Designing Spaces That Regulate
| with guest Nika Brunet Milunovic |
For Nika, creating calm rooms are a way to support regulation before the nervous system tips into shutdown, meltdown, or burnout.
Too often, neurodivergent people are left to self-manage overwhelm in unsuitable spaces: bathrooms, stairwells, cars, or corridors. Nika’s work challenges that norm, particularly for events, festivals, corporates and public spaces. A calm room isn’t about hiding away or opting out, it’s about dignity, inclusion, and recognising that regulation is a human need, not a failure.
The goal isn’t to wait for someone to break down. It’s to build spaces that help them stay well.
“The idea is that you actually are able to calm your senses down in a very short amount of time and just reset your nervous system just to catch a breather.”
— Nika Brunet Milunovic, ADHDifference
Why It Works
ADHD nervous systems are highly responsive to environmental input. Noise, lighting, crowding, and constant stimulation can quickly push the system into overload. Calm rooms work because they reduce sensory demand and signal safety to the body.
When people are given permission and space to regulate early, they’re less likely to reach a point of crisis. Instead of reacting to dysregulation, the environment itself becomes a support helping people return to baseline, maintain focus, and stay engaged.
When to Use It
This strategy is particularly useful:
- In workplaces, schools, events, or shared spaces with high sensory load
- When people are expected to concentrate, socialise, or perform for long periods
- For ADHDers who experience overwhelm, shutdown, irritability, or mental fatigue
- As part of inclusive design, not as a special accommodation after something goes wrong
How to Practice It
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Design for Regulation, Not Crisis
A calm room should feel welcoming, not clinical. It’s a space people are encouraged to use freely (both neurodivergent and neurotypical brains). -
Reduce Sensory Load
Think low lighting, minimal noise, neutral colours, and soft textures. Remove anything visually or auditorily demanding. -
Offer Choice
Not all calm looks the same. Include options: weighted blankets, floor seating, chairs, sensory objects, quiet music, or silence (consider headsets with binaural beats therapy). Choice restores a sense of control. -
Back to Nature
Be sure to include biophilic design (the use of nature, plants)… the more plants the better! -
Keep It Close and Accessible
A calm room hidden away or difficult to access defeats the purpose. Regulation works best when support is nearby and easy to use.
The Science Behind It
Research shows that many adults with ADHD experience atypical sensory processing, meaning they may be more sensitive (or under-responsive) to sensory input such as noise, light, or environmental stimulation.1
There is a clear association between ADHD traits and sensory processing sensitivity, indicating that overstimulating environments can significantly increase stress and overwhelm. Together, this research helps explain why intentionally designed, low-stimulus spaces (like calm rooms) can support nervous system regulation and wellbeing for ADHDers.2
💬 Final Thought
When we design spaces that support regulation, we send a message: your nervous system matters here. Calm isn’t something you have to earn … it’s something the environment can help provide. It’s about designing for wellbeing from the start.
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Nika Brunet Milunovic (S2E39) here 🎧
REFERENCES
- Bijlenga, D., Tjon-Ka-Jie, J.Y.M., Schuijers, F. & Kooij, J.J.S/ (2017). Atypical Sensory Profiles as Core Features of Adult ADHD Irrespective of Autistic Symptoms
- Panagiotidi, M., Overton, P.G. & Stafford, T. (2020). The Relationship Between Sensory Processing Sensitivity and ADHD Traits: A Spectrum Approach