It All Starts Inside: An Introduction to Wellness Design

We believe that the spaces we live in are more than backdrops—they are reflections of who we are and catalysts for who we become. Every room tells a story, quietly shaping our emotions and our sense of self. This belief of inner alignment through home design lies at the heart of Chapter One and forms the foundation of our ethos: it all starts inside.
 
To explore this connection, we’re honored to welcome architect and WELL Accredited Professional Erin Realon as a contributing voice to our Journal. With over eight years of experience in sustainable and mindful design, Erin is devoted to creating environments that nurture health, harmony, and human potential. We’re beyond grateful for her presence—and for the passion and expertise she'll be sharing here, through Chapter One—for you.
 
In this first article of our Wellness Design series, she introduces the essence of wellness design—revealing how the places we inhabit can profoundly influence our daily rhythm, energy, and overall well-being, ultimately shaping the way we experience life over time.

Thank you, Chapter One, and my dear friend Julie Amelie, for opening this meaningful conversation about design as a form of care.

Let’s start with a simple yet striking fact:
We, as human being, spend 90% of our time indoors. Ninety percent.

Studies from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveal that, on average, Americans and Europeans spend most of their lives inside enclosed spaces. Imagine this for a moment—by the time we reach 40, we’ve already spent 36 years indoors. And with so much of our life unfolding within built environments, the design of these spaces can either enhance our well-being or quietly undermine it.

To understand the impact of design on our daily lives, let’s look closer to home—literally.

Our homes hold a quiet power. They can exhaust us or restore us, hold us back or help us heal and grow—all depending on how they’re designed.

Every element—the air we breathe, the sounds that fill our rooms, the light that surrounds us, the materials we touch, and the colors we see—shapes how we feel each day. Poor ventilation, constant noise, harsh lighting, synthetic materials, or overly stimulating colors can leave us drained without realizing why. Yet when a space feels fresh, calm, and naturally balanced, our energy returns—along with our clarity, focus, and ease.

This connection between our emotions and the built environment is at the core of what architects call wellness design—a practice devoted to translating well-being into space.

As a professional in this field, I’ve come to understand and deeply appreciate wellness design as people-first design—an approach that puts human health, comfort, and longevity at the center of every decision, helping us thrive in the spaces we inhabit.

When we design with awareness, we’re not only shaping our environment—we’re shaping our state of mind, and the person we’re becoming within it.

In the next articles, we’ll explore how global standards like WELL and LEED bring science and structure to wellness design, followed by deeper dives into natural materials, light, color psychology, and minimalist aesthetics—all elements that can turn an ordinary space into a sanctuary of calm and vitality.

But for now, I invite you to pause for a moment and look around.
How does your space make you feel—energized or tired, peaceful or restless?

That awareness is the very first step toward living—and designing—well. I’ll see you there, as we continue exploring how design can nurture well-being.