EP 405 | It’s All About the Toilet: How Thoughtful Design Shapes Healing and Experience with Sara Robinson

December 3, 2024

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A thoughtfully designed space does more than look good—it can support calm, clarity, and even healing. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by designer Sara Robinson, who shares a deeply personal story of how her own breast cancer diagnosis transformed the way she thinks about design.

Sara explains how even the most overlooked spaces—yes, including toilets—play a critical role in the human experience. Drawing from healthcare design, lean principles, and post-occupancy evaluation, this conversation explores how balancing efficiency with emotion creates environments where people function better, feel safer, and heal more effectively.

For interior designers, the challenge isn’t choosing a style—it’s creating balance. This episode offers a powerful reminder that great design supports both movement and meaning, regardless of aesthetic.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • How Motion + Emotion = Experience shapes trust, calm, and efficiency
  • Why balanced environments support better healing and well-being
  • How lean principles eliminate waste and improve functionality
  • How thoughtful design supports both efficiency and the human experience
  • Why reframing “mundane” spaces leads to better outcomes
  • How post-occupancy evaluation and feedback strengthen future designs

 

DESIGN INTERVENTION

Authenticity never fails. You do not have to be an expert in all areas. It is okay to rely on others to fill in your gaps. When you find that one component of design that really speaks to you, pour everything into it and become an expert in it!

 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

About Sara Robinson

Sara’s passion is providing optimal physical and emotional healing environments. She is a board-certified healthcare architect with 20 years of experience designing, researching, and project-managing healthcare facilities across the Eastern US. With a certification from the Center for Health Design in Evidence-based Design principles and Lean Design training from Lean Healthcare West and The Realignment Group, Sara designs cost-effective, efficient and uplifting spaces for staff and patients.

www.mcmillanpazdansmith.com/about

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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used for any legal decisions. Kimberley Seldon Design Group, Kimberley Seldon Productions Inc., Kimberley Seldon Design and Media, Inc., Business of Design™, or any of its affiliated companies or staff is not responsible for any errors or omissions effecting accuracy in any content, and they will not be held liable for the use or misuse of information, facts, details or any other aspects should there arise any defects, errors, omissions or perhaps inaccuracies. Extensive research has been conducted to put this podcast together for the purpose of educating our industry in order to better serve the public. Care has been taken to acknowledge ownership of copyrighted material. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is offered with the understanding that we do not render any legal, accounting or other professional advice. Seek the advice of a lawyer and/or other competent professional person in all matters of law. Further, listeners should be aware that internet websites mentioned may change or disappear between when this was recorded and when it was listened to.

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