Creating an AuDHD-friendly home

AuDHD author Sarah Boon shares how she has carefully chosen and adapted the colours, textures, furniture and lighting of own home to suit her sensory processing needs.

Home is very important to me, as it is the place where I spend most of my time and is my safe haven in our chaotic world. Two years ago I finally took the jump of moving out of my parents' house permanently. I know there is a stereotype that autistic people do not like change, but I was excited about this huge change as I knew it would allow me to have a lot more freedom and autonomy over my home life (something which is super important for my well-being). When I first moved into my current home, I was excited about the choices I could now make and truly create somewhere that worked around my needs as an AuDHDer.

Interior design is something that I have always been interested in, and this stems from my long-lasting interest in the video game series The Sims, where I have created and customised homes for nearly two decades now! My current home was a blank canvas when I moved in, so it was pure autistic joy knowing that I could go in and design the rooms as I liked.

As this was the first opportunity I have had to do this (that wasn’t on a computer game), reality did hit me when I researched and realised how much these things can cost! So the changes I have made so far have been more gradual than I initially anticipated. However, the changes I have made to make my place feel more like my home so far have certainly sparked autistic joy. Even a freshly painted wall and seeing the impact it has on the room is so satisfying to my neurodivergent brain!

01 Colours

Something I have gained insight into as part of this process is my sensory needs. It was not initially intentional, but I would simply choose colours for furnishings, paint and decor based on what I liked most. I found I was more drawn to greens and blues when it came to painting the walls, lighter colours for the decor and furniture, along with some lighter - mid wood tone items. Over time it became clear that these preferences were based on my visual sensory needs, and I could see a pattern in the design choices I was making based on my gut instinct.

Previously, I have been in other homes where certain colours would be too overwhelming and make me feel sick such as bright reds and neon yellows, or rooms that had several clashing patterns. One example is a room I went into that had wallpaper with lots of details, along with the sofas and carpets having completely different striking patterns. The combination of all this in one room was far too overwhelming and visually painful to look at. So my visual sensory needs was something I discovered was important for my own home.

02 Textures

My sensory needs in my home were not only related to colour and patterns, as texture is also important for me too, although I was already aware of this need before moving out of my parents’ home. For my soft furnishings and furniture (that I would sit or lay on for long periods of time), I knew I needed textures that were both soft and smooth. When finding the items I needed to make my place feel like my home, I tried out many different samples of fabric and I discovered materials such as cotton and chenille work well for my sensory needs over leather and wool.

03 Furniture

When looking for furniture, the best way I can describe it is through the analogy of Goldilocks and the three bears. I had to try out all my options first to make sure it was just right, and not too soft, or too hard. I was the same when selecting things such as bedding and towels in the past, so I knew it would be similar when finding furniture too. I spent a lot of time researching different options and going to different places to try out every single option to see what was best sensory-wise for me. Sometimes I would even travel long distances based on what I found online. I couldn’t order anything without trying it first, it felt like too much of a big risk! Also, I struggle with the admin often associated with returning goods due to my executive functioning (especially for something like furniture too), so I try to only buy things that I know I will not return.

04 Lighting

Another important aspect is lighting. I often find ceiling lights are too bright and the way they distribute light around the room is too much for my senses. I have bought floor and table lamps for most rooms, as they are less intense sensory-wise, but I am still able to see what I am doing when it is dark. During the day though I love natural light, and as long as the blinds and curtains are open, then there is no need to turn on any lights! (which is something that has been misunderstood by neurotypical people in the past).

As you can see, there were many things I have had to consider when making my home work for my needs that come from being an AuDHDer. Nearly two years on, there are still other things I am saving up for to help better meet my needs in my home, but I have enjoyed the process. As our homes are somewhere we will likely spend a lot of our time, I do believe that every neurodivergent person needs access to the resources to make their homes work for them.