The Therapeutic Arts in Interior Design: A Client Briefing Process That Enhances Well-being

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When we think about interior design, the first thing that comes to mind is color schemes, furniture arrangements, and aesthetics. However, an increasingly popular approach focuses on the therapeutic arts in interior design emphasising the creation of spaces that support mental, emotional, and physical well-being by connecting to space through the five senses. In this context, the client briefing process becomes a vital part of ensuring the design is not only beautiful but also restorative. We do this by crafting client briefing opportunities using therapeutic art modalities that are experiential to create an embodied awareness and presence for emergent material to be born and a deeply meaningful brief and interior to be co-created.

What are the Therapeutic Arts in Interior Design?

The therapeutic arts in interior design blend traditional design principles with an understanding of psychology, well-being, and environmental influences. These principles often focus on designing spaces that encourage relaxation, creativity, focus, and/or emotional healing. Elements such as lighting, natural materials, color choices, layout, and sensory stimuli are carefully considered to promote a sense of peace and balance. Our founder at Interior Flow holds a Master’s in Art Therapy from the MIECAT Institute and uses her unique skillset to create a rich briefing process that creates a holistic interior outcome for the client beyond their expectations.

The therapeutic approach to interior design goes beyond the typical function of creating a visually pleasing space; it aims to foster mental wellness and emotional balance and deep connection to the interior through materiality and colour to ignite fond memories while making new ones in the home. This can be particularly important in environments such as healthcare interiors, workplace design, residential spaces, or therapy rooms, where emotional and physical well-being plays a significant role in the effectiveness of the space. So naturally, it begs the question why you would not incorporate these elements into the home where we spend the most amount of time.

The Role of the Client Briefing Process in Therapeutic Design

The client briefing process is a critical first step in any interior design project, the process ensures that the designer truly understands the client's needs, lifestyle, and the specific outcomes they wish to achieve. When the therapeutic arts are involved, the briefing process delves deeper into the emotional, psychological, and physical aspects that will guide the design choices.

Here’s why a detailed and thorough briefing is essential:

1. Understanding Client Needs
   To create a space that promotes well-being, the designer must fully understand the unique needs of the client. This involves working relationally with the client and being present to what unfolds in conversation while attending to the process. What this means is that we ask questions about a particular topic, for example, it could be a holiday we use as a starting point and flow with where the process goes while taking notes of specific details from the fond memories described to use as our briefing inspiration. The therapeutic art process is vital to understand, what matters most to our clients by using not just the mind but the body connection using the arts to experientially describe moments from time.

   The mind and body connection creates a richer story-telling experience of what truly lights us up and to use these gems as our interior design inspiration.

2. Creating a Personalized Design
   Interior designers working with therapeutic arts use the client’s preferences to develop a personalized space that addresses their specific goals. The briefing helps the designer gather insights into how the client interacts with their environment and what kind of atmosphere they feel most at ease in. For example, soft lighting from a trip to Morrocco might extract memories of a bazar that was visited, ample natural light to aid in perfect working conditions for reading, and soundproofing might be a priority to re-create a serene calm of a day spa treatment in Palazzo Fiuggo, Italy. If the client has a passion for gardens and modern interior design from Malaysia, the space may incorporate elements of nature, such as plant life or natural textures, that offer a sense of calm and connection.

3. Fostering Connection and Well-being
   The feelings that are ignited through the senses are at the core of therapeutic design, to draw on to create memorable feel-good experiences for your future home. The custom therapeutic art briefing process assists designers to explore how the client wants to feel in their new space—whether it’s relaxed, energized, inspired, or peaceful. For example, in spaces like therapy rooms or meditation zones, the design might focus on creating an environment that promotes calm and serenity, using carefully chosen materials, colors, and a minimal layout.

4. Prioritizing Sensory Experience
   The sensory experience in a space plays a huge role in its therapeutic benefits. A detailed client briefing will cover sensory factors such as sound, light, and texture, which can have significant impacts on emotional and physical health. For example, drawing on the client’s senses as the primary inspiration for the interior can lead to either ensuring the selection of the correct acoustic treatments or incorporating textures that invite touch aiding in the transportation back in time to a memorable moment making the interior uniquely personal and connective to the client.

5. Ensuring Functional and Aesthetic Balance
   While the therapeutic elements are crucial, the client’s aesthetic preferences are equally important. A good briefing process ensures that the designer understands the balance between beauty and functionality. The client’s desired style, such as minimalism, Scandinavian or French provincial design, will inform how therapeutic elements like color therapy or biophilic design (incorporating plants) are integrated in a way that still aligns with the clients vision.

Pixels | Image of artwork being created

Key Elements of the Client Briefing Process for Therapeutic Design

1. Exploration of Client’s Personal and Emotional Needs
   Understanding the client’s emotional state, lifestyle, and specific well-being goals (whether for stress reduction, creativity enhancement, or emotional healing) is essential. Asking questions like, "What emotions or moods do you want to experience in this space?" or "Are there any past experiences with design that you’ve found helpful or hindering?" will uncover key insights.

2. Lifestyle and Routine Considerations
   Designers should inquire about the client’s daily routine and how the space will be used. Will the space be used for work or relaxation? Is it a healing environment for someone undergoing physical rehabilitation? A thorough understanding of how the space will function will guide decisions about layout, lighting, furniture, and decorative elements.

3. Physical and Environmental Factors
   Factors like the amount of natural light, air quality, and room acoustics can dramatically influence a space’s therapeutic potential. The client briefing should include discussions around the room’s orientation, view, and potential external factors such as noise or pollution.

4. Health and Well-being Requirements
   For clients with specific health needs (like those recovering from an injury, dealing with mental health issues, or managing chronic conditions), the briefing must prioritize accessibility and comfort. Therapeutic design may incorporate ergonomic furniture, relaxation zones, and healing color palettes based on the client’s health needs.

5. Desired Aesthetic and Style Preferences
   While the focus is on therapeutic benefits, the client’s visual preferences should not be overlooked. Whether they prefer minimalist spaces or vibrant, eclectic decor, the designer should ensure the design not only heals but also feels like a reflection of the client’s personality and tastes.

Why it Matters

1. Improved Mental Health
   A well-designed therapeutic space can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. With the strategic use and personalisation of color, lighting, and spatial design, interior design can facilitate relaxation and promote emotional healing.

2. Enhanced Environment
   Therapeutic arts in design creates thoughtfully designed spaces that provide natural light, quiet areas, and sensory stimuli that can encourage deep relaxation and calm for the nervous system.

3. Support for Physical Healing
   In medical or therapeutic settings, the design of the space can speed up recovery by creating environments that are both comforting and conducive to physical healing. Hospitals, therapy rooms, and rehabilitation centers can benefit greatly from integrating biophilic design, healing color psychology, and natural elements.

4. Long-Term Well-being
   Spaces that are designed with therapeutic principles in mind can positively impact long-term health. Whether at home, in the office, or in healthcare facilities, a thoughtfully designed environment promotes lasting well-being.

Interior Flow | Residential Bedroom Design in Chadstone 

The client briefing process is essential in interior design, especially when incorporating therapeutic principles aimed at enhancing well-being.

By taking the time to deeply understand the client's needs, preferences, and emotional goals, interior designers can create spaces that do more than just look good—they can become powerful tools for healing, relaxation, and personal growth. In today’s fast-paced world, where mental health and well-being are more important than ever, the integration of therapeutic arts in interior design is not just a trend but a necessity.

So, the next time you're planning an interior design project, whether for your own home, healthcare, or workspace, consider the therapeutic elements that could make the space more than just a place to be—it could be a sanctuary for the mind, body, and spirit.

Krystal Sagona

With over 20 years experience as a residential & commercial Interior Designer, Krystal has built a strong reputation in the design industry. Award winning designer and highly intuitively creative, Krystal has the innate ability to understand and deliver your creative brief. Krystal is a registered Draftsperson with the Victorian Building Board (VBA) and a qualified Feng Shui consultant with the AFSC (Association of Feng Shui Consultants) International.