Welcome to Housing Harmonies, a webcast and network café inspired by musical harmony, where sounds come together to create something new, positive, pleasant. We aim to bring people in to harmonize with us, to share, to learn, and to collaborate.

Each episode draws from one or more conversations with people in the housing ecosystem. Through discussion and commentary, we bring a neuroinclusive lens to housing. After the release of an episode, we schedule and host a Network Café, inviting folx to come together and further discuss the topic of the episode.

Episode theme

We’ll say it: Neuroinclusivity in housing should be the standard. But why is it not and what can we do counter the misunderstandings of neuroinclusive design? As we move towards this goal, we explore different design elements that can make housing more neuroinclusive and more accessible.

In this episode, we connected with Jayde from Beautifully Inclusive to chat about how design can be neuroinclusive and her work in helping others achieve this. We tackle some of the misunderstandings that people may have about neuroinclusivity and connect this to elements and examples of universal design.

Spotlight on taking action

Jayde describes how she started in the field of accessibility and the origins of her accessibility consulting business, Beautifully Inclusive.

She offers many services such as workshops teaching about accessibility and disabilities, accessibility reviews, and advising on systems and processes around the built environment.

Misconceptions about neuroinclusive housing

Changing people’s perspectives and opinions is an important part of advocacy for neuroinclusivity. Jayde brings up 3 common misconceptions about accessibility in housing from a design perspective.

Merging neuroinclusivity with universal design

Applying universal design principles can improve neuroinclusivity. Jayde talks about this relationship particularly with sensory processing and thinking beyond mobility disabilities.

As previously described in our Spotlight on Universal Design, the principles are:

  • Equitable use
  • Flexibility in use
  • Simple and intuitive use
  • Perceptible information
  • Tolerance for error
  • Low physical effort
  • Size and space for approach and use

Ideas and solutions

We asked Jayde to share some examples of neuroinclusive design in the home from her experience as a consultant. These different design elements enhance living experiences, safety, and mental health.

Managing different priorities

In some homes, there are many things that can be done to make the space more neuroinclusive. We asked Jayde how she helps people prioritize and figure out what is most important for them.

A call to action

We ended our conversation with Jayde offering a broad approach and call to action for everyone in the housing ecosystem.

Network Café

Join us online on Tuesday September 10th from 1-2 pm ET to chat about ways to challenge misconceptions of neuroinclusive design. Click on the Registration button to register for the event on Eventbrite.

During the Network Café, we invite attendees to take turns sharing experiences and solutions. We will use the following questions as a guide for our conversations:

    1. How has the design in your home impacted your life?
    2. What are some things you’ve done to make your living space more neuroinclusive?
    3. How can we push for neuroinclusivity to be the standard in housing design?

We would like to thank Jayde for taking her time to share her experiences with us.

We welcome suggestions for topics to discuss. Please connect with us through our online Contact page.

Past webcasts