“Designing Interiors For Autism” by Wendy Valente

The Autism Dad blog and podcast, run by my friend Rob Gorski, was one of the first resources I found when my now five-year-old son was first diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder a little over two years ago.

In his content, Rob candidly shares his personal journey raising three sons on the autism spectrum. He also features amazing guests that cover a wide range of topics. Recently on his podcast, he spoke with Wendy Valente, the owner of Live Well Designs. Besides offering full-service interior design, what sets Wendy’s business apart is her “Designing Interiors for Autism” service.

Wendy has always had a passion for interior design and after she graduated from college began working in the industry. However, after her oldest daughter was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, she realized that a career in the traditional sense wasn’t going to work for her family. She needed the flexibility of working around the needs of her oldest daughter and her young twins. So she started her own business, Live Well Designs.

After she started Live Well Designs, and as she learned more about Autism Spectrum Disorder and her own daughter’s unique needs, she created a niche within her company called “Designing Interiors for Autism.”

Designing Interiors for Autism is not just about getting things that are for sensory spaces etc. It’s deeper than that. It’s about you learning all the things that make your child unique and facilitating their needs with the perfect item, understanding how color, clutter, lighting, textures and layout all play an important role in creating a space exactly for the activity and the person using the space. Doing this allows for better behaviors, better outcomes, and self-regulation.

– Wendy Valente

Wendy helps families take the guesswork out of creating a welcoming, calm, safe, and sensory-friendly space for children on the autism spectrum. Designing Interiors for Autism is a four-module course. Throughout the modules you’ll not only learn how to design a safe space your child will thrive in, but you will get to know them on a deeper level. The modules are:

• Module 1 – Lighting
• Module 2 – Color
• Module 3 – Texture
• Module 4 – Space Planning

In addition to the course, Wendy also offers a free private Facebook Group called, “Designing Interiors for Autism” where she and members can share solutions to challenges, tips & trends, ideal products, successes for ourselves and our children. I just joined today and am excited to start learning more from Wendy!

Below I will link her fantastic interview with Rob Gorksi and Live Well Design’s Pinterest page.

I am beyond thrilled to promote Wendy’s passion to help families, like hers, impacted by autism create the perfect spaces for not only their children to enjoy but spaces that help them become the best versions of themselves possible!

The best rooms also have something to say about the people who live in them. – David Hicks