Cover Nikki Hunt discusses how wellness begins at home, with intentional design (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
Nikki Hunt discusses how wellness begins at home, with intentional design (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
1 / 1
Designer Nikki Hunt explores how homes influence health, yet most wellness advice often overlooks the space we spend most of our lives in
We know more about our health than any generation before us. We track our steps. Monitor our sleep. There are gyms on every corner, yoga studios in every neighbourhood, and supplements spilling out of kitchen drawers. Wellness is everywhere. And yet, real well-being feels harder than ever to find.
Asthma. Anxiety. Autoimmune disease. Alzheimer’s. And that’s just the As. Despite our best efforts, chronic illness is rising—and affecting people at younger ages. We’ve changed our diets, upgraded our workouts, and prioritised sleep. But what if the problem isn’t just in us—it’s around us?
We now know that we spend more than 90 per cent of our lives indoors. That means our homes, workplaces and schools are among the most powerful forces shaping our health. And yet, they’re rarely part of the wellness conversation.
Also read: 5 most beautiful homes in the East Coast of Singapore
Biology meets home design to influence wellness
Above Designer Nikki Hunt rethinks how wellness should begin with your abode (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
Designer Nikki Hunt rethinks how wellness should begin with your abode (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
1 / 1
I’ve been designing homes for over 20 years: elegant, efficient spaces that look beautiful and function well. But one day, a routine health check changed everything. I wasn’t overweight. I exercised. I ate well. But my cholesterol was high, and my bone density was low. My doctor chalked it up to genetics and prescribed medication, along with a hormone cream. “Just a dab,” she said. “Rub it on your skin.” And that’s when it hit me.
If something that small (a smear of cream) could shift my hormones, what about the rest of what touches my body every day? The sheets I sleep in. The air I breathe. The light I live under. That question sent me down a rabbit hole of discovery. I immersed myself in neuroscience, circadian biology, air quality, and environmental psychology. What I found was staggering.
Don't miss: Hobbies that support brain health as you age, according to science
Above We can’t control the DNA we inherit, but we can control much of the environment we live in (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
We can’t control the DNA we inherit, but we can control much of the environment we live in (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
1 / 1
We often think our health is determined by genes. But as researcher Judith Stern put it: “Genetics loads the gun. Environment pulls the trigger.” We can’t control the DNA we inherit. But we can control much of the environment we live in. And that matters, because over 99 per cent of the sensory input we receive is processed unconsciously.
Our nervous systems are always scanning the world around us: interpreting light, scent, sound, the air and texture, and deciding whether we’re safe. That constant background assessment affects everything from our hormones to heart rate and immune health. It also explains why certain spaces make us feel calm, and others keep us wired, even if we can’t say why.
In case you missed it: First, microplastics invaded the ocean. Now they’re impacting our soil—and our health
Above The spaces that look appealing aren’t always the ones in which the body relaxes (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
The spaces that look appealing aren’t always the ones in which the body relaxes (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
1 / 1
Neuroaesthetics (the science of how our bodies respond to design) shows that our preferences often don’t match our biology. The spaces that look appealing aren’t always the ones in which the body relaxes. In fact, sensors show that when sensory elements are in harmony—what we see, feel, smell, and hear—the body shifts into rest mode. Design isn’t just about beauty. It’s about creating spaces that help the body feel safe, calm, and well.
Also read: Rediscovering rest: The art of luxurious sleep, perfected by Simmons
A new design-led approach to wellness
Above Designing for wellness doesn’t mean living in a treehouse or giving up beauty, it means asking better questions (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
Designing for wellness doesn’t mean living in a treehouse or giving up beauty, it means asking better questions (Photo: Nikki Hunt's Design Intervention)
1 / 1
We obsess over finishes, fixtures, and floor plans—but rarely stop to ask: What is this space doing to the person who lives in it? Designing for wellness doesn’t mean living in a treehouse or giving up beauty. It means asking better questions: Does this space get natural light in the morning? Are the materials safe to breathe and touch? Is there harmony between what I see, feel, and hear? Does this bedroom truly support deep rest?
When we design with biology in mind, wellness becomes background—something that supports us quietly, every day. Because if we spend 90 per cent of our lives indoors, then the home isn’t just a container for life. It’s the foundation of health itself.
Topics
