Sarah Barnard Design LLC

Home Improvement Professionals , Interior Designers & Decorators , Universal Design
47 Reviews
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Sarah Barnard Design LLC
47 Reviews

Inclusive Playspace

Thoughtful design can transform a home into a supportive and enriching environment, particularly for individuals with unique needs. This custom playspace, designed to support the sensory needs of a child with autism, naturally blends therapy and play into daily home life. Biophilic design elements such as a nature-inspired color palette, organic forms, and textures are utilized to create a visually stimulating child-oriented environment of diverse visual and sensorial experiences that create order within the space while also inspiring movement, play, and fun. These design features create visual and sensorial cues that help to create awareness of what is available to them within this environment, empowering them to make their own selections and choices for activity, play, and therapy, creating a space where they have autonomy, support, and space to thrive.
Project Year: 2025
Project Cost: $75,001 - $100,000
Country: United States
Zip Code: 91106
Bookshelves painted in a lavender hue provide accessible storage for toys and books, providing visual choice and making them easy to access for play, learning, and therapy.
Inclusive Playspace
Custom pink lily pad pillows made from a durable wool-acrylic blend and a custom rug crafted from wool and bamboo silk create a child-oriented space on the floor. This environment encourages one-on-one interactions and therapy, making it easy for adults to engage in activities on the floor.
Inclusive Playspace
Pink and lavender are incorporated into the library to distinguish this as an area designed for focused learning and therapy, separate from the blue and green main play space.
Inclusive Playspace
Pendant lights resembling clouds, crafted from honeycombed paper and illuminated from within, provide soft lighting throughout the space. Lighting controls are installed at a height accessible to children, and each light can be dimmed individually.
Inclusive Playspace
A plush fuchsia upholstered bench by the entryway creates a comfortable space to take off shoes and provides additional storage inside.
Inclusive Playspace
Pink and lavender are incorporated into the library to distinguish this as an area designed for focused learning and therapy, separate from the blue and green main play space.
Inclusive Playspace
A custom rug crafted from wool and bamboo silk and a large, low-hanging cloud-like paper pendant light create an inviting, child-oriented space. This environment naturally facilitates one-on-one floortime therapy and play, making it easy for adults to join children in activities on the floor.
Inclusive Playspace
Modular, green climbing structures made from durable, commercial-grade textiles are incorporated into this play space. These soft forms offer opportunities for physical movement, enabling the child to climb and exercise their muscles. Additionally, the child can rearrange the structures into...
Inclusive Playspace
A climbing ramp connects this custom-built indoor treehouse to the outdoor patio space, which, when used with adult supervision, incorporates the fresh air and sunlight of the outdoor environment into the main playroom.
Inclusive Playspace
A nature-inspired palette of greens and blues throughout the main play space creates a visually stimulating environment. Sustainably sourced stacked cork sheets provide warm accents on the treehouse and bookcase.
Inclusive Playspace
A bed was custom-made at child height to create a child-oriented space facilitating one-on-one play. A series of soft climbing shelves anchored to the wall give the bed a dual function as a soft landing during exercise and play.
Inclusive Playspace
Inclusive Playspace
Inclusive Playspace
The upstairs treehouse is flooded with bright natural light and textured plaster walls that feel like bark. The window also provides a view of the trees outside, which can contribute to positive emotions and a sense of well-being.
Inclusive Playspace
The shape and placement of rugs throughout the space subtract parts of the wood flooring to help emphasize landing areas for therapy and play. This rug placement also creates a path of exposed flooring, which reveals a recreational running loop through the playroom, kitchen, and library.
Inclusive Playspace
A custom-made wipe-off magnet board creates a space for artistic expression and interactive play with magnets that picture different feelings and emotions. A series of plants installed on the wall above create a living green space that brings the serenity of nature into the playroom.
Inclusive Playspace