Interior design
How thoughtful interiors shape lives, communities, and outcomes
When considering care home design, it is important to take different perspectives into account, as Mike Davies, managing director and founder of Catalyst Interiors, explains
In the conversation around care provision, design is often relegated to the finishing stages – an aesthetic exercise that follows the real work of construction and care planning. Yet research and lived experience across the care sector are proving that interior design is far more than visual decoration. The environment itself is a partner in care and it influences how people feel, how they behave, how staff perform, and how families perceive quality and safety. When the design of a care home engages all the senses and reflects a deep understanding of its users, it becomes a catalyst for wellbeing, confidence, and community connection. This article explores the importance
of design in care settings from multiple perspectives: the resident, their family, the care-home owner and operator, the builder, the staff, and the wider local community.
Drawing on the principles of experiential design, we will look at how environments that feel right also work right, supporting physical safety, emotional stability, and operational excellence.
The resident: design as a daily companion For a resident, especially an older adult or someone living with dementia, the interior environment is not background – it is the landscape of daily life. Every corridor, chair, colour, and texture carries information. It tells the resident where they are, what they can do, and how safe they can feel. When design is intuitive, residents experience independence and dignity. When it is confusing or institutional, the same environment can induce anxiety, withdrawal, or falls.
Ageing and cognitive change alter the way
people process sensory input. The yellowing of the eye’s lens, reduced contrast sensitivity, and declining depth perception mean that visual cues must be deliberately crafted. Busy patterns on floors or walls can be misread as holes or movement, while pale pastels – long associated with ‘calming’ interiors – offer too little contrast for ageing eyes. Research shows that such schemes flatten perception, blur boundaries, and increase disorientation. In contrast, richer mid-tones, matte finishes, and strong visual contrasts between floors, walls, and furniture provide clarity and orientation without harshness. These are not stylistic choices – they are safety interventions. Equally vital is the emotional dimension
of design. Experiential interior design recognises that spaces communicate
March 2026
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com 19
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