DESIGN YOU CAN FEEL: HOW WE USE THE 5 SENSES TO CREATE MEANINGFUL SPACES
“It’s not just about what you see, it’s about how a space makes you feel.”
Home is more than just aesthetic visuals, it should be emotional, sensory, and felt deeply. The creatives at Studio Thomas believe that luxury interior design goes beyond what you see, it’s about how you experience a space. When we create designs, we consider the first impression: what do you smell? What do you hear, touch, and even taste?
Because the essence of meaningful living isn’t about more things, it’s about filling your home with things that bring you joy and tell your story. Kristen often says, “The elegance of selection, not of accumulation.” For us, design is grounded in intentionality and the emotions it evokes. Every detail is a choice and each added layer is a feeling. Design is sensory and when we engage the five senses with care, a space becomes a sanctuary.
SIGHT
First impressions set the tone for an entire home, which is why where your eye is drawn matters. Light tells a story before color is introduced into a room. For instance, soft natural light, filtered through movement-rich drapery, invites calm. Shadows stretch, textures shift, and silhouettes quietly commend attention. Because light can be so impactful, we like to start with a clean foundation — a neutral colour palette with minimal visual clutter, and then we build from there. “Less, but better.” Each item added has to earn its place, guiding the eye toward balance. There’s a rhythm to it, one that echoes the patterns found in nature.
“We pull so much inspiration from nature — like the refreshing ocean blues next to warm sand, it’s a beautiful combination of warmth and texture. It’s incredible how well nature is designed, even down to the smallest details… This is how we think about details like draperies and silhouettes, movement matters.”
SOUND
Acoustics within a home shape the mood. Upholstered chairs, layered rugs, thick curtains, these all soften echoes and ground the room and bring warmth. Every element is added intentionally. Everything has to do with acoustics, which ties directly to our layering, it all goes back to our six elements. Sound also means music. A curated playlist through integrated surround sound, the hum of a fireplace, the sound of trees in the backyard, these all become the background music of your life.
TOUCH
Whenever you feel texture in design, you’re experiencing “the hand,” it’s the soul of that material expressed through touch. It’s not just how something looks, but how it feels in your palm or underfoot. This tactile experience brings depth to a space, and grounds us to its finer details. For example, if you feel a piece of granite or marble that’s been honed, it feels almost warm, soft to the touch. While wood will carry a different energy depending on its treatment. Handcarved pieces will hold the imprint of the maker, while mass produced versions with plastic overlays feel lifeless in comparison. You simply cannot feel the hand of something if it's been mass produced. Mass produced items dull the senses, while nature refines them. That’s why we are huge proponents of natural materials such as linens, stone, wool, and wood. When thoughtfully layered, these materials will interact with one another, creating natural tension to bounce from one another, bringing life to a space.
SMELL
You recognize a home the moment you smell it: fresh florals in the kitchen, a favorite candle lit in the family room, warm cedar in the bedroom. Scents hold precious memories and history. It’s so much more than a background detail, it’s an invitation to linger, to feel safe, and to feel at home. At Studio Thomas, we honor the emotional weight scent can carry, understanding that it will often speak before words ever do.
TASTE
Designing for taste doesn’t always mean styling the dining room table, it means honoring the ritual of gathering. A well-designed kitchen is functional and beautiful. It invites loved ones to gather, encourages morning routines, shared meals, and stories shared across counter tops. It’s the flavors found in a citrus bowl on the counter or spices in the cabinet - these ultimately become the taste of a home. They are personal and comforting to each individual.
We design homes that speak to every sense, because when every sense is considered, that’s when an environment becomes more than just somewhere you live, it becomes an integral part of who you are. Every choice has weight, each texture shares a story, every space is designed to be experienced. Because we know that timeless beauty isn’t just what you see. It's what you feel. Contact our Denver interior designers to create a home that not only looks beautiful, but feels like it was made just for you.