Neurodesign for ADHD

If you live with ADHD, you’ll already know that your environment plays a huge role in how you feel and function. A cluttered, overstimulating home can leave you feeling frazzled, while the right space can help you feel calmer, more focused and energised when you need it most.

The good news? By using principles of ADHD-friendly home design, you can create a space that not only looks beautiful but also works in harmony with your brain. Here’s how to decorate your home so it becomes a sanctuary for your body and mind.

1. Keep Clutter Out of Sight

Visual clutter = mental clutter. For ADHD brains, mess isn’t just untidy - it’s distracting and stressful.

• Choose closed storage (drawers, cupboards, baskets) to hide away visual noise.
• Keep high-use surfaces clear - i.e. desks, kitchen counters and bedside tables.
• Build a simple “reset” routine, such as a quick tidy before bed, to stop clutter piling up.

✨ Tip: For kids with ADHD, colour-coded baskets make tidying quick and easy.

2. Choose Colours That Work With Your Brain

Colour has a big impact on our mood and energy levels. When used intentionally, it can transform how your home feels. Greens and blues are a great choice for an ADHD brain. These colours calm the nervous system by reducing heart rate and blood pressure. Blue has even been found to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

✨ Tip: If you love bold shades, keep walls and furniture neutral, then bring in pops of colour with cushions, rugs or artwork. 

3. Optimise Your Lighting 

Lighting has a powerful effect on ADHD brains - it can either overstimulate or soothe.

• Daytime: Maximise natural light in work and living areas to boost focus and energy.
• Evening: Switch to warm, dim lighting in bedrooms and living rooms to encourage relaxation.
• Sleep spaces: Blackout blinds or weighted eye masks can block out disruptive light.

✨ Tip: Smart bulbs that shift from daylight tones to soft amber in the evening are an easy way to support healthy sleep rhythms.

 4. Create Sensory-Friendly Spaces

Many people with ADHD are highly sensitive to sensory input. The right textures, sounds, and scents can help your brain regulate.

• Layer soft furnishings like rugs, throws, and cushions for comfort.
• Add soundproofing where you can - curtains, carpets or even a white noise machine.
• Try weighted blankets or textured seating to ease restlessness and promote calm. 

✨ Tip: Use scents strategically - lavender for bedrooms, citrus in kitchens, eucalyptus in bathrooms.

5. Design to Support Routine

ADHD brains thrive on structure, and your home can become a gentle reminder of daily habits.

• Keep essentials visible and accessible - like a basket for keys or a water bottle on the counter.
• Use furniture layout or rugs to create clear “zones” for different activities—work, rest, play.
• Add visual cues to anchor routines - a diffuser by your bed for winding down, or a yoga mat in the living room as a reminder to stretch.
• Use lighting and decor to signal transitions, like fairy lights for bedtime or energising lamps for morning routines.

✨ Tip: Colour-changing bulbs are especially useful for families, making it easy to signal “play time,” “study time,” or “bedtime.”

Decorating your home when you have ADHD isn’t about stripping back personality or aiming for perfection. It’s about creating an environment that feels calm, supportive, and energising when you need it to be. By reducing clutter, choosing colours with purpose, designing with your senses in mind, and weaving routines into your decor, you can transform your home into a space that works with your brain - not against it.

Because when your home supports your wellbeing, everyday life feels less overwhelming and more joyful.