Linda Kafka on why neurodesign matters

Linda Kafka, founder of the recently launched NeuroDesign Academy, knows what it’s like to feel uncomfortable in a space that doesn’t support the way she processes information or interacts with the world around her.

“I’ve had this challenge my whole life,” says Kafka, WELL AP, who considers herself neurodivergent. “I don’t do well in an open-concept environment. … I need to control my thoughts, and when offices started changing and everything became open concept, it was sort of a disaster for me.”

So, an open-concept office isn’t a good option for her. Neither are “beautiful, white environments with pops of bright colors,” although she loves the idea of such interiors.

For Kafka to function at her best, she needs darker, earth-toned hues, all her books and materials out where she can see them, and “an environment that hugs me, that really holds me tight.”

“If a designer … asked me to pull images from various websites or from print and put together my ideal environment, it would be completely different than what I really need to live in,” she says. “In my ideal, I would have it modern. It would be minimal, but I could not live in that for a week.” And if a designer created that “ideal” space for her, Kafka says, “you’d probably find me sitting in a closet somewhere because I couldn’t live in that modern, minimal environment, as much as I admire and love it.”

Kafka’s own experiences show two things. One, interior design has a significant, meaningful effect on our mental health, and two, it can be valuable for interior designers to get additional education in neurodesign to learn how to create environments that best suit the individual needs of their clients.

That’s why Kafka founded the Toronto-based NeuroDesign Academy, which offers training in the power of neuroscience and science-backed strategies for designing for the nonconscious mind.

The academy is launching a series of expert-led, online, self-paced micro courses in November, followed by expanded course topics beginning in January. The CEU courses are intended for interior designers, but also architects, retailers, product designers, manufacturers and even sales professionals — anyone who wants a better understanding of how human-centered design can support well-being.

The curriculum will encourage the home furnishings industry to look beyond aesthetics to focus on the nonconscious effects of design and the science behind how we react to sound, light, color, smell, textures, patterns and more.

Who can benefit

They are lessons that can help interior designers and others to improve the lives of all their clients and customers. But they are particularly useful in helping them to better understand the needs of neurodiverse individuals, including those with autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other neurological and development conditions.

As much as 20% of the population is considered neurodiverse, according to Dr. Lawrence Fung, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and director of the Standford Neurodiversity Project.

Kafka estimates that the percentage is even higher, especially when considering other people who could benefit from inclusive, neurodesign principles, for instance, people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, those with traumatic brain injuries, and older people with lessened senses and decreased mobility.

“It’s a pivotal time where we’re really starting to look at design through a personal lens,” Kafka says. “… So, the opportunity is much greater for the design community to really be aware and to at least look at their own design services to see how they might be able to support (these types) of clients.”

Before launching the NeuroDesign Academy, Kafka helped shape Science in Design, an education and certification program that, as its website says, “teaches interior designers about the positive effects of beauty, nature and fine design on people’s physical and emotional health.”

With her new venture, Kafka says she wanted to “expand beyond the beauty.” “It’s not just about the aesthetics but about creating spaces that everyone feels that they belong in,” she says.

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Interior designers are especially well-suited to help create those spaces. But the sector has work to do in getting that message out, Kafka says.

“I don’t think the general public truly understands the value that an interior designer brings,” she says. “… If I have a stomach problem, I might go to see the naturopath and try to find a medicine for it. If I have a bad back, I might go see a chiropractor. But if I’m not feeling good within my space, why aren’t we thinking about hiring an interior designer? … I don’t think that interior designers themselves know how much power they have in their hands to really improve the health and well-being of their clients. They don’t just design pretty spaces. They really do improve spaces.”

NeuroDesign Academy’s courses will not only educate designers and others, the curriculum can also give them a niche — a way to distinguish themselves in the marketplace, Kafka says.

“If you have an understanding of a particular area, whether its neurodiversity or inclusivity or aging in place or something else, you help to elevate the industry,” Kafka says. “… Because if you’re passionate about it, you’ll bring that energy to your clients, and you’re going to make a difference in the lives of the people you serve.”

For now, the NeuroDesign Academy’s offerings will only be available online. But Kafka believes that the various segments of the home furnishings industry — designers, architects, manufacturers, retailers and others — need to step out of their silos and work together. Because of that, she expects to offer workshops and other in-person events that encourage networking and collaborations in 2025. She also expects to someday offer a certification in neurodesign.

To learn more

If you’re interested in learning more about neurodesign and inclusive design, you may want to check out two upcoming events.

On Friday, Oct. 25, Kafka will be part of the “Future of Design Expo: Designing for Neurodiversity,” a daylong event at the Suites at Market Square in High Point. She’ll moderate a panel, “Designing for the Mind – Improving Emotional Well-Being Through Design,” featuring Annabelle Mastalic, interior designer, former nurse and founder of ADM Interiors; and interior designer Gabrielle Kozhukh-Joo, founder of Mindwell Design. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. Kafka’s panel discussion starts at 3:30 p.m. (As of Oct. 22, some tickets were still available for the daylong seminar.)And separately, High Point x Design will host “Design Forward: Focus on Inclusive Design,” Nov. 12-13 in High Point. Divided into three tracks with neurodiversity in mind, sessions will be tailored for interior designers and home furnishings professionals; realtors; and the greater community of parents, teachers, small business owners and others interested in connecting the dots between cognitive disabilities, disorders and design. Tickets for that two-day event are on sale on Eventbrite.

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