One of my 2023 professional goals was to write a blog about sensory rooms and how we can make them better. I, as an autistic adult and founder of a neuro-friendly art genre, am probably not a surprising contributor on this topic. I have been looking forward to it and pondering it for over a year.

Sensory rooms are designated areas offered in a variety of environments such as offices, airports, museums, and other arenas in the interest and pursuit of accessible and universal design. It was a blog that I was putting a lot of planning and research into. It was going to have valuable central messages like, “When designing sensory rooms, assume intelligence in its users. To not do so, would be unintelligent.” I wanted it to be something that REALLY leveled-up the experience for happier brains everywhere.

Now, halfway through 2023, I have come to the surface for air to bring this goal to life: writing a blog on how we can make sensory rooms better. However, after having just converted another space in my own home into a Sensory Gated Art space, I have arrived to an unexpected conclusion that ruins my entire plan for the intended blog. I have discovered that when design is done correctly, there isn’t an urgent need to take a sensory break in a discrete sensory room.

As I converted the spaces in my home to be more sensory-friendly, utilizing the tools and principles that I have concluded from my observations, I find no need for an escape. The spaces that I have created keep my brain active but not overloaded. I am able to complete activities without environmental discomfort or hindrance. I noticed this first when the Sensory Gated Art studio was born. My neurodivergent brain can paint, study, read, rest, write, and work, all within the same space without environmental hindrances: over-stimulation or under-stimulation.

Assuming it coincidence, I moved on to “fix the problems” in our living room because it was a space that, due to design flaws of visual overstimulation and an imbalance of brightness, was causing me to burn out in that space and avoid it, due to my already naturally-energized brain. I was missing out on priceless quality time with my family and guests. As work progressed on the living room design and I strived to reach the goals needed to make that space more brain-friendly for everyone in my household plus guests, I eventually resorted to simply turning it into a “Sensory Gated Art Living Room” plain and simple. It was a strategy that made the most sense because I desperately desired the same benefits offered by the Sensory Gated Art studio. Upon completion, I discovered that the principles were, in fact, transferable and concluded…

If we are doing design correctly, we should not need sensory escapes nearly as often. The need for a sensory room is the result of a mismatch between stimulation and poor design, leading to an inability to effectively regulate and integrate. I believe that a space can be engineered towards the support of all, even opposing brain dispositions.

If we are doing design correctly,

we should not need sensory rooms.

by Amanda Hebert Hughes

This is not to say that all brains remain in one of these two default dispositions. Some people experience a combination of both: anxiety and depression and need tools for both. Some people have seasons of a hyperactive brain due to life experiences or a hypoactive brain due to life experiences.

The conflicting needs seem impossible to meet simultaneously. After all, if calm brains want to be stimulated and stimulated brains want to be calmed, how can both needs be met in the same space?

This is why, I believe, my Sensory Gated Art design philosophy is so effective. It brings…

Balance.

I find that balance of the right components gives both brain types some needed tools to feel regulated and functional in the same space.

SO, I needed to recognize what those core components were. I tested these principles by asking questions and observing others. These were my notes….

(You may see a pattern here. Texture, contrast, clean lines, and cohesive colors are also what strategically make Sensory Gated Art paintings so accessible.)

Tools that I would use to target these needs:

CALMING

• dark colors

• minimalism

• Sensory Gated Art paintings only

• symmetrical prints and patterns

• neutral colors

• soft white lighting

• cool colors

• straight lines

• eliminate clutter

I just needed to……..

Use an equal balance of both.

Here are the results:

(above) The very dark walls of the Sensory Gated Art studio are calming and anchoring for active brains. While the airy, bright white ceiling is freeing and invigorating for calm brains. This is balanced.

The reason why this balance helps eliminate the need for a separate sensory relief space is because each component has a balanced stimulation factor.

For instance, as an autistic adult: if I am in a space with over-stimulating patterns but dark walls, I can anchor my focus on the dark walls that give me comfort. I don’t need a “break” from that environment.

If I am in a space with white walls that zap my energy with over-stimulating light, but those walls are balanced by Sensory Gated Art paintings, I can anchor on the paintings and find my sensory relief WITHIN that space and there is no need for a break.

Sophie Schuller, architectural neurophysiology PhD student at the Technical university of Eindhoven, says:

“To experience multi-sensory integration, we must be exposed to experiences that feed all of our senses. Despite being a visual discipline, Sensory Gated Art utilizes color, texture, proportionality, and tone to create a simulated experience across all sensory modalities, where the roughness of the branches on canvas are almost perceptible on our hands and skin.”

Tara May, CEO of a tech company with more than 90 percent autistic team members, Aspiritech, and Forbes Business Council Member also says:

“At Aspiritech, we are very conscientious about our sensory needs for our autistic team members. We have a sensory room with soft lighting, massagers, fidgets, weighted blankets, grounding techniques and more to help anyone who may need to address their sensory needs in the workplace. We're proud to have this space, but Amanda has opened up our eyes to how we need to think about sensory needs throughout our entire environment. 

Meeting Amanda Hebert Hughes opened my mind to thinking about sensory needs in a completely new way. Her art has brought a calm to my home (with four neurodivergent children and at least one neurodivergent adult) that has washed over us all. We're hoping to use her expertise in the Aspiritech office as well and expand her impact. 

Sensory Gated Art is changing lives.”

In conclusion,

I want to affirm and acknowledge anyone reading this who loves a good sensory room and who thinks that my strategy here is way far off the mark for their personal needs. The title and tags here are meant to be attention-grabbing. I do have a single perspective as a human being and that does not diminish yours. I do love to listen to others and learn about their perspectives that are different from mine and it is because of that, that I am discovering and developing this design philosophy. Putting it to use and hearing the feedback from many brain dispositions that were coming to tour the Sensory Gated Art studio was what began to alert me that I had stumbled upon something valuable; not only for myself to function incredibly well in a space, but others too. I think that when you try out the best combination of tools in the calming/energizing lists above and apply them to your environments, you might be a little more delighted with the results. Think of it as another design philosophy like Feng shui, or minimalism. They aren’t perfect, but they bring a perspective to build upon and value that meet a broader need.

Based on my observations and experiences, I am optimistic that, when Sensory Gated Art Design is properly implemented within the universal and accessible design industries, the urgent need for sensory rooms can someday be beautifully obsolete.

Perhaps we are closer than we think.*