Designing for Well-Being: How We Shape Homes That Help You Thrive

by Hodgkinson Design

Reading Farrow’s recent article in Building Design, “What if buildings made us feel better? Rethinking design through the lens of health”, brought a genuine smile to my face. At Hodgkinson Design, this is precisely the message we've been championing for years: that buildings should do more than just function. They should nurture, uplift, and support well-being.

In this post, we share our response to Farrow’s ideas, explore how they align with our own design philosophy, and consider how the built environment can actively contribute to healthier, happier lives.

Read the original article here: Building Design – Farrow’s Opinion Piece

At Hodgkinson Design, we’ve spent over three decades transforming homes in London and beyond into spaces that do more than simply function. They restore, uplift, and support our clients’ well-being.

Today, it’s clear that buildings have a profound effect on our health. Research shows we now spend more time indoors than whales spend underwater; yet unlike marine scientists tracking the rise of ocean pollutants, we rarely examine the health impact of our indoor environments. Why not reframe architecture not just by how it looks, but by how it feels, and what it does to enhance human flourishing?

(Photographer: Tom St. Aubyn)

This idea isn’t new. The concept of salutogenesis, coined by sociologist Aaron Antonovsky, offers a powerful framework. Rather than focusing on what makes us ill (a pathogenic view), salutogenic thinking asks: What makes us well? And how can design help us stay that way?

At Hodgkinson Design, we’ve spent over 30 years creating homes that don’t just serve a function but offer a sense of restoration, calm and emotional connection. We believe a well-designed space can do more than delight the eye. It can make life feel better and improves your wellness in supporting neurological, emotional and social well-being.

We live fast-paced lives, often surrounded by noise, stress, and digital clutter. In this context, our homes should offer something else entirely: sanctuary. A place to reconnect with ourselves, to find calm, and to be nurtured by our surroundings. That’s why we approach design through the lens of well-being.

What does a restorative home really look like?

For us, the design journey always begins by listening, really listening, to the people who will live in the space. Aside from the practical questions, we ask for example:

• What brings you joy and happiness?

• Where do you want to relax?

• How do you want to feel in your new home?

• Do you want your home to reflect your personality?

• Where in the new house do you want to be private?

• Large open spaces or smaller more personal rooms?

• Multi-functional spaces and if so which functions?

• And where do you want to be active with family and friends?

• Is this a musical house, needing dedicated space or in some other way creative?

• Is it a home office that needs to be calm and private?

• Which colours calm you, and which agitate you?

Some of our clients want light and openness; others crave quiet and privacy. One might seek a kitchen that’s the heart of their home, while another needs a quiet spot for contemplation, perhaps by a favourite artwork or a garden view. These conversations guide everything we do.

(Photographer: Tom St. Aubyn)

We then curate interiors that support these individual needs. Colour palettes, textures, acoustics, light, layout, all of it is tailored to create a mood, not just a look.

In one of our West London projects, for example, we reimagined a family home to allow natural light to pour through a restructured layout, creating a soft, flowing sequence of spaces that felt peaceful and intuitive. In another, a Notting Hill House home became a refuge of texture and character, where every detail supported the client’s love of books, art, and contemplation.

(Photographer: Tom St. Aubyn)

Creating spaces that feel as good as they look

There is a growing conversation in the design world about how our built environments affect our health. We’ve been quietly applying those principles for years.

We design with the whole person in mind-body, mind, and spirit. That means making spaces feel easy to navigate and live in (what researchers might call “comprehensible”), giving people flexibility and control over how they use their rooms (“manageable”), and ensuring the home reflects their personal stories and values (“meaningful”).

These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re deeply human ones. When a space is confusing, crowded, or impersonal, it creates friction. When it flows with clarity and purpose, when it feels like you, it helps lower stress, lift mood, and support everyday well-being.

(Photographer: Tom St. Aubyn)

Home as a health tool

We don’t see homes as static containers, but as evolving environments that interact with daily life. They can soothe or overstimulate. They can invite us to pause, to focus, or to connect with loved ones. We’re particularly drawn to this idea that homes can act as quiet therapeutic agents, through light, materials, rhythm, and space.

Design is often viewed as something visual. But at Hodgkinson Design, we view it as something experiential, based on our experiences and observation. A thoughtful, sensitive scheme to support emotional balance, clarity and even joy. It's about surrounding you with what helps you feel good, on your own terms. What makes you smile.

In a world that demands a lot of us, our spaces should offer something back. A moment of peace. A breath of fresh air. A soft surface. A favourite view. That’s the kind of architecture and design we believe in.

(Photographer: Tom St. Aubyn)