In honor of Interior Design Appreciation Day, we are pulling back the curtain on what it truly means to design spaces that matter.

Too often, people look at interior design and see only the surface—the color palettes, the textile selections, and the furniture layouts. But at TowerPinkster, we believe design is a powerful tool for connection, equity, and community. It shapes how we interact with our world and with each other.

That is why we don’t just design for the “average user.” We design for the full spectrum of the human experience.

To dive deeper into this philosophy, we sat down with Senior Interior Designer Jessica Griffis to discuss the vital role of Inclusive Design in the interior design industry, moving past traditional compliance checklists to discover what happens when we create spaces where everyone belongs.

Q: Can you briefly explain what Inclusive Design is?

At its core, Inclusive Design is a proactive philosophy centered entirely around the human experience. It guides us to create environments that can be experienced, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by everyone—regardless of age, ability, gender, or status in life.

Historically, the design industry operated on a dated mindset: designing for a theoretical “average user,” and then retrofitting separate solutions for anyone who didn’t fit that mold. Inclusive Design completely flips that script. It is an intentional, “for all” mindset where flexibility, intuition, and equity are baked into the floor plan from day one.

It is rooted in the principles of accessibility, but it goes far beyond mere compliance. It challenges us as designers to see through a more inclusive lens, transforming spaces from basic physical shelters into healthy, safe, and productive environments where individuals and communities can thrive together.

It isn’t an add-on; it’s a mindset.

Q: How does Inclusive Design impact the well-being and independence of the people who inhabit your spaces?

When a space is designed through an inclusive lens, we remove the friction of daily life. That friction-loss directly translates into autonomy and dignity for the user.

Human abilities are fluid, not static. At some point, we will all experience a change in our physical, sensory, or cognitive needs—whether through permanent changes that come with aging, a temporary sports injury, or situational shifts like navigating a doorway while holding a child.

Inclusive Design acknowledges that change is inevitable, making our spaces healthier, safer, and more productive for our changing selves.

Imagine a workplace where an individual using a wheelchair doesn’t have to hunt for a separate, designated “accessible” side entrance, or where an employee with a sensory processing disorder doesn’t get a daily migraine from harsh lighting. When people can navigate a space intuitively without having to ask for help, announce their needs, or feel segregated, their stress levels drop, and their confidence rises. They are empowered to be completely independent.

Q: Why is this practice so critical, specifically within the Interior Design industry?

It’s important because how we design the built environment dictates who can participate in society and how comfortably they can do so. Interior design isn’t just about meeting codes or checking boxes; it is a fundamental social responsibility.

For a long time, accessibility in our industry focused almost exclusively on physical and mobility needs. Inclusive Design recognizes that the invisible human experience is just as vital as the physical one. As interior designers, we are acutely aware of neurodiversity and cognitive differences. We look at how acoustics, lighting, and wayfinding impact a person’s mental well-being, purposefully designing to reduce cognitive fatigue and anxiety.

Whether we are designing an office, a hospital, a hotel, or a school, an inclusive approach sends a powerful, silent message to the public: “You were thought of before you even arrived.”

This is how we build community and trust—by transforming intimidating, exclusive architecture into shared environments where diverse groups of people can naturally interact, collaborate, and belong.

Q: Inclusive Design is often associated with physical or mobility needs. How do you support neurodiversity and sensory sensitivities?

Inclusive Design is invisible just as much as it is physical. To design for the full spectrum of human variance, we focus on two key elements: spatial predictability and sensory choice.

• Circadian Lighting: We replace harsh, buzzing fluorescent lighting with dimmable, circadian LED systems that mimic natural daylight, reducing sensory strain.
• Acoustic Comfort: We heavily integrate acoustic baffling, felt wallcoverings, and sound-masking technology to mitigate the cognitive fatigue caused by ambient office noise.
• Micro-Environments: We design distinct zones within a floor plan. A high-stimulus, collaborative zone in an open office is balanced by nearby low-stimulus rooms—spaces with muted tones, no technology, comforting textures, and controllable lighting where an individual can step away to reset.
• Architectural Transitions: We use intuitive visual cues and tactile changes underfoot to help people map the space easily in their minds, reducing the mental load of navigating a complex environment.

Q: Legal ADA standards ensure basic accessibility. How do you leverage Inclusive Design to go beyond mere regulatory compliance?

We often describe the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as our floor, not our ceiling. ADA standards are the legal minimums—critical rules focused largely on clearances and measurements. They keep us in compliance, but they do not necessarily make a space feel welcoming.

Inclusive Design is a “this, and…” shift in thinking. It takes what ADA tells us we need to do, and asks how we can go further to empower the whole human.

Here is how code compliance compares to a holistic design philosophy in practice:

Bringing It All Together

To build true community and trust, we must look at the emotional resonance of a space. It means ensuring that the most inspiring, sunlit, and beautiful areas of a building are dedicated to shared communal zones, rather than locked away for a select few.

When we design environments that tell people, “You were thought of before you even arrived,” we do more than create beautiful interiors. We create equity, preserve dignity, dismantle social barriers, and build spaces where communities can truly grow together.