{"id":245141,"date":"2026-01-21T23:21:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T23:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/245141\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T23:21:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T23:21:13","slug":"5-ways-to-use-sensory-design-to-improve-your-interiors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/245141\/","title":{"rendered":"5 ways to use sensory design to improve your interiors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Franky Rousell was born deaf. For the first 18 years of her life, her other senses were dialled up. \u201cThis lack of a sense fundamentally shaped and heightened \u2014 without me even realising \u2014 a lot of the perceptions around my other senses,\u201d Rousell says. <\/p>\n

Her hearing was \u201csomewhat resolved\u201d after the age of 18, and she \u201ccracked on\u201d with her career in commercial design. But that experience hugely influenced her work, and today she focuses on the idea of sensory design. Rousell defines this as a \u201csubconscious thing that\u2019s happening around you all the time \u2014 where all five senses are working really hard to decipher how you\u2019re feeling at any given point of time. Sensory design is about ensuring all those five senses are aligned.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Franky<\/p>\n

Franky Rousell set up her sensory-led design practice, Jolie Studio, in 2017<\/p>\n

SOPHIA SPRING<\/p>\n

A feeling of safety in a space isn\u2019t something that\u2019s consciously decided \u2014 rather inferred by body and brain from the cues around you. Perhaps the visuals are trying to calm you, but harsh lighting is doing the opposite.<\/p>\n

Have you ever entered a room and instantly thought, \u201cI don\u2019t like it in here\u201d, without being able to pinpoint why? \u201cThey can\u2019t put their finger on it, but they feel like there\u2019s something not quite right about the space,\u201d Rousell says. Many interiors can create a misaligned mood. Take a hospital as one example. \u201cFrom a sensorial perspective, the noises, smells and sounds are very anxiety-inducing, doing the opposite of what that space is trying to do, which is to heal and to care for people.\u201d <\/p>\n

Sensory design may sound woo-woo but it is something that can affect our sense of safety and contentment as well as our productivity (and therefore revenues for businesses). The condition sick building syndrome<\/a> is one manifestation of this, often caused by a series of environmental factors in open-plan offices, such as poor ventilation, bright or flickering lights, and problems with cleaning and layout. \u201cThe building \u2026 is actually making them really unwell,\u201d Rousell says.<\/p>\n

\"Victoria<\/p>\n

The \u201cinviting\u201d lounge in a two-bedroom flat in Manchester, Rousell\u2019s project for Victoria Magrath<\/p>\n

BILLY BOLTON<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Looking from the lounge into the kitchen-dining room<\/p>\n

BILLY BOLTON<\/p>\n

When she set up her sensory-led design practice, Jolie Studio<\/a>, in 2017, Rousell was working in commercial spaces. \u201cPeople were spending so much money on design but being trend-driven and surface level, not really understanding the impact of their choices,\u201d she says. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t really a practice out there that was able to explain why they should spend \u00a350,000 on a space, other than it just looked cool. I went on a mission trying to make more tangible sense of all this.\u201d <\/p>\n

Now sensory design is top of the interiors agenda. At Milan Design Week 2025 multisensory installations were everywhere, from Transposition, a Samuel Ross-designed immersive waterfall (a combination of copper, oak and flowing water) for the whiskey brand The Balvenie, to Aesop\u2019s fragrant, tactile The Second Skin, billed as \u201can exploration of dermis and design\u201d.<\/p>\n

Jolie\u2019s projects range from Manchester\u2019s 60 Fountain Street (a stylish co-working space) and Victoria Riverside, a 634-home development, to safari-style lodges at Chester Zoo, and Hyll, a Cotswolds hotel in a restored 17th-century manor.<\/p>\n

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Begin with a feeling<\/p>\n

Most people planning to redecorate start with a set of images as inspiration, perhaps a moodboard on Pinterest. However, when Rousell sits down with a client her first questions are: how do you want to feel in the space? Why do you want to feel that way? What is it that\u2019s lacking? <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little bit like a therapy session,\u201d she says. \u201cWe really dig deep.\u201d From those conversations, the Jolie team creates a labelled floor plan broken down into bubbles naming the desired emotional output. This is called \u201csensory zoning\u201d.<\/p>\n

Using a host of science-led information \u2014 \u201cEveryone from touch neuroscientists to gastro-physicians\u201d \u2014 they translate the goals into a physical plan: this colour, paired with these materials, and this fragrance and soundscape. <\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Left: cold, hard surfaces encourage movement in an entrance hall at Victoria Riverside, Manchester. Right: a cosy reception area at The Reserve, a safari-style retreat at Chester Zoo, has been designed for lean-in conversations<\/p>\n

Jolie Studio will often then stage an experience for the client, for example immersing them in computer-generated imagery, fragrancing the room, creating a bespoke soundtrack, while explaining the intent. When senses align, people feel it immediately \u2014 some have been \u201creduced to tears\u201d. <\/p>\n

Rousell adds: \u201cSofter, warmer textures are great for opening up more meaningful conversations in lounge settings. You shouldn\u2019t go for cold, hard marbles because that will close off conversation and create aversion, but those harder textures can be useful in settings where you do want people to move through quickly. <\/p>\n

\u201cSome strong, saturated colours can promote anxiety, so it\u2019s all about careful consideration and balance, so as not to be boring.\u201d She advises being cautious with the trend for \u201cdrenching\u201d a room in a single colour. \u201cThe colour orange has been proven to change somebody\u2019s behaviour as much as fragrance.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Be consistent with colour<\/p>\n

In a previous Jolie project, decorating a two-bedroom apartment in Manchester for Victoria Magrath, a lifestyle content creator, that had an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, \u201cbalance\u201d was the overriding feeling the final design was aiming to achieve. <\/p>\n

The desired mood bubbles on the floor plan were \u201csophisticated and engaging\u201d in the kitchen\/diner and \u201cwarming and inviting\u201d in the lounge area. The paint palette included fresh greens (Acorn<\/a> by Little Greene) and chalky neutrals (Duvet Day<\/a>, a sandy beige, from Coat) with accents of deep green and burgundy. \u201cSerene and tranquil\u201d was the vibe in the principal bedroom \u2014 again using greens (this time a paler grey-green shade by Coat called Yard Party<\/a>) plus chalky neutrals and another touch of deep burgundy.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration<\/p>\n

A floor plan mood board for the aforementioned two-bedroom apartment that Jolie Studio designed<\/p>\n

\"Collage<\/p>\n

A mood board for the kitchen-dining room<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about balance and cohesion. The goal is not to create different personalities in the spaces \u2014rather, Rousell compares the design approach to music: bass notes (consistent palette), rhythm (repeated cues) and top notes (dashes of personality) that change room by room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can play a lot more in a hotel, but when it comes to home design it\u2019s important to create a palette that speaks to every single room in your home \u2014 it\u2019s a space that you\u2019re going to be spending a lot of time in for a number of years,\u201d she says. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to do quite a lot within a small area.\u201d <\/p>\n

Curate a peaceful soundscape<\/p>\n

\u201cOur ears are the only things that never switch off,\u201d Rousell says. Anyone who\u2019s lived in a flat beneath a stomping neighbour or heard next door\u2019s relentless arguments through the Victorian terrace walls will understand this viscerally. It\u2019s not just annoying but can put you on high alert as you wait for the next clunk or bang.<\/p>\n

\u201cSound is tied into our fight-or-flight response,\u201d she says. \u201cAllowing people to retreat to restful spaces is so important, especially in our big cities where adrenaline and cortisol are probably at their highest. Birdsong, for example, is proven to release serotonin. If the birds are singing, then we know that everything\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

At build stage, audio considerations include adding insulation in walls, ceilings and cavities, \u201cboosting airborne and impact sound reduction\u201d. Rousell uses Noisestop<\/a> for internal linings and Hush Acoustics<\/a> for sound-insulating ceiling systems. \u201cIn older buildings, acoustic-backed plasterboard internally is a common retrofit solution that avoids disturbing external fa\u00e7ades,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Less intrusive adjustments include sound absorption via rugs, cushions, specialist fabrics (Delius<\/a>) and acoustic curtains (Cr\u00e9ation Baumann<\/a>) and so on, to reduce reverberation and airborne noise. \u201c[Use] ceiling treatments, padded panels, or wall-mounted art to spread out localised noise impacts like footsteps or door slams,\u201d Rousell adds. Furniture, bookshelves, artwork or plants can all help to diffuse sound, especially if you can\u2019t make more permanent changes to an interior scheme. <\/p>\n

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Franky Rousell\u2019s five sensory design tips1. No visual clutter<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t overstimulate the nervous system with clutter. Choose functional storage solutions with a homely aesthetic, such as vintage dark-wood sideboards or low-level units. Soft storage baskets on open shelving can discreetly house books, tech and daily essentials within reach. These are best to sit at a lower level, with decorative items displayed at eye level.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t rely on overhead lighting alone<\/p>\n

Lighting shapes how we feel in a space more than almost anything else. Harsh overhead light flattens depth and can feel interrogative. Instead, layer light sources: soft pools from table lamps, wall lights at eye level, dimmers that echo the shifts of natural daylight.<\/p>\n

\"Franky<\/p>\n

Rousell says texture is an important element of sensory design<\/p>\n

SOPHIA SPRING<\/p>\n

3. Consider texture<\/p>\n

When surfaces are overly smooth or polished, our senses disengage. Surfaces that are cold and hard encourage movement, meaning people are less inclined to linger. They are best avoided in rooms where you want relaxation and stillness. Warmer, softer textures draw people in and can foster open, meaningful conversations, though they may not be ideal in areas subject to heavy use or wear. Natural materials such as woods, clays and stones bring a grounding quality.<\/p>\n

4. Respect the day\u2019s natural rhythms<\/p>\n

Heavy curtains drawn all day or sealed-off rooms disrupt the body\u2019s connection to time. Let daylight in where you can and encourage cross-ventilation. Arrange furniture to guide circulation and avoid blocking sightlines to windows. Even small changes, such as lowering a pendant lamp to draw you into a dining space, can create a sense of rhythm.<\/p>\n

5. Pick the right scent<\/p>\n

Fragrance is a quiet but powerful layer of design, capable of sparking memory, grounding us in the moment and subtly shifting mood. It\u2019s the difference between a space that looks good and one that feels like home. Choose scents that align with the rhythm of the day: herbal or citrus in the morning for clarity, resinous or amber notes in the evening for calm. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Franky Rousell was born deaf. For the first 18 years of her life, her other senses were dialled…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":245142,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-245141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-artsdesign","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-new-zealand","15":"tag-newzealand","16":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/245142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}