, bright fluorescent lights can be harsh and overstimulating, so I always recommend warm, dimmable lighting and plenty of natural light.
Acoustics also matter: Hard surfaces amplify noise, while soft furnishings like rugs and curtains help create a calmer space. As open-plan spaces can also lead to sensory overwhelm, Maria recommends quiet zones or flexible partitions, and suggests incorporating biophilic design techniques. Plants, water features, natural materials and organic shapes can be calming.
Check out our story on creating an outdoor feast for the senses.
Photo credit: Sue Stubbs.
*Sources:
1 Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing
2 Psychology Today
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
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