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Home Design for All Five Senses

How does the design of a home impact our day-to-day health, happiness and productivity?

05/14/2020
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Lori Miller LGC Interior Design
Well home design includes designing for taste.

How does the design of a home impact our day-to-day health, happiness and productivity? This is measured through research and building practices which marry the best of design and construction. The LGC Design philosophy encompasses using your five senses to design your home: Taste, Touch, Sight, Smell and Hearing. 

Taste and hearing might seem tricky. 

To design for taste in a way that supports wellness, stick to organic, whole food ingredients that are seasonal so they remain fresh and work with your body chemistry to help regulate digestion and balance hormones. Taste can be applied in the way your kitchen is laid out and how efficient your appliances are. The old joke “ Is your refrigerator running?” is a testament to the amount of energy you may be saving by purchasing an energy-efficient model.

Hearing is often questioned in a well-designed home. How do you hear a home? Acoustics and your A/V System are more important than ever. Think about that Zoom call from work where you can hear the kids playing, the TV blasting or, if you are in a building, the loud neighbor upstairs. We now have the Ring Doorbell which allows you to hear who is at your door as well as seeing them. Consider what you put on the ceilings or what wall-covering you are using and the padding underneath your carpet. These are sound absorbing and can help significantly.

Lori Miller LGC Interior Design
Good acoustics enhance a feeling of wellness in this office lobby.

The Easy Senses

Sight is in the details and textures. The use of raw materials such as caning and wovens provide warmth to a scheme that may otherwise be cold and uncomfortable. Lighting helps with task and ambience, the better to see how the principles of design are used. These principles are noted to be the use of rhythm, balance and repetition.

LGC Interior Design Lori Miller
Pattern, color and aroma in this spa room speak to the sight and scent senses. 

Imagine the aroma of fresh baked cookies or ginger and lavender when you walk into a home or office. This is scent. I advocate for placing organic essential oils from sustainably sourced plants in a diffuser and/or the use of air purifiers. While eliminating allergens essential oils can bolster mood, help you sleep, calm anxiety and fight bacteria. Many of your cleaning products are scented but are also toxic. Change out your Soaps and Detergents for organic, non-toxic cleaners. Yes, these are regulated by the FDA so look for this when purchasing.

The materials we surround ourselves with are a part of touch; fur, cotton, wool, marble, velvet, silk. Luxury items in the bath or living room. This plays out in countertops and furnishings. A well-designed home uses sustainable materials, low VOC paints, no formaldehyde in the glues used to install wood flooring, wool carpets, etc. There should be proper ventilation and windows for fresh air and sunlight.

LGC Interior Design Lori Miller Long Island
Soft textures lend offer up a tactile experience designed to address "feel." 

 

An Extra: Biophilia

Last is the new buzzword Biophilia. Every good designer placed a plant somewhere but now we know they help to clean the air, provide calming qualities, smell delicious and are visually pleasing. We’ve learned how to construct green walls and make plants an important part of the environment.

With the Global Pandemic our health is more important than ever, take steps to ensure your home matches this priority.

Lori Miller LGC Design
Lori Miller is an interior designer and found of LGC Interior Design.

Meet Lori

Lori Miller is Owner and President of LGC Interior Design. As an Interior Designer and a certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider, working with health and home has been a focus since starting her firm. 

Lori is an educator in the industry and a passionate speaker on wellness. As an award-winning top designer, she is a leader in the field and an influencer in holistic design. She is passionate about helping others and participates in numerous Charity Functions while assisting behind the scenes on their committees.

Her Podcast “The Creative Alchemist” features regular guests speaking on topics that are relevant to what is important for everyone. From Forbes top Wealth Managers to Luxury Realtors, the information is impactful. Tune in on Thursday evening at 7pm on blogtalk radio to hear the latest updates.

“Being a Cancer Survivor has made me look at life with a renewed interest in the world and I love helping others”. Lori’s sense of spirit shows in her designs…

To learn more about Lori Miller visit her blog, her website and follow her on social media @lgcinteriors.

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