The Power of Personalisation: A Client Centred Approach to Design

By Michael Clifton, Architectural Technologist, Adaptation Design

Michael Clifton graduated in 2009 with a degree in Architectural Technology. With a creative eye, impressive track record for delivering thoughtful design, securing planning permissions for complex sites and guiding his clients through different project phases, Michael thinks broadly and always puts people first. 

In our new 4-part series, Michael examines the importance of a client-centred approach to accessible design and build – so houses truly become homes.

Part 2 – driving design through perception

In part two of our four-part series, Michael Clifton, Architectural Technologist, Adaptation Design, explores the role of perception when clients are unable to clearly articulate their preferences for home design. Michael discusses how careful observation, input from families and support teams, and attention to subtle personal cues, allow designers to build an accurate and authentic picture of a client’s style and needs.

So far in this series, we’ve talked about uncovering personality and curating ideas when clients can articulate them. But what happens when they can’t? What if they can’t put it into words or their communication is limited?

This is where design requires not just empathy, but perception. Sometimes the loudest signals aren’t spoken, they’re observed.  It’s where, as designers, we become detectives piecing together the client’s aesthetic from the subtler signs of daily life to build a picture of them to reflect back to them, their family and support team.

Take clothing, for example. You can learn a great deal about someone’s style instincts just by noticing how they dress. Are their clothes vibrant, patterned, expressive? That might suggest they are drawn to bold colour in their environment. Do they prefer soft fabrics, neutral tones, a restrained palette? That could point towards a minimalist or more calming aesthetic.

And it’s not only clothing. Sometimes the cues come from the things people surround themselves with. Their bookshelves, the art they hang, even the objects they choose to keep close at hand. 

This is also where family members and carers become crucial voices in the design process. Especially when we’re working with clients who have complex needs or limited communication. Families often come with one perspective, shaped by history, tradition or their own preferences. Carers, Case Managers and Occupational Therapists, on the other hand, may see the client’s daily rhythms and reactions in real time. And those perspectives can be very different.

I had a project where the client’s parents insisted he was ‘traditional.’ They wanted us to consider a very classical, muted approach. But his carer, who spent every day with him, said: ‘No, he loves modern things and bright bold colours.’ And the carer was right. The finished design, with the client’s input on colours, tile choices and finishes were well received by all. That contrast reminded me how essential it is not to privilege one voice but to listen to all perspectives within the dialogue. 

Of course, sometimes we still must work with limited information. And that’s where we have to get creative, making reasonable suggestions with broad appeal and flexibility. In these instances, I will often lean into neutral colour palettes and guide clients to accessorise with bolder colours on cushions, curtains, throws, lamps and artwork. This brings a personal stamp but also the flexibility to change the palette over time. 

However, this is never about guessing blindly. It’s about staying alert, noticing trends and questioning until patterns emerge.

Here’s the main point: style is not always verbal. It doesn’t always show up in a neat mood board or in design vocabulary the client can articulate. Sometimes it shows up in a shirt, a bookshelf or in a casual comment.

And as designers, it’s our job to ask: what if that is the clue? What if that is the real preference? What if that’s the beginning of their story?

When we tune into these subtle tells, we don’t just create spaces that are aesthetically pleasing. We create homes that are empathetic, deeply personal and often more authentic than if we had relied only on words.

And that leads us to the next challenge: what about when a home must incorporate not just style, but very real clinical needs? How do we ensure those functional requirements don’t overpower the soul of the design? That’s when we move beyond the clinical which I’ll explore in part 3.

Contact

If you are a housing, healthcare or legal professional seeking a home for a client with disabilities, Michael is standing by to assist. He can be reached on: 

Michael Clifton
Adaptation Design Limited, 4 Carters Row, Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire. AL9 5NB
Tel: 020 8492 1617 / 07983 735 976 Email: michael.clifton@adaptationdesign.co.uk