This NYC designer transforms homes using all 5 senses, here’s how:
Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt something, before even knowing why?
That’s sensory design at work. It’s not just about making a space look good. It’s about how it sounds, smells, feels, and yes, even how it tastes. As an interior designer, I don’t just decorate homes. I design fully immersive experiences where every sense is quietly engaged the moment you step inside.
How I Work: Designing for All Five Senses
Every project begins with one simple question: How should this space feel to live in?
I don’t rely on trends or templates. I listen, I observe, and I design spaces that are deeply personal. Engaging all five senses is how I bring those spaces to life.
A Real-Life Example: From Cold Penthouse to Soulful Sanctuary
One of my clients, a tech executive who had just bought a penthouse in Tribeca, came to me with a classic problem. The space looked perfect: towering windows, sleek finishes, flawless layout but it felt lifeless. It needed warmth, intention and soul.
We reimagined every layer of the experience.
Sound: we installed hidden acoustic panels and a smart sound system with curated playlists. Mornings started with soft piano and evenings eased into ambient jazz.
Scent: I collaborated with a local natural perfumer to create a custom home fragrance: green fig, vetiver and cedarwood, gently diffused through the air system.
Touch: we played with contrast. Think velvet and wool alongside cool travertine and oak. Every material begged to be touched.
Taste: we designed a discreet wine nook with their favorite burgundies, paired with a drawer of dark single-origin chocolate and handmade glassware to elevate every pour.
Sight: the lighting was fully zoned and adjustable, tailored to their daily rhythm. Art was selected not to match the sofa, but to provoke thought and emotion.
The result wasn’t just a beautiful home. It was a deeply lived-in, soulfully designed experience.
Why Sensory Design Matters
Because a home should be felt, not just seen.
Because it's not about more things, but about the right things.
Because the moment you step inside, your space should speak to you and every part of you.
Ready to feel at home, in every sense of the word?
Let’s start with a conversation. I design homes that do more than impress. They hold you.
Written by Carole Vaudable, interior designer
Living room proposal designed by Carole Vaudable Interior Design.