DWELLBEING DESIGN STUDIO
DWELLBEING IS A DESIGN STUDIO LOCATED IN WATERFORD, IRELAND WORKING NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE BRING TOGETHER & ARCHITECTS, FLOW PRACTITIONERS, ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND VALUE ENGINEERING TO CREATE OPTIMAL SPATIAL FLOW + MINDFUL ARCHITECTURE
Waterford Design Studio
FOUNDED BY AWARD-WINNING DESIGN COACH KAREN DOUGLAS, DWELLBEING IS A HUMAN CENTRED DESIGN STUDIO BASED IN WATERFORD CITY. OUR DESIGN STUDIO OFFERS DESIGN SERVICES TO THOSE SEEKING AN ORGANISED AND CALM HOME. THE KEY PHILOSOPHY IS ABOUT EMPOWERING HOMEOWNERS TO DESIGN THEIR SPACES FOR HOW THEY LIVE, IN A COLLABORATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SETTING.
Along with being a director of an architectural practice for the past 8 years, Karen, a Lean Practitioner holds a Black Belt in Six Sigma and a special interest in Environmental psychology ( relationship between space and the human mind). She sees first-hand the challenges clients have in verbalising their needs and wants when undertaking a home project. Karen also understands the power of good spatial flow when combined with architecture to bring rigour and personalisation to every home. Dwellbeing prides itself on taking a holistic view to ensure that every family members’ needs are considered and understand the power of listening and interpreting the clients needs and wants first and foremost.
The Idea
Switching sectors into architecture over 8 years ago and with over 20 years commercial and coaching expertise, Karen saw first-hand the many challenges for both the architect and client and indeed the process. For the architect, gathering the brief is a time- consuming and onerous task in the absence of behavioural training or strong people skills. For the customer the process of engaging the architect and understanding the design process can be fraught with uncertainty and mis-communication, often leading to expensive and time-consuming mistakes.
Karen’s own first home build experience in her mid 20’s with an architect resulted in a home that was largely architects signature design and devoid of her future needs. She was given little information and insight into the design process which meant that goals, needs and wants were largely overlooked in favour of the architect’s signature design style of the time.
Understandably, as the family expanded, the house failed to meet their growing physical and practical needs meaning their forever home no longer functioned.
Karen understands the critical importance of listening and designing for the human dynamic as a result. She is passionate that every home-owner has the tools and knowledge in simple language to design their spaces for their own well-being. She also now knows that a home renovation project cannot and must not be undertaken by one person only and a multi-disciplinary approach is needed that brings together the flow specialist + architect + environmental psychology.
Dwellbeing delivers this skillset to bring a highly unique and new, tried and tested model of home design that delivers not only a quality project but the peace of mind that every decision is well tested for the client.